Chapter 2: The Meeting

Ray walked through the threshold of his home. As he started towards the stairs, he practically fell over a pair of black combat boots. He looked down at them, bewildered. None of them wore combat boots. He then realized to whom they belonged to. His eyes widened and he backed up slowly. "Oh no..."

"I'll take that response as an indicator that you're not happy to see me?" A young female's voice replied. The girl walked closer still.

Ray turned around to be greeted by an evil grin coming from his cousin Cailey, dressed in her usual 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'-attire: a blood-red shirt(10 times her size), with yellow eyes and reading 'Buffy Lives', plus baggy blue jeans with her handwriting on them(::ahem::...unique). "....great."

Cailey opened her arms mockingly, "What? No hug?"

"I hate you." Ray returned in an accusing tone.

"Ya know, that phrase gets more and more meaningless each time you say it." She responded, crossing her arms. They glared at each other for a long while, until Ray's dad interfered. "Hi kids."

He walked over to Ray and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, aren't you going to get ready to show your cousin around town?"

Ray's eyes grew wider as he turned to his father. "Dad.... you're joking right?!" But his expression soon changed as his dad gave him that 'do this or else' look. "Of course you're not joking! Because there's nothing else I'd rather do than..." He turned back to Cailey, annoyed. "Show my dearest cousin around."

His dad left the room shortly after. Cailey smiled victoriously, as Ray picked up the phone on the wall and started to call Robbie's cell phone. As it rang a third time, he heard his friend on the other line.

Robbie: Hello?

Ray: Hey! Robbie! How're things hanging? Cause, ya know, I was just thinking, me, you, Travis, and Lily should all meet at Mickey's later and spend some quality time together. Whaddya say?

Robbie: She's there, isn't she?

Ray::laughed nervously:: What? Who are you talking about?

Robbie::silence:: She's there, isn't she?

Ray::quietly:: Yes, please help me.

Robbie: I'll give the others a call, but I'm not making any promises. So, what time?

Ray: ASAP.

Robbie: Alright. See ya.

Ray: Hopefully.

[click]

"Okay, now, do you think you could act semi-normal this once...." Ray trailed off, noticing she was gone, only to come back downstairs, looking at least "presentable" (white T saying 'I have issues', black flared jeans), but still wore those boots. He looked somewhat surprised by the change. "Oh my god. You look....less weird. It's a miracle!"

Cailey rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Are we going?"

----

-20 minutes later-

Cailey and Ray walked into Mickey's as Ray spotted only Robbie and Travis. His heart dropped a little, while sitting down. Lily wasn't there. Cailey still stood, arms crossed. "Move in."

Ray stared up at her and moved over, as he started banging his head against the table. Cailey then sat down and turned to the two boys who seemed to be staring oddly at her. "Well, since Ray is currently....busy, I'll introduce myself. Hi. I'm Cailey."

"Hey. I'm Robbie, and this is Travis." The guy to her right told her, gesturing to his friend, who was still staring strangely at her. "And the missing member couldn't make it, due to a family 'meeting'. But said she's looking forward to meeting Ray's so called nightmare of a cousin."

Cailey kicked Ray in the shin hard, making him lift his head up and glare at her. "Ow! It's bad enough I get punched on a daily basis, now I'm getting kicked?....Buffy-freak."

"A) You deserved it. B) And proud of it." Cailey answered, turning her attention back to his friends, who looked on in amusement. "So, questions? Comments?"

"'Buffy-freak'?" Travis finally spoke up, giving her a questioning glance.

She sighed. "Well, I'm obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Posters, T-shirts, I even write poems about it....don't ask. Anyway, Ray's called me 'Buffy-freak' since I was 12. So, I just call him an idiot every chance I get." She then turned to her cousin. "Idiot."

Robbie grinned and turned to Travis. "I like her."

"I thought Ray said she was all 'gothic'?" Travis inquired. Cailey again turned to her cousin and kicked him in the shin.

"Ow! If you do that again, you might break my leg!" He yelled at her.

She crossed her fingers. "Here's hoping."

Travis turned back to Robbie. "She's definitely interesting."

Cailey smiled at Robbie and Travis, then quickly stuck her tongue out at Ray. "Well, I can't wait to meet the your other friend."

As soon as she said that, Ray resumed banging his head on the table. Robbie glanced at him questioningly. "That can't be healthy."

TBC...