Page 6 of Wallflower

“I guess…” she replies.

“Sorry,” I say before abruptly ripping the thin pink strap clean off the tank top with the built-in bra barely containing her breasts. She gasps, anger quickly taking over her shock. Without a second guess, I slap her on the cheek. Not hard, I don’t want her to strangle me. But it’s enough that when I motor across the distance to my seat, she’s hot on my tail—rage so fierce there’s steam shooting from her ears.

My ass plops down in my chair with so much momentum that I almost knock myself over. Chelsea has a snarl painted across her face as her eyes shoot daggers at me. I try to contain my laugh as the hand she wants to beat me with has to keep her top from falling down.

“Chelsea,” my father’s deep voice snaps. “Control yourself.”

“But Daddy…” she whines.

Father turns to me, disdain heavy in his green eyes. “I don’t give a fuck what happened, just get out of my sight.”

Well that’s new… Maybe the drinks are making him less heavy-handed?

He tosses the room key between us, both Chelsea and I lunging for it. She snatches it up, blows her tongue at me, then turns and races from the table.

Fuck, she’s going to lock me out of the room.

I leap from the chair, and it falls over from the force. I don’t care, I need to get to the room at the same time as her.

“Rose Marie!” The step-monster shouts far too loudly, drawing attention. Father grimaces as Tyler and Liam watch on like hungry lions. “Fix. The. Chair.” Every well-punctuated word falling from her cherry-painted lips is a nail in the coffin of mydreams of a shower. That witch knows what she’s doing, what she’s subjecting me to.

Clenching my jaw, I bend to grab the chair. Leaning over, she whispers loud enough for only me to hear. “Act like a fucking lady, you embarrassment.” Her blonde hair is fried within an inch of its life, the broken, frizzy strands sticking out from her tight ballet-style bun.

I jerk a nod, setting the chair upright. Holding my head high, I walk calmly and casually from the room.

God forbid I have any fucking fun on this trip she insisted I come on.

Once I’m out of the sea witch’s sight, I start to speed-walk toward the suite. Of course Tyler and Liam have their own adjoining room, with two beds, while Chelsea and I have to share a room with the parents.

“Boys need their privacy,” Michelle said. “What could you two girls possibly need your own room for?”

I don’t know, soul sucker, maybe some distance from you? Of course I didn’t say that. Though, I wanted to. Chelsea could see it written all over my face. She interjected quickly, placating our stepmother.

If they hadn’t bought my ticket before asking if I’d like to come, I wouldn’t have. No amount of begging from my sister could’ve got me on this ship destined for hell. It barrels straightthrough the notorious vanishing triangle for fuck’s sake, and not a single person seems worried about it but me. However, since I didn’t have the money to pay back the cost of the fare, having just dropped my savings on the apartment and damage deposit, here I am…regretting all of my decisions thus far.

The orange and black geometric carpet scuffs beneath my feet, the sound ominously amplified in the empty wood-panelled hall. As I round the corner to the hallway of suites, Chelsea calls out to me. “Took you long enough.”

Joy beams through me at the sight of her leaning against the door frame, long legs crossed, awaiting my arrival.

I rush the rest of the distance, not giving her any time to change her mind and lock me out. “You waited for me?”

“Yeah. Once I realized you weren’t behind me, I knew the bitch had held you up on purpose. It takes the fun out of it if your short little stumps aren’t chasing after me.” Chels slides the keycard into the slot. The light flashes green, and the door unlocks. She swings it open, letting me enter first.

“Jerk,” I shoot out playfully, walking past her.

“Bitch,” she replies jokingly, blue eyes filled with mirth. “I figured we could roll around on the demon’s bed before showering. Maybe she will get streptococcus or something, and die at sea.”

Chuffing a laugh, I reply, “ Your medical hubris is showing.”

She flops back onto our parents’ bed, grabbing a pristine white pillow and rubbing it over the front of her shirt. “You’re lucky that’s all that’s showing, you dick. My tit almost popped out when I was running away from you.” Reaching back and gripping another pillow, she tosses it to me. I mimic her movements, dragging it all over my filthy clothes.

“Sorry, I just wanted to get out of there.”

“I know.”

“I’ll buy you three new tops when we get back to make up for it.”

“I know that too, it’s why I'm not really mad. But this shirt really did my boobs a service.”