In the Middle
Chapter 1
Alex's POV: Normal families are supposed to hang out right. Well in my family instead of them being loving I get a bunch of cousins who could care less of what happens to Amy, Dan, and I. Amy and Dan are two of my cousins. Amy is 14, Dan is 11, and I am 13. So far they're the only the only ones who are nice to me. Well… almost nice we sometimes get on each other's nerves, but hey we're family who doesn't we still love one another. Now my other cousins that's another story they hate us I'm mean HATE us as in if one of us were to crack are head open they'd just take out their cell phones and take pictures. Me I could care less of what they thought of me, but when they mess with Amy or Dan they should buy a one way ticket to the sarcasm capital of the world. I could go a week with saying sarcasm. Especially to my "Aunt" Beatrice who I is the biggest hag I've ever met. Right now she was driving so slow she was making turtles look like speed demons. I'd give a description of her, but I don't wanna be responsible for nightmares. I always wished that my grandmother Grace could have adopted us. She was the best she'd actually treat us like family. Sometimes I'd ask her why she didn't take us in, but she would just smile and say she had her reasons. Now she was dead and we were on our way to her funeral. Beatrice was yelling at Amy to put her book down. Oh Beatrice you got to love her right WRONG! Now you're probably thinking how this girl blocks her out well I have my little friend here called the iPod. Now let's pick a song.
My Immortal: Evanescence
I'm so tired of being here
This family is what's making me tired
Suppressed by all my childish fears
I used to be afraid of people I did and didn't know
And if you have to leave
You were getting so sick
I wish that you would just leave
I just wanted you to die rather than see you in that condition
Cuz your presents still lingers here
It does to me, Amy, and Dan it does
And it won't leave me alone
The memories just stay there
These wounds won't seem to heal
The tears just won't stop
This pain is just too real
It hurts to think of you
There's just too much that time cannot erase
School and T.V just don't help it to go away
(Chorus)
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
More like when I'd cry
When you scream I'd fight away all of fears
You'd comfort me instead of fighting
And I held your hand through all of these years
You held all of our hands
But you still have, all of me
Yep, I can't you out of my get you out of my head
You used to captivate me
With the stories of your travels
By your resonating light
You were so adventurous, what happened?
Now I am bound by the life you left behind
You left us with Beatrice the Bloody
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
I always see you in my dreams and thoughts
Your voice it chased away
All of the sanity in me
I haven't heard your voice in awhile so I'm starting to forget it
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
(Chorus)
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
I know you're gone, but you're in a better place
But though you're still with me
Of course you're still with me
I've been alone all along
It feels that way, but I've still got Amy and Dan
(Chorus) x2 me's
Still Alex's POV: Dang that song really fits. "Alex!" I immediately take out my buds to see Amy and Dan looking at me. "What" I said
"We're here." Amy answered I nodded my head and picked up my backpack. We started walking "There's so many." Amy said I put my hand on her shoulder. Amy was afraid of crowds. I mean really afraid. She would always stutter when she tried to talk except when she was talking to either me or Dan and Grace of course, but she was dead. "You knew there'd be a lot of people they come every year. I glared at Dan he was so insensitive, but he was right every Christmas Cahills from all around the world would for a family reunion at Grace's mansion. British Cahills, Russian Cahills, Korean Cahills, well you get the point. "I know, but…. Look at all of them." Amy answered back she also had a point over 400 people were here, probably wanted her fortune. Dan must have read my mind because right after I thought the Dan said "They just want her fortune" He decided I didn't want Amy to think I agreed with Dan, but the bible says never tell a lie. "Dan!" Amy yelled
"Well? It's true" I sighed and said "Yeah Amy, nobody really cared about Grace."
Suddenly I heard Dan yell I turned to Reagan and Madison Holt. I swear those girls don't have any other hobby than bullying people.
"Look, guys," Reagan said "We caught a rat!" Reagan and Madison were 11 years-old twins with blond hair and were wearing purple tracksuits. I honestly don't understand why they wear those and I hate purple. I saw more purple tracksuits and knew the rest of the Holt clan was here. The Holts were like human steroid monsters so I wasn't going to get in a fight with them. That doesn't mean I don't have any tricks up my sleeve. I felt something tug on my leg and saw Arnold their pit bull tugging on my pants. I may hate the Holts, but their dog didn't need to suffer, so I picked him up and put him next to Hamilton the son. Right now he was laughing like an idiot, which he is one though. I saw next to him were his mom Mary-Todd and dad Eisenhower. They were grinning so they must have thought this was all great fun. I felt like someone was looking at me so I looked up and saw Hamilton glaring at me.
