by Sarah Tork
“They gave you a walkie talkie!” Shelby screeched. “I’ll kill you!”
I needed to do something before Shelby actually killed Andy, so I grabbed an armful of lemons and threw them at Shelby, getting her twice on the head and once on the butt.
Score! She shoots, she scores…. winner!
“You traitor, owwwwyyyy!” Shelby gave me looks of destruction. “Where is the loyalty?”
I threw more lemons at her. There was no loyalty. None whatsoever. And there never would be. In fact, I hoped Andy got a punch or two in knocking that troll out for good, or until my shift was over.
Pretty soon, security had apprehended Shelby, but holding her down and moving her off club property hadn’t been easy. An ambulance showed up and strapped her to a gurney while she kept screaming and shaking with all her might. “They gave her a…. walkie talkie!”
Chapter 19
ANNABELLE
“I haven’t seen you since yesterday!” my mom groaned, flailing her arms up in protest. “Tonight is family night.”
Maybe heading straight home after work was a bad idea. I cringed in horror, because what the hell was I in for this afternoon. “Family night? Can’t we have family night tomorrow? I’m home all day tomorrow. I want to go out with my friends tonight.” I told her.
Mom’s eyes narrowed. “Only your friends?”
What?
I stared at her warily. “What’s that supposed to mean? Of course just my friends.” I tried giving her my confused face, but it felt more like shy embarrassment instead. I needed all nonchalant facial expressions on deck, STAT!
A knowing smile creeped up on her face, like she knew something. “Are you going to meet a boy?” she asked slowly, almost patronizing, like she didn’t believe it herself. The topic of boys did not come up in my family, at least not from me, or hell…even for me. However, in this instance, everything in my soul told me to keep my relationship with James private. Telling my family, let alone my mom, was dangerous.
I shook my head. “No, I am not going to meet a boy.”
My acting skills were awful apparently, because her expression was far from belief. In fact her eyes popped open. “Oh my god! You’re going to meet a boy!”
This isn’t happening!
I shook my head vehemently. “No, I’m not.”
“Oh my god!” Mom collapsed on the couch in full dramatics while Katherine stared up from her seat on the carpet, her eyes wide open in shock as well.
Charles entered the living room from the kitchen, snickering. “Who’s the idiot dumb enough to go out with you, Annabelle?”
My blood boiled. “Shut up!”
Then there was silence, because I had yelled an octave or two higher than I normally would have.
Charles smiled like a wise ass that’d won the match. Add a head tilt to the side as if he were examining a patient, and it was complete hell on earth in my living room this afternoon. “So,” he drawled. “It is true. You are going to meet a guy. That’s hilarious.”
He joined Mom on the couch, who was still lying face up, staring at the ceiling like life didn’t make sense anymore. It was kind of pissing me off. Weren’t parents supposed to believe in their kids, no matter what? I mean, how hard was it to picture me dating, or for a boy to be interested in me?
I took a deep breath and counterattacked. “It’s not like that.”
Charles folded his arms across his chest and shook his head in a conniving dirt-bag, younger brother, know it all, kind of way. “Mom?” He gave Mom a shake so she’d pay attention to him and not the ceiling. “You better have the talk with Annabelle.”
“The talk?” she repeated, confused for a second. Then she got it. She snapped into a sitting position. “The talk!”
“Yeah, the talk.” Charles smirked and glanced back at me. “You don’t want ol’ Annabelle here getting preggers by Christmas, now do we?”
“Shut up, you idiot!” I charged at him but he got up and rounded the couch faster than I could catch up. I wanted to smack the kid across the head.
Mom plopped back down, staring at the ceiling like it was her personal shrink. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m not ready. I’m… Not… Ready.”
“Stop making this into a big deal. It’s not.” I hissed.
I rushed away to my room and picked up my phone. I sent James a text message.
Annabelle: I’m crazy.
There was no response back, and I understood why. He was training with his coach right now and no cellphones were allowed. But I wondered when he’d have a break. I could hear Charles and Mom laugh from downstairs and it hurt my soul because I thought it was about me.
Probably was.
I was the joke, as per usual.
And this was the exact reason why.
Why I kept James a secret from my family.
My phone buzzed.
My heart jumped.
Tiger: I’m crazy.
Annabelle: Then it’s settled, we’re both crazy.
Tiger: Done and done.
I smiled at the screen.
*~*~*
ANNABELLE
The coast was clear.
With my soft blue cozy towel wrapped tightly around my body, water dripped down my legs as I rushed out from the shower to my bedroom. I sighed in relief and closed the door. I had things to do tonight, and the first major task of the night involved creating a visual masterpiece, or come somewhere close without failing epically.
Let’s do this.
First things first, turn on straightener…Check. While I waited for it to heat up, stage two was in play. The blow dryer was plugged in next to my straightener and I grabbed my round brush, ready to tame the beast, AKA my hair, which if I did not blow dry in the next fifteen minutes would have me looking like I got ready at a car wash. Hair frizz central.
