Forlot: My Friend Haunts Me - Book Fifty-Nine

Chapter One

JASHYAH'S P.O.V.

I cupped my hand around my mouth. "Irina! Come on! We are going to be late! Do you want me to fail my first job?" I groaned when she ignored me. I spoke loud and clear, so she was ignoring me. She enjoys driving me to drink...apple juice.

The girl whom I am referring to is my sister, Irina. She is three years younger and does whatever she pleases. I would not say that she is spoiled. She respects Dad and Mom and never throws tantrums. She just loves to tick me off for some reason. I have done nothing to Irina. It is a sibling thing, I guess.

I was on the stairs between the stands with a paper bag in my hand and watching Irina. It was just me and her. I was a bit creeped out that we were all alone in the ice rink and wanted to go. I have heard the stories of folks being alone...and....and...I had to drag Irina out of here and to our neighbor's house. I stormed down the stairs and told her that we were leaving.

Irina continued skating. Her tricks are impressive for a ten-year old. "What is wrong, Jashyah? My skating too much for you? I do not blame you. It can blind anyone. So you can leave. I will be home shortly."

I flipped my hair and crossed my arms. "Mom and Dad will kill me if I return without you. And we are going to the neighbor's house. I am housesitting this week. And you wanted to tag along - unless that you changed your mind."

She skated off the rink and sat on a bench. She took off her skates. "No way am I not annoying you for a week." She slipped her feet in her shoes and stuffed her skates in her pink bag. "Plus, their home is closer to the rink."

"Can you not think of anything but this flippin' rink?"

"Nope. It is my second home."

"Your second house will temporarily be the neighbor's. But you will find a way to occupy yourself."

I was glad that we left said rink. I have nothing against ice rinks. It is just that we spend most of our lives here. I understand that my sister needs to practice. This rink is the closest place to do so. I only wish that we did not visit every day. I encourage her to take a break, but it is always the same answer. A day is wasted whenever you are not doing what you love. Her life is ice skating. Her dream is to be a famous ice skater. But there is more to life than ice skating.

I hate ice skating. I enjoy watching my sister and other skaters. I can watch them all day - until I fall to sleep. I am terrible at ice skating. It is a challenge and requires balance. I do not have the best balance. I am so clumsy that even standing is a problem. I have been on the ice just once. Mom brought me and Irina to the rink when we were younger. It was her idea of fun. Not for me. In fact, it was the worst day of my life.

I acted like the younger sibling in that moment. People were there to see me mess up. They never laughed, but I knew what they were thinking and whispering behind my back. That girl is the definition of pathetic. She had better not be a professional skater. I am filming this!

While Irina made rounds around me, I stumbled like a deer. Worse than a deer. A deer could skate better than me. I fell on my bottom so many times that it hurt for a couple weeks. I sobbed and kicked and begged Mom to take me home. I never wanted to step foot on ice again. It is no huge loss. I do not want to be an ice skater. I...I have not decided what I want to be. Not an ice skater.

My family is huge on ice skating. Great. They enjoy the one thing that I am bad at. All my relatives are experts. They ice skate as a career or just a hobby. I am the only person to land on her butt. I would not mind being the odd one out if my family did not rub it in. I cherish my family. I only wish that they would not make me do an activity that I loathe - and get injured from.

Everybody in the family must be great at ice skating. It is a rule. A stupid rule if you ask me. I have to be an ice skater if I want to be taken as seriously as my sister. At least that they do not want me to make it my career. So many other opportunities. I can be a writer or a doctor. A painter or an astronaut. I do not need to be a famous ice skater.

The week before I housesat, I had a tense conversation with my family. We were enjoying supper at the dining room table and discussing what else? Ice skating. I was staying out of it and focusing on the scrumptious meal. My grandma was sitting across from me and slicing up her chicken. She prefers her chicken in strips. She said something that almost made me choke.

"Jashyah and Irina ought to be a team on the ice rink. I can see it now."

I would have spit out my food had I not swallowed it. I dropped my fork on my plate and rubbed my forehead. "Grandma. Irina and I cannot be a team. We never will be a team."

She giggled. "You want to go solo. I understand."

"I do not want to be solo or on a team."

"Then how will you advance your ice skating career?"

"No!"