Stephanie, with her eyes still shut, groaned when she heard the curtains sliding back, causing warm sunshine to fill the room. She scrunched up her face, using her hands to block out the light. "What time is it?" She groaned.

"Eight," Michelle said promptly.

"Eight?" Stephanie sat up in bed. Her two braids she'd done last night were still in, if a little messy. "Michelle, didn't I tell you not to wake me up before ten on the weekend unless it's an emergency?"

"It is an emergency," Her sister whined.

"Doubt it," Stephanie muttered.

"I'm going to the mall with Denise and Marcus and I don't know what to wear!"

Apparently, Stephanie's little plot to get revenge had actually worked in her sister's favor. Charlie had given her some solid advice on how to get the attention of the boy she liked. It must have worked; they'd planned to hang out together but of course, Dad wouldn't have allowed it if it was just the two of them, so Michelle invited Denise to come along as a buffer.

Stephanie could sympathize with her worry, but why couldn't they have discussed this last night? Oh, right. Michelle had hogged the phone again and spent a couple hours on it until Dad finally forced her off. Stephanie deduced that she must have been talking to Marcus, she was wearing that dopey smile that DJ has when she talks about Steve.

Stephanie's glare could have melted the ice caps. "That's your emergency?"

Her sister obviously realized that Stephanie wasn't just going to happily help her. "Please, Steph? Come on. You had DJ help you with your first date. I don't have anyone to help me."

"Ask Aunt Becky," Stephanie said curtly, before falling flat on her back and turning onto her side. She groaned again when the blanket was pulled back off her bed. She raised her legs closer to her chest in order to preserve heat. "Michelle, come on!"

"Please," Michelle begged again. "Please, please, please! I need your help, Steph."

Oh, she needed help alright. But it wasn't the kind she was seeking.

Stephanie let out a sigh of defeat. She wouldn't fall back to sleep now, not with the way her sister was pestering her. Next time, she'd lock the door. "Fine."

"Great!" Michelle bounced with a mixture of excitement and relief. "You're the best!"

You're the best, Stephanie mocked inwardly. Yeah, after you get your way. I'm sure I am.

She placed her feet on the floor, yawning. She rolled her eyes when she saw that her sister was still standing there expectantly. "What?"

"Come on," Michelle urged impatiently, like the earth would fall off its axis if she was forced to wait a minute later.

"Now?" Stephanie said flatly. She reached over to the nightstand that was adjacent to her bed, grabbing her glasses and putting them on. She'd alternated between glasses and contact lenses for a while now, although the latter was getting significantly more expensive than what she preferred so she'd deal with just the glasses for now. Besides, it beats trying to put them in everyday. "When are you even going?"

"At eleven," came her sister's response.

The urge to throttle Michelle came back stronger. She wanted nothing more than to shout at her to get out but then Dad or Joey or Uncle Jesse would come up and give her a lecture on how she's supposed to be the mature big sister.

"Then why are you worrying about it now?" Stephanie put enough force behind each word so Michelle knew she was serious.

"I'm being prepared," Michelle shrugged. "Besides, Charlie told me to, but I think he's just trying to mess with you."

Charlie! Of course. That little weasel was so dead when she got her hands on him.

"Charlie?" Stephanie repeated.

"Yeah," Michelle said with slight disinterest. "He told me six but I didn't wanna get up that early."

Oh, he's toast

"Come on, come on!" Her sister had enough of her dillydallying. "You have to help me!"

"Let me get dressed first," Stephanie scowled.

"Can it wait?" Michelle pleaded. "You can help me in your pj's."

"Michelle-"

"It won't take long," Michell reassured her.

"If it won't take long, then why can't we do this later?" Stephanie grumbled as she followed her sister to her room where it looked like a tornado had swept through. Dad would not be happy if he passed by. Clothes were thrown all over while others, funnily enough, laid perfectly neat on the bed. Those must have been the outfits she was considering wearing. She took a seat in the computer chair, stifling another yawn. She gestured with her free hand for her sister to go on. "Alright, now what?"

"I need something cute," Michelle told her, holding up a pink t-shirt and jean skirt. "Something casual but not too casual. Something that shows effort. Something-"

"-that covers," Stephanie finished.

Her sister settled a glare in her direction, not amused in the slightest. "This is serious!"

"I'm sure," Stephanie said, sarcastically. "It's not even a date and besides, you're not even in high school yet. You're getting engaged to the guy."

A faint shade of red appeared on Michelle's cheeks. Oh, she thought Stephanie hadn't heard her and Denise giggling in Michelle's room about their respective boys they liked and how they should have a joint wedding. Well, she wished she hadn't either. But some things couldn't be taken back.

"You were eavesdropping!" Michelle accused her.

"No, I wasn't," Stephanie said with annoyance lacing her words. "I was just passing by. Not my fault you and Denise can't whisper."

Her sister reluctantly backed down, obviously remembering that day. She dropped the subject, going back to the original ordeal which was her clothes. "Which one should I wear? The blue or the pink?" She looked thoughtful. "Or neither? I could wear the purple one."

"Do the stripes," Stephanie advised, referencing the dark shirt with the light stripes her sister had gotten at a thrift store.

"Okay now what?" Michelle asked, setting the aforementioned shirt aside. "Skirt or shorts?"

Stephanie bit down on her lip, humming. "Do you know how he feels yet?"

