A/N: Thanks for the reviews (Dawnie-7, american x dreamer, and Gudrun) you all are awesome! And I'd like to thank all the readers! You allrawk:) Well here is chapter 2 of the story. Hope it's good. I have some really good ideas in store for this story (thanks to Dawn:) ) Enough blabbing on with the story! Thanks again!
Chapter 2: Stepmother and Daughter at War
Erin was still asleep. She had come home around 3 in the morning, just like Charlie had told her. She was hoping Neema wouldn't care but unfortunately she was wrong. "Erin, get up," Neema banged on her door making the surfboard shake a little. Erin threw the pillow at the door forcefully and pulled the sheet over her head. She didn't budge from her bed; she was planning to stay asleep as long as she could. While she was away at boarding school she had to wake up everyday at 6, so now that she was back at home she didn't see the need to wake up early. Neema headed to the living room stomping her feet as if she was marching. Erin rolled her eyes and knew what she was going to do. "Charlie, get your damn sister up! She needs to go do some errands for me," Neema practically shouted at Charlie who was eating a bowl of cereal on the couch. He put the bowl down and stood up. "Now," Neema went to the kitchen and started banging pans to annoy Erin.
"Shut the fuck up," Erin yelled into the mattress. Charlie knocked on the door softly. "Come in," she said turning to lie on her back. Charlie walked in and pulled the chair from the corner and put it near the bed. He sat down. "I hate her! I don't know why dad married her," she said between her gritted teeth.
"Just get up and get dressed before she starts bitching more," Charlie sighed. Neema got on his nerves as well, but he could tolerate it. Erin on the other hand could not. She nodded and stood up.
"Fine but only because you told me to, not because that stupid whore said so," Erin pointed out as she walked over to her bags. Charlie nodded.
"Good enough for me," he walked out of her room closing the door behind him. Erin pulled out some jeans and a black muscle shirt. She went to the bathroom to shower and change. Thirty minutes later she came out dressed with her hair still damp. She strolled into the kitchen to see Neema on the phone giggling. She knew the giggling meant that Neema was talking to one of her many boyfriends. It was sad to know that Erin's father was oblivious to the fact that Neema was cheating on him. Everytime they tried telling him, he just ignore them and fell for Neema's innocent smile.
"What the hell do you want whore, I mean Neema," Erin smiled sarcastically as if she was actually sorry. Neema shoved a list in front of her face. Erin yanked it from her hand and read it quickly. "Okay whatever," she shrugged and went to the living room. Charlie was no longer there. He had left to work; he was able to get his job back at the A-Z Body Shop after he came home from Vietnam. He was one of the best mechanics there so they couldn't turn him away. Erin sighed and went to her room to put on her shoes and grabbed her skateboard. She headed out the front door and heard Neema giggling. She cringed at the sound. "Argh," she said under her breath as she forced open the door and slammed it shut as she left. She threw down her board and shoved the list into her pocket. She wasn't going to run errands for Neema just yet; she was going to go find her boyfriend first. She skated in the direction of the Zephyr Shop. As she skated down the sidewalk she observed all the new shops that popped up since she was gone. As she crossed the intersection, she collided with another skater. Erin fell off her skateboard and it went up flying in the air. Erin landed her butt rubbing her elbows against the cement. "Shit," she said as she sat up trying to see the damage on her elbows.
"Sorry," the other skater said as he picked up Erin's skateboard and walked over to her. Erin picked herself up and grinned at the other skater. She stepped back as she realized who it was.
"Sid," she exclaimed.
"Erin," he smirked. "They released you from the prison," he hugged her and she hugged him back.
"Yeah they did," she smiled as she pinched his cheek. "Damn Sid, you're all grown up," she said in a voice as a mother would talk to her baby. He smacked her hand away playfully and smiled. "Where were you heading," she asked. He pointed to the yellow sign that hung over a building. "Oh the Shop. I was going there also, trying to find Red," she said as she put her skateboard under her left arm.
"Well let's go," he grinned and started walking to the shop. Erin followed him. He began to pick up his speed from a walk to a jog. Erin did the same. They were finally racing each other. Erin reached the door first and opened it but Sid rushed inside. "I win," he said panting. Erin walked in.
"By default," she softly slapped his cheek. He grinned and headed to the back of the shop. Erin walked over to the counter and smiled up at Skip.
"Hey Erin," Skip said pulling off his sunglasses to get a better view of the girl. "Glad to see you're still in one piece and that boarding school didn't tear you apart," he grinned as he turned on the blender.
"Yeah, let's just say I left with a bang," she said over the noise from the blender. Skip smirked knowing he had taught her well. All the antics she learned were taught to her by Skip and the rest of the Zephyr gang. "Where's Red," she asked since Skip had turned off the blender. Skip shrugged.
"Getting a haircut," he joked not knowing where Red Dog was. Erin rolled her eyes and looked around the shop. She lightly touched the surfboards remembering she still had hers against the wall. She wanted to feel the ocean again and having that sense of freedom when she rode the waves. It may have only lasted for a few seconds, but it was awesome. "Didn't get much surf while you were in that prison," he asked while jugging down the liquid in his cup. Erin nodded.
