Hot Mess

My life sucks

Chapter 1 

“Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?" I cried out as Sabrina hit me again. There was a crowd forming laughing and cheering her on.  

“You exist and that pisses me off,” she yelled back hitting me again.  

Thank God the crossing guard heard the laughter from the kids. She ran over and snatched Sabrina’s heavy book bag out of her hand as she was swinging it down for my face. Sabrina turned to smack whoever had stopped her till she realized it was Mrs. Smith the crossing guard. She knew she was in trouble now. Mr. Scott our principal came running over to see what the commotion was all about  

“Emma what happened here?”  he asked me.  

I knew better then to tell him that Sabrina attacked me for no reason, it would make tomorrow even worse. “I fell Mr. Scott. It's nothing really. I tripped and fell. I'm sorry to disturb everyone. I just want to go home now.”  

By the look on his face he wasn't buying my story. He turned to Sabrina and asked her what happened.  

Sabrina plastered that fake smile of hers on and replied. “Sir I'm not sure what happened. One-minute Emma was walking with me and my friends and the next she was on the ground. We all gave a chuckle and for that I'm sorry but when I went to help her up Mrs. Smith snatched me away by my book bag.” 

“Mrs. Smith what did you see?”  

“Well sir I didn't see much at all. I heard a group of kids laughing and shouting. When I came back across the road Sabrina was swinging her book bag down at Emma so I ran over and grabbed it.”  

Mr. Scott asked the other kids what they saw they all said it was same as what Sabrina had said, that I had tripped and fallen and she was just trying to help me up. I couldn’t believe that she was gonna get away with it yet again. But it was partly my fault I didn’t tell the truth I never did. I don’t know what to do anymore if I tell about her abuse it just gets worse, yet if I don’t, she gets away with it. 

Mr. Scott ask one of the other kids to go get the nurse. He told Mrs. Smith to go back to her duties and the rest of the kids to go home. He asked Sabrina to come see him in his office the next morning before class. 

She replied “Sir I didn’t do anything wrong why do I have to come to your office again?” 

“Because I’m asking you to Sabrina, be there at 8:10 tomorrow morning. Now go home.” 

“I have practice in 15 minutes Mr. Scott I can’t go home. I’ll go to the locker rooms and get ready.” 

“Thank you, Sabrina, see you in the morning.” When Mr. Scott turned back to me now that the crowd was gone, he asked me again “What happened?” 

I had to lie. I couldn’t tell on her, if I did, I knew it would just be worse. So, I told him, “I fell Mr. Scott. Sabrina was just trying to help me up. Yes, they were laughing but so was I.” 

“If that’s the truth Emma why do you have blood on your face?” 

“When I fell, I must have hit somebody’s book back or something.” 

“Emma, I know you’re lying to me. Please just tell me the truth. Everyone knows that she bullies you every day. If you would just tell on her I could do something about it.” 

“Mr. Scott, she’s the most popular girl in school and she’s my brother’s girlfriend. I have to deal with her all the time I can’t, I just can’t.” 

Miss Benetti showed up right then. She took one look at me and knew what had happened. She always did. She's cleaned me up more than once, helped me to hide what was truly going on. 

“Miss Benetti would you please help me get Emma into the school and take a look at her.” 

“Absolutely Sir. I can bandage these scrapes up in no time flat.” She turned to me and said, “Come on Emma let's get you up on your feet.” 

Once we were in Miss Benetti's office Mr. Scott excused himself and said he had some other matters to attend to but that he wanted to see me tomorrow morning at 8:30. I told him I would be there and wished him a good afternoon. Once he was gone Miss Benetti took one look at me and said, “She did it again, didn’t she?” 

I couldn’t lie I had to tell her she knew already. “I was walking home minding my own business when Sabrina and her friends came running up and pushed me down. Then Sabrina started hitting me with her bookbag. That's really all there is to tell. I don’t have to do anything or say anything to her, she just beats me up every chance she gets”. 

“Well you know Emma, if you would tell Mr. Scott what was going on, maybe he could do something about it”. 

“No, I can’t help him if I tell him, she just makes it worse.  She whines to my brother and then he takes it out on me too.”  

* 

As I walked home, I thought about how I would like my life to change. I want to be popular. Well no not really, I just don't want to be picked on every day. Both my brothers are athletic and have friends. They aren’t the most popular but they do have friends, nobody ever picks on them. I just want to have a few friends and be left alone by everyone else.  

