Everything Under The Covers (Plastic Wrappers)

Blossom Montessori Schools, Virginia Spring, 2016. I was in class, looking across, from my seat, at the window as a stray leaf drifted about, controlled by the wind. I sat distractedly as the voice of my history teacher droned in the background of my surroundings. I idly played around with the bleached tips of a hair strand, curling and uncurling it repeatedly around my index finger. l had a hard time enough in school, without world history being included in my misery. I had a few hours left till the end of the school day and this boring history lecture definitely made things a lot worse. I mentally began to arrange my later schedule for day. "I need some rest like.." I started to mutter to myself. "Ms Bauer" I was shocked at being interrupted from my day dream by Bolton "Mr Beeves" Beever, the teacher. "I can see how engrossed you're in this topic"... He sneered as he moved towards where i sat at the back of the class. His robust form firmly standing in front of me. "Could you please inform the class about the first governor general of the state of Louisiana, after the Dark colonization?" He asked with an sharp glint in his beady eyes. Slowly moving my long legs from under the table, I sat up and leaned over, noting how the class had turned their attention towards me. With a sweet smile, I flipped my hair slightly and I tracked his eyes as he followed my movements. Stopping short of actually shaking my hair, after pulling it back, I looked around coyly, as if I was unconscious of my appeal. "I had their attention now, time to complete the performance" "Yes sir" I sighed breathlessly. My voice morphing to a variant of being raspy but clear "It was Chancellor Etimi of the fifth clan. His forces defeated the remaining reserve soldiers at sweet river point, claiming the town and the whole state in a swoop just after three days" I answered looking down. I observed him through my eyelashes and noted ofcourse, that he looked pointedly at my thighs barely covered by the material of my uniform skirt. I sat up quickly, purposely hitting my table and causing my history textbook to the fall to the ground with a small thud. My sudden movement, shook him from his reverie, as he flushed red face, displayed embarrassement for openly ogling a student in class. "How unprofessional" I thought disparaging "Very good" He said gruffly, as he moved back grumpily to the front of the class. Facing us, he proclaimed that I was correct then began a small rant about how; "It was a great shame the way the military fell. The brave American soldiers fought to their last breath in order to liberate the country from oppressors" "...and we as Americans will continue to fight from for our freedom because, We.." The bell rang before he could go all out, breaking the spell of another heated tirade. I breathe a sigh of relief, gathering my things to escape quickly. Immediately I picked my bag up to leave, Mr Beeves called my name "Ms Bauer I'd like to have a word with you" Fighting back a surge of irritation, I met him in front of the already empty class, expecting some sort of harassment. He was a bit of a creep and I always steered cleared of him. Although, this was a prestigious high school, that guaranteed safety and comfort for It's students. Mr beever was an anomaly. He looked and behaved like a bull in a china shop. He spoke recklessly and always managed to offend a minority anytime he opened his asshole mouth. Rumour had it he had been hired due to his connections to a board member of this school. That explain how he got away with elitist and racist comments. He always seemed to enjoy focusing on me obviously relishing in my discomfort. It wasn't anything special, i was just Famous. 12 years prior...My mother, THE countess Alessandra and her chubby young daughter performed at rodeo stages for money. I had grown up without a father. My mother was critical beauty, A true southern belle from Alabama, whom had moved through life without much worry due to the certainty that due to her looks, she would always have someone caring for her well-being. She had been a successful pageant queen, and although she hadn't won any international competitions, she was popular enough to get steady work in fashion houses and galleries. Meeting my father while working as a model for some avant guarde fashion show , She was a beautiful vision; tall and tanned, in tulle. He was a wealthy foreigner, whom had to acquire some art pieces, and had fallen in love immediately after sighting her. My father was a happy giant. A tall striking looking man; he hadn't been traditionally handsome but had possesed a quiet air of a person born to extreme wealth and oppulence. He was the heir to a business dynasty in Europe, and had even inherited a title and everything that came with it. Count Sebastian Kovac Bauer. Their relationship had been a whirlwind affair and in space of two months,even with strong objection from his family; they strongly rejected his marrying "a classless american wh*re" He went ahead and wed her. Eleven months later, I was introduced into this world, as Allison Joy Sebastian Bauer. We lived in bliss for three solid years in Baltimore, at least I assumed we did; with all that money and young love, Until a ghastly car accident claimed the life of my father, at the age of thirty. While grieving, my mother widowed at aged Twenty- three received news that Her late husband's family were planning to contest his will and estate. His corporate lawyer, Mr Theodore "Teddy" Winslow, informed my mother of their ongoing suit to revoke her rights to his money and my birthright as his only child. "By the looks of things, it's likely they will win. With their influence, Your marriage wouldn't be recognised in Slovenia" he chided. " The courts will favour their claim over all his assets, since most of his money were tied up in His family business, factoring in their immense influence as aristocrats, it'd be difficult going forward to retain anything" he continued drolly "They have put in a request to freeze your accounts and seize the properties under his name" "So they'll just leave us with nothing ?" My mother trembled " we hav..had a child together, he had a daughter, she is proof of our marriage and her claim to his share of that money". She faced the lawyer and proclaimed " I'll fight them with everything I have, I refuse to be treated like sewage to be thrown away" She started pacing, stopping in front of an ornate mirror. She stared at her reflection mirroring grief, anguish and anger. The lawyer who had been quiet during her verbal diatribe , quietly walked over to where she stood, putting his left hand over her shoulder, stroking it softly, he spoke while staring at her stared at her deliberately " That family is one of the most powerful and richest families in Europe, generations of wealth and affluence. You cannot beat them in a fair fight, you be pulverized" he rubbed slow circles around her back " if Allie had been born a boy, that'd be a completely different case...as far as we'd concerned she has no value to the family. They can always claim she isn't his anyways" his eyes darkened "but...." He purred "I'm sure I could find someway to help you... to stand on your feet" he leered. My mother recoiled from his touch, noting the predatory look in his eyes. "My husband just died and He wants to put me in his bed" she thought feeling sick. She had put herself at the disadvantage of men and their money. It had finally landed her in this predicament. She conceeded defeat at her husband's family, but She refused to repeat old patterns; being at the mercy of men, especially one as skeevy as Mr. Winslow " Slowly backing away, she proclaimed " i'll be very much obliged. If you'd leave now" She stood boldly in front of the office desk "...and I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself " she exclaimed hotly in her thick southern drawl. He sneered while walking towards the table, closing his briefcase, he paused and looked at her, taking a bold once over glance from her platinum blonde hair down to the full figure encased under a demure black mourning gown " It's a shame that you dont want to take my offer madam. As i am the only one who would be at your side I could at least help you keep the house" he offered.Biting back anger and resisting the temptation to give in, It would be easy to just say yes, to agree to let him take care of her problems, to protect her from her sudden financial woes. She steeled her eyes, immediately rejecting the idea, straightened her back and sat down on the big grandsire chair with a stubborn jaunt in her jaw. From behind the desk, she growled "I won't ever require your kind of "help", my daughter and I will be right as rain. Now get out my house" "not for long... darling, not when the Bauer's are through with you. You'd be lucky if they even let you leave with the clothes on your back, " he stormed out with a flourish "Fvck you sweetheart" and closed the office door with a bang. "Dirty a*shole" she cursed as He left. Her chest filled with self righteous anger, deflated as she began to sob. His family rejection of her and their child, didn't come as a surprise. They had refused to give their blessings and had resolutely frozen them out. Without his trust, it would be difficult to survive. "What am i gonna do now, where will i start from, how will i manage?!" more tears filled her eyes as her financial situation completely dawned on her. She immediately wiped her eyes "cryin' has never helped me solve anything, i gotta' think smart, I have a daughter who needs me" She stood up from the grand chair surveying her husband's study, which had been decorated in brown and earthy tones, the only room in their eight bedroom tudor mansion that she had allowed him to decorate to his boring taste. It reminded her of him, memories of him holding her, dancing softly and reading softly to her, while they curled up around the fireplace during those long winter nights played back. "She was going to miss him". Even though she felt some resentment of him dying, unwillingly leaving them to the oncoming storm of wolves. She left the study and climbed unto the second floor, the rest of the house was richly decorated in a flamboyant; gaudy tones and bright colors. It suited her personality and gave her a smile, never failing to brighten her mood. Entering the nursery where her precious daughter was restgin under the supervision of the nanny, she dismissed the old woman, feeling remorseful of having to terminate her employment soon. Their money was going to be seized with her bank accounts soon to be inaccessible, she wouldn't be able to afford any form of childcare anyways. Sitting down near the crib, she watched her baby sleep, curly yellow curls cascaded over her sweet forehead. Her dad had passed his sloven looks to her; from his ruddy complexion to his high cheekbones, straight nose, square jawline and full lips. Anyone looking at her would know she was her father's daughter. She wondered if as she'd resemble him in looks, she would also in personality. As her husband was so sweet and shy. "She looks so much like her daddy" she mused pain squeezing her chest like a vice. She watched as her daughter slept, her chest rising and falling steadily, her breaths coming in rhythmically. Her cute golden eyelashes fanning her cheeks. "At least she has my hair" Her daughter was only three years old, too young to remember anything major. She wondered if she'd ever miss her daddy, she'll have to adjust. " Allie swan...she cooed "your daddy's gone and left us with nothing but grief baby, we are going to have to find us another place to live. Mama's goin' sell what she can. So we'll have us a nice head start. We will survive, with no help from THAT family" she smiled sadly as tears fell silently from her eyes.