A/N: I own nothing except aforementioned cracked MP3 player. BTW, any comment on my changing Dawn's age from 15 to 12 and Bella's from 16 to 15?
Stepping out of Uncle Jerry's car I looked around at the students milling around…in uniforms. I sighed, guess I'll just have to get used to that.
Massachusetts is much warmer than I'm used to so I tugged off both my jacket and my standard black t-shirt. My plain black tank top was much more comfortable in this heat. Grabbing one of my bags out of the car, I started lugging it up to the administration office to try to figure out who I'd be rooming with. We'd arranged it so that Jacob and James could share a room, same for Jonathon and Steven, but since Dawn was still in middle school so Bella had to get a roommate; unfortunately we hadn't been able to make it so her and I were roommates.
I found out I'd be rooming with Kira…something. I started to make my way up to stairs to my room 417. My hair was starting to fall out of its never-very-neat ponytail as I frantically drug my bag up the stairs.
"Stupid bag, filled with all my stupid stuff…" I muttered literally dragging my bag up several flights of stairs. Finally getting to my room after much blood, sweat, and tears I pulled out the key they'd given me and found the door already open. I groaned pushing open the door I saw someone already inside unpacking, probably what's her name. She turned around to look me up and down her frizzy-curly red hair flying everywhere.
" I'm Kira you must be my mew roommate from the Detroit Public," she said plastering on a REALLY FAKE smile "so happy to meet you" she said extending her hand
"Likewise" I said glancing at her hand before shaking it briefly then walking past her to the unoccupied side of the room
"So how and why" she said looking me up and down again "does one get in to Spenser from a public, especially one in" she sniffed "Detroit" I started to unpack deciding which question to answer
"One's Uncle is best friends with the Dean of Spenser, and what do you have against Detroit?" I asked trying to give her the benefit of the doubt and suppressing my automatic bitchy response, I was going to have to live with her after all Maybe she's not a stuck up prep-school bitch who thinks everyone in Detroit is in a gang and packs a gun.
"Well, everyone knows that Detroit is of a…lower class than Ipswich. I mean nearly everyone there carries a gun, you were probably in a gang weren't you." I swear she's going to get altitude sickness if she sticks her nose any higher in the air.
"Look, Kira, you know nothing about Detroit or me, so I suggest you shut the hell up before I tell the gang you think I'm in to take your ass out. I see no need for us to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary with each other, got it?" I snapped, I couldn't give a rat's ass what you said about my looks, personality, or anything I own; but you start messing with Detroit, my family, or my country, your ass is grass. Kira looked shocked, I take it most people bowed down to her and licked her Prada boots. But hey, I'm good at making enemies with all the right people. Kira nodded numbly and continued unpacking.
"Hey, how's it crackin'?" Jacob said from the doorway, throwing my other two bags in, James standing behind him.
"Who are you?" Kira said twirling her hair around her fingers and chewing on her lip, I suppose she thought she looked attractive doing that.
"My brothers" I snapped, James eyes glazed over her in disinterest and crossed the room to help me unpack, pulling out a family photo and putting it on the bedside table. I sighed looking at the picture.
It was only of my immediate family plus Steven's and Jonathon's (which I consider my immediate family) so there was 17 of us in the picture. Jacob followed suit going for the box with electronics in it. I had already unpacked all my clothes so that left me with the box of pictures.
Hanging up a corkboard, I started tacking pictures of my friends to the board and a couple of my brothers and cousins doing something so stupid it was definitely a Kodak moment. You know thinks like sledding in their boxers; they let me get away with sledding in a bikini top and Daisy Duke cut-offs. I sighed looking at the picture, Ipswich is just so…warm. I was already heating up in my sweatpants and tank top. Grumbling about global warming I grabbed olive green short cargo shorts a champagne red midriff tank top. I changed quickly in the bathroom.
"Come on" I said waving for the twins to follow me as I walked out the door " let's go find Steven and Jonathon, Bella and Dawn will be with them, we're obviously not good enough to be in Princess Kira's presence" shoving my feet into my black converse I walked out. The twins followed looking at Kira in distaste. I laughed at the horror on her face at the looks my brothers were giving her
Jonathon and Steven were totally unpacked and playing Halo on their Xbox. Not surprising. What was surprising was that there were two people there who I didn't know playing against them. Steven and Jon glanced over, Jon briefly scowling at my half shirt, God he was almost as bad as Raidon.
