Author's Note:
The last of three chapters that really follow the actual story-line. The next chapter will be following Livia, and the chapters after this will each focus on one girl. Thanks for bearing with me for the necessary introduction chapters that are very similar to the book. I promise things will be different! Sorry about the chapters being short, too.
I do not own the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! The characters, however, are my own.
*The rules are a conglomeration of things I found on the internet and remember, tweaked a little to my liking.
Please, please, please review, even if you hate it! It's not fun writing when you get no feedback. I'm begging! D: I hope you enjoy.
Four Girls and a Jean: The Next Sisterhood
Chapter Three
"I wish I had invented blue jeans." -Yves Saint Laurent
The girls quickly scurried to the counter, forgetting any other clothes that they may had brought to the fitting room. Livia, polite as ever, managed to snag them up and hang most of the garments back on a rack before she was dragged away. They emptied their pockets, each contributing a few wrinkled bills until they had enough to pay for the jeans. The old woman working the register looked at them quizzically, but thankfully didn't ask any questions to the group of girls so ecstatic over a pair of old jeans. What were they going to say? That they had found a magic pair of pants?
Blake had insisted that they indeed, were magical. How else had they fit each of them just right? Even practical Cassie was starting to believe that. Livia was still a little confused, and Tristan was just plain skeptical. But everyone had to admit that something was up with those jeans.
Their planned day of window-shopping continued, though it was obvious everyone was still thinking about the pants. Someone would say something about the jeans every once in a while, or ask a question, but they continued walking around the small down town area of their village, enjoying their last day together. Just having a good time, along with the pants, seemed to take their mind off the looming separation, at least for a while.
Once the sun started to set, the four quickly left the small store they had been in and headed across town to the forest behind Livia's house, informing her parents on the way. It was here in the forest that they had constructed their own little get-away, and deep within the dark wood was the tree house. It sounded silly for girls of their age, but it was their secret hide-out. They had found the place abandoned in the summer of eighth grade, their first summer, and had fixed it up. They still made frequent visits back. All of the girls had fond memories of spending entire days, and even nights, in the tree house. It was their special place.
Coming to a halt after the brisk walk, they all followed Blake up the rope ladder and into the space. It was bigger than it looked from the outside, and despite not knowing how old it was, it was still quite sturdy thank goodness. They had everything that they could ever need up there; books and magazines, a battery-powered radio, and even a stash of junk food. Cassie lifted the lid of one of the storage boxes and brought out a box of matches and four candles, passing them around to each of the girls. The sun had set now, and darkness fell over the group. She lit each of the wicks, the candlelight, and excitement, sparkling in her bright green eyes.
"So, I'm sure you're all wondering what my plan was that I mentioned back when we got the jeans," Cassidy started, which was met with various nods from the others. She slid the denim out of the plastic bag it had been in. "Well, we all agree that there's something special about these pants, right?"
"Absolutely," Blake said with anticipation.
"They're magical," Tristan added, her voice dripping with sarcasm. But she still thought it was strange how they had fit all of them, despite their drastically different bodies.
"Yeah," Livia said simply. She had always been the quiet one, though there were times when she would open up.
"Well, I have a proposition to make. I think we should share the jeans this summer, and they'll be sent among us," Cassie announced, looking around for the reactions of the others.
"Oh god, traveling pants?" Tristan questioned. "It sounds like something out of a bad teen novel." Everyone just rolled their eyes, they were used to her personality by now. The dark haired girl wasn't the easiest person to get along with.
"I like it, actually," Livia chipped in, which was met with a smile from Cassie.
"Me too," Blake said with a beaming grin.
"I guess it'd be pretty cool," Tristan admitted, her arms crossed.
"That settles it then," Cassie said firmly. "They'll go with Liv first, since she's the farthest away. Then she'll send them to Blake, then to me, then Tristan, then back to Liv. And when you send them, you have to write a letter saying what happened when you were wearing the pants. That way we'll be linked, in hearts and spirits, even when we're apart," she finished.
"It sounds perfect," Blake agreed, and the idea even got a smile out of Tristan.
"So, like a sisterhood?" Livia asked. "We'll need rules then, right?"
"Rules, yes rules. Good idea," Cassie said, reaching to get a notebook and pencil. She was a writer at heart and loved being on the school newspaper staff, so always had one around her. "So, anyone have any suggestions?"
The girls went around the circle, adding their various input to the rules of the Traveling Pants. After a few minutes, they had a list of an even ten rules.
Rules of the Traveling Pants
1) You must never wash the pants, unless absolutely necessary. It will strip away their memories.
2) You must always wear the pants with pride, and never think of yourself as fat while wearing them.
3) You must follow the appropriate cycle of time allowed with the pants, and always send them on the next sister.
4) You must follow the cycle, unless there is an emergency situation. In this instance, the pants go to the sister in need.
5) You must document what happened to you while wearing the pants and include it in the package being sent on.
6) You must write to your sisters over the summer, no matter how much fun you may be having without them.
7) You must never allow a boy to take off the pants. You may, however, remove them yourself in his presence.
8) You must never double-cuff the pants. It's tacky.
9) You must never wear the pants with a tucked in shirt and belt. It's tacky as well.
10) You must remember: pants equals love. Love your sisters, love yourself.
Pleased with finished product, the girls looked around.
"Should be an interesting summer," Tristan muttered, and the others adding comments and laughs as well.
"To the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," said Cassie triumphantly, and with that, they each blew out their candle and were swallowed into the darkness.