[This story is free again]
A social klutz and certified bookworm, Autumn Lyne is content with having just books as companions--that is, until her extrovert of a sister drags her out to meet her band. But nobody has expected that this would mark the...
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When Saturday afternoon rolled in, I rode my bicycle to Finn's residence. He greeted me at the gate, and confusion was immediately stamped on my face as I studied his grim expression. It told me I had come at the wrong time.
"Is there a problem?" I asked as I trailed him across the lawn, carrying my textbooks and notes with me. His house looked ten times more architecturally stunning in broad daylight without a crowd of kids partying around.
"Big one," Finn answered. "I forgot they were supposed to come home last night."
"Who?"
As if on cue, two women emerged from the front door. The first one was tall, slender, and had long hair in big waves. The second one was plump, had a short haircut, and was dressed in smart casual attire. Valerie and Fallon. His older sisters. They looked a lot more intimidatingly beautiful in real life than in the pictures.
"Hi! Come in. Make yourself at home," Valerie squealed, her heels clicking against the white marble floor as she ushered me into the living room. She smelled like jasmine.
"Thank you...?" I said in a questioning tone. I was confused as to why she seemed excited to see me, a stranger.
"You're Autumn, correct?" she asked.
"Yes. Um, how did—?"
"Finny told us so much about you."
"Huh?"
I almost snapped my neck as I turned to gawk at Finn, who was standing behind his sisters. Panic struck his face, and he looked like he wanted nothing more but to attack Valerie to stop her from talