Blog & Blood

The Valentines

"I can't fucken believe her," I say. Striding down the hallway. High heels clickety-clacking on the linoleum.
"Yeah neither can I," Mikey, my newly adopted brother says at my side and I roll my eyes.
"Neither can we," chorus the girls walking behind us, and I almost smile at the thought of them mocking my little bro but instead want to tear my hair out. They always agree to whatever I say, and my newly coloured hair is too expensive to even rip out a split end. Sonic too far away to go to on a school night even for me. 
It's almost enough to give anyone a headache.
I fiddle in my purse and pull out an Advil, grabbing the bottle of water that Drizzy passes to me and downing it.
"Ooo!" I hear Mikey mocking say beside me.
I roll my eyes at him and toss the empty bottle to him. "Here, make sure to recycle that," I say, still not understanding how Mother could have married a guy who had a son like Mikey.
    He rolls his deep brown eyes at me and chucks the bottle in the nearest trash bin.
Jerk. I think, Drizzy tutting begins us at him and I grin. That's better.
"Oh whatever D," Mikey tells her with a laugh in his voice.
    I hate how he already made nicknames for my girls. Even worse they seem to like them, and him. I can't stand it.
    I mean I understand why Mother married Hank, he was hot, built like a linebacker, friendly and more importantly even richer than us. Mothers royalty cheque's she receives from her agent in Hollywood are minuscule compared to Hanks company out in Sonic.
    Thelma and Beanie are busily speaking together so fast that not even I can understand them when Drizzy gasps.
Shit. I think to myself. Surrounded by her cheerleader friends walking in the opposite direction is Natalie Short.
Our two groups stop in the middle of the hallway facing each other. I hear Drizzy say something about a tumbleweed to the girls and I smirk. Looking over my shoulder to snicker with them. Mikey's too busy looking Natalie's thin blonde frame up and down to notice. Her friends too busy checking Mikey out to notice anything about Short and I.
Natalie's gaze harden but she keeps her voice cordial and professional as we exchange pleasantries. Around us classroom doors are being closed by teachers as students get out of their seats to gawk. It was always a show when Natalie was concerned.
"So I didn't see you much around town this summer." I said.
"I spent most of my summer in Sonic. My family has an apartment there." Natalie said. And I recalled thinking I had seen her once at a hair salon in the west end of the city, in a pair of crips white sneakers.
Probably the same pair she has on now.
"God, how many pairs of shoes like that do you own?" I say, my friends laugh and a second too late so does Mikey.
"I like sneakers they're good for handstands." She says curtly holding her hand out to my brother and shaking it. "Hi I'm Natalie. Welcome to Kittredge high." She says smiling brilliantly at him.
"Mikey Valentine." He says. Making me inwardly cringe. I hate that him and his father have taken our name at Mothers request.
    For a split second everybody goes silent, Short quickly composed herself and straitened out her skirt.
"Good grip, you should try out for the team this year." She says, looking back to her friends. A cue to wipe the astonishment off their faces. 
"Don't you dare." I say glaring first at him then at Natalie and her friends. Behind her I see some kids change directions as soon as they round the corner.
"I meant the football team Jacinda." And her friends smile.
"Better have."
"I dunno Jace, I think I'd make a good cheerleader. You got a lot of guys on your team?" He asks.
"Never enough."
I can feel me face start to go red "well we better get to class. Wouldn't want little Mikey here to be late for his first class." I said. Referring to both his height and weight.
"Hey I'm not that small." He tries to say. But Natalie is already talking above him.
"I think he would be perfect for either the football team or our schools nationally recognized cheer squad Valentine. Enjoy your class, I've got first period spare anyways. Just here running a few errands for the student council president."
"Aren't you still the student council president?" I hear Drizzy ask. I smile taking some pleasure in the fact that Short is now forced to look up to someone else in this school, probably for the first time in her life.
My smile disappears at Natalie's reply.
"Yeah I stepped down at the end of last year and offered the position to Olivia Grate. I was too busy then, and she gladly accepted." She said pushing past me, forcing me and my friends to the Sadie and her and her squad walk past.
"She seems nice." Mikey said. Genuinely smiling at their disappearing figures.
"Oh shut up Mikey." I say. Walking into the nearest girls washroom and slamming the door behind me.