Too Short To Ride

1 1 : Called it

"Jasmine, where the hell is my blue tank top?" Karter yelled out her room to her younger sister.

"Huh?" Jasmine appeared in the doorway, wearing none other than the shirt Karter was looking for.

"Are you kidding me," she growled, "I've been looking for that top all week."

"I saw it in the clean clothes pile and thought you weren't wearing it anymore."

Karter looked at her sister like she was an idiot, "why on EARTH would I stop wearing my favorite tank top? Take it off now."

"What?!" Jasmine backed up as her sister moved towards her, "no!"

"But that's my shirt!"

"But I'm wearing it!"

"HEY," their dad stopped the argument from becoming any louder, "Karter, just let her wear it for today. She'll give it back tonight. Now will you two get down to the living room? David and Aria have an announcement to make."

"I bet they're engaged. Or pregnant." Jasmine whispered to her sister as they followed their dad downstairs.

Karter just shot her a look, "don't act all friendly with me. I'm super pissed that you're wearing my shirt without my permission."

"Just think of it as payment."

"Payment for what?"

"For not telling mom and dad you have a boyfriend."

Karter stopped dead in her tracks and pulled back Jasmine to do the same. "What are you talking about..."

The younger girl just scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I'm not an idiot. I've seen you hanging out with that kid in your class. What's his name? Calvin?"

"Uggghhhh," Karter moaned and covered her face. Back when she had made the agreement, she figured it would take a week tops to get Jessica to admit that height doesn't matter. But after three weeks and the end of school later, she was still having no luck. To make things more complicated, she had actually become friends with Caleb. She wanted to stop fake dating and start... real friending!

Despite all the plans she made to make to facade seem real, to tell her family and go on a date and watch one of his games, life just got in the way. Karter knew her family would be pissed if she didn't tell them, but that wasn't a conversation she was really interested in having.

"This is hard to explain," Karter began, "but we're not actually dating."

A skeptical eye rose from Jasmine.

"I asked him to fake date me because I got into another argument with Jessica about height in a relationship." She paused, "okay, I guess that was really easy to explain."

"I'm gonna be honest, I'm kind of hurt that you didn't tell me but this is even better," Jasmine said.

"Why?"

A devious smile appeared on her face, "because now this shirt is payment for me not to tell Jessica about your little plan." With an evil laugh, she skipped down the stairs and into the living room where their brother and his girlfriend were waiting.

Karter moped after her horrible little sister.

In the living room her parents spoke with David and Aria who sat hand in hand. Aria was a nice girl, and she really tried to connect with Karter and Jasmine so the two sisters could appreciate that. It was difficult, however, because the girls were into very different things. Karter surfed and Jasmine was working on restoring an old ham radio while Aria found pleasure in cooking and baking, something the sisters were not very good at.

"Girls, sit down," their mom said. The daughters did as directed and waited for the news to be told.

"So," Aria said as she exchanged loving glances with David, "after dating for three years, we've finally decided to get married!"

The parents exclaimed in joy over the prospect of their oldest getting engaged. Jasmine leaned over towards Karter and whispered, "called it."

"When's the wedding?" Their dad asked eagerly.

"We want to have it as soon as possible, but because Karter's graduating this week, we decided it would be best to have some time and so we want to do it next week," David explained.

Karter liked sappy rom-coms as much as the next person, but the sweetness that floated between the two love birds made her want to gag.

"This is so wonderful," their mom said for the millionth time.

"So when's your fake wedding?" Jasmine whispered to her sister.

The four adults turned in confusion to the youngest sister who yelled out in pain as Karter pinched her arm.

This is going to be something, she thought to herself.

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3/12/18