Anyone watch the FOX show Bones?
100 shopping bags, 5 trips to the bathroom, and 4 hours later, we finally took a seat in the food court. Marie plopped her numerous bags onto the floor while I plopped myself down into one of the seats. I took a deep breath. I had imagined shopping with Marie in quite a different array of scenarios, but never did I think it would be like this.
My step-mother was completely, totally, and utterly insane.
Not only did she have an uncontrollable need to buy everything she saw, but I happened to find out she never stopped walking. Or talking. Or buying. Or squealing over little bird baths. I had to remind her an innumerable amount of times that we didn't even have a backyard. Just some dead trees and a patch of thorns from also dead roses.
She had brought at least 50 sets of dishes. And for some reason, a pack of Mandarin oranges. And I'm not talking about the fruit you eat. They were plastic oranges, for goodness sake. I mean, no one in their right freaking mind would put a bunch of plastic oranges on a coffee table. I feared to know what Marie planned on doing with them.
I also learned that she had an uncontrollable need to buy me things as well. Seriously, I had no desire to buy a cheese grater (I'll buy it from the store, thank you very much) or glittery pink heels (I'm not a stripper) or a bra with Spongebob's face in it (I may be a nerd but I liked to wear adult lingerie). In the end, I was the one who had to drag her away from buying me a whole set of bedsheets with Adam Levine's face on it.
"Ooh that was so much fun!" Marie exclaimed, sitting down across the table from me. I stared in disbelief at her. Dragging me around the entire mall while she fangirled over Adam Levine was fun? For goodness sake. I finally realized that the phrase "you never really know someone" had some truth behind it. Who knew that busy Marie had a fetish for Spongebob bras?
"Sure." I replied, still a little numb from all the walking.
"Are you hungry? Let's get something to eat." she offered. It shocked me that her credit card wasn't overridden by now. She jumped up even before I could say anything and started walking to the food counter. I shook my head and looked around.
People, mostly teenagers, were walking around the numerous little stores on either side of the big, circular stairway that led to the first floor. There was a big, overly decorated Santa near the water fountain. Advertisements for shoes and God knows what else screamed from the colored walls. I took a deep breath. The faint smell of pizza from a nearby stand lingered in the air. All the shopping had given me a pounding headache.
Marie returned with her arms full of food. She set down a burger and french fries in front of me, and a salad for herself. She went away again and returned with a couple bottles of soft drinks and water. I thanked her and took a bite, wincing as the salty taste of onions filled my mouth.
Marie was saying something about going somewhere to buy something at sometime. Okay, so I wasn't really listening to her. My eye was on a bunch of girls who were taking selfies with Santa Claus.
I peered closer, trying to appear as if I was listening to Marie. She was still going off about buying matching spoons for the kitchen. My stomach did a funny twist when I realized that it was actually who I thought it was.
Let me introduce you to the Barbies.
There was one girl in the middle, laughing as she snapped picture after picture on her Iphone. The other girls, 4 of them in total, were surrounded around her. Two of them were identical twins with brown hair and brown eyes. The other one had flaming red curls and the last one had colored blue hair.
The girl in the middle was Nora.
A.K.A, the most popular girl in school.
Nora wasn't the typical, blonde, fake cheerleader captain of school. Although she was a cheerleader. In fact, it was her exotic looks that made her popular. Nora had long black hair that belonged to a shampoo commercial and eyes so green that it made grass jealous. She had the body most girls dreamed of, and caramel skin that was flawless. Her father was a US senator so she was loaded with money.
Her friends followed her every word. They were all the perfect prep that she was. Perfect clothes, perfect makeup, and perfect bodies. It was only natural that Nora would be friends with perfection, and no less. Every girl wanted to be her, every boy wanted to be with her.
And she was a complete bitch.
I don't mean she bullied the nerds or made fun of the overweight girls. She used boys to ruin people's lives. Every person with a penis, except for Scar although I wasn't completely sure, had a crush on her, and Nora used that to her full advantage. She persuaded the men to make a girl she hated fall in love with them, and then break their hearts in front of the entire school. She humiliated them without even so much getting involved in the plan. Kind of like hiring a hit man, you know.
So far, I had managed to stay out of Nora and the Barbie's way. I suppose it's because I never got involved in any kind of drama. The only drama I had was in books. In fact, I was so off her radar that I doubted she even knew I was in most of her classes.
