Resisting Her || BBANGSAZ

I

I noticed her before we even got out of the car. She was standing away from the other parents with her arms crossed and her weight shifted to one hip. Unlike the rest of the soccer moms in their jeans or shorts, she was wearing a designer suit that showed off her curves and demanded attention. She looked bothered to be there, and I immediately thought all the things I shouldn't have—she's a horrible mother who doesn't support her kid, and her kid knows she doesn't want to be there. And wow, she's got great legs.

"I'm going to need some help." Blake's tone was duly noted. She'd gotten comfortable with me after two days, and by the third, she was bossing me around. It was only for two more days, so I let her get away with being a jerk. I didn't care. I needed the money, and Margaret and Nathan Smith needed a babysitter for the week.

"Hang on. I'll be right there." I pushed open the door and hustled to the back seat, where she regally sat on her booster seat.

"It's about time."

"Don't be rude. It's not nice," I said.

"You work for us. I can tell you what I want."

I ignored her and helped unclasp her booster seat. She refused help after I unbuckled her, and I had to stifle a giggle when she tripped getting out of the car.

"You did that on purpose." She glared at me and plopped on the grass to put on her cleats.

Pissed that I wouldn't let her put on her cleats at home, she'd made a great effort to kick the passenger seat a lot during our short drive to the soccer fields. I didn't care. My car, given to me by my Nana the week before, was a piece of crap, and tiny six-year-old feet weren't going to damage it more. "I did not. Pick up your stuff and head to your team." She grabbed her ball and marched to the coach. I watched her go and shook my head the entire time. Just when I thought I wanted kids, Blake reminded me why it was a good idea to wait.

"She's a handful. So angelic, yet a tiny demon hides inside," a woman said. I turned to find a pleasant-looking woman with brown, stylish hair standing a few feet away. She brushed her hair back and smiled at me. "Hi, I'm Sunmi. My kid plays on the team with Blake and about fifteen other entitled children."

I laughed. I wasn't expecting such an honest introduction. "Hi, I'm Minji. Caregiver to Blake this week."

"I was wondering who they were going to rope into watching her while Margaret was in DC. Nathan wasn't about to take time off. Where did they find you?" Sunmi seemed genuinely interested, even though the way she phrased her question seemed condescending.

"Care and Companions. This is my first job with them. Blake was so quiet when we first met."

"It's the quiet ones you have to worry about."

I liked Sunmi immediately. She was laid-back but quick.

"She's just a kid. She'll learn soon enough that being bossy isn't always the best idea. You know, more flies with honey," I said.

We stood there in slightly awkward silence until practice began. Sunmi pointed out the bleachers for us to sit down, but I wanted to head back to the car. I needed to read a few chapters of my environmental-technologies textbook before my next class, yet I didn't want to be rude, so I followed her to the third row. The woman in the suit was sitting on the bottom bleacher on the edge, as if she needed a quick escape. Her platinum-blond hair was loose, stylish, and fell below her shoulders. Even though I hadn't seen her face, I knew she was beautiful. She sat confidently, alone, yet seemingly unfazed. When a boy dribbled the ball successfully in front of her, she sat up straighter and softly clapped. The pretty face was a dead giveaway that he was her son. I was intrigued by her standoffish behavior and wondered why she wasn't sitting with the other soccer moms.