I could handle mornings. I mean, if no pissed me off or gave me a reason to be shitty, I was what you could call a morning person. Some days were worse though, and I was like the freaking she-devil of mornings. I sluggishly get myself out of bed and throw on a baggy jumper that was sitting on top of my bag. It was freezing! I shake my hair, but don't fix it and open my curtains and window. I leave my room, closing the door quietly behind me. I hear soft talking and I walk into the kitchen, face to face with my father and my brother, two people who a month ago I didn't know existed. Life's weird like that, hey?
I smile at Steven and he smiles back "How'd you sleep Rose?" He asks, pushing out a chair for me.
"Perfect, thanks" I tell him honestly as he pours me a glass of juice.
"Paul" He warns, nodding towards me.
"Good morning, Rose" He says, giving me a grin. Ha, he wasn't joking about playing happy families. I grin back and Steven nods happily to himself. I tell him not to, but Steven gets up makes me toast, placing it in front of me before going to have a shower, leaving Paul and I alone in the kitchen.
I silently eat my toast as he eats his. We don't speak and we don't even look at each other. I finish all but one bite one each piece of my toast and I place the two corner's back on my plate.
"What's wrong with them pieces?" Paul asks me, staring at my plate as if I was crazy. I tell him nothing and he raises an eyebrow "Why don't you eat them?"
I sigh, why was this even necessary "Because I never eat the corners"
"Seriously? That's not normal" He tells me rudely and I just roll my eyes as Steven enters the kitchen again, sculling down a mouthful of juice.
"Paul, I want you to take Rose over to Emily's today. Introduce her to your friends, please" He says, fiddling and cleaning about the kitchen. Paul glares at the back of his head and at me. I glare straight back.
"No way, dad. Why can't she make her own damn friends? I know she's weird but hell, I'm sure she's capable of making friends!" He exclaims crankily. I roll my eyes once again, so much for happy family! I kick under the table and remind him quietly that we were meant to be all buddy-buddy. "Ha-ha, just kidding" he says dryly "I'd love to" He says while he shakes his head at me. I shrug my shoulders, not caring if I meet his dumb friends or not.
"Good, I'll take you both there on my way to work. Rose, go get ready" Paul and I share a look before I stand up and go back to my room, practically tipping my bag upside down to get out all my clothes. Not really feeling the need to impress Paul's idiot friends, I just throw on my skinny jeans and another baggy jumper, before brushing my hair and leaving it hanging out. I wash my face but feel no need to out on the small amount of make-up I brought with me.
I hear my name being called follow by a 'girls are so slow' by Paul and I quickly met the two outside, locking the door behind me. Steven tells me to sit in the front seat and I smirk at Paul as I do so, already feeling superior in the family. Steven strikes up conversation with me, apologising for his busy work schedule. He explained for the next month or so his work will be going under renovations or something so he'd have to work extra hard… or something. It was hard to keep up with all his important, business words. "Right, have fun. Paul, be nice. Rose, don't be intimidated by the guys, they're all harmless" Steven smiles at us and we get out of the car. He drives away as we stand on the side walk.
"I don't want you here" Paul tells me, still smiling as Steven drives away.
"Oh, I know. That makes it all the more better, brother" I wave to the car and it finally turns the corner.
"My friends won't like you."
"If they like someone like you, I'm sure I have a good chance" I strike back with a smirk as I walk confidently towards the house just to piss him off. He sticks his foot out and makes me stumble, but I balance myself before I hit the ground. "Asshole" I grumble as I push him with all my strength even though he barely moves.
"Just shut up and get in the house"
"Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" I glare at him as I walk towards the house again.
"I'm your big brother, that's who"
"You're a big, obnoxious, moron, that's who" I say, realizing that we already entered the house. Everyone's eyes are on me and I smile.
"Oh, who's this Paul? Good catch!" One boy winks and laughs and I make a face. "Yeah, go Paul!" Another says.
"She's my damn sister, you idiots" Paul yells and I glare at him. The room falls silent and Paul walks away, leaving me to fend for myself. "I'm Rose, Paul's half-sister"
A silence falls over the room as everyone stares at me in shock. A lady with scars looks between Paul and I, as if waiting she was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out yelling 'You've been punked!'. I nod slowly, really beginning to think that Paul's friends were a little slow. I look around the room, taking everyone in. It didn't escape my notice that all these guys were smokin'. They were all muscly and bulky and for some reason, a few of them were shirtless. This concerned me a little.
