She's at it again. I can hear her grumbling behind my back as I
lean in towards my bathroom mirror. It's only 7:30 in the morning and
already she's getting snippy. My hair isn't right, my make up is too
light, my clothes are too ragged... she just never stops. I
sigh and straighten back up reaching for my tooth brush and the bubble
gum toothpaste she insists that I still need despite my advanced age.
I'm not four anymore, but she'll never see it. After brushing my teeth
I move on with my morning ritual, dragging a brush through my curls and
praying that she isn't watching as I throw them up into a rather sad
ponytail. Just to get on her nerves I skip the make up completely and
make my way back into my room to find the day's clothing. Distracted, I
make a grab for a t-shirt and sigh when I realize that there are none
clean. My gaze drifts to the pretty blouses that are lined up on
hangers gathering dust and I resolutely try to find the most
comfortable looking one. Not that it's that easy. My alarm
beeps alerting me that I have to be at school in a half hour. I'm out
of time. Groaning I cover my eyes and spin around in an absurd version
of blind man's bluff before reaching for a blouse. Upon uncovering my
eyes I can't help but wince. It's pink... and it's frilly. I dress in
my favorite jeans to offset the discomfort of the shirt and grab for my
sneakers under the bed only to find them missing. A brand new pair is
in their place. Finally fed up I toss them into the closet and
pull on my boots glaring at the clock. Twenty minutes left. That means
no time for breakfast. I snatch my bag up and throw its nylon strap
over my head so that it sits comfortably and slip out hoping to escape
the kitchen before she notices how I'm dressed. No such luck.
I sigh and turn to face my stepmother's glare. Despite her attempts, I
knew that I would never actually like the pretty things that she shoved
at me in the name of “motherly love”, trying desperately to prove that
she was not the fairy tale's wicked stepmother. “Why in the world are you wearing jeans with that top?!” Yep. She's definitely Disney's despair.
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