Three Men Want Me

The slap came hard, across her face, as soon as the necklace landed on the floor. Mandy's high-pitched and irritating voice filled the room, atop the sounding slap. “How dare you? You crazy b***h!” Kate felt the sting of the slap. She wanted to throw her fist too and remind Mandy that she was older and had a good hand. But the first and only time she did that was when she was twelve. Mother had just been buried and father was introducing her to a new woman who came along with a young girl. “She'll be your mum and your sister.” That was all he said. Kate wanted them gone. She couldn't mourn her mother. Not when they were everywhere and her mother's pictures had been taken down from the house. Then Mandy had the guts to wear her mother's diamond necklace. “Give it back. It's mine,” twelve year old Kate stated. But Mandy, only eight, stuck out her tongue. “Nuh-uh. It's mine now.” Kate's chest was rising in rage. “I said give it back!” Mandy pouted. “If I can't have it…” She ripped the necklace from her neck. “...so can't you.” She raced to the toilet before Kate could get a hold of her and flushed the last piece of her mum. “How could you?” Kate busted in rage. Her hands were lifted up in the air and it stuck through right year Old's cheek maliciously. A shrill that woke the entire house erupted from Mandy's throat. Father never cared to listen for an explanation. “You vile child. You're just like your mother.” His words stung. But his belt and hunger stung worse. Presently, even as Mandy screamed about her fallen necklace, a slight smug appeared on her face because she was too late. Author, who had been fascinated by the glittery object all along, reached for it, its teeth gnawing and ripping the expensive piece to nothing but shiny stones scattered on the floor. “No…no. Auth…Author!” Kate stood, watching with satisfaction as Mandy's prom had been ruined. Mandy's whines amplified over Author's barks as she bent over the ruined necklace, trying to salvage it in vain. When she stood up, her eyes had lost their dreamy sparkle. Her long, manicured fingers reached for Kate's face. She didn't mind the scratch. Not when Mandy was going to end up with a broken nail or more. “You disgusting b***h! You did that on purpose, didn't you? You tried to ruin my night.” She reached for Kate's hair, pulling. But Kate never gave her the satisfaction she wanted. She gritted her teeth underneath the pain and thought of the anger sfe felt when father didn't remember her own graduation. Now, he was buying Mandy a diamond necklace worth millions. Hit harder! She screamed in her head. She stared in the face of Mandy. No way she would let her go for her prom. Mandy's blind rage was her advantage because she pushed her beautiful prom dress right in her path as she lunged towards her for a bite. Her heels dug into the dress, ripping it. A horrifying shrill escaped from her throat that sent Becky running. Becky stared at the room in shock. The glittering stones were still on the floor and so was the prom dress. And now? Mandy's makeup had been ruined. Mascara spilling from her eyelashes. It didn't take brains to realise who had caused the mess. “Kate!” She dragged her by the hair and forced her to the floor. “I did nothing,” she stated, hiding her smile. “She ruined the necklace, mum…and my…my ball gown - it's torn. What should I do?” Kate was forgotten. For now. Becky picked the dress, her face etched with disappointment. “We'll fix this.” It was as though she had said something abominable. “Fix this?!” Mandy's voice thundered. “It's ruined.” Becky’s hand dug into her phone and she reached for her phone. “Don’t worry, dear. The party is just an hour away….shush, don’t ruin your make up.” Mandy was sniffing like a spoiled brat. “How do I get a new dress and a damned diamond necklace in one hour?!” A smile spread across Becky’s face as she typed on her phone. She faced the screen of her phone towards Mandy when she was done. Kate stood in the corner, completely forgotten, for now, wondering how they were going to salvage the mess. At least, if they had made her miss her own prom because they were ‘broke’, it was fair to ruin Mandy’s prom. The sharp thrill that escaped Mandy’s throat told Kate that her plans may have not worked. “Thank you, mum,’ she was saying. “You are the best! When does it arrive? Can I start my make up all over again.” Kate wondered what was going on. It was late. Could they have easily found a dress this late? Wouldn’t it be more expensive to get something like that expressly? Mandy’s accusatory finger was pointed towards her. “I don’t want to see her near me until I am back. She wants to ruin my prom.” “Hey, go and join the maids in the kitchen. You are going to pay for what you did tonight.” Kate stood to her feet as Becky approached her. She had learned to face her stepmother undauntingly since she knew Becky thrived on her fear. Becky pushed the screen towards her face. She had been expecting a slap. But the words that came out from her mouth were worse than a slap. “I’ve gotten a new and more beautiful dress for Mandy…and also a diamond necklace just like the one you ruined. And it's all thanks to you because we are going to pay for them with the trust fund your mother left for you.” Kate had been looking forward to the day she turned 21 so she could have the millions of dollars her mother had kept for her. Her twenty-first birthday was just a couple hours away and they were already spending her money already.