Hello fellow Fanfiction readers. This is my first submission to this site so while comments and critique is more than welcome, please be gentle. The response to this first chapter will determine whether or not I post more of the story. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
Chapter One
I heard my father coming up the stairs stumbling with weariness and looked over at the clock. It was almost one in the morning. I lay there and wondered how he managed to work the hours that he did and still be up before me most days. My father was the chief of police for Reno and as such he was often up before the sun had even started peaking over the horizon and back home long after the rest of us had gone to bed. If he was in the middle of a high enough profile case he would just stay at the station and sleep on one of the cots in the break room. I rolled over in bed and drifted back to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning the cruiser was already gone so I figured when I had heard dad early that morning he was just stopping to grab a change of clothes. I fixed myself breakfast and made a pot of coffee. As I sat down to drink a cup and enjoy the few minutes of silence before my sisters woke up they come stumbling down the stairs screaming at each other.
"NO Maria! It's my turn," my younger sister, Maria, screamed at my twin. My twin just stuck her tongue out and shoves her out of the way.
"Hey," I said and they both looked at me "Mary, you're lucky dad isn't here he would come unglued if he saw you shoving Maria like that," Mary looked a little sheepish.
"Oh, hi Cleo. I didn't see you there," she said. I looked at her disapprovingly.
"If it's Marias turn then it's Marias turn. You'll have to wait." I said and Mary pouted.
"But Julia said that Shawna said that Jason said that Justin is going to ask me to the Halloween party today," she said. I just looked at her.
"And your point is...," I said raising an eyebrow. I had an idea where this was going but I wanted to see if I was right before I told Mary no.
"My point? Ugh," she stomped her foot, "I can't believe I have to explain this to you. If Justin is going to ask me to the Halloween party I have to look my best so when I say no he plays along and asks me again instead of going and asking another girl." I just shook my head.
"Why don't you just say yes then," I asked. Mary looked at me incredulously.
"Because that would make me look desperate,"
"Or like you want to go out with him and not play games," Maria said. Mary shot her a dirty look and I stopped it before they could start fighting again.
"Mary, its Marias turn. You'll just have to make do with the time that you get," Maria grinned and ran to the bathroom. Mary sat down and glared at the door.
"What does she know about boys," my twin asked me.
"No more or less than you and I did at that age,"
"Then what right does she have to give me advice like that,"
"If she weren't right I would say none but she is so...," Mary looked at me and I chuckled, "We're a little young to be playing hard to get Mary. At least that way. If you want to play hard to get than just tell Justin yes but tease with everything else. Don't give up the goods without making him work his ass off for them," Mary looked mortified.
"Did you just pull a mom move and turn this into a sex talk," she asked me. I chuckled again and just turned on the news.
"I'm not intending to let things go that far. It's just the Halloween party is only three weeks away and no one has asked me to go yet. I've never been a wallflower before I don't intend to start now,"
"You always stress about it too. But it always works out in the end," I said, "Doesn't it? You won't wind up a wallflower. You're too popular for that, but not everyone thinks as far ahead as you do." Mary looked at me and I smiled to encourage her. She grinned back at me and Maria came walking in.
"Your turn Mary," she said. Mary got up and walked to the bathroom. As she walked by she gave Maria a hug and apologized for pushing her. Maria just smiled and waved her off. I turned my attention back to the news and the weather report. I looked over at the clock and realized it had gotten late. It was almost five-thirty and I still had to get my sisters across town to school before eight and myself to work by eight-thirty.
Just as I was about to threaten to leave Mary behind 45 minutes later she came sprinting down the stairs.
"Ok, I'm ready," she said. Maria stood up stretched and walked out to my 1994 Jeep Cherokee, Mary trailed right behind her and I locked up the house before following them. The drive to the high school was relatively quiet. Traffic wasn't to terrible and so my sisters were spared my vast expletive vocabulary. When we got there Maria immediately jumped out and went over to where her small group of friends were waiting for classes to begin. To my surprise they had been joined by one of the more popular boys, Maria was the nerd out of my two sisters. When the boy snaked his arm around Maria's waist I narrowed my eyes and Mary, following my gaze, laughed.
"Don't worry mamma bear. She knows what she's doing," Mary said as Maria swatted the boys hands away from her body. I grumbled my discontent but let it lie. Mary went to climb out but my hand on her arm stopped her.
"Remember what I said Mary," I told her she nodded and climbed out. I stood there and watched as my twin walked through the doors of the school and then drove off.
The rest of the day after that is a blur of activity. We had three meetings with clients that day and I barely had time to wolf down a bagel and some water at lunch time before my boss was asking a billion questions about the next product we were meeting to discuss. When the day finally ended I gratefully climbed up into my Jeep.
Just as I pulled into the lot to pick Maria up, Mary spent the afternoons at the mall with her friends, my cell phone rang.
"Hello," I answered
"Hey Cleo. How's my baby sister doing," my heart stopped. The voice coming out of my phone was one I thought I would never hear again except in my nightmares. My brother had found his way back home.