Chapter 18

LAST CHAPTER-CHECK OUT HAPPY HOLIDAYS, COMING SOON! CHAPTER ONE SHOULD BE UP TODAY OR TOMORROW! I know this chapter is extrememly short, but don't you want the sequel?

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The cliffhangers were playing a football game. Peter, Scott, Shelby and Kristin were on one team. Sophie, Auggie, Daisy and Ezra were on another. Jules was keeping score. Kristin was having the time of her life-she didn't remember the last time she had so much fun. She tackled Daisy down- easily and threw the ball to Peter. Peter ran, shoving Auggie a little hard- but not hurting him-and made a field goal. "Yea!" Peter's team all yelled and Peter swung Kristin up and put her back down.

***Later that day-cafeteria***

"Hey, you're actually eating!" Shelby joked to Kristin. "Yep." She said and finished off her pizza. It was school pizza but she loved school pizza so it didn't matter. "Want mine?" Shelby asked. "Sure!" She siad and took the not-touched cheese pizza off of Shelby's tray. Shelby continued to chew on her salad. "No problem." She said and smiled. Kristin smiled back. "Not THAT'S what I'd like to see! My girl and cousin both getting along!" Scott said nervously. Shelby and Kristin both gave him surprised faces, and he returned them with a sheepish grin. "Yeppo."

***Peter's Office-Peter/Sophie/Brandon***

"SHe confessed." Peter grumbled. "I guessed so. By the way she was playing football. She looked like she didn't have any worries. Before she had always been so touchy when everyone, and she didn't say anything rude or snappy. ANd her and Shelby are getting along, and I think that besides that fact she wasn't telling anyone anything, that was what I was most worried about. They act like sisters now. Amazing." "Yeah. I think Shelby overheard us talking. She was probably really mad at herself." "I don't see why they were both guilty." "Yeah." Sophie gave Peter a soft kiss on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck as she stood over him. "Ooohhh...Aunt Sophie and Peter sitting in a tree...k-i-s-s-i-n-g..." Brandon sung. "Brandon!" Sophie said, laughing. "What?" He asked innocently. "Why don't you go get Auggie? He's right outside." Sophie said. "Okay!" She little boy got up and ran outside.

"Well, at least she told," Sophie said taking a seat next to Peter. "Yeah..." "What's wrong?" "Well, she may have seemed happy, but you know there are going to be times when she shuts down. And I know she still isn't telling us something, about Steven." "Well, Shelby didn't tell us everything right out." Sophie pointed out. "But Shelby is different. She still talks when someone mentions something she doesn't wanna hear. With Kristin...if you say one thing that she doesn't want to hear or about her dad she shuts down." "Well she is only 12, Peter. And some of the other kids do that, to." "Iknow...it's going to be one hell ofa ride, though with her." "Tell me about it." "Yeah well..."

Peter glanced out the window and stood up and walked over there.

"Hey, c'mere, Sophie." He said and pointed outside, where Shelby, Scott and Kristin were all conversating.

**Outside***

"I can't believe it. I'm not your cousin, Scott!" Kristin said. "Oh yeah...how about I ask my dad to send a picture of you?" "I have blonde hair, Scott! ONly about a million girls probably look like me." "Whatever. He has one picture of you were you were ten. OUR Grandma sent it after your mother sent it. Your hair is a little shorter and a little lighter. You're wearing a silver chain that says A-A-R-O-N. You're wearing a Nike sweat shirt. You have a bruise right there *points to right below her eye* and it has an ocean blue backround. Your favorite color from when you were a kid." "Lucky guess!" Kristin declared. "How about I describe one time when you were 3? We were playing and my dad called us in.." Kristin's eyes widen as he recites her entire dream from the night before. "I-I..." She couldn't say anything. Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged Scott tightly and he picks her up, just as he did the last time he saw her when she was 5.

***Back inside office***

"I can't believe it!" Peter says, not knowing what else to say. "Don't you remember when Scott kept making all those calls to his dad and Grandma. He even talked to Elaine got God's sakes to get the picture." "I just thought he..." "Yeah, was warming up to his dad and Elaine? He hates his dad for getting back with her." "I know..." Peter said and looked at the two cousins. "They do kind of look alike. They both have dirty blonde hair. Both have clear blue eyes." "Yeah... both are pretty dark. But...I still never would've guessed they were cousins. I mean, he has been acting kind of weird for a few days." "Yeah but this is SCott we're talking about!" Peter joked. "Peter Scarbrow..." Sophie said sternly and smiling. "Sophie Becker..." They kissed until Kristin and Scott appeared in the open door. "Would you two get a room???" Kristin asked. Sophie and Peter looked at each other and laughed. Kristin looked at Scott. He shrugged. "We've got to talk to you." "We know." Peter said.







***How'd you like the story? REVIEW REVIEW!!!***

The next story is called "Happy Holidays" and chapter one should be up before the night is over! Maybe chapter 2???

E-mail: Kbrfield@cs.com