Weeks Of Planning
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. She knew it was her stepfather coming home from work. She took a deep breath and began taking off her robe.
She spent weeks perfecting her plan and that day was the perfect moment to execute it. She quietly shut her door. She knew that he wouldn't be able to keep to himself. She would teach him something that day.
Adjustments
The first time Nicky encountered issues with her stepfather was when she was sixteen years old. Her mother and father separated a few years prior and even though she was so happy that her parents found happiness again she struggled to adapt to her new life.
She split her time between two households and there were a lot of pressure from her parents to adjust to the new normal.
New Beginnings
Nicky's father was the first one to enter the dating pool. He and her mother remained friends after the separation and when he first shared the news with her mother, their relationship remained unchanged.
She had not seen the sparkle in her father's eyes since the divorce, so she pushed aside her own feelings of sadness. Shortly after her mother also found a new partner. Nicky could only hope that better days were coming.
Meet Steve
Nicky's mother took a few months to begin dating again, and she felt like she hit the jackpot when she met Steve. He worked as a game designer who had his own company in New Orleans.
When Nicky first met Steve, she could see why her mother fell in love with him. He was a kind and charming man and it was clear her mother was smitten. When she met Steve, she did not recognize how much the dynamic of their home would change.
They Got Married!
Steve and Nicky's mother dated for a few years before they decided to get married. This meant that Nicky and her mother would move into his home in an amazing neighborhood in New Orleans.
Nicky did not have any problems with Steve, and she felt lucky that her stepfather was a kind man. However, things would soon change. Nicky would be left with no other option than to put her stepfather in his place.
Privacy
The first time Nicky and her stepfather had an issue was when she was sixteen. Nicky valued her privacy more than anything in the world. She felt most comfortable when her bedroom door was locked.
Whenever she came home, she would walk into her room and immediately lock the door. But, unbeknownst to her, this gesture fueled her stepfather's rage.
Uncomfortable Situation
The situation went south when the family had to relocate to a bigger home as a new member was about to join! Nicky's mother was pregnant, and everybody was excited. They finally found the perfect home. It was beautiful and a lot bigger than their previous home; however, there was one problem. The doors couldn't lock.
Nicky felt uncomfortable with the new living arrangements, and in an effort to make herself feel better, she asked her parents if they could knock before coming into her room. The last thing she wanted was an awkward moment with her parents. She was terrified of what her stepfather would say.
She Was Stunned
Nicky's stepfather asserted, "I'm your parent. I'm not going to knock." He wiped his lips and took a step back, his dignity intact. "Can you tell us what you're concealing because you want us to knock so badly?"
She furrowed her brows in rage. She couldn't speak or act because of her age. When she tried to get help from her mother, she noticed that she kept her mouth shut. Nicky looked around, enraged. She understood exactly what she needed to do.
Opening Up
Nicky needed some time to think, so she went to her father's house that weekend. She tried to keep her composure so that her stepfather would be under the impression that she was okay with what he said.
As soon as she arrived at her father's house, she told him what was going on. She shared how important her privacy is to her and that she felt like her stepfather and mother were disrespecting her wishes. What her father said next stunned her.
Sound Advice
Nicky's father advised, "If you don't want your stepfather to enter your room with knocking, make him never want to enter your bedroom without knocking again." He gripped Nicky's hands in his own.
"You're the smartest kid I know, so I know you'll figure it out," he said. Nicky responded with a smile and thanked her father for the advice. She knew exactly what she was going to do.
Logistics
Nicky got home that Sunday evening and immediately went through the logistics of her plan. She'd noted that her stepdad usually came home an hour earlier than her mom.
She also knew he usually passed by her room to tell her to take out the trash if she forgot to do it in the morning. A broad smile took Nicky's face. It was time for revenge.
The Plan
On Monday, Nicky got home from school, removing all her clothes and covering herself in a robe. As expected, she didn't take out the trash.
The front door creaked open, and Nicky removed her robe, taking out one of her favorite books to skim through. And as if on cue, her stepdad barged into her room.
He Comes Home
"Hey," he began, "I need you to take out the—what is happening?" he screamed, jumping out before he slammed the door shut. "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" he yelled in the corridor.
A smirk bloomed over Nicky's face. "Well," she said. "It's very hot in here." She reached out for her robe, adding, "And I did ask that you knock." Her stepdad's response would wrench a smile on her face.
It Works
"You're in so much trouble, young lady!" Nicky's stepdad growled, but he was using his defeated voice. "I'm telling your mom about this."
When Nicky's mom got home that evening, her stepdad told her everything. Although Nicky was not in the room, she could tell her mom was shocked by her actions. She called for Nicky, and Nicky walked in casually. Would her parents take her seriously now?
A Happy Ever After
Nicky's mom told her they'd be getting a lock for her door. Of course, knocking became frequent in their home afterward.
Although Nicky knew she'd gone to extremes then, she was glad she'd gotten the response she wanted. Maybe if her parents had listened to her or tried to hear her out, she wouldn't have been forced to take such drastic measures.
