Chapter 1: Beckham
I never found my life worth living, or that my existence was somehow beneficial for others. I haven’t felt alive since my father, and believed that no one would love me as much as him. That no one would care if I left this world like they didn’t care about him when he was gone. No one except for me.
“Mom it’s time to wake up, you have your shift at 7:00 a.m. at the restaurant”.I walk into the living room to see mom passed out on the couch, per usual on a Monday morning. I walk over to the couch nudging mom’s shoulder and wake her up. She groans, “fine, 15 more minutes” I say.
I walk over to the kitchen pulling out the stale cheerios and milk that is most definitely over its expiration date. If I felt alive I would care, but life has been in a fog for a while so I don’t really care what I eat at this point, or if I eat.
While beginning to pour the milk into chipped bowls that surprisingly have not broken yet
I notice there isn’t enough for the three of us.
I walk to the bedroom door closest to the kitchen and knock. “Ben, are you getting dressed?” no response. Every morning.
“Ben!” Right as I am about to open the door Ben exits the room.
“Sis you don’t have to worry about me. I know I can’t be late.” Then why are you late every day?
“Just checking.”
Ben looks at me with a disgusted face that makes him look like he needs to use the bathroom, looking up and down like I just swam in a muddy pond. “What?!” I say a little aggravated.
“Is THAT what you are wearing to school.” I look down at my outfit, old ripped jeans, converse that are falling apart, a tank top I’ve had since I was in 9th grade, and a flannel shirt I found in a box of my dad’s old clothes. “I haven’t had time to go shopping, maybe after me and mom get paid from our shifts at the Harringtons we can afford to all get new clothes. But I think I look good right now.”
Ben says, “Yeah right is that what Censely told you? I wouldn’t take fashion advice from her, she dresses like a slut almost begging for guys to hit on her.” What are you a fashion designer? I cross my arms.
“Ben you have had a crush on Censely since kindergarten, don’t act like I don’t know.”
“Hey, what are you guys talking about?” Me and Ben look over to see mom get up from the couch.
“Just about Ben’s obvious crush on Censely.” I chuckle as Ben gives me an irritated look, and snarls. I walk to the kitchen to see the clock and it’s already 7:15!
Damn it!
“Mom, you need to hurry and get changed, you’re already late. And Ben, you need to get your ass up and go to school.”
“Can’t I just come in late?” he groans.
“Beckham you’re going to be late for school!” “But daddy I don’t wanna go.”
“Well, are you sick?”
“No, I just need a break, please it’s not even like my teachers would miss me.”
Beckhams father bends down to meet her gaze, “Well Beckham I understand needing a break but me and your mom have to work because that’s our responsibility, just like school is your responsibility. Some days I don’t want to go to work either but I know I need to for our family. What do I always say? What comes first, what we want or what we need to do for the people we love”.
“For the people we love” she sighs in disappointment.
Beckham looks down and shifts her feet. Her father looks at her with a glum look.
“Beckham education is very important.” He sighs. “How about this, after school why don’t we run to the Harringtons SuperMarket and get a donut?”
Beckham looks up at her dad with an ecstatic smile and says, “promise?”
“promise.”
Ben and I are walking on the sidewalk to Harrington High and I start to think about our town, all its rules and stereotypes. It is extremely annoying that every single town center, landmark, and grocery store is all owned by the Harringtons. Dont get me started on the prince Taden who doesnt have to work for anything in life while my family slaves to put food on the table and hes hooking up with his slut of the week. I clench my fist.
“Oh no ″ Ben says.
“What?”
“Who’s getting beat up today?” while looking down at my fists.
I look down at them too, and release my grip. “No one, I’m just thinking about this ridiculous town. All its old fashion rules and regulations,” I laugh bitterly.
“I swear this place has never changed in the 50 years since the Herrington’s got here and turned it into something.”
