London in media

( Kodie )

I parked in the garage beside my moms Mercedes and got out with my bag and keys. I went inside and smelt food.

Me: Something smells good. What's cooking?

I went inside the kitchen and saw my mom chopping up vegetables. I kissed her cheek and stole a piece of steak from the finished pile.

Me: Hey my beautiful mother.

Mom: Well hello my handsome daughter.

Me: How was your day?

Mom: Stressful. Reginald be irking.

??: That's the fun part about marriage.

We looked back and saw Reginald. My step dad. I rolled my eyes.

Mom: Whatever honey.

He kissed her other cheek that I kissed her on.

Me: Mom.

Mom: Yes?

Me: Ma.

Mom: I said yes.

Me: Mommy!

Mom: Yes Kodie!?

I laughed and hugged her stealing a corn on the cob.

Reginald: How was school Kodie?

I shrugged.

Mom: Kodie , answer the question.

Me: It was alright dang.

I placed the cob in the trash and grabbed my bags.

Me: Call me when dinner is done. I'll be somewhere round this house.

Mom: Okay honey.

Me: Yeah , don't call me something you've called him.

I walked off bumping into Reginald a little. I went up the glass stairs and went into the gym. I saw my step sister Naomi with her friends Gigi and Ashley.

Me: It's called the room for a reason. Go to the chill room or something.

Naomi: Nah. I think we're gonna stay and watch.

Me: Watch what?

Gigi: You practice silly.

Me: Okay whatever. Just don't interrupt me.

I placed my bags on the opposite side of them and grabbed a ball. I started shooting hoop after hoop.

Ashley: I'll take you on.

Me: Have at it.

She got up , but Naomi grabbed her arm.

Naomi: What are you doing? Basketball is for boys.

Ashley: Whatever Nae.

She sat back down.

( 7:30 )

Mom had yelled dinner over the intercom. I got off my bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. I sat at the table beside my mom as Reginald and Naomi sat on the other side. It was Steak , Corn on the cob , mashed potatoes , greens , Mac and Cheese with cake.

Me: This looks good ma.

Naomi: Yeah mommy. It looks good.

It irked my nerves that Naomi called my mother mommy. Maybe I'm being childish.

Mom: Well thank you. I decided to do something big for Kodie.

Me: Why me?

Mom: You didn't hear?

Me: No.

Mom: Well you'll find out soon.

Me: Well okay.

I put some steak in my mouth and my phone vibrated. I grabbed it and pulled it out.

Reginald: No phones at the table.

Me: Your not my dad.

I replied to the text from my manager.

Mom: Sweetie , just put the phone away.

Me: I'm replying to my manager.

Reginald: I don't care. I said no phones at the table.

Me: Oh and I said I don't care. So we agree on something.

Ma snatched my phone from my hands.

Mom: You'll get this back after dinner.

Me: Or I'll get it back now and don't eat dinner.

I snatched my phone back and stood up pushing my chair down breaking it.

Reginald: Your gonna pay for that chair.

Mom: Reginald hush. Kodie come eat.

Me: Nah , I'm gone since I can't text my own manager. Oh and I paid for this damn house.

I walked off and grabbed random keys and walked out slamming the door. I hit the unlock button and saw it was the Lexus GT S. I got in and sped off not knowing where to go.

( Zoe )

Me: Come eat!

I set the table and sat down. Cloe came down a few seconds later. She sat across from me. It was silence like she was afraid to say something.

Me: Why did you say the things you said Clo.

Cloe: Cause Z. I just want to be like Jamie.

Me: But your no where near being like Jamie.

Cloe: Which is why I wanna be like her duh. How dumb are you?

Me: Excuse me?

Cloe: Sorry. Jamie moment.

Me: Yeah. Better be. But look , your nothing like Jamie. Your way nicer , way prettier and got way more style then her. Why do you wanna be like her anyways?

Cloe: Well , cause she's popular.

Me: Being popular and having people scared of you are two different things.

Cloe: What do you mean?

I washed down a piece of chicken with the Diet Mountain Dew I was drinking.

Me: When you say popular , do you mean everybody looks up to her or people doing things for her cause she yells at them and stuff.

Cloe: The second one. The first ones me.

Me: Then you are popular. Everybody scared of Jamie. Don't be like her and have people scared of you. It's not right.

Cloe: Yeah. Your right. She doesn't treat me and Jasmine right anyways. She always asks if I can buy her this or buy her that when she has her own money.

Me: See. Try not to be like her.

Cloe: Okay.

It was silence again. But a comfortable silence.

Cloe: Zoe , I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry for everything I said.

Me: It's okay. Maybe everybody goes through a stage like that.

Cloe: Maybe.

Me: So how was your day?

Cloe: So tiring.

Me: How?

Cloe: Gym.

Me: I feel you.

We finished dinner and put the plates in the dish washer. The doorbell rang and Cloe skipped off to it.

Cloe: Daddy.

I walked over to the door and sure enough our dad was there. He doesn't make an appearance to be in my life , but he tries to be in Cloe's.

Dad: Hey pumpkin. How would you like ice cream then go to the park? You too Zoe.

Me: You think after all these y-

Cloe: She said yes.

I looked at her and saw hope in her eyes.

Me: I'll just go grab my phone and keys.

I went upstairs to my room and grabbed my keys , phone , earphones and Cloe's. I went back downstairs and walked out the door. Once we gotten home , I had changed into some joggers , a black tank top and black nike slides , so I wasn't sweaty anymore.

I rode shotgun as I slid the phones in my pocket.

Dad: So girls , how has life been?

Me: Good without a father.

I fake smiled at him.

Cloe: Zoe , stop it. Life has been okay I guess.

Dad: Are you girls into any sports?

Cloe: Zoe does dance and I cheer.

Dad: That's great. When's your next game.

Cloe: Ours was yesterday.

Me: Mines is next Wednesday , I would invite you , but you aren't here now , why would you be there then?

He remained silent for a moment.

Dad: Let's make a deal.

Me: Have at it.

Dad: If I win , you have to come to a father daughter dance with me.

Me: And if I win , I don't want you to come around ever again.

Dad: Deal?

We shook hands.

Me: Deal.

We pulled up at Baskin Robbins and went through the drive through.

Dad: Can I have 1 large vanilla ice cream.

Cloe: I want Vanilla with hot fudge.

Dad: 1 large Vanilla with hot fudge.

Me: Cookies N Cream.

Dad: 1 large cookies N creme.

He paid and drove to a park. I saw a Lexus Gt S and a person on the swings. It was just them. Everybody got out and I sat on the bench as Cloe ran around playing.

Dad: Zoe. I'm sorry.

Me: For what? For not being there? For not making an attempt to see me for 13 years? But you always came and got Cloe. Never even gave me a second of the day.

By now I had tears streaming down my face.

Dad: You don't know how hard I tried to be there.

Me: Then what stopped you.

He was silent.

Me: Exactly.

I sobbed out and shook my head getting up. I walked off. I walked past the swings. I didn't bother to wipe my tears , it was no use cause more kept coming.

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