//------------------------------// // Stepfamily // Story: Sides of Shadows // by Ameliathefatcat //------------------------------// I was working out in the garage that I turned into a home gym. I had to be fit, had to win the Friendship Games. “Ninety-four,ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eig.” “Indigo, can you drive me to the mall?” Aurora Dust yelled opening the door to the kitchen. I lost my push up and feel on my face. “Shit, Aurora, what did I tell you about interrupting my work outs?” I yelled at my stepsister. Aurora rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t do it,” she huffed throwing a towel at me. I got up and wiped the sweat from my forehead. “What do you want from the mall anyways?” I asked annoyed. “To hang out with my friends,” she replied rolling her eyes again. “Which friends? I know for a fact Lime Peel isn’t going to be there,” I asked. Lime Peel, Aurora’s best friend and the annoying little sister of my beautiful girlfriend, Lemon Zest. “I have other friends, I know Lime is grounded and had to go with her mom for Lemon’s allergy shots. Just drive me to the mall. It’s my church friends by the way,” Aurora huffed. “I’ll buy you pre work out or something.” “Ok, but someone else needs to drive you home. Isn’t Flash working today and his job is at the mall? So after his shift he can drive you home?” I asked. “I guess so.” ~~~~ I took a quick shower and got changed into my everyday clothes. I pulled on my dad’s flight jacket and put on my Sofu’s dog tags. I walked outside to my car where Aurora was waiting for me. I pulled out of the driveway and started driving to the mall. At a red light I turned the radio station. On the dash was my bumper stickers MY AIR FORCE BUMPER STICKERS. Why were my bumper stickers in my car not on it. “Aurora. What hell did you do?” I yelled. “Making your car not look like the red neck moible,” she rolled her eyes at me. “AURORA, my car is not the red neck moible,” I yelled. “It kinda is with those Army bumper stickers,“ she smirked. “Air Force, I come from an Air Force family. It’s not a red neck thing to support our troops,” I yelled as cars started honking. “The lights green. Air Force, Army, what’s the difference?” She asked rolling her eyes. “There is a difference, be lucky I’m not leaving you on the side of the road,” I yelled again. I was so furious at Aurora. She’s so obnoxious, and I hate her so much. I wanted to leave her on the side of the road so much but I would be super grounded if I did. Aurora has no claim to my car, her father, my stepfather didn’t spend any money on it, neither did mom. My car was gift from my uncles (dad’s buddies) and my Sofu. My car is beautifully restored 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser, my dad’s first car was also 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser. Although my car wasn’t my dad’s exact car it made me feel close to him. “I’m your only ride most of the time. You have to respect me or at least respect my car,” I huffed paying attention to the road. “Comet is at college and his Jeep got totaled back in December, so he can’t drive you around. Flash lives on the other side of town, unless you want to wait for him you need to respect your driver,” I told my stepsister. The way my stepbrother’s Jeep got totaled was kinda funny. He was at a Christmas party with his friends and his car was parked on the side on the road. His Jeep was hit my an out of control mail truck. No one was hurt so it makes everything super funny. Well it’s funny to me and Flash, well until we were told we have to drive Comet around since he’s not getting a new car until the lawsuit pays out. Whatever I just want to drop Aurora off and not have to deal with her for a few hours. “Here, bitch,” I said pulling into a parking spot. Aurora got out of my car and walked into the mall. I got out to put my stickers back on it. “Yo, Zap.” I turned around to see Vinyl Scratch. Another military brat. They’re dad is a high rank military officer and I believe he is semi retired now. “Hey Scratch, I hate my stepsister, she removed my Air Force stickers, again,” I complained. “That bitch, she ruined my proud daughter of a fallen soldier sticker. Ugh,” I yelled trying not to cry. I don’t cry (ok rarely cry) because crying is a sign of weakness. My therapist says I should cry and it’s not healthy to hold in my emotions and blah blah blah. ~~~~ “Hey Indy, are you ok?” I rolled down my car window to see my step cousin standing there holding a kids meal. I got out of my car and sat on the hood motioning for Flash to sit next to me. “No, I hate Aurora, she ruined my proud daughter of a fallen soldier bumper sticker. She’s such a bitch all the time,” I said as Flash handed me the kids meal. “She’s in middle school, at least she didn’t spill a cherry slush in your backseat.” “I don’t let anyone eat in my car, thanks for the kids meal I really needed it,” I told Flash opening up the box. Chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, Apple slices, and French fries, the same meal my dad use to buy me when I was little. Before his accident, before he became a flag. “My bumper stickers is the way I honor my dad. Aurora doesn’t understand what is like to lose a parent. Yes her parents went through a nasty divorce but at least her mother is alive. I was six when he died and I don’t have a lot of memories of him. Awesome extra nuggets and sweet chili lime sauce and smoky BBQ sauce, thanks again cool loser. I wish I got more time with him, according to his buddies I’m just like him. I feel like mom doesn’t really miss him as much as I do. Sofu misses him, he has a shrine to dad in his room at the retirement home. His buddies miss him a lot, especially the ones who were with him when the accident happened. I think I’m missing dad even more now since you know the friendship games and he won’t see me win,” I cried opening the dipping sauces. “How do you know Crystal Prep is gonna win?” Flash asked, he must be joking CPA always wins CHS always loses. He playful punched his arm and started to eat my chicken nuggets. “Any big thing in my life I miss dad a lot. When I went to the regional basketball tournament and everyone but Lemon got food poisoning, or when I graduated from Japanese school, and he will won’t see me off the Air Force academy after I graduated from CPA,” I cried again. Flash pulled me into a side hug. “It’s ok, Indy,” he whispered rubbing my back. “Emotions are high and you probably won’t want to talk to a wondercolt like me. But everything is ok. I’ll text Uncle Thunder and Aunt Lotus about what Aurora did,” Flash said checking his phone. “Gotta go, I’m break’s over soon,” Flash said getting off the hood and walking into the mall. I finished my kids meal and drove back home. ~~~~ “Indigo, can I come in?” Thunder Spirit asked knocking on my door. “Come in,” I told my stepfather. He walked into my room and went over to my bed. “I talked to Aurora about what happened today. She should have respected your property but you can’t threaten to leave a child on the side of the road,” he said. “I didn’t. She doesn’t understand how important Air Force stuff is to me, how it connects it to my actual dad,” I whispered pulling a blanket over my head. “Your mother and I had a talk with her about respecting people’s cars. She’s has to pay you back for the bumper sticker and Flash back cleaning and stain remover and grounded until she does.” “Whatever, when is she staying at her mothers appointment? Why can’t see just live there?” I asked. “Indigo, my ex-wife is barely able to take care of herself. It’s best for Aurora to stay with me,” Thunder sternly said. “I hate her, I hate Comet, I hate you, I hate everyone,” I yelled. “Indy don’t tell your stepfather you hate him,” mom yelled from down stairs. “I hate you too, I hate this family, the only one I love is dad,” I yelled again. “Indigo Zap, I know you don’t mean that. Thunder, sweetie, come downstairs and help me set the table. Indy needs calm down,” Mom called from downstairs. Thunder left my room. Mom was right, I didn’t really mean what I yelled, I do hate Aurora but I don’t really hate Comet or Thunder. Ugh, I’m probably starting my period soon so hormones are making my emotions worst. I got out of bed and walked over the dad’s flag hanging on bedroom wall. I remember dad’s funeral, I remember mom and I being present the flag on casket. I was too young to understand to truly understand what happened to my dad. I believe that he had become the flag. Mom let me hang up dad’s flag in my room. “I miss you daddy,” I whispered. I took a few deep breaths and walk went downstairs for dinner