"It's called a stele," My mother said, as we opened the box. "There's one for both of you,"
"What is it, like, a paperweight?" Clary asked as I ran my hands along the right hand side of it. The symbols making my hand bump along it.
"No, It's much more than that." Mum answered, sitting on the couch with my sister. "It's very ancient, I want you two too have it." She said. "It's a family heirloom,"
"We Frays have heirlooms?" I asked, cocking a brow as I put my bags down on the floor.
"A few," My mum said, taking my hand in hers.
"You know, it's weird. I doodled something that looked like this, this morning." Said Clary, and I noticed mums face twist in confusion. "I must've seen this around the house somewhere," Clary said, not noticing the look - like I had.
"Honey, I need to -" Mum was cut off in the middle of her sentence by Clary's phone chiming.
"Simon, He's on his way over." Clary said and I rolled my eyes - typical Simon.
"But we need to talk," Mum said standing up at the same time as Clary and I walked to stand beside Clary.
"We can't right now, We gotta change." I said, "We're going to see Champagne Enema tonight," I said, rolling my eyes - Simon and Maureen's band.
"What?" Mum asked, and I sighed.
"Yeah, I know. It's the new band name." Clary said, grabbing her stuff at the same time I did. "But Simon and Maureen are taking us out after," Clary says, pointing at the both of us.
"But It's you two's 18th birthday, and, uh everything's going to change for you two now," She said and I cocked a brow.
I pulled my dress on and the combat boots that Dot got for me, and checked myself out in the mirror. Luke - my father like figure doesn't mind what I wear, and although my mum is hesitant, she lets me choose what I want to wear without saying to much about it. "Wow," I heard a voice say from behind me causing me to turn my head to look, seeing Clary standing there with a small smile on her face and I walked over to my desk and grabbed my present for her.
"Open it," I said, and she opened it. A bracelet with both of our names on a charm was inside and she looked at me - before handing me a box and I opened it to see a necklace - near matching the bracelet I got her. "Can you put it on?" I asked, pushing my red hair to the side - I've always been taller than Clary, so I had to bend down for her to clip it around my neck.
"You look gorgeous Em," She said, pushing a red hair behind my ear and I smiled at her. I looked at her before zipping her green hoodie up.
"Mum doesn't mind what I wear, but if she sees you wearing that. She'll flip." I said, kissing her forehead. "Keep this zipped up, until we get out of the house." I say as I walked to my closet and grabbed my leather jacket which was hanging in my jacket area.
We walked downstairs to see Luke and my mum talking, and I walked straight at them both. "Hey Luke, What's up?" I asked, and he turned around - smiling at me before opening his arms for a hug.
"Nice choice of clothes Em," He said, ruffling my hair "And Hey too you two." He said and I glowered at him causing him to laugh.
"Incredible drawings Clary," He said to my sister, "Oh, thanks." Clary said, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "And I got you these," He said, grabbing a box of canister paints out of a bag and handed them to Clary and then opened another bag for me. "And these are for you." He said, and I saw a box of clothes in the bottom of it and I smiled.
"Spray Paint," Luke said, "And clothes for the fashion diva," He said, ruffling my hair again as I tried to swat his hands away from my hair.
"Oh, they're perfect." Clary gushed and I rolled my eyes.
"If I catch any of that paint on city walls, I will arrest you." Luke threatened and I giggled.
"The paint is for Simon's van," Clary said."I'm insisting they rename the band." She said to all of us.
"I double that," I said, and Clary laughed - shaking her head at me. "Yeah," Said Clary as Luke looked at my heirloom which was sticking out of my bag.
"Did your mom talk to you about that?" He asked me and I nodded. "The heirloom. Yeah, it's beautiful." Clary said for me and I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Clary, Emma. You guys are 18 now, and -" Luke started to say.
"What is with you guys?" Clary snapped, "We're turning 18, it's not like we're headed off on some epic journey." Clary defended us both.
"But you are!" Shouted Simon's voice from across the loft and I rolled my eyes, unbelievable timing Simon.
"See, we are going to Lombardi's, to celebrate your birthday after our gig." Simon said, not even taking a glance at me - ouch, way to make a girl feel wanted.
"You should come back here after, This city's not that safe right now." Mum said.
"Ah thanks Mom, but we're set." Clary said, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Yeah, we will take a rain check." Simon said, as we started to walk out. "Wait, Do I smell Chicken cacciatore?" Simon and I rolled my eyes.
"Simon. You're gig" I hissed and Luke cocked a brow.
"Our mum is so overprotective lately," Clary said as me, Maureen, her and Simon all sit on the top of Simon's van. I tapped away on my phone, silently listening to the conversation going on around me.
"So, do you remember in Aliens?" Simon asked, my interest instantly perked up - I loved that movie.
"When the alien queen was defending her eggs from Ripley?"
"In this scenario, is my mom Ripley or the alien queen?" I conversed with Simon, the first time in the past half an hour.
"Both," He said.
"What?" I asked, cocking a brow - how can my mum be both?
"A mother defending her young," Simon said, and I rolled my eyes - scoffing at the same time at Simon.
"Defending us from what?" Clary asked.
"I spend all day in an art studio while Emma's out shopping, our life's couldn't be more mundane." Clary said, and I nodded in agreement. "Besides, I really don't know much about when she was young." Clary said.
"Oh, just do what I do and get all the dirt from your relatives." Maureen said.
"Well, we would if we could but she doesn't have any." I commented, slipping my phone back into my bag. "And our... our dad died before we were born." I said, sighing and running my hand through my hair - biting onto my bottom lip at the same time.
"So you two have no one?" Maureen asked and I nodded. "no uncles, no aunts, no third cousins, twice removed?" Maureen asked and this time Clary shook her head.
"No, just me, Emma and our mom," Clary said.
"It's why the Lewis clan has added four chairs to every seder, since pre school." Simon said, and although we don't like each other - it was true.
"One for Clary, One for Jocelyn, One for Emma and one for Elijah."
"Of course, Obviously." Clary said.
"Yes, Obviously."
"You guys don't think that's a little bit suspicious?" Maureen asked, causing me and Clary to look at her. "You two not knowing anything about your family?"
"Your mom, could be hiding some deep, dark secret."
"Maureen, it's not possible." Said Clary and I nodded in agreement.
"No, no, think about it"
"No, seriously." I said, "Our mum is incapable of hiding anything from us."
"Thanks you two for being our rodie," Said Maureen as we walked back to Simon's van.
"Yeah, and thank you for being our artist in residence." Simon said as I leaned against the van.
"Of course," Said Clary, as I pulled my lipstick and phone out of my bag and touched up my dark purple lipstick. "So, you went on stage tonight as Champagne Enema." Clary commented and I rolled my eyes as I looked around.
"What were we thinking, right?" Asked Maureen. "But now... We're rock solid panda." Said Simon and I snorted at the basic name. God, he couldn't have picked a better name.
"Yeah, we are." Maureen said.
"Rock Solid Panda, coming up. I'm feeling inspired," Clary said as I pushed myself off of the van to let her paint onto it. I pushed my hand through my hair to keep it from going all fizzy and untameable. "Paint," Said Maureen as they all walked around to stand there.
"Paint," Simon copied.