let Natalie win. And I rather die before I let Nat-
At 3:05 the horn blared indicating a shift change at the chemical plant. Followed by a scream from above, and then -
Caren
Chapter 3
Thursday, 6:45 AM
I woke up to the soothing sounds of the ocean. I sat up in my large, king-size bed, my light blue Duvet bunched at the foot of my bed. I let the music continue to play, stretched, swung my legs over the side, stretched again and got up. Life is good. MMMMMMM.
I turned off the music and padded across my thick, carpeted room down the hallway and made my way downstairs. Oh I almost forgot my name is Caren James.
I walked down the long, wide hallway and entered our ginormous kitchen. Yeah it’s a word don’t believe me? Look it up.
Our kitchen opened up to the back patio a large black, crescent-shaped, granite countertop sat in the middle with high-back bar stools around the front. Breakfast nook to one side with large top to bottom bay windows overlooking the double pool. A small waterfall separated the two pools. There were two large bedrooms downstairs, three bedrooms upstairs and a large sitting area that opened out to a balcony with stairs going down to the large cement covered patio. It’s pretty awesome.
You’re probably wondering how does an aerobics instructor afford a 5000 plus square foot home? Easy. My mom has been married 3 times. Her last marriage was to some gross, old fart who died three weeks later. He was wealthy. You’ve heard of filthy rich? He was disgustingly rich. So my mom inherited everything. I mean everything. He had no kids, no ex-wives. Jackpot! It reminds me of that old saying, “if you don’t have money your stupid.”
I was in the kitchen eating a Special K bar when my mother walked in still wearing her black Versace dress.
“Hey sweetie your up.”
“You just getting in?” I asked. Not really surprised. She’d been doing that for the past month.
“Yeah,” she tousled her hair, “Andrew just couldn’t let me go.” I rolled my eyes. She says that every time.
My mom is pretty cool. Her and my dad have been divorced for about ten years now. He moved out west somewhere I don’t really know. It’s just my mom and me.
She’s got long, dark brown hair, heavy curls and dark eyes. She is in a matter of speaking voluptuous and curvy.
“Well momma’s going to shower, change and take a little nap. You okay to get yourself off to school?”
“Always am.” I said. “How about letting me borrow the Aston Martin?”
She gave me a look only a mother could give, but I have my own look. I opened my big, blue eyes wide and gave a little half smile. Reel it in. Reel it in. Not too much. Tilt the head to one side. Wait for it. Wait for it.
“Okay. Be careful with it. It’s my baby.”
Bingo! Works every time. Hahahaha. I’m so evil. “Thanks mom you’re the best.” I kissed her on the cheek and ran upstairs to get ready for school.
I decided today to wear a pink shirt and white cardigan, Miss Me jeans and pink Nike. Dabbed a little make-up here and there and some light pink lip-gloss. Stuck my favorite sunglasses from Urban Outfitters on my head and gave myself the once over. I’m too pretty for words. I'm a model you know what I mean. And I do my little turn on the catwalk. Yeah, on the catwalk on the catwalk, yeah. I do my little turn on the catwalk. Oh my gosh! There are words expressing how pretty I am.
I winked at myself in the mirror and headed out the door.
I took the white, convertible Aston Martin out and headed for school. Gonna be an awesome day!!! I sped down the street, checked my white-gold Rolex and realized I still had over twenty-five minutes. Plenty of time to stop at Starbuck’s.
I ordered a Double Mocha Latte, and headed for school.
Got to school, walked around the back and saw Deirdre sitting on one of the benches, reading.
“Hey Dee, s’up.” I called out.
“Nothing.”
“So, what are you reading?”
“Principles of Quantum Mechanics. It’s my third time around.”
I took a sip of my coffee, “sounds boring.”
“Oh no it’s an excellent book . . . the postulates of quantum mechanics and the mathematical underpinnings are written so clear and succinct. Dirac’s bras and kets would turn off most people. But not the way Shankar explains it, by attacking the problem head-on.”
“Dee, I get it. You’re an erudite. Quantum mechanics. It’s about as interesting as popular mechanics.”
Dee giggled. “How do you know the word erudite but you can’t understand Quantum Mechanics?”
“What can I say? I’m complicated.”
Finally! It was time for lunch and hang with my girls I walked across the schoolyard and into the cafeteria area. I found Randi, Kaye and Dee already sitting and eating. I pulled out a Special K bar for lunch from my purse and sat down.
“So what’s going?”
“Going over the latest gossip.” Dee answered.
“Oooh. What’d I miss?”
Randi began recanting her tales of gossip until Natalie strode over to our table. I don’t like other pretty girls near me. I don’t know how to explain it . . . it annoys me. A lot!
After Randi left, the girls started in on a discussion about something, something, moveable objects or whatever. I don’t know I was too busy filing my nails. Natalie asked me something at one point I just nodded. I wasn’t really listening. Song kept running through my head:
It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world.
Stupid Randi.
After lunch I went to the auditorium to work on the play, “The Taming of the Shrew.” I’m playing Katharina the main character. And Mark Harris the All-Star Quarterback is Petruchio.
I was sitting on the edge of the stage going over my lines when Belinda Johnson sat next to me. Belinda is about average height and curvy, not overweight. She’s constantly changing her hair color, and doesn’t really remember what it was naturally. She has blue green eyes, and a nice complexion. She’s nice when she wants to be but she’s still got a little bit of a self-centered attitude. She kinda wants to know how something can benefit her before she does it, which doesn’t bother me. But I’ve heard other people complain about her. Eh, to each their own. She’s my friend so I don’t really care. Besides how bad can she be she’s dating Mark Harris the quarterback and my lead in Taming of the Shrew.
“Hey mind if I sit here
