Page 20 of Made For You
I glanced down as I gathered my things, harrumphing when I noticed all my blindly drawn doodles across the loose-leaf paper.
“Excuse me,” a scratchy voice said from my aisle, and I looked up to find my supposed nemesis waiting to exit the row. I hadn’t even noticed her there.
“Sorry,” I replied as I twisted my body to the side for her and her friends to exit the row. I’d pack up afterward.
She glanced down at my paper and then giggled. “Aw, was all this talk of technology over your head? I can’t imagine why you’re even here for this session. Don’t you use blocks and Play-Doh in preschool?”
I wanted to hold my tongue. I repeated in my head numerous times that she wasn’t worth my time or anger. But asher friend purposefully knocked my papers to the floor, I’d had enough.
“I wouldn’t know anything about preschool, since I’m qualified to teach both elementary and secondary school levels. I also know that preschoolers are better with most technologies than adults. I dare say probably better than you.”
“Right.” She huffed.
“I’m guessing you’re embarrassed about what happened on the first day. That’s okay. I mean, it’s pretty common for bullies to underestimate me. But let me make a suggestion,” I said once I stacked my papers, shoved them in my bag, and stood. “I’d be careful who you pick on. You may not know who they have standing in their corner.”
With that, I shoved two business cards at her chest and walked off, not looking back to see if she struggled to catch them.
I knew the first thing that would happen was that she’d be riddled with confusion, then her friends would search the names of The Easterly Event Venue and Show-Stopping Sweets on their phones. It wouldn’t take long for them to figure out the money and power I had to back me up. I didn’t use my family often, but sometimes it was worth dropping our name.
Though I wished I could see her face when she figured out who I was related to.
But as I strolled down the long corridor, the guilt of using my sisters, and their famous other halves, Colton and Nate, to make me look more powerful started to get to me. The shame was… overwhelming.
I thought about finding Gertrude and explaining I shouldn’t have done that, but the damage had been done, and once people knew who I had in my corner, they tended to treat me differently. I suspected that was why I’d been given apay increase and what my superintendent called a “promotion.” Even though it was just a move in grade levels.
As I entered the elevator car, the walls felt more constricting than before. And with every passing floor, my remorse grew until I felt as if I couldn’t catch my breath. I tumbled out of the elevator and staggered over to a small seating area just outside the concierge area.
With shaking hands, I brought up the numbers for my sisters, Autumn and Alex. They both answered the group call quickly with a worried greeting. I was rarely the one to initiate conversations with my sisters.
“I did something.”
“Oh! Did you finally get laid? Was it good?” Alex asked, and Autumn scolded her immediately.
“No, I didn’t have a one-night stand.”
Autumn calmly asked what was wrong, and I explained how I used their businesses to subliminally make it seem like they and their partners were powerful enough to bring down Gertrude and ruin her life.
“Well, they could,” Alex said with a snicker. “I’m pretty sure Nate could do whatever you wanted.”
“Colton too. Those guys would do anything for you, Rory. You’re a sister to them too, you know.”
“But I felt so dirty afterward.”
“That’s because you have a good heart. Better than any of us,” Autumn tacked on.
“Did she deserve it?” Alex asked, and I felt myself smile for the first time since the encounter ten minutes ago.
“She and her friends were being complete bitches.”
“Then, as Molly and Eloise would say, let it go.”
I smiled, thinking of my soon-to-be nieces twirling around in their white-and-blue dresses.
“Okay. Thanks, you guys.”
“So, you didn’t get laid?” Alex grumbled, and I laughed.
“Have you met anyone?” Autumn added quickly, and I fell silent.
