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Chapter 6

The rest of the first week was a blur. I can't say I remember much of it. Everyone was anticipating the first weekend of parties.

"I hear  students from other colleges come to party at Mizzou, like it's bigger than Homecoming." Twyla was blow-drying her hair, in nothing but a pink fluffy towel.

Allura sat in a robe, doing her eyebrows. I was wondering if I had any party wear that did not make me look like a little kid. Most of my clothes were things I could wear to class, not things I would wear to a party. When back-to-school shopping, I did not think of things like that.

I called on the one person that knew fashion better than me.

"Step mummy, I need your help." I Facetimed her and could tell she was in her home office. I missed her already.

"Can you not call me that? You can call me my name you know."

I preferred calling her step mummy because she was closer to me than I was with my mother. At one point my mother was my world. All I wanted in life was to have my mother and my father, together, in my life. I did sneaky things when my father dated to keep other women away from him. I would destroy their clothes, steal their phones, delete numbers and texts from my father, accidentally drop their toothbrush in the toilet, etc.

Oh, fun times!

Okay, I was a brat. Dually noted.

But Angel was different. I hated her at first, pretty, tall, thin, a little snooty and I could tell she hated my sister and me. Her energy was just all off, but of course, my father did not see it. Pretty girls like her had always had my daddy wrapped around their fingers.

Not that I was in their business, but having loud sex while my sister and I slept in the other room was not cool. I think they fought a lot. Broke up a lot. I was keeping score because the sooner Angel got out of my father's life, the sooner he could be with my mother again.

Then it happened. My mother became pregnant. She said it was my father's and I was so happy. Well...that was when I lost all respect for the woman I call mother. She lied to my father, a good father, who was prepared to do the right thing for a child that was not his.

And I began to see how happy Angel made my father. I saw that Angel loved my father, and when they finally got back together, I was a happy little girl. I loved weekends with my father if that meant I got to spend time with Angel.

Then Angel got pregnant with my little brother Antione Jr., that's my father's name, although they call him Hook and I don't know why.

Then they got married and I was a junior bridesmaid at the wedding. Now she's pregnant again, but I don't know what we're having just yet. I didn't think of Angel as my mother, I thought better, she was my best friend.

"Step mum, there's going to be a big party tonight, what should I wear?"

"Something if your father sees you he doesn't flip out."

"Well, he doesn't have to see me unless he's driving to Columbia. The party is tonight, help me pick something out."

I turned my phone so Angel could see the outfits I laid out on my bed. Angel was a model several decades ago when she was younger. She owns a hip clothing store now, that even I liked to shop in. She knew her fashion.

"Hold on Ms. Thang, is that my black skirt?"

"It looks better on me!"

"And my shoes? Ravyn, you don't wear a size ten."

"I know, but these are Louboutins, I just like to look at them." I picked up the shoes and held them out. "I would like these in my size for Christmas. Or maybe a car...yes, a new car."