Across States
Lisa was your everyday sixteen-year-old who, like Nicky, lived with her loving mom. Her life was a normal one as far as she was concerned, and for the most part, she loved everything in it.
She had her grades in order, a long list of good friends, and the best relationship with her mom. But her everything would soon change.
New Beginnings
Lisa was a week from turning sixteen when her mom told her about this guy who’d asked her out for a coffee date.
Given that her mom had been single for almost five years after Lisa’s dad passed away in a car accident, Lisa was glad to see her finally taking an interest in dating again. She had no clue how such a harmless wish would turn her life upside down.
Moving On With Life
Lisa lived with her mom in the suburbs of Chicago. Although losing her dad had taken a toll on them, she and her mom managed to drag themselves out of that terrible time and heal.
Lisa would grow into a fun and equally respectable daughter while her mom would make a name for herself as one of their neighborhood’s best nurses. Since her mom rarely talked about falling in love again, Lisa ruled the idea of a stepdad out of her mind. But that was until she met Matt.
Meeting Him
Lisa’s mom introduced Matt as a real estate agent she’d met at work. They explained that Matt had taken his nine-year-old daughter for a check-up and ran into Lisa’s mom.
After a few attempts to get her to go out with him, he finally took her for a coffee date. It wouldn’t be long till he and Lisa collided because of privacy.
The Family Grows
Lisa’s mom and Matt spent about a year together before finally going to the altar. Lisa was more than happy for them, thankful that she now had a little sister, Kayla, from Matt’s first marriage.
But as soon as her mom’s honeymoon was over, one thing would seemingly crop out of nowhere and threaten to tear Lisa’s life apart.
A Universal Problem
Like Nicky’s issue, Lisa’s problem with her stepdad revolved around him budging into her bedroom without knocking. Lisa was deeply bothered by the occurrence even after her stepdad apologized.
Although he didn’t find her in any compromising situations, she couldn’t get past the incident. What was supposed to be a one-time thing would quickly devolve into disaster.
It Happens
It was a Tuesday morning in the deep of Summer when the first incident took place. It’d been about a month since Lisa’s stepdad barged into her room without knocking.
He was waking her up for a summer job interview her mom had organized for her, and walked into her room without knocking. What he found would set the dominoes falling for the catastrophe that was to come.
A Warm Night
The night had been a warm one, and Lisa had gone to bed with nothing but a pair of shorts. Knowing that no one ever walked into her room in the morning, she comfortably slipped into bed.
Her eyes dragged shut only for the booming sound of her stepdad to wake her up. She sat with a jump, both her and her stepdad realizing she was half-naked. Confused, she did the only thing she could do.
What To Do Now
Lisa scrambled for her covers as her stepdad rushed out. “You need to get up,” he said awkwardly. “You’ll be late for your interview.” As innocent as it was, the incident would send Lisa into a constant state of worry.
She’d never seen a reason to lock her door before, but then she’d never had a male figure in the house too. She knew she had to do something about the situation or have a scarring teenage life.
It Happens Again
Lisa was still pondering over the matter when it happened again. She was hanging out with her friends this time when her stepdad barged into the room.
He found Lisa and her friends on her bed with make-up kits before them, talking about their teenage issues. He quickly turned away, seemingly regretting his action. Lisa thought he’d be careful now and at least knock, but it only got worse.
When Will It Stop?
Lisa’s stepdad would now barge into her room whenever he felt like it. He’d come at any moment’s notice, just pushing the door open and waltzing right through.
Although Lisa had ignored him for the past two weeks, the whole idea of her privacy having flown out of the window was getting to her. If she’d planned to do something before, now she’d ensure this behavior stopped.
Raising The Issue
Lisa decided to raise the issue at the dinner table that night, requesting that if anybody apart from little Kayla wanted to come into her room, they’d have to knock.
Her stepdad raised a brow at the request and said he wouldn’t be knocking on any doors under his roof. Lisa tried to argue her case, but her stepdad declared a new open-door policy. Lisa walked away defeated, but then she had a brilliant idea.
The Best Way Forward
Lisa sat in her room that night thinking about her stepdad’s policy. She’d closed her door out of anger, but as she thought about her plan, she knew it’d have to be unlocked for everything to work.
The plan was extreme, but she would have to do it. If her stepdad weren’t going to give her any more privacy, she’d make sure he wished he did.
Setting Things In Motion
Lisa made sure her door was shut when she went to bed. But instead of donning her nightgown, she stripped naked and slipped into her sheets.
She woke up early the following day, hoping her closed-door would trigger her stepdad, who usually woke up well before sunrise for work. Sure enough, her stepdad threw her door open. He wasn’t ready for what was waiting for him.
It Works
Lisa’s stepdad stormed through the door only to turn away that instant. He found Lisa naked, walking around her room as she pretended to get ready for the day.
Although she felt awkward, she turned to him and kindly asked him to leave, reminding him to not close the door. That would be the last time her stepdad ever barged into her room again.