Someone knocked on my door and my heart rate accelerated. Who wanted to go toe to toe with me now?
“Yeah?” I called.
“Can I come in?” A small voice asked and it took me second because no one asked permission ever to come into my room, which was already ridiculous to begin with. “It’s Katherine.”
“Sure,” I said slowly, feeling very weird. This was not normal. This kind of thing never happened. My little sister never came to my room, at least not calmly or without malice, or without that cocky smug look on her face, giving me shit for pissing her off somehow.
Hell just froze over.
Katherine slowly opened my door and stepped inside, her holier than thou smug evil little girl mask gone, replaced by a doe eyed little sister who seemed sweet.
“Is it true?” she asked and it took me a second again. She was talking about the infamous “boy” I was supposedly meeting up with tonight. Maybe opening up to Katherine would reopen the nice part of our relationship that’s been lost for years? It was worth a shot, anything was better than where we currently were.
Current sibling relationship status: Hellish.
Potential sibling relationship status: Progressively Positive.
Here goes nothing.
“Can you keep a secret?” I asked her quietly, smiling small.
She smiled back and I had butterflies. She nodded. “Yeah,” she whispered, eagerly.
I took a second again, deciding it was a good idea to be honest with Katherine. I jerked my chin at the door. “Close my door quietly and come over here.”
Katherine closed my door ultra sensitively and joined me on my bed.
I held my pinkie out. “Pinkie swear?”
She crooked her pinkie over mine and nodded. “Pinkie swear.”
We shook our pinkies up and down, confirming the contract of full disclosure. I pulled my phone off my desk and found a picture of James and me, a selfie I took a few weeks ago, right after he cleaned up after baseball practice. His dark brown hair had been damp from a quick shower and he’d smoothed it back, showcasing his green eyes. I just had to take a picture, no matter who looked in the hal
lway that day. There were a few snickers from his teammates, but he didn’t care either.
“Oh my god!” Katherine squealed, masking her giggles with her mouth. “He’s so cute.” She whispered that last part.
I sighed. “I know.”
“Is he really your boyfriend?” she asked, wide eyed.
I nodded. “Yes, yes he is.”
“How long have you guys been going out?” she asked.
I counted, not including August because we weren’t really together that month, only hooking up. “Three months.” I answered.
Katherine fake fainted over my bed and I wanted to cry in happiness. This was all I’d ever wanted for us, to have a relationship like normal sisters would, like what Jenna and I had. Although, Katherine and me were a long way from that, but this right here was a good start.
“Don’t tell anyone, okay?” I whispered, top-secret style. “Not even to Mom.”
Katherine chewed at her bottom lip nervously. “What if she asks me?”
“If she finds out about James, she might now let me see him.” I explained.
That did it. Decision flashed over her eyes as she nodded. “I won’t ever tell anyone.”
I sighed in relief. “Thank you.”
“Are you going to see him tonight?”
“Yeah,” I grinned.
Her eyes popped open, eager. “What are you going to wear?”
“I have no idea.” I eyed my closet and thought of something genius. “Wanna help me pick something?”
“Okay!”
Mission accomplished.
We raided my closet and Katherine wanted to borrow everything. This also made me happy. I also let her pick my entire outfit, and how I should do my hair and makeup. A purple tank top with dark brown shorts, straight hair in a high ponytail, and light makeup, all in favor of tonight’s weather: Very hot and very humid.
Excellent choice, little sister…
Chapter 20
ANNABELLE
Tiger: I can’t make it tonight.
Annabelle: Why? What happened?
Tiger: I’m still at the gym and Coach wants to take me out to discuss my future.
Annabelle: Your future? In what? Fighting professionally?
Tiger: Maybe.
Annabelle: I thought you wanted to play baseball.
Tiger: Things change. Anyways, I gotta go, talk tomorrow.
Annabelle: Bye.
I stood up from the bench at the park by my house. I felt like someone punched me in the gut. I was still holding my phone and another wave of emotions flashed through me.
The urge to unblock Dean was strong.
No.
I called Jenna instead.
She picked up after the third ring. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Hi, nothing much, what’s up with you?” I asked, hoping there were no traces of bitterness in my voice.
“Me and Tom are on our way to Yogurty’s. My cheesy ass boyfriend is taking me out on a date.” She laughed out loud and then her voice got muffled. “I’m just kidding, don’t give me the puppy dog eyes, I won’t feel guilty. All right, all right, I get it, I’m sorry. Stop making me feel guilty, fluffy boy.”
“You’re mean, silly. But don’t worry, I forgive you.” I heard Tom say.
“You forgive me?” Jenna shrieked. “I’ll give you something to forgive me for.”
I couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Jenna came back on the line. “Sorry about that, anyways, you out with James tonight?”
“No,” I said. “His coach wants to take him out for dinner to discuss the future.”
“That sucks,” Jenna said. “Well, you wanna come out with Tom and I?”
