Free My Life as the Ugly Stepsister by Juli Alexander Page A

back door. They probably usually let him in the house by then.
    At ten-thirty I showered, changed into clean shorts and a t-shirt, my usual PJ’s, and slipped beneath the yellow coverlet. I closed my eyes as my head sank into my soft pillow. I tried not to think of my poor lonely dog. I didn’t buy the allergy excuse. The flowery fragrance of Diane’s laundry detergent and ever present air freshener made my nose itch. How could she breathe it in all the time if she really had allergy problems? The cat thing was the last straw. No way was she suggesting Caroline’s friends take the kitten. I didn’t know anybody who was allergic to dogs but not cats. As my nasal passages threatened to seal shut, I couldn’t help picturing Mojo’s sad face as he realized I was leaving him tonight.
    I’d never had to deal with this much crap at once. School starting should have been a big enough stressor. Staying here, missing my dog, worrying about my mom, avoiding my stepmother…It was a bit much for a high school freshman.
    I gave up at eleven-thirty when Buddy and Mojo started barking incessantly. I grabbed my cell phone just in case somebody called. My friends usually avoided calling me in the middle of the night because I get really grumpy when somebody interrupts my sleep. I opened the door to my room and listened for a moment. I didn’t hear a thing. I’d already said goodnight anyway so Diane wouldn’t come looking for me. Surely my luck wasn’t so bad that I’d run into her on my way out the door.
    Since the front door squeaks, I crept out the back. I walked around to the front yard and opened the gate to Jonathan’s yard. The loud sort of chirping, buzzing sound from the woods behind the house covered the sound of the wood scraping as I opened the gate. Vicious barking came toward me at an alarming speed until Buddy and Mojo realized it was me.
    “Hey, boys,” I said, taking care to pet both of them. I talked puppy talk to them for a few minutes and then went and sat in one of the chairs on the back porch. Mojo sat right against my right leg and Buddy my left. The night was warm and calm, and I wasn’t freaked out by the darkness with two dogs to protect me. Not that they would. They’d both probably give a murderer big sloppy kisses as he chased me around the yard. Still, it was comforting in a strange way. I felt peaceful. I never felt that way in my room at my dad’s.
    The darkness grew blacker, and the buzz of chirping from the woods grew louder. Whatever it was, turned out to be comforting. Me and the dogs just chilled. I didn’t hear anything from inside the house. The family room was dark inside the sliding glass door. I wondered which room was Jonathan’s. Was he in there asleep? Or was he tossing and turning like I had been?
    Eventually, I stopped petting the dogs and they lay down at my feet and dozed. My mind drifted to school and the new kids, and English class where I didn’t know anybody to sit with. I knew a few kids but none I liked. I wished I could just snuggle up with Mojo in my room at home. My butt was falling asleep in the hard chair, and I would have loved to stretch out. I squirmed a little, thinking how tired I was going to be in the morning. Hopefully dark circles under the eyes were considered cool.
    Yeah, I didn’t think so either.
    Finally I realized no blood was circulating in my rear end. I didn’t want to end up with a butt cheek amputation, so I pulled myself up and stood. The dogs immediately came to attention.
    “Sorry, Mojo,” I said with a yawn. “I’ve got to go to bed. You stay here with Buddy.”
    I petted each of them one last time and walked toward the gate. They ran along with me hoping to play. Until I got close enough to the gate that they figured it out.
    Mojo started whining and Buddy barked at me. Mojo joined in the barking.
    “No. Shhhh.”
    They didn’t shush.
    I winced and started backing away from the fence. “Shut up you guys! You’ll wake everybody