Why My Step Dad Hates Me

All right, my title might be a little bit dramatic. My stepdad does not hate me. We are "frenemies." He loves me one minute and the next, we are at each other's throats.
It really has always been like this ever since him and my mom got married in 1999 after 6 months of dating. I am actually not really sure if they dated that long.

Here's the scoop:

My stepdad used to be a volunteer football coach at Bethany High School. My brother played for him at Bethany and that is how my mom and stepdad got introduced. Then, after they both got divorced from their first marriages, they started dating and eloped. Cool, right? NO.

As much as I love my step siblings/family, it has not been the easiest journey in the world. First, my step sibling that is closest in age (about 11 months older) is also named Victoria (Tori, for short). So we were always called Tori one and Tori two. Do you think I really want to be named Tori two? I mean, I know that it means that I am younger in age, but seriously, take the Tori out of it and what do you think of when you say "one" and "two?" Bodily functions, right? It was cool for about five months and then I was over it.

 Then came the complexity of who could parent who and how we all really felt toward each other. Did I really think of Rich as my new father since my biological father abandoned us when I was eight? My Mom asked me once if I would call Rich "dad." I felt extremely pressured and just told her "no" out of frustration/embarrassment. No, I wanted my real dad to step up his game. But, he didn't. And he never would for the next 12 years.

Back to why my stepdad and I are frenemies. We laugh at eachother's jokes ALL OF THE TIME. Sometimes we will get on this complete laughing streak, just making one joke after the other and laughing for an hour straight. Then, the enemy part comes in when we are talking about something as simple as a reality TV show and have differing opinions. Sometimes he'll try to shove his opinion clear down my throat, while I am just trying to have a simple, intellectual debate about population issues (No, I'm serious.)

But I really do love the guy. Rich and his family took my family in when we were young and struggling. He is like a big, opinionated teddy bear. You can't help but want to laugh at his jokes...

even when they're just downright silly.