"Nope I didn't. The nuns wanted to lock me up and throw away the key. They came close to it a couple of times," she smirked thinking about the time she tripped one of the nuns during church. The bell jingled meaning someone walked in, Erin turned to see the boys rushing in being their rowdy selves. Erin grinned when she saw Red Dog. She ran over and jumped on him. He caught her and held her up by putting his hands on her thighs. "Hey," she kissed him. He kissed her back.
"Get a room," Jay snickered as he pushed Red Dog. Red Dog stepped forward accidentally making Erin hit her back on the counter. Jay smirked and turned to look at Erin. Erin was rubbing her back after Red Dog put her down.
"Jackass," she shoved Jay. Jay shoved her back harder making her fall. Fortunately Red Dog grabbed her waist before she actually hit the floor. She glared at Jay and he blew her a kiss. She rolled her eyes and rested her forehead against Red Dog's chest. Red Dog wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Jay made a face as if it made him sick to his stomach to see them together. Erin glanced at Jay and then quickly looked down. Jay shoved his skateboard under his arm and walked over to Tony.
"So what are you doing tonight," Red Dog asked looking down at Erin. She shrugged.
"I don't know...Neema might not let me out of the house since I came home late last night," Erin sighed. Red Dog put on a frown making Erin frown. He quickly turned his frown into a smile and kissed her. She kissed him back. He ran his hand up her shirt and rubbed her hip with his thumb. She felt kind of embarrassed and shoved his hand away and pulled away from his lips.
"What," he asked sighing. Erin and Red Dog had never had sex, she felt like she wasn't ready for that part of the relationship. So when he tried to get a little too close almost hinting at it, she would just push him away.
"Just...," she began to say but Jay skated over to them and stepped one foot off his skateboard.
"We're going to go skate so if you girls care to come-," Jay smirked and pushed Erin once again. Erin rolled her eyes and just took Red Dog's hand and headed out of the shop. They all skated to the nearest schoolyard and climbed the fence. Erin sat down on one of the picnic tables as she watched the guys skate. Jay couldn't help but glance over at her and noticed she was watching Red Dog. He licked his lips and skated past Red Dog pushing him off his skateboard. He gave Red Dog an evil grin and smirked at Erin. She flicked him off.
"Fuck off Jay," she said as she walked over to Red Dog to pick him up.
"I'm fine," Red Dog kind of snapped at her but was glaring at Jay. Erin still helped him up. "What's up with Jay," he asked under his breath. Jay was being a real ass to him and Jay was known to be an ass to people he didn't like.
"Being a bitch," Erin responded. She looked at her watch. "Damn it's almost soap opera time," she groaned. "I have to go get some things for my evil stepmother," she said sounding annoyed. Neema wanted the things on her list before her soap operas started, Erin didn't know why but all she knew was whatever Neema wanted, Neema got. Red Dog nodded and kissed her. She kissed him back quickly and headed out of the schoolyard. Jay watched her leave and bit his lip.
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Erin walked into her house with the bags practically covering her face. Neema was already on the couch watching her soaps. "No it's okay, don't help me," Erin said sounding frustrated as she walked to the kitchen.
"No don't leave him," Neema talked to the television ignoring what Erin said. Erin tightened her jaw as she put the bags down on the table. She glared over at Neema and just wanted to strangle her. She left the bags there and went to her room. She shut the door behind her and wanted to scream. She was tired of Neema's crap, but there was nothing she could do. Her father was away in New York on business and he wouldn't be back for two weeks. She plopped down on the bed and grabbed a magazine that was on the floor. She flipped through it until Neema swung open the door. "When do you plan to enroll in school again," she asked lighting a cigarette and leaning against the doorframe.
"I don't know. When I feel like it," Erin answered as she raised her eyebrows. She tossed the magazine on the floor and looked up at Neema.
"It needs to be soon. I don't want your lazy ass in this house," Neema blew an 'o' shape with the smoke from her cigarette.
"I'm far from lazy. You're the lazy ass," Erin snapped back. Neema strolled over to her and grabbed Erin's arm pulling her close to her face. "Let go," Erin struggled to pull her arm away from Neema.
"Don't talk to me like that, you selfish bitch," Neema pressed the end of the cigarette against Erin's cheek. Erin cringed in pain. Neema yanked Erin from the bed and threw on the floor. "Clean this shit up," Neema demanded as she pushed the surfboard onto the floor. Erin covered her cheek and slowly picked herself up from the floor. She rushed to the bathroom and slammed the door, locking it. "You just love to slam those doors!" Neema shouted from the living room lighting another cigarette. "Stupid fuck up," Neema muttered. Erin grabbed the first aid kit and placed it on top of the toilet. She opened it and searched for a bandage or something. She could feel the tears beginning to swell up in her eyes, but she wasn't going to allow herself to cry. She finally found what she needed. She stood in front of the mirror and began taking care of her burn. She placed a bandage on her cheek, she wasn't sure if it was a good idea but she didn't want her brother seeing it. She walked to the living room and headed to the kitchen. "Nice bandage Erin," Neema began to laugh as she drank some of her beer. Erin didn't say anything she just walked outside with her orange soda in hand. She sat on the swinging bench and opened her bottle. She threw the top and didn't see where it landed. She tried to restrain herself from scratching her cheek, she tried to ignore the fact that it was there. She drank some of her soda and began moving the swinging bench back and forth. She was waiting for Charlie to come home; he was the only person that kept her from going over the edge. She loved her brother and didn't know what she would do without him.