"Oh, my god. You're not joking" The girl with the scars mumbles. I nod. "Oh, sorry, um, I'm Emily, this is my fiancé, Sam" Sam sends me a 'sup' head nod. I send him one back and someone laughs from somewhere in the room. "I'm sure you'll meet everyone throughout the day… feel free to make yourself at home" Emily tells me sweetly. I look around the room again; a couple of people had continued talking while the others watched me.
"So, do you lot usually just stare at people, because it comes off a little creepy, you know?" I ask them. They all quickly go back to what they were doing except for one girl who kicked another boy off the lounge and motions for me to sit. I sit next to her.
"I'm Kim" She sticks out her hand and I shake it lightly while the boys go back to carefully watching me.
"Do I have shit on my face, or something, seriously?" I ask them, smiling slightly.
"It's not on your face, it is your face" Paul grumbles from behind me. A few of the boys shoot him glares and Kim just shakes her head.
"I can, you know, punch him or something…" A boy says, obviously younger than the rest. "Oh, col" Kim laughs.
"Oh no, it's fine. His time is coming, don't you worry" I smirk.
The boy grins up at me and I hold out my hand. He was a cutey! "Rose" He shakes it, much too strongly and tell's me his name is Collin. I talk to everyone, ignoring Paul's comments in the background, and eventually, everyone just zoned him out. He didn't like it one bit, and I loved it. I loved pissing Paul off; it was admittedly a new found hobby of mine.
At least an hour later, the house had emptied a bit. Kim had left with her boyfriend, Jared, Collin and the other young boy, Brady had gone to catch a movie or something and Quil had to babysit according to the others. That left Emily, Sam, Paul, Jacob, Embry and I. I sat in the lounge room with Jake and Embry, playing video games while Paul was outside with Sam and Emily was reading a magazine.
"So, is Paul a complete asshole to you, or what?" Jake asks as the game ends. We all sit back on the back, me in the middle, the two boys on either side of me.
I laugh "Oh yes, yes he is. I think he's just jealous because Steven already likes me better" I joke and the two laugh "Nah, he's alright, I did just turn up into his life out of the blue, so it's kind of expected that he'll be a bit… douchey. BUT… I am so getting him back and you two seem like the two that can help me" I give them both an innocent look and they laugh again before agreeing eagerly.
"What have you got planned then?" Embry asks me and I think.
"Nothing. It's not time, yet. Give it a few days, let him think I'm all weak and girly and sooky and then we'll get him"
The two nodded their heads in unison, getting in on my little, devious plan. "Anyway, you coming to the party tonight?" Embry asks and my ears perk up as I turn to him.
"Party?" I ask a little excited. I admittedly like to party. He nods. "Well, will Steven let me go do you think?"
"Well, Pauls out all the freaking time, so I don't see why not…" We're interrupted by Paul walking into the house, giving me a look and throwing his phone to me.
"Hello?" I speak into the phone, unsure if there was someone there or not.
"Hey Juli, uh Rose. It's me" Steven says, sounding disappointed.
"Oh, hey Steven" I say, letting everyone know who was on the phone.
"I'm really, really sorry. But I have to go away for a few days for work. I'm really sorry, I wanted to spend time with you and get to know you but work has gotten in the way. You and Paul seem to be getting on, so I figured you two will be okay at home. I promise when I get back we can… bond, or whatever you want to do, okay?" He says quickly, really sounding sorry.
"No, no that's fine. Paul and I are getting on brilliantly, we're practically the same person, we'll be fine. No need to apologise, I understand completely" I grin as I speak into the phone.
Jake scoffs from next to me and I elbow him in the ribs lightly. "Thanks Rose. Paul said the exact same thing, you know? It makes me happy to know you two are happy. Anyway, I've got to go, I'll see you in a few days"
"Ha, funny that. Ok, I'll see you later. Bye!" I hang up the phone and grin at Embry. "I'm going to the party! Pick me up at 7, then?" Embry agrees and Paul stares at us in disbelief.
"No. You did not invite her to the party! You idiot" Paul throws the remote at Embry and he catches it with amazing reflexes and a smug look.
"Calm down, angry boots. Take a chill pill!" I throw his phone back to him and he groans before walking back outside. I smile absentmindedly as we go back to playing video games.