Tom’s notice of protest was obvious and very funny.
I chuckled. “Nah, I’m not going to third wheel on your date. Have a good night though, tell me all about it tomorrow.”
Jenna laughed. “All right, later.”
“Bye,” I hung up.
I went back home. My parents weren’t home, they’d gone out an hour earlier and Katherine was spending time with her friend Beth, who lived across the street from us. This meant one thing. It was just me and Charles at the house tonight.
Yay.
I went up the stairs and heard a loud pound against the wall. I stopped in the hallway to investigate.
“What do you want from me?” Charles asked, loudly. I was about to answer with a snide comment, but I quickly realized he wasn’t talking to me. He was on the phone.
I snooped outside his closed door and listened carefully.
“No, you made your choice.” he said and then barked out laughing. “You think I care? Yeah, well, I don’t care about you either.”
What the hell is going on? Who is he talking to like this? I mean… it can’t be a girl now… could it?
“Yeah, I’m sorry too.” he said. “I’m sorry I wasted so much time trying to love you.”
Oh.
My.
God!
My jaw dropped.
This couldn’t be happening.
My little brother was talking about… love?
And his heart was broken, evident by the loud bangs that proceeded after his phone call. The walls and his door took the brunt of his out of control soccer ball. My heart kind of broke for him, even though he’s been nothing but a little shit to me lately. I guess… no matter what, we were still family. I quickly changed into sweats and a t-shirt and went back to his room, knocking on his door.
He didn’t answer, so I knocked again.
“Fine, I’ll stop!” he groaned, not answering the door.
I knocked again.
“I said I wouldn’t do it anymore, okay!” he yelled right behind the door. Seconds passed, and he still didn’t open the door. So, I knocked again, which did the trick, and I was graced with his annoyed presence. “What!”
It took him a full second, but as he realized it was me, the sister he never wanted, or lived to annoy, his anger grew tenfold, resulting in him trying to slam the door in my face. But my reflexes were awesome. Before it fully shut in my face, I kicked the door back, startling Charles in the midst of returning to his pity party, a la a soccer game with the wall.
“Leave me alone!” he yelled at me.
“No,” I said nonchalantly. “Tell me what’s going on with you?”
“You’re crazy, you know that.” He sneered in disgust at me. “I’m fine, now go away!”
“You’re fine?” I smirked. “That’s a lie. Not from what I just heard.”
A small gasp left him. “You were listening in on my conversation?” he asked, horrified and embarrassed.
“You were yelling, I could hear you all the way downstairs.” I explained, desperately trying to keep my tone neutral. “Anyways, I’m glad I heard. It’s better like this, now you can talk about things, instead of keeping it inside. Don’t you want to talk it out?”
His head shook, disgusted at my suggestion. “Why the hell would I ever confide in you? You don’t give a shit about me. All you care about is yourself.” Using my shocked state to his advantage, he slammed the door right in my face, leaving me mentally scarred.
All I cared about was myself?
Where was he getting this stuff?
I mean, it couldn’t be true, about how he felt. It must have been an exaggeration from a few arguments we had in the past, mostly due to his rudeness and not mine.
Or maybe, the reality of the situation wasn’t how I saw it?
Maybe it was all me?
And if that’s the case, then I needed to do something about it.
Like right now.
And unfortunately, there was only one way I could get him to listen to me, or let me hear his problems. I rushed back inside my room and found my emergency stash of money underneath my mattress. I kept a hundred and fifty dollars there in case something intense happened at home and I needed to flee in the night.
Have I mentioned how dramatic
I was?
I grabbed a twenty dollar bill, hoping it would be enough to bribe Charles into opening up to me. I went back to his room and knocked loudly against his door.
“Open up!” I yelled, knocking on repeat.
“Leave me alone,” he growled.
“Tell me what’s going on!” I yelled.
“Go away!”
Now was a good a time as any. I took a deep breath and tried plan B. “How about a trade then?”
I could hear him stumble in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about? What kind of trade?”
I cleared my throat. “Simple. You tell me what’s going on with you and I’ll give you money.”
Took a second, but that door popped open so quickly, I almost lost my balance. Charles stepped forward and stared mesmerized at the twenty-dollar bill in my grip.
“Deal.”
Chapter 21
ANNABELLE
“You’re lucky I need money.” Charles grunted after I handed over the bill. He left the door open and I took that as a good of an invitation to enter his room as any.
“Yeah, it must suck having to ask for money all the time.” I said, following him inside and leaning against his three-drawer dresser. I guess I could have sat on his bed, but…. no. Just no.
Charles pocketed the twenty and took a seat in his desk chair. “It does suck. But I’m going to get a job as soon as I turn fourteen.”
I was confused. “Where?”
Charles picked up his soccer ball and began spinning it with one hand. “The glow in dark miniature golf place. You know, Putting Galaxy? JD’s dad owns the place and he said when I turn fourteen, a job would be waiting for me there.”