When I get home, I'm alone as usual. Both boys are at practice and my mom and stepdad are at work. I go straight upstairs to my room to do my homework. I'll only have about an hour to myself before my brothers and their friends are here wanting dinner.  

God I hate English class. This essay is going to be the death of me. All of the sudden there is a knock on my bedroom door. “Who is it?” I ask.  I figure it's one of my brothers or their friends.  

Bobby replies, “it's me Em. Let me in.” 

“Why are you here?”  I look at the time.  “Practice isn't over yet.”  

“Tom heard what happened and asked me to come check on you.” 

As I slowly open the door, Bobby gaps. “oh come on it's not that bad. I've had worse and you know it.” 

“Em when are you going to stop protecting them.”  

“There isn't much I can do about it. Brock always stands up for her and so do her friends. Plus, when I do say anything Brock ends up treating me like crap leaving me all the chores to do. I don't get why everyone thinks he's so great. He's a jerk. “ 

“Now, now he's not that bad. “ 

“Oh whatever. He's your friend so of course you’re going to side with him. I don't know why I even bother.” Sitting back in my chair I ask, “What is it you need? I have studying to do. I have 2 English essays to write and other homework to get done before everyone gets home. “ 

“Nothing Em, I just wanted to check on you" 

“No, you didn't. Thomas sent you to check on me. If that's all leave me alone. “ 

Bobby's face fell when I told him to leave. As he turned to go, I saw the hurt on his face. Maybe he did just want to check on me. Oh, who am I kidding he is just like the others. Nobody was ever going to look at me twice. I am to ugly.  

* 

4:45 on the dot. The front door slams open and there is the sound of laughing and joking coming up the stairs. I know that's my cue to get downstairs and get dinner started. I try to finish writing the paragraph I’m on, but Brock yells up the stairs for me. If I wait, he will come up here and get mad cause I didn't answer. Man, my life sucks.  

“Coming" I answer back.  

“Well hurry up, we're starving" 

You would think he would know how to cook. After all he is 5 years older than me. He is almost an adult, but he is helpless, can't cook clean or do laundry. He's always too busy with her. I'm hoping and praying she isn't here, but then I hear her and cringe. Why me.  

As I head down the stairs, she comes into view along with everyone else. Thomas is on the loveseat stretched out with one leg hanging over the arm. Sabrina and Brock are on the couch curled up together, yuck. Bobby and John sit in the two arm chairs laughing about something they are looking at.  

As I round the bottom of the stairs to head to the kitchen, Sabrina snickers, “Bring me a soda." 

I've had it, who does she think I am, her servant. Oh, hell no this is my house not hers. “Get it yourself, I'm not your maid." 

Brock looks up at me in shock. “Emma, Sabrina is a guest in this house, you will treat her with respect" he says in an angry tone.  

I know better than to defy him. It never ends well for me. As I turn to go get her drink, I can hear her laughing at me. I think about spitting in her glass before bringing it back to her but can't bring myself to be that disgusting. Why do I always do this? I can't bring myself to get back at her or anyone for the things they do to me. I just keep taking their crap day after day and never stand up for myself.  

Once I give her the drink, I head back to the kitchen to start making dinner. Mom prepped everything for me already. Well she thinks she prepped it for Brock and Thomas to cook but that never happens. I can't remember the last time either of them cooked or cleaned. They are always too busy with sports and their friends. “Well Emma you are home anyway, why can't you just do it for us." “We have lives ya know. We want to hang out with our friends and since you don't have any or anywhere to go you can help us out by doing the chores for us.” What a crock of s**t they just don't want to do it.  

After dinner is done, I clean up the kitchen and do the dishes. Everybody else left when they were done eating, leaving all the clean up too me, as usual. Man, I would love just one night to myself to do what I want. It’s always the same thing day after day. Go to school, get picked on, sometimes get beat up, come home and do homework, cook dinner, clean up from dinner, more homework, bath and bed. Repeat. The only days I get any kind of break is Monday and Wednesday when mom is home from work. She cooks on those nights but I still have to clean up and do the dishes. She says the boys don’t need to cook when she is home. They should be able to have some time with their friends when she is home. What she doesn’t know is that’s all they do, hang out with friends. The only chores they ever tend to are the manly ones, the lawn and bringing in the wood for the heaters.  

I'm not complaining, but my life sucks.