"Hey 'Letty" Steven said conversationally. The two strangers heads flicked over as I walked in with the twins in tow to sit on one of the beds. They did a double take when they saw I was in shorts and a tank top. I guess this weather is considered cold here. Steven took the chance to shoot Stranger #1 in the face while Jon dropped out of the ceiling to do the same to Stranger #2. I guess it was a team setting or something, I don't know much about video games especially Halo. I winced as the screen flashed YOU LOSE at the unfortunate strangers.
"So unfair, you probably told her to come in here" Stranger #2 whined
"Not our fault you were staring at her" Steven said matter-of-factly
Stranger #2 looked like he was about to say something else but decided not to after Stranger #1 shot him a look
"I'm Caleb, this is Reid" Stranger #1 said extending his hand, I shook it with a half smile, what was with these people and shaking hands? "You're 'Letty right?"
"No" I said immediately, he looked confused so I continued, " I've been going by Ana for about six years now which Jonathon knows" I said scowling at him "I'm Jonathon's cousin, these are my little brothers Jacob and James, they are, obviously, twins." Caleb shook their hands too but returned to me
"So then 'Letty is..." Caleb asked casually
"Short for her first name, Scarlett, which she refuses to go by," Jon said quickly obviously wanting to play another round of Halo
"Is Ana short for something?" Reid said just as casually
"Yeah, Anastasia her middle name can we get on with the game?" Steven said obviously annoyed. I laughed Steven already knew all this so it was probably boring him to tears. Steven and Jonathon won the next game but then went on to lose the next two. Finally sick of losing Jonathon and Steven stood up
"You guys want to say goodbye to the rest" Steven asked almost indifferently, I looked at their clock it had only been about fifteen minutes Bella and her new roommate were probably just finished since they hadn't gotten here yet.
"There are more of you?" Reid said wiggling an eyebrow, Jonathon caught it and narrowed him eyes
"Yeah, but only one other girl is going to Spenser" I said lightly
"How many of you are there?" Caleb asked
"Curiosity killed the cat," James said giving a slightly wolfish grin
"Nine" Jacob answered with the same expression " but only six of us are going to Spenser. Raidon and Nick, our older brothers, are in college and our little sister Dawn is still in Middle School" Reid nodded and Caleb looked like he was about to say something else but Reid elbowed him and muttered something about interrogating and Caleb backed off.
Uncle Jerry, Raidon, Nick, Dawn, and Bella were all standing by the van waiting patiently for us to come out. I ran over to Dawn and picked her clean off her feet to swing her around in a circle until I thought she might throw up.
"Don't worry Bella and I'll visit often and I'll even drag the boys along with us," I said to Dawn after I set her down. Dawn laughed at the thought of little 5'1" me dragging the 6' plus boys anywhere. Raidon picked me up and swung me around just like I'd done to Dawn. Nick just gave me a one armed hug. I hugged Uncle Jerry tight and he picked me up too.
"Ana, I've got a surprise for you." Raidon said mischievously. I hit the deck as Raidon shot the unfortunate Reid with a super soaker, just his bad luck he'd been sitting behind me. Raidon merely shifted his aim to where I was laying on the ground, but he'd already wasted most of the water on Reid.
"Sorry man" Raidon said grinning at Reid, Reid shrugged it off and just grinned as he plucked off his now completely soaked t-shirt. I pulled off my sopping half shirt as well. Rule Number One in my family: never go anywhere without a swimsuit on or with you, luckily for me I had mine on underneath my clothes.
"Actually, so do I" Uncle Jerry said, but held up his hands to show he wasn't packing. "Move that van" Uncle Jerry said ceremoniously to Nick who had started up the van. And there was the bike of my dreams a black 2005 Suzuki Boulevard M50. The light reflected off the shiny black paint in the low sunlight. I gasped and almost fainted.
"Thought it might help you get around, it's a small town so I don't think you'll get into an accident, but all the same be careful" Uncle Jerry said nervously, I could tell he was starting to rethink and over think the situation, so I took immediate action.
"Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!" I said and hugged him even tighter; I think both of our shoulders cracked. Nick stepped out of the van
"Don't worry Mom and Dad already know, they can't really argue seeing as you already have your license and how dad just bought mom her own" I snorted at the thought of my dad arguing against me having a bike. During this touching exchange two new strangers had joined Caleb and Reid.
A/N: sorry for the absurdly long wait (assuming anyone's reading this) I've been writing, but just in my notebook, I haven't been typing it up. Sorry, I'll try to update sooner in the future! R&R!!!!!!!!!!