I hoped it would stay like that. As long as I kept my nose in a book, I was safe from her grips.
I looked back at Marie, who had finally stopped talking and was staring at me with a confused look. I quickly shoved a French fry in my mouth. Marie raised an eyebrow.
"Do you know those girls?" she asked, taking a sip of water.
"Yeah. They're from my school." I answered, hoping she wouldn't ask anymore questions. I just wanted to eat and go home. I made a mental note to never let Marie take me shopping anymore. My legs were already cramping up. I ate another french fry. I never realized how amazing potatoes were until now. Sure, calorie-filled and artery-clogging, but they were so freaking delicious...
"So there was actually a reason why I wanted to take you shopping." Marie said. She quickly checked her phone and then put it down on the table. Marie took a bite of her salad, chewed thoughtfully, and then pointed her fork at me. "It's about Scar."
I choked on a piece of lettuce.
After forcing the leaf down and drinking half of the soda, I finally managed to choke out, "What?"
"I know he was in your room this morning." she said.
I felt my face pale but I kept a straight face. I swallowed another mouthful of soda. "What do you mean?" I asked as innocently as I could, although I knew I would burn in the fiery pits of Hell with all the lying I had been doing lately.
"Genevieve, don't play coy with me!" she scolded. "I saw that your window was open this morning. It's winter, for God's sake. Also, your bed was very messy and you were blushing so hard."
I covered my face with my hands.
"Don't worry, I won't tell your father." she continued.
I peeked out at her hopefully through my fingers. She chuckled and I finally dropped my hands into my lap. "Okay, he was here. But I swear, I didn't even invite him in. Scar forced himself into our house, Marie. And the bed was only messy because I-"
"It's fine." she waved her fork in the air. "I don't need to know the details. Genevieve." she said in a tone of voice that hinted she was about to say something important. "I know I'm not your mother, and I promise I won't try to replace her. I am your step-mother, and I want you to be safe. But all that aside, I am your friend as well. And as a friend, I am telling you to be careful, Gen." Marie said softly, looking at me with a concerned look.
I sat up straighter in the hard vinyl chair, appetite lost now. Slowly, her words seem to click into place. "Wait, are you saying that you think Scar is-"
"He's dangerous."
I let out a huff of air. "How do you know? Marie, you're just making an assumption. How accurate can it be? I mean, don't you believe that there is good in all people? He's only 17, Marie. Scar is still just a boy."
She shook her head. "Actually, that is the point. Scar is 17, like you said. 17. He lives alone without a guardian, which is clearly against the law." I was about to say something but Marie continued. "And that is not all. I did some research. He lives alone because he has no family. Did he ever tell you how they died?"
"Yes. A car accident." I said, unsure where she was going with this.
"Are you positive that he was telling the truth? Like I said, I did some research. I called up an old friend in the police station. His parents died from a drug overdose. Both of them, at the exact same time from a very dangerous drug called Scopolamine. Also known as "Devil's Breath." The case was never solved, but there was a search done in 2009. The cops never found anything of use, but it was suspected that they were murdered, Genevieve. Scar's parents didn't die in a car accident. It was a homicide, one that went unsolved. Don't you think that is just the least bit suspicious, Genevieve?"
"Marie, you're being very-"
"There's more." she lowered her voice. "Not only did his parents die, but he also had a little sister. Her name was Isabella. She went missing when she was 3 years old. No one ever found her body or knew what happened, but Scar was questioned in her disappearance."
I shifted uncomfortably in the chair. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Doubts and apprehension began to creep in. I didn't know what to believe. I knew Scar had gotten into some trouble before, owing debts to some apparently powerful people from how he acted, but never did I think he would have such a history as this.
"Marie...." I said hopelessly, hoping it wasn't true. I mean, Scar wouldn't lie to me....would he?
Yes, he would.
"Genevieve, I'm not asking you to stay away from him. I'm not forbidding you or anything. Everyone knows that the system is corrupt. Like you said, how accurate can it be? I'm not sure I can believe it myself, he seems like such a dear boy. All I'm saying is that you should be careful, Genevieve. Please don't think I am trying to change your life. No matter what you think, know that I do care about you and I want you to be safe." Marie said softly.
I nodded stiffly.
"Good." Marie said. She drained the last of her water and stood up. "That's enough depressing talk for today. Let's head home, shall we?"