"Don't you touch my dog." He growled I wasn't scared of him though no matter what he thought.
"Whatever." I said back at him looking him straight in the eye.
"Let's fling him into the creek," Madison said
"I wanna fling him into the bushes!" Reagan said "We never do my ideas.
"Now girls," Eisenhower said "We can't go flinging people at a funeral. This is a happy occasion!"
Okay now I was mad. But Dan was still in a pickle.
"Amy!" He called "A little help here?" Amy's face had gone pale. I knew she was getting nervous.
"Dr-dr-drop…" She mumbled
I sighed and yelled "Drop him NOW!" They did, but on his head.
"Ow!" Dan said now was my chance to give them a smart remark.
"Hey Reagan are you sure Dan's the rat cuz last time I checked Ian and Natalie are the brats, Jonah is the horrible singing rooster for the our mornings, The Starling are triplet nerds, Alistair is the weird old man, Irina is the clown, and you are the rats."
Once I said that I smiled I had not only insulted the Holts, but eight more cousins. Hamilton came up in my face and said "Maybe you should go get you're grammar checked, because no one messes with the Holts."
"Are you sure about that cuz I've seen your report card and in English you got a D. Yeah that's real smooth." I should have mentioned I've hacked a lot of things. Hamilton must have lost it because before I had been tackled to the ground. Hamilton was trying to punch my face, but I have major fast reflects so I was moving my head side to side so he couldn't hit my face. I knew he was stronger, but I moved I caught his hands, but instead of stopping his hands fire came out from my hands and burned him. He jumped up and screamed. I was frozen in shock so I was still on the ground. Everyone must have seen that because everyone was looking. I started praying to God that they wouldn't hurt me. God must have listened because Mary-Todd grabbed Hamilton and took him to their car. Eisenhower followed, but Reagan and Madison stayed. I got off the ground and brushed the dirt off me everyone was minding their own business now thank the Lord.
"I want to know what you did to my brother." Madison growled why is everyone growling today?
"I don't know." I answered back it was the truth I seriously didn't know what I did. Reagan must have seen the truth in my eyes because she didn't bring it up, but she still didn't forget it. She whispered something to Madison, but I couldn't hear what they said.
"I hope you losers took a good last look around the place," Madison said. "You're not going to be invited back here anymore, now that the old witch is dead.
I knew they were talking about Grace since Beatrice had disappeared so she could talk to another bunch of old ladies. Arnold barked like he was agreeing with them creepy. Dan was looking for Beatrice and soon saw she was nowhere to be found.
"Grace wasn't a witch," Dan said. "And we're going to inherit this place!"
"Yeah, right." I jumped because I hadn't seen Hamilton come back. His hand was wrapped though. Dang I must have burned him bad. But how had I done it?
"Wait till they read the will, runt. I'm gonna kick you out myself!" Now that I look Hamilton looked like a shark. With his hair combed down the middle and it sticking up it looked like a fin.
"All right, team," Eisenhower said. "Enough of this. Formation!" They lined up and started jogging toward the grave site. Hallelujah! I thought I thought they'd never leave.
"Is your head okay?" Amy asked Dan guiltily. Dan nodded I knew he annoyed, but he wasn't going to blame Amy. She always got tongue tied around people.
"Man, I hate the Holts" Dan said
We've got worst problems." Amy pointed toward the grave site and my heart sank.
"The Cobras," Dan muttered Ian and Natalie Kabra were standing near Grace's coffin, looking like perfect angles as they talked to the preacher. They were wearing matching mourning outfits. They both had silky black hair and amber eyes. They're outfits complemented they're cinnamon-colored skin. They probably could've passed for child supermodels. I hope I won't have to talk to them because their British accents get pretty annoying.
"They won't try anything during the funeral," Dan said hopefully. "They're just here for Grace's money like the rest of them. But they won't get it."
"Are you sure?" I asked the Kabras were very rich. Dan ignored me though as usual.
Amy frowned. "Dan… did you really believe what you said, about us inheriting the mansion?" I was also thinking that.
"Of course! You know Grace liked us best. We spent more time with her than anybody."
Amy sighed like Dan was too young to understand, which he hated.
"Dan listen," I said "Grace loved us and we loved her, but even though the rest didn't love her she still did."
Grace and I had been in the library. I had been sick the day before so she made me stay at her house just for one day because that was the school rule. I had asked her if she loved everyone in the family even the ones that hated her. She smiled and said "Of course Alex even though they hate me I love them. God says love one another for love is from God." I smiled that was one memory I'll never forget.
"Come on," Amy said. "We might as well get this over with." And together we waded into the crowd of people.