The Surprise

I had lost my mother since I was just a baby. She died giving birth to me. I never got to see how she looked like or know the kind of person she is aside from the pictures and stories told to me by my dad which in all honesty wasn't much. It seemed to hurt him every time he talked about her so I kept my curiosity at bay.

Living with just my dad didn't seem to have much of of a negative effect on my growth. He gave me his love and for me, that was more than enough. Unfortunately, my peers at school thought otherwise. They went ahead to call me bad names such as a jinx with bad luck, accusing me for mother's death and insulting my dress sense because I was a little on the tomboy side for a girl.

Originally, I was accustomed to their verbal abuse and paid them no mind but then a year ago, a new boy, George was enrolled into my school, in my class and he took the bullying to another level.

Shoving of my shoulder in the hallway, tugging of my hair in class, spray painting nasty mean things on my locker and tripping me at the cafeteria during luch breaks. He championed it all. I got bruised on frequent bases so much so, I had to start telling lies to my dad about how I got them inorder to prevent him from worrying. So imagine my joy when my dad who had been a widower of ten years told me he liked someone and would love for me to meet with her at dinner. I was elated. I thought to myself, maybe now the bully will stop once I get a mum and she helps me with my fashion sense. I had so many things all planned out that I'll love to do with her.

The day finally came for me to meet my potential stepmother. My dad had told me lots of good things about her to make me anticipate dinner with her. He also told me there was going to be a surprise for me as well. It was a surprise alright.

It was a lovely Saturday, the weather was great as the breeze lazied about while I was all hyped up. I just couldn't sit still. Early that day I had cleaned the entirety of the house including the the yard more times than I could count on my fingers. I had helped dad in the kitchen and even went out of my way to personally bake cookies for her to take home after dinner.

It was about time for dinner, so decided to go freshen up and make my self look presentable and for the first time, look pretty...

I was setting the dinner table a few seconds to dinner time when the door bell rang and dad went to get it.

Before the guest could get in, I remembered I hadn't packed the cookies I made so I dashed to the kitchen to do so. 

No sooner than I got there did dad becone on me to come greet the guest and see the wonderful surprise. With undiluted excitement, I ran to the dinning area with a wide smile on my face which became inexistent the moment I got there. I was faced with nothing short of a nightmare. Right behind a very beautiful, nice looking woman was my tormentor, George looking like he'll rather be anywhere else than hear.

" Sky, meet Belinda and her son George. Belinda, George, meet my lovely daughter, Sky." My dad introduced us.

Son he said? You mean this boy and I are likely to be sibling's? I asked myself in horror. Oh God, I really I'm starting to believe it when people say I'm unlucky.

I felt angry and disapointed. From the stories my dad told me, Belinda's husband left her without looking back several years ago. She doesn't even know the man's whereabout. 

Judging from time which he left and George's age, it's clear the man left not just his wife but his son as well.

So why was George so mean to me? Wasn't his own situation worse? Shouldn't he understand the pain of loosing ones parent? He's pot kept calling my kettle black. My mother's departure wasn't by choice. Whereas, his own dad didn't even want him. Such an hypocrite!!!.

In the middle of my raging thoughts, I didn't notice Belinda was talking to me till my dad spoke up bringing me out of my stupor.

" Sky, your manners!" My dad said in a reprimanding tone. 

"I'm so sorry, forgive my lack of manners. You look so beautiful ma'am" I complimented in a small tone from behind my father, trying to hide the anger and horror in my voice.

All I wanted to do at that very moment was yell and cry as I tell my dad to kick the mother and son peer out of our house but I couldn't bring myself to do that. I couldn't make my dad look bad. He seem to really like this woman who also probably doesn't know about the feud between her son and I. 

I couldn't tell my dad how horrible this boy was at least not tonight. I won't break my dads heart like that. 

 " Nevermind. Nice to meet you. Please call me Belinda. I have heard so many lovely things about you. George here goes to the same school as you. Based and your ages, you'll both be in the same grade and have probably met before today. I trust you two get along." She said with a big smile in which I returned with a very stiff smile of my own because right behind the oblivious Belinda, was George who was shooting me death glares.

After all the pleasantries, my dad finally ushered us to the dinner table. The dishes which were all looking mouth watering moments ago now seem bland and tasted even worse.

In between bites, I felt my dad move close to me and whisper;

"Do you like the surprise sky?"

"Uh? What surprise?" I couldn't help but ask feeling lost.

"Your soon to be brother " he whispered again with a smile making me choke om my food as I began to cough harshly feeling sick to my stomach to the point of throwing up. Which automatically ruined the whole dinner. Not that it wasn't already ruined for me long ago. Excusing myself with excuse of not feeling to well and apologising over and over again, I left the dinner room with a heavy heart.  

There was no way I was having that hypocrite and bully as a brother no way!.

All my happiness, effort and energy put into it was all for it to end the way it did? This was the worst dinner ever.