Lennon's Jinx by Chris Myers Page B

suede jacket, I stand on the stool to tear through the shelf above the
clothes rack. The coat is jammed between two boxes. As I tug it out, a box
tumbles to the floor, flies opens, and dumps its contents.
    The
porcelain dolls are strewn onto the carpet. I gasp at the sight of them and fall
off the stool. As I lie on the floor, Pip, Lindsey, and the clown stare blankly
at me. Their glassy eyes mock and judge me just like they did on that night. The
knocked-over lamp had lighted up their painted faces as He rolled me over, so
that I saw their disapproving glares. While He slammed inside me, the dolls
watched. They freak me out even now. I can barely remember mumbling “no” to Him
just before I passed out.
    I
hurriedly stuff them back into the cardboard. This time I pull tape from my
desk drawer and seal the box shut. I’d throw them away, but my dad gave them to
me, which makes it all the worse. I’m sure he’s disappointed in me, his baby
girl, the tease.
    After
stowing the box on the top shelf, I jump onto my bed and squeeze the pillow to
my chest, trying to block the scary images of the dolls out of my mind.
    More
minutes click by on the clock. Rena will be here any second, then I’ll be stuck
with the dolls and Step-monster.
    Footsteps
travel down the hall. Step-monster knocks on my door and jiggles the handle. He’s
so rude.
    “Jinx,
I’m heading out. Do you need anything?”  
    “No.”
My voice is a bit harsh. I hate Him. He’s a mooch among other things.
    “Are
you sure?” His tone is way too sweet. It makes me nauseous every time I hear
it.
    “Absolutely.”
While I wait for Step-monster to leave, my foot taps the fandango because I’m
so nervous.
    His
construction boots clomp down the hall. The garage door opens then shuts. Good.
He’s gone. I watch out my window. As the car backs out of the driveway, Rena
drives down our street. She slows and waits for the car to turn the corner
before pulling in.
    Phew.
I wipe my sweaty palms on my skirt. That was close.
    I
skitter outside as best I can, trying to avoid landing on my ass on the icy
sidewalk. At least Step-monster shoveled the fresh snow from last night,
probably to impress Mom.
    “Whoa,
you look smokin’, girlfriend,” Rena says as I open the door.
    “Thanks,
so do you.”
    Rena
wears the usual skintight jeans, black leather ankle boots, and a silky zebra
top under her Bebe leather bomber.
    Rena’s
mouth gapes open. “What did you do to your hands?”
    The
ugly welts from my cleansing scrub glow a painful red. I hide my hands behind
my back. “Nothing.”
    Rena
screws up her lips. She hates it when I hold back. She’d kill me if she knew
who had taken everything away from me.
    Iz
and Gabby are tittering in the back. They’re both dressed to take the best advantage
of their assets. Iz in a red and black checked skirt with knee high boots and
Gabby in black leather pants and a hot pink halter top. None of us wears
suitable coats for the weather. We’ll seriously freeze if we have to walk
anywhere.
    “Your
eye looks better,” Iz says to me, lighting up a joint.
    I
don’t think so. “Thanks. The magic of makeup.”
    She
passes the joint to Gabby then me. I inhale a bellyful of medicinal weed. “Want
some?” I ask Rena, slightly choking.
    “Not
tonight. You know that’s not good for your voice.”
    “You’re
right.” I exhale acrid smoke. It instantly calms my jittery nerves from my
close escape from Step-monster.
    Rena
parks at the station. Most of the commuters have returned home, so the lot’s
not too full. We get a spot close to the warmth of the terminal.
    After
we board the train, Iz shares her iPod tunes with me. We bop and sing and
accidentally smack heads. Giggles escape. The other passengers back away from
us, except one. He glances our way, eyes us up and down until his gaze locks
onto mine. He smiles and nods at me.
    Iz
catches this. “He’s really hot.”
    He
grins bigger, apparently overhearing us. He’s got those