Shaped Me

Junior Year

Chapter Six: Manny

What is it about the first day of school that makes everything in your wardrobe look completely hideous? The dress that dad got me no longer fit the look I'm going for, and neither does anything else in my closet. But what am I going for? Last year I put little to no effort into anything, but considering I am a junior this year, I think I should probably try.  According to Lex, we are officially the big fish in the small pond that is Irishsmith High School. In her words, we must own it. Maybe my current wardrobe freak out is my body's reaction to not wanting to do any of this.

    "Why don't I have clothes!" I yell.

    "Tell that to the hole you have burned into my credit card," Dad yelled from the hallway, probably coming to see why I still had not come down for his annual first day of school breakfast. "God should have sent you down with a credit card attached to your butt."

    "He didn't need to you already had one."

    "Find something to wear and come eat these pancakes before I feed them to Cookie."

    "You wouldn't dare."

    "Here, boy. Your sisters gonna starve." He's back to calling Cookie, my brother. I am positive he needs friends. Maybe I should find him some friends to hang out with. If I remember correctly, he used to have weekly poker games in our old city. He and my mother had quite the active social lives. I wonder what my mom would think about having a daughter like me. One who is borderline antisocial and by some luck of the draw has been given good friends.

    My mother was popular. She was the girl every guy wanted, and every girl wanted to be. Dad's words, not hers. Apparently even when as an adult he said there was something about her that made her just out of this world. Again his words not hers.

Staring at myself in the mirror at least my hair is done. I have finally perfected my bun and accomplished is an understatement. Clothes. I need clothes. If I don't find something to wear in the next five minutes I will definitely have to skip dad's breakfast. Come on Manny.

Settling on a pair of ripped jeans and a simple button down shirt I take one final look before deciding there was nothing more I wanted to do. Hopefully I have all of the books I needed. Somehow, even with all the drama of last school year I managed to make good enough grades to be in honors classes.

"Cookie if you're eating my pancakes you're going to be an outside dog!" Yelling as I ran down the stairs only barely stopping myself from tripping.

"Don't threaten your brother Manuela."

    "Dad, Cookie is not my brother. My son maybe."

    "Ha. Kid let's not talk about you and kids." Holding a spoon full of whip cream out to the dog he looked completely at ease. Aww father son bonding.

    " What does your class schedule look like this year?"

    " I don't finish school until 2 but then I have dance team right after. Are you going to miss me dad?"

    "Kid you have been around all summer. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Now eat." The kitchen island is covered with all of my favorite breakfast foods. The way it always is at the beginning of the school year. Pancakes covered with strawberries and gobs of syrup the way it always was. There are sausages, bacon, eggs and coffee. I think my father over estimates how many people live in this house. Not counting Cookie, there are only two of us.

"I'm here for pancake breakfast!" Lex yells.
    "You didn't tell me you were coming."

"I told your dad."