Double Standards

Prologue

Florence yelped as hands grabbed her waist and spun her around.

"Let me go," she squeaked as her speed increased.

A male voice chuckled behind her as he continued to turn in circles. He laughed every time Florence made a noise or complaint. She was hilarious.

"If you do not let me go right this minute, I am telling your brother," she threatened, to which she immediately stopped moving.

"You wouldn't," he dared while raising an eyebrow as she turned to face him.

With a grin, she took off running in the direction of his home. She sped up when she felt his fingertips brush against her arms. Her skirt kept flying in the breeze, revealing her undies. She didn't care, she had to find him.

"Don't, Florence…please," she heard her friend pant behind her as they kept running.

"And why not?" Florence was more active, more into sports, so her stamina was a lot greater; no way was she out of breathe so soon.

"Because I'm your friend?"

Florence smiled to herself, "not good enough!"

She could have sworn she heard him swear before trying desperately to speed up.

Eventually two figures burst into the house and up the stairs, Florence flying through a bedroom door, only to stop and smile at the boy in it.

"Sig, Edgar's been mean to me."

A fifteen year old Sig laughed, more so when his brother came into the room looking quite tired.

"Whatever she said, she's lying," Edgar panted while holding his hands on his thighs.

"Is she now? She said you're being mean to her," Sig stood up and walked towards the redheaded female.

"She lies," Edgar protested with a sigh.

"Does she now? How surprising. Florence, you lying?" Sig asked. He loved being the eldest at times. Whenever something was going on, between Edgar and his friends, Norman and his friends, sometimes between Edgar and Norman, he always decided who was right. In this instance, Florence was always right.

"No, Sig," Florence mumbled while looking at the floor.

"There we have it. Edgar, stop being a bully, you're meant to love your friends. Now go back downstairs and leave me alone," He turned and sat back down, watching closely as both parties left his room quietly.

"I like your brother," Florence smiled as her and Edgar walked back down the stairs.

"You always say that, and he always takes your side," Edgar whined. He hated that Sig was never on his side.

"It's because I'm prettier,"

Edgar laughed, "Obviously."

"Dinner!" somebody shouted from the kitchen.

Both ran into the room to find Edgar's mother plating up food.

"Florence, would you like to stay for tea? There is enough food for everybody and I have already asked your parents?"

"That would be cool, thank you," Florence beamed as her and Edgar began to walk into the dining room to sit down.

"I don't know why we always have to ask your parents. You practically live here half the week and when you're not here, I'm at yours," Edgar laughed as Florence turned a shade red.

"Promise me, Edgar Hansen, that no matter what happens, we'll always be friends,"

Edgar grinned and held out his hand for Florence to take. Shaking hands, he said, "of course, Florence Ginger Tusany, we will always be friends."

Florence stormed into the Hansen house, "Edgar!"

"He's not here," Normal called from the Kitchen.

She stomped her way into the room and threw her bag on the table top, "I'm going to fucking kill him."

"Is that any way for a sixteen year old girl to speak?" Sig laughed from behind her.

"Shut up," She hissed at him.

"What did Edgar do now, Flow? Forget to pick your books up for you?" Normal teased.

Florence's face fell and her eyes bore into the floor, "worse."

Sig gently touched her shoulder, "what happened?"

"He asked Kathy Goodmill out,"

Sig wrapped both his arms around the back of her and gave her a hug. She leaned back slightly into him and sighed, "I just never thought he would actually start dating, you know,"

"It's okay, Flow, you haven't lost him," Norman tried to comfort her.

"Yes I have. Kathy hates me. She always torments me. Fucking bitch. Because I have red hair, I'm a freak!" Flow pushed herself away from Sig and wiped at the moisture on her cheeks.

"You're not a freak, Flow, you're gorgeous. Your hair is amazing, don't listen to her. It's just because her hair is blonde and stringy," Norman desperately tried to think of something to make her smile again. He loved her smile.

"I am a freak. I have this stupid red hair and these stupid green eyes and this stupid body, I hate it," Flow stormed out the room and into the garden. She fucking hated everything.

"I don't know," Sig whispered harshly to his brother when he received a questioning glance.

"Well I don't know either," Norman sighed.

"I reckon we help her get on with her life, she'll spend the next three years pining for him otherwise," Sig shrugged.

"And how do we do that?"

"Easy. One of us asks her out,"

Norman just stared at his brother, "I beg your fucking pardon?"

"Well if you don't want to do it, I will," Sig began to walk towards the door leading outside, "she's not exactly the ugliest thing to walk through the door."

"When this falls apart, do not come looking for advice from me," Norman warned before he left the room. He would play no part in this.

"Flow," Sig asked gently as he stood next to her.

"What?" She hissed at him.

"Come on and get your bag, we're off to the cinema," He took her arm and led her back into the kitchen.

"And why are we going there?" She asked him before picking up her purse.

"Don't guys usually take their girlfriends out?"

And there it was; the one statement that said everything and nothing.

With no questions and no arguments, Florence grabbed her bag and allowed Sig to take her out the front door and into his vehicle.

If Edgar Hansen wanted Kathy Woodmill, Florence Ginger Tusany would take Sigurd Jonny Hansen.