Chapter 1

Walking through the streets at this late hour is making me paranoid. Why am I even here right now? Well, it definitely isn't for the scenery, I can tell you that much. The concrete buildings are so close together; it's making me feel claustrophobic. It's so dark this time of night, downtown makes the stars hardly visible and momentarily, the moon is hidden behind some clouds in the sky.

I shiver, was it always this cold in New York City this time of year? It's still summertime… I wrap my jacket a bit tighter around my waist and hurry my footing.

I'm late for the welcoming ceremony; uncle Phillip is coming over to greet my brother who just got back from boarding school some place I can't pronounce. So is grandma Iris and grandpa George, but they live only a couple blocks from us.

No, the big news is that Dad will be visiting. Only for a few days, maybe a week tops, but it's still better than nothing. I can't remember the last time I saw him, it was probably on my 14th birthday. Two years have past since then… I've changed a lot and he probably won't recognize me but I can always count on him to stay the same.

Mom will be backing cookies, aunt Laura will be playing the old piano stuffed in the back of the living room that no one uses anymore and Dad will surely bring us presents like he always does.

My brother, Owen, how has he changed? I wonder, thoughtfully twisting a strand of hair around my fingertip, opening the front door to the apartment complex beside some grey trash cans recently put out for Monday. The buzzer here doesn't work, but I don't need it having a key at the ready and opening the door.

"Hey!" I started, walking through the entrance, greeting my mother coming in.

"Hi sweetie, what took you so long?" She asks me, putting one cookie in my mouth and handing me another two as I walk through the kitchen.

"Your mother was beginning to bring out the old photos, as much as I love to see them, I really rather not…" Aunt Laura whispers to me, into my ear.

"Tell me about it, we were waiting for you for forever!" My brother retorts, lazing around on the couch.

I grab the TV remote from his hand, he frowns but doesn't go after me and instead watches as I flip through channels and seat myself on the larger couch opposite to him, disturbing grandmother's knitting.

She looks up, does a little humph under her breath and then looks back down again…continuing on with her "work" as she likes to call it. It isn't really working, all she does is knit around the house all day, but grandfather sure doesn't mind it, well I'm not sure if he minds, but he definitely doesn't argue…I don't blame him. Getting on her bad side isn't really on my "to do list" of the late.

Two hands come up from behind me and cover my eyes. I hear a familiar "guess who?" and can't help but smile as I rant off random names of people that come to mind all but knowing who it actually is. Finally, I pull the fingers apart and spin around to give him a great big hug. I haven't seen him in a while, but whenever I do, it's like he was never gone. That's how close our father daughter bond has always been, and always will be, dad's been telling me.

"So big! Where has my little girl gone"? He asks, a look of surprise on his face.

"You've been gone for ages…" I answer him, which slightly turns his surprise to remorse but I don't comment on it. I try not to; he's gotten a hard job that involves a bunch of traveling. I don't want to make it any harder for him, but as much as I know that he's trying I can't help sadden that he's never here with us. Dad's the best but I only see him every few years.

He tousles my hair and then is gone once again to mom's side, helping her cut the salad. She giggles, acting like a small child and all lovey-dovey with him around.

My brother and I exchange a look, but again don't say anything, knowing they don't have a lot of time together. I continue, instead, surfing the channels when the remote is pulled out of my hands. Is it in the genes or does everybody like to steal TV remotes nowadays?

"Time to eat". Uncle Phillip says ushering us to the table.

"Did you wash your hands yet, Rachel"? Aunt Laura asks me.

"Doing that". I'm telling her, the tap already running and my hands under the cold water with a bar of soap passing and weaving through my fingers. I turn the faucet off and go to the table as a plate gets shoved into my hands.

"Taco night, tonight". My brother tells me. I smile at him and walk over to the kitchen counter where mom's got everything laid out for the taking. We quickly size everything up to proportion and I take my seat as everyone starts to eat.

"So how are classes"? Dad asks my brother and I. My brother smiles at him, nodding while I make a face and ignore the question. Dad doesn't notice though and Owen's already moving onto another topic.

"Did you hear of the G4 model"? His eyes light up. "It's the new version, supposed to be more realistic, 90%!" He continues on, something about a friend in the business and what not.

I drone out, but only because it's a boy thing and gaming's not my specialty. It's not like I haven't tried, I've started before but always stop midway. I just sort of lose interest while others continue to level up and then when everyone gets to the high levels and I returned back to it, there really isn't much point, I just feel so left behind…

"Really?" My brother asks, excited. "Really, really?" He continues to ask, jumping up and down and almost falling off his chair.

"Yep!" Dad answers him happily. He wears a wide grin; I just stare at them for a minute, completely lost. But they don't notice and if they do they both choose to ignore it. "Here they are!" Dad takes two large parcels out from underneath the table, where did he hide those things? And hands them to each of us.

"After we eat, after, stop it!" My mom chastises us, but brother and I don't listen, unwrapping the packaging I come face to face with none other than the model G4… I frown, I understand my brother but why me?

I look to my dad and decide to smile and give him a nod. I want him to be happy during his stay here and not ruin the mood, I shouldn't be complaining about stuff like presents. Seeming satisfied, he continues to speak.

"The G4 model, just like you wanted Owen! Your sister too, I decided you both needed some sibling time after all those years apart… Get to know each other a little better!" He smiles at me and so I smile back, hiding the disgust I had of spending even more time with my brother Owen.

Owen and I are complete opposites; he's smart, smart enough to go to some famous boarding school somewhere half way across the world and me, well let's just say that I'm not. Owen is more of a behind the books kind of stuck up guy with a whole bunch of connections while I'm the girl failing almost all her classes and needing to take summer school. We are different, as different as siblings can get.

Dinner finishes with rapid pace and I'm in my room before I know it, sitting with the G4 model in my right hand on the bed. It's a virtual reality game, you use it when you go to sleep and my brother probably has a zillion stashed somewhere in his room.

I sigh and take the headset out of its container. Dad will surely ask me a bunch of questions about the game tomorrow morning. I look at the headset and turn it around. At the back it has a small clasp you have to open to put it on. I try opening it by putting two fingers in each space provided. I push, then pull. It doesn't work. Wasn't the new headset supposed to be easy to put on? I wonder how hard the other headsets were before this one came out… Lost in thought and still pulling with all my might, I lose balance and the headset slips out of my fingers and lands onto the floor with a loud "thump". I flinch.

This is bad, this is very bad, what am I going to do? What will I say to dad? No, no we don't even know if it's broken yet. I pick the device up from the floor and give it a once over…it's definitely broken. Just looking at it, I can tell.

"Rachel, are you alright? We heard a large bang. Did something happen?" Mom asks from just outside my door, she tries opening it but the door is locked. Thank god for locks!

"Yes mom! Everything's fine!" I shout back all the while thinking: but this gaming device isn't…