"Not exactly," Michelle admitted.

"So it's just a hang out, no secret date?" Stephanie clarified.

"Yeah," Her sister frowned in clear disappointment, wishing the outing was more.

"Wear the shorts."

"What?" Michelle protested. "It needs to look cute."

"It's fine," Stephanie said. "You don't want Dad having a conniption at the thought of you on a date. It's just a casual get together with your friends. Besides, he may not even like you like that. Better not go all in until you know for sure."

"I guess," Michelle didn't seem to like that idea.

"Is that all?" Stephanie stretched her arms over her head. "I guess I'll get some breakfast since I won't be able to sleep again." She stalked out of the room, muttering about annoying little sisters.

/

"Jesse," Dad said as soon as Stephanie came through the door, dragging, "get a camera. I think this is the first time this summer Stephanie is up before the afternoon."

"Ha, ha," She rolled her eyes.

"What's the occasion?" Uncle Jesse raised his eyebrows. "Got a hot date?"

"She does not have a date," Dad said but then side-eyed her questioningly. "You don't...do you?"

"Maybe it's that Charlie kid?" Joey said, unknowingly not helping matters.

"You have a date with Charlie?" Dad's eyes bugged out. It would have been funny if the conversation was different.

"No!" Stephanie exclaimed. "I don't have a date. Michelle woke me up to help with her outfit for later. Trust me, I'd rather be asleep."

She could still see the doubt in their eyes, as if she was hiding it. It frustrated her. But she didn't say anything, not wanting them to think she was being defensive because they were right. She took a mug and filled it with orange juice, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"I hope you're having more than just that," Dad remarked. "That's hardly a nutritious breakfast."

"It's Saturday, Dad," Stephanie said. She'd just grab a muffin or something.

"That doesn't mean you should skip out on the protein," He told her, placing a plate of eggs and two slices of bacon in front of her. "Here, take this."

"Hey, Steph," Uncle Jesse got her attention. "Do you know anything about Michelle's little mall trip today?"

Aunt Becky came down the stairs at that time and had heard him ask. "Now stop that," She scolded. "It's none of your business."

"It is too my business," Uncle Jesse retorted. "My niece is going to the mall with a boy-"

"And Denise," Aunt Becky added.

"I think you're overreacting a bit here, Jess," Joey told him with a smirk.

"That's what you think," Uncle Jesse said. "No, I know there's something else going on."

"Something else?" Dad repeated with a touch of concern. And paranoia, but Stephanie didn't say that out loud. "What do you mean something else?"

Uncle Jesse gestured loosely in the direction of the door that led into the living room. "You can't tell me they're just going to the mall to hang out as friends. Denise is just a cover. They're obviously going on a date."

"A date?" Dad yelped.

Aunt Becky pursed her lips. "Michelle's about to enter high school. It's normal for her at this age to like boys and have an interest in dating."

Uncle Jesse ignored Aunt Becky as if she hadn't spoken. "I say we follow her and make sure they're not up to any trouble."

I don't know, Jess," Joey was hesitant. "She might not take it so well if she finds out."

"Who cares if she takes it well or not?" Uncle Jesse got up to dispose of his plate. "It's our job to protect her. She'll realize that someday."

"Joey's right, honey," Aunt Becky tried to reason with him. "Michell's growing up and sooner or later you have to treat her like she is."

"It's not about treating her like a kid, Beck," Uncle Jesse sighed. "Kids today...they're doing things too fast. They only have one childhood and plenty of time later for all that other stuff."

Aunt Becky looked to Dad for some wisdom in the midst of this, knowing she wouldn't be able to get through to Uncle Jesse. "You're not considering this are you, Danny?"

Stephanie, too, looked at Dad. He winced, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well-"

"Not you too," Aunt Becky groaned. "Boys, Michelle is thirteen, not two. She doesn't need you to hold her hand constantly. You need to trust her to make the right decisions."

"We do trust her," Uncle Jesse said. "It's the boy we don't trust."

Aunt Becky face-palmed.

"I agree with Jess," Dad said apologetically. "Michelle's my baby. I don't want her getting into any trouble if I can help it."

"So that's it?" Aunt Becky put her hands on her hips. That showed she was not happy in the least. "You're going to spy on her?"
"Spy is such a...negative word," Uncle Jesse put his hands on her shoulders rubbing them gently. She didn't acknowledge it. "We're just going to be in the background to make sure everything's alright."

"Right," Dad agreed. "And if everything's fine, we'll leave."

"Right," Uncle Jesse echoed.

"Oh, while you're there, can you get me some funnel cake?" Joey spoke up. Both Dad and Uncle Jesse gave him a look. "Some other time then..."

"I cannot believe you're doing this!" Aunt Becky pushed Uncle Jesse's hands off of her. She stormed out of the kitchen and back upstairs with Uncle Jesse hot on her heels.

"Oh, come on, Beck.."

It left just Stephanie, Dad and Joey.

She silently sipped on her juice. Michelle would be furious and embarrassed once she learned of their Dad and uncle's plan. Not that she would blame her sister. She would feel the same way if it was her. To be fair, she should go warn her so it wasn't a total surprise. However, there was a part of her that felt vengeful after being woken up so early.

She placed her mug back down.

Michelle could handle some embarrassment now and then. She could think of it as character building.