Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 164459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 822(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 822(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
I stared at the ones that didn’t bother looking away, rolling my eyes without hesitation. They all looked away, muttering beneath their breath. I didn’t care. Nosy pricks.
See, this was the world I lived in. Surrounded by people with too much money and nothing to spend it on. They wasted their time at events like this, sipping on expensive English tea and talking about books that I’m certain all of them hired someone to read for them just so they could talk about it later if mentioned.
No one here liked to feel left out. Everyone tried to remain in the loop, even if the topic did bore them to death.
These same people were the ones who pushed Mitchell too far. They said things that made him doubt himself. They said things right to his face, things he could never forget. I despised them. All of them. I blamed them, too.
“What was so important that I had to be here?” I asked Dad, not even bothering to whisper anymore.
Mom shushed me, glaring a moment before softening it to look at the redhead at the podium. I realized the redhead was Mrs. June. A plump lady that loved to bake… and lie.
She probably didn’t even write the book in her hands. Most likely hired a ghostwriter of some sort.
“Well, your mother was up there first. She had a big announcement to make.”
Mom picked something up from the chair beside her and slid it on top of the crisp, white tablecloth.
Brows narrowed, I picked it up, holding the thin, hardcover book in my hand. The cover was Tiffany blue and white. The letters big, white, and curly.
A tiny fairy was on the cover. She had pigtails and braces and big pink and purple wings…. and her name was Jenny.
Jenny the Fairy. My mother’s name was printed at the bottom of the book. Big and bold for everyone to see. This was clearly a children’s book.
“What is this?” I inquired, holding it up.
“The reason you should have been here on time,” she said harshly. “Had you been on time, you would know exactly what it is and what it is about. I wanted to surprise you, Jennifer. I wanted you to see this for yourself.”
I frowned at her and then down at the book. I opened it, flipping through the pages. The subtitle of the book was Jenny The Fairy Learns To Obey.
My brows puckered even more as I flipped and flipped. Jenny the Fairy had a mother, a pretty annoying one that I was sure all of the kids were going to despise… just as the true Jenny Roscoe despised her own. One part of the book caught my attention and sparked my anger.
Jenny wanted to go to a different fairy school. The Mama fairy told her no. Jenny was upset for a few hours, but realized it was wrong to want something she didn’t need. And Jenny came to love her original school, and thanked her mom for being right.
I scoffed.
And deep inside, I wanted to vomit. My gut churned. My head ached some more.
“Is this supposed to be a joke?” I dropped the book, thinning my eyes at her.
“Why would it be a joke?” She blinked with her big brown eyes, like she had no idea what I meant. But she knew. I knew she knew.
“You’re kidding, right?” My voice had risen. Fed up, that was what I was. Fed up. Tired of her ridiculing me, mocking me. That stupid smirk on her lips. That dumb, innocent look she tried to give when she knew she was wrong. Making me seem like I was the worst child on earth.
I cared for Mom, I really did. I loved her, but she had a bad habit of pushing people’s buttons. She was self-centered and rude and so fucking annoying. She didn’t give a single shit who she offended as long as she came out on top.
But if someone dared to offend her, she’d pitch the biggest fit, making herself out to be so victimized when we all knew she was the cause for everything.
“Lower your voice, Jenny,” Dad pleaded.
“No, seriously, is this a joke?” I asked. Yes, my head was aching and my mouth was still dry and my body felt like total shit, but I wasn’t having it. “Is this supposed to be you trying to make me happy? All you’re doing is using stories from my personal life and twisting them up to make me look like the bad guy. You’re belittling me. I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. It’s so typical of you.” I folded my arms, thinning my eyes just as she did.
“Hallway. Now,” she demanded, but I didn’t move. She stood up, looking rather foolish as everyone looked her way. I sat there, smirking in her direction. “Jennifer!” she hissed.