Chapter 2: Chapter Two: She Doesn’t Deserve Him
"Can you get that?" Nikki shouts from up stairs, sounding flustered. Her relationship with Dean, surprisingly, has become more than a one time hook up. It's turned serious. Ever since the day Dean and his parents introduced themselves months ago, Nikki has been quite invested in him. She's kept faithful, which is something I never would have imagined her doing.
"Do I have to?" I groan and fold the corner page of my new book. I'm sitting in the living room on the bumped-out window couch. It has the best lighting in the day, and is the comfiest spot to read in. I throw the pillow off my lap in frustration.
"If you don't want to get punched out, I suggest you do it!" Nikki hisses, her voice straining with hidden rage. She's quieter when she says this though, and I know she doesn't want whoever is waiting outside to hear her threats. Like my mom, she's obsessed with her image. She wants people to think she's classy; but it's only on the outside. Inside, she's rotten. Garbage. This might be coming from my own envy, but since she treats me like garbage, I'll see her as just that too.
I make my way to the front door, and once it's opened I immediately have a bouquet of red roses shoved in my face. The petals tickles my cheeks, overwhelming me with the fragrance of the flowers.
"Nikki, babe," I hear Dean's voice. It's husky, definitely not what he'd sound like talking to me.
"Not Nikki, Dean," I push the roses to the side, raising an eyebrow in response at his adorable dimples. His smile is contagious, making me roll my eyes and grin.
"Here, for another beauty," he plucks one of the roses from the bouquet and holds it out to me.
The blush on my cheeks is probably as red as those rose petals. Even my nose heats up, making my nostrils flare. I shake my head and hold the door open for him.
"Nope," I laugh nervously and leave him standing there in the foyer. He takes off his shoes and I move towards the stairs. There's no way I'm accepting a rose from him or staying in the same room. Nikki would have my head if she found him being nice to me.
"Aw, I'll just leave it here then," Dean chuckles. I don't stay around to retrieve the rose. I have to get away. I'd die of embarrassment if he knew how much his presence affects me. Literally, anyone could see it on my face if they saw us together. Sleeping on him that night did something to me. I feel like he moulded a part of himself to me, as if I'm attached to him through a physical, yet invisible cord. Every time I see him, there's a little moment where my heart flutters.
I can barely handle myself around him.
"You just left him down there by himself? Rude," Nikki glares at me as she strides passed me in the hallway. My eyes take in her outfit: a short and tight fitted, red strapless dress with a heart shape at the chest. Her height and thin ankles are accentuated with black, laced stilettos. She's also perfected her hair and makeup; which I admit, is beautifully done. I'm almost shocked at how decent she looks right now. If she wasn't such a cow, I'd compliment her.
"I wanted to give you privacy. He has something for you..." At that, she nearly falls over from the height of the heels, eager to see Dean's surprise.
The happy voices down below make me feel sad, but I ignore them. I shrug and open another book to read—or another life to live through.
...
"Why did we need to do this?" I ask my mom, rage boiling already in my blood. I didn't think it would last this long, but it has.
"Because, they've been dating for almost a year now. And for your sister, that's an accomplishment in itself."
"Well, it probably won't last as long as that. Knowing Nikki, she'll be bored with him sooner or later," I nearly hiss, hating the fact that I was jealous, especially of Nikki. We've grown to hate each other more than ever. I didn't think this would ever happen in a million years—me, falling for one of my sister's supposed toys. Her most precious possession. I can't imagine she has real feelings for him. She doesn't feel.
"Why are you so angry that your sister is happy? She's finally found someone who can give her what she needs. He's smart, funny, a gentleman, and is going somewhere in life. He treats her with respect, unlike all the other men she's been interested in. Have you even seen them together? They're a match made in Heaven," my dear mother, Karen, looks at me in annoyance, making the guilt I've dealt with this year raise its ugly head. I can't count how many nights I've been up, hating myself for my own feelings. Hating the fact that I wasn't born beautiful, or first. That I'm always picked second when it comes to Nikki.
"Exactly, he's too good for her? What can she give him in return?" I feel my cheeks redden, the rage quickly making its presence known to my mother.
"A-Are you..." Mom looks at me in astonishment, her expression going from irritated to confused in seconds.
"Karen?" Jenna's voice interrupts us, the squeak of the front door to the house opening in the other room.
"Yes, Jenna, welcome! I'm just in the kitchen," Mom's eyes leave mine for a moment.
"I'm so happy for our children. John wanted to be here, but he has work. What can I do, put me to work, woman!" Jenna walks into the kitchen, and I move off to the side. I don't want to converse with anyone right now. Jenna is lovely, but I've come to the conclusion that I love her son. And seeing this woman has now become painful for me. When I look at her, I see someone I could learn from, gain the type of mother I've always wanted. But she's Nikki's new "mom." I look at Jenna and I feel all the guilt resurface. It's like I'm the evil villain after her son and my sister's boyfriend.
Stop my feelings, or stop my sister's relationship. I don't know what's worse, falling for my sister's boyfriend, or wishing she wasn't happy and wanting to take it all away from her?
If Nikki's scum, then what am I?
Soon, we hear a truck pull into the driveway. "They're here!" Jenna shouts, looking out the window with barely contained excitement.
"They spent the weekend at the cabin. Aw, look, they're tanned," Jenna seems more enthusiastic about her son's relationship than Dean himself. As they come closer to the door, yelling is heard.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have said it!" Nikki shouts, pushing the front door open roughly.
"It was just a thought, that's all, please don't make a big deal out of something so small," Dean sighs, following her into the house.
I watch from the entrance of the kitchen, secretly happy that they are arguing. It's wrong of me, and I do feel bad over it; but I'd rather him be with anyone else but Nikki. She's not meant for him, but apparently I'm the only one that has eyes and a brain here.
"Hi, honey, how was your weekend?" Jenna walks up to her son and kisses him on the cheek. She then wraps her arms around Nikki, and I notice my dear sister rolls her eyes at the contact.
What a damn bitch.
"It was fine, we took the boat out and spent yesterday fishing. Didn't catch much though, not even a bite on the bait," Dean tells Jenna, trying to make conversation among the tense atmosphere.
"Oh, too bad. Your father would find that odd, since he caught so much the last time we went up there. Come on, we created a magical night for the both of you."
"Nah, I'm not up for anything right now. Goodnight!" Nikki says quite rudely and walks towards the stairs.
"Nikki, if you don't get your ass in here, I will spank it until you scream bloody murder," Mom yells, her tone deadly. She's not in view, but I'd bet money that Mom has the typical raged look on her face—the look of an angry mom.
"I'm nineteen, you can't do shit. Frankly, I've been looking for a place, and then," Nikki turns back around, her smile wide and full of anger, "I won't have to listen to you."
"Actually," Dean looks at down at the floor nervously, almost looking like he was about to regret what he was going to say. "I was going to ask if you wanted to move in with me tonight."
I turn and leave the room.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone