I gotta get Shelby out of here.
"Shelby….go to your room."
"No!" she screamed. "Shelby not gonna leave you alone with them!"
"Shelby… I need to talk to them alone. So go to your room, now."
"NO! They the ones who keep making you cry! The reason you're sad all the time!"
"Shelby—"
She ran over to Seth and kicked him in the shin.
"OW!" he grabbed his knee. "You little brat!" He reached for her but she moved out of the way before he had a chance to grab her.
She ran back to where I was and hid behind me.
I had to hide my smirk.
I think I'm becoming a bad influence on her.
"Shelby..." I said softly as I knelt down in front of her. "Please, I really need to talk to them alone ok? It won't take long."
She looked at me for a second then sighed. "Ok." I walked her over to the door. As I unlocked and opened it she ran over to Seth and kicked him one more time.
"Quit it you little brat!" he hissed holding his knee again.
She stuck her tongue out at him then turned around went out the door.
I followed her out the door.
"Candii, why are those guys here?" she asked once we made it to her room. "What do they want with you?"
"….Shelby, you got to promise me you won't tell Rufus and Tom they are here."
"But why?"
"Just promise me ok?"
"….Ok. Candii?"
"Yes?"
"...Do you like them?"
"What? Those guys? No. What makes you say that?"
"The way they look at you, especially the one with the thingy on his arm."
The thingy on his arm? ….she means Roman.
I blushed slightly.
"What makes you think he likes me?"
She hunched her shoulders. "He just looks like he does."
Candy! We're back! A voice called out from down stairs.
"Daddy!" Shelby ran down stairs and I followed her.
She jumped into Rufus's arms.
"Shelby what are you still doing up?" he said setting her down.
"I had a bad dream. Candii was trying to help me get back to sleep."
I saw Tom collapse on the couch.
"What happened to you?" I asked.
"Rufus here took us to three parties and now I'm exhausted."
"You guys went out partying….without me?"
"We didn't think you would want to go." Rufus added.
"Why do you say that? I like parties."
"Yeah but you have leave again on Monday and I don't think you would want to go to work with a pounding headache."
I rolled my eyes.
"Shelby go get your stuff I'm taking you to Grandma's house." Rufus said.
"Yay!" she dashed up the stairs.
"It still surprises me of how much she looks like you even through you didn't have her Candy." Tom said/
"Sometimes I wish actually did have her…but being her aunt….is just as good."
"It's been two years since she died hasn't?" Rufus added.
"…Yeah."
"Not a day goes by and I don't miss her. Sandra….was an amazing person."
*Shelby's POV*
I ran to my room and started getting my things together. I put my backpack on and headed out the door.
Walking pass Candii's room I heard whispers.
"What do we do now? Should we leave?"
"Hell no. Not until we get her answer."
"You really think she's gonna say yes?"
"We gave her time to think about it. So she should so yes. If she's smart she will."
"If she doesn't? "
"We'll make her."
I opened the door.
All eyes went to me.
"What you guys doing here? And what do you want with Candii?"
"Beat it kid." The one with his hair slicked back said.
"You don't scare me."
He walked over to me. "I said….beat it."
"Or what?"
He reached out to grab me but I moved out of the way.
"If you touch me, I'll scream."
"Dean, leave her alone. She just a kid." The one with the marks on his shoulder said.
"I hate kids." He murmured but backed off.
"Why do you call Candace by her nickname?" the one with the different hair color spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't she your mom?"
"Candii's not my mom."
"What?"
I went back to my room and got the picture of my nightstand then went back to Candii's room.
"That's Candii, me and my mommy." I said pointing to each of us.
"Whoa."
"Candace has an identical twin sister?"
"Had." I said softly. "Mommy died two years ago."
They stared at the picture in disbelief.
"Shelby! What taking so long? Hurry up!" I heard my daddy say.
"I'm coming!" I called back.
I ran back to my room and placed the picture frame back on my nightstand and headed out the door.
"Bye." I whispered as I walked passed Candii's room.