I spin while throwing my hands up, “I can’t wait for the day till another big shot family comes to this town who we will serve obviously, and finally put a modern twist on this hell hole.” Ben laughs,“I would love to see that. Do you know how depriving it is to be told by these stupid rich white people every day that you will never be important or make an impact in life, just because of the color of our skin. One day they will see, I’m not leaving here till I do something important.” I slow my pace and look at him. I don’t know what I would do if my brother had to live my life. He has it better since he has only seen Watson Willow, he’s never seen how free the world is everywhere else and will never have my heartache or disappointment. He has hope, Ben doesn’t remember our dad, doesn’t remember having to run around the town with mom worried to death just to be told the next morning he got in a car accident and didn’t make it. He didn’t have to take care of mom and seem strong in front of everyone but then lock yourself in the bathroom crying so much you think you’ll pass out. He didn’t lose his life or emotions. I will forever protect him from that pain, I just hope this town doesn’t break him.
As me and Ben walk up to Harrington High we are greeted by a beautiful blonde girl. “Hey Censely!” I say with a smile on my face.
I notice Ben looking her up and down, probably thinking about our conversation earlier. Creep.
My best friend since 8th grade, I admire her clothes thinking about what I would do if I had the money to dress how I wish. There she is my best friend Censely. Five foot nine with luscious shiny long blonde hair, not a split end in sight. I look at my dark brown hair that hasn’t been trimmed or styled probably since the ninth grade, split ends everywhere. God I wish I was as beautiful as her.
Censely has the type of body you dream about, perfect hourglass body that you see in all the fashion catalogs.
Me on the other hand, I don’t have it as luckily. I have the type of body type that boys wish their girlfriends had until they actually do, the type of body where some people call you fat but others call you average. Jeez, I hate highschool.
Looking up at those doors that I will be going in for another year and people that are inside, my stomach turns. I really don’t want to have to see Harley Harrington again, or Raven Hawkins and her wanna be tagalongs Bailey and Sarah. I look back at Censely with an uneasy look, shes staring at my brother probably wonder why he has that dumb look on his face, dolling over her apperance. I mean can you blame him?
Me and Censely have very different styles, she wears corset tops and short plaid skirts, while I wear old ripped jeans and hand me down flannels.
“So I saw your post yesterday, really a party on a Sunday?”
Censely responds, “what? It’s my nature.”
Ben rolls his eyes, Jeez for someone that likes a girl 2 years older than him, he really doesn’t
know what he’s doing.
“You got something to say shorty?” Censely gives Ben an aggravated look. Censely calling Ben shorty doesn’t make sense now that he’s 6’2 and is now at eye level with us.
“No I’m just think about how dumb you have to be to let boys treat you like a toy. Must not have any self respect.” I shake my head. Wrong move.
Her face turns bright red. “Looky here you little sh-”
The first school bell goes off
“Here we go again.”
I start walking up the overly grand stairs into Harrington High Ben and Censley with me, and can already see all the faces ready to make my life a living hell. Censley grabs my hand, she knows a hate over populated areas especially when they are filled with teenagers. The first faces I see are Carson Byers, one of the rich that is humbled by not being big and tough like his friends. How can you make fun of people when your 5’8? You can’t. Xander Stevens, but everyone calls him Stevens. Basically the only rich kid that’s not Censley I’m okay with. He surprisingly doesn’t have a stone cold rock for a heart like the rest of the rich, the only thing I hate about him is his choice of best friend. Speaking of his best friend, Tayden Harrington. The captain of the football team, biggest male slut, and the biggest entitled jerk. His family as you can tell puts their name on everything. Harrington High, Harrington National park, even Harrington Supermarket. That’s only a handful but you get the jist. Lastly I see from the corner of my eye the one person I do not want to see on a Monday morning. Harley Harrington, if you thought Tayden sounded like a prick, it’s clear you never met Harley. Tayden and Harley are cousins, and it’s obvious that being an ass is in the family genetics. Harley though, he’s not just a jerk, He’s also a creep. I see them both regularly since I work for the Harringtons, like most of the Watson Willow population.
Regarding the Harrington teens, they think their last name is a free card to treat everyone else with whatever lack of respect as you please Cause everyone knows that you can’t say or do anything to defend yourself without there being consequences. To them we are like those little suckerfish that travel with humpback whales, sharks and other marine life everywhere they go. We take care of them, clean them, and most of all, can’t survive without them. But our life is only kept to help them. Get in their way and theoretically, you’re dead. For some reason, to Harley I am seen in his eyes as especially weak. He will choose to pick on me the most out of anyone. Like maybe I swam in his way somehow and now, I’m his prey running for safety.
To be Continued....
