■ O N E ■
"Would it kill you to help out just a little?" My mother's voice asked, exasperated.
I pulled my ear phones out of my ears and smacked my gum. "What do you need me to do?" I asked, sitting up straighter.
She sighed. "Never mind" she said before walking off.
I threw up my hands in utter confusion. I couldn't read her mind, if she wanted me to do something, than tell me.
She'd been like this all week, both her and my father. I didn't want to say they were arguing because they were still very much in love but they hadn't exactly been in each other's good graces lately.
"Mum?" I asked, pushing myself off the couch.
She glanced over at me as she walked into the kitchen. "What are you and dad fighting about?" I asked, leaning on the bench.
Her eyes went wide and looked away, I knew that look. That was a guilty look. "Nothing hun, your father and I are fine" she replied.
"Is that why you're sleeping in different rooms?" I asked, chewing my bottom lip nervously.
She sighed and turned away from the food cupboard. "Its nothing to worry about Christie, I'm merely trying to prove a point to your father" she replied.
"Is it really worth all the silent dinners and awkward moments?" I asked, leaning on the bench in front of me.
"Christie, it's really none of your business, why don't you go outside or something, get off your phone for a while" my mother replied sighing.
"Don't snap at me because of a decision you made" I replied, gathering my ear phones.
She stared after me as I stormed upstairs to my room. Opening the door to my blue room, I grabbed my dog eared copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and walked back downstairs again.
Mum was still in the kitchen so I slipped my earphones back into my ears and turned up G.R.L. I walked towards the back of the house and opened the back door, walking onto the back porch.
I had a chair nestled under the Willow tree and I made my way over to it, shielding my eyes from the sun. I sat down and opened my book, getting comfortable.
"This is a sight I thought I'd never see again" a voice said, 10 minutes later.
I frowned and pulled out my earbuds, leaning forward to look behind me. Chase Mareno was leaning on our small white fence that separated our houses. "Hello Chase, I'd say it was good to see you again, but I'd be lying" I said sarcastically.
He gave me a blinding white smile. "Good afternoon to you Christina, how have you been?" He asked, running a hand through his blonde hair.
"Brilliant actually, it's nice and peaceful" I replied.
He rolled his eyes. "I see your hanging out with all your friends" he said gesturing to the empty air around me.
"Hmm clever, I have more friends than you do, pretty boy" I replied, shrugging one shoulder.
"Looks it" he replied before chuckling.
"See you at school, Christie" he added before walking away.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes, sticking my earbuds back in my ears. My eyes drifted back to the page in front of me, snorting over Fred and George.
"There you are, your mother said you were mad at her" my fathers voice said as I saw him appear in front of me.
I frowned and turned off my music, giving up on trying to have peace and quite. "I'm not mad at her, I was just asking why you two were fighting" I replied, looking up as he blocked the sun.
His blue eyes, salt and pepper hair stared back at me. I looked a lot like my father except I had my mother's beautiful blonde hair and I had kept my fathers startling blue eyes. "Why do you want to know?" He asked carefully.
"Is it really so hard for someone to believe that I care about my parents? I just want to know everything is okay and I shouldn't expect divorce papers anytime soon" I replied.
My father frowned. "Your mother and I have hit a bit of a rough patch but I would never divorce her, I love both her and you too much" he replied.
I sighed. "And why is that so hard for mum to explain?" I asked, frowning.
"She's going through a tough time at work, give her some time and she'll come around" he said, patting my shoulder.
"Now, have you got practice tomorrow?" My father asked as he glanced at the book in my hand.
"Dad, I've decided I don't want to do sports anymore" I said, gauging his reaction.
He was silent for a moment. "And you're sure about that that decision?" He asked peering at me.
I nodded. "Okay, well I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to do, but you do have to find a hobby" he said before walking backwards.
"Okay, thanks dad!" I called out as he walked towards the back door.
"Don't disappoint me" he called back before the door closed.
My eyes went back to my book and I managed to finish several chapters before I decided to go back inside. "Look who it is, it's my little babydoll" a cold voice asked.
I sighed, knowing exactly who was speaking. "First I speak to the devil's assistant and now I speak to the devil, what a truly magnificent day" I said, turning my head to look at the other Mareno brother.
My eyes widened as I saw his white hair, he grinned. "Calling me the devil, how original" he said as he leaned closer to the fence.
My eyes slipped downwards as I noticed he sported no shirt and absolutely didn't care. "You know me James, I'm original and boring" I replied as I self consciously tucking some hair behind my ear.
"Not when your drunk" he said before giving me a wink.
I couldn't help but flush as I tried to ignore the memory that resurfaced. "I was incredibly drunk that night, if I was sober, I wouldn't kiss you even if someone offered me twenty million dollars" I said crossing my arms.
He faked a hurt expression. "Touché" he said, a smirk coaxing itself onto his face.
"See you at school, babydoll" he said as his grin widened.
"Die and go to hell" I replied with a smile.
He rolled his eyes and watched me march away from him.
The Mareno brothers were truly from another planet. With their beautiful features, they got everything they wanted in life. Girls, good grades, friends, nice cars, and the looks of male models.
There was one difference between the two adopted brothers, and that was that Chase was the brother who didn't think of himself as that attractive whereas James knew he was and fully used it to his advantage.
Chase and I used to be friends. Not best friends or anything like that but we at least spoke to each other and maybe hang out after school but when his adopted brother started at the same school, his popularity level went way up and I just ignored him.
They were the 'it' crowd and I chose to stay away from them. Things got really awkward when I got super drunk at a weekend party and kissed James Mareno.
He's teased me ever since.
I didn't hate them but I hated everything they stood for. Girls weren't objects, and you can't always get what you wanted in life.
I didn't know it then, but I know now there was one thing both boys wanted and neither could have.
Me.
Author's Note
Boom. First Chapter!
What did you think?
An interesting way to start the book. I'm really excited to write this one.
Updates will be slow until I finish my other books
But I will occasionally update it, so stay tuned!
Lots of love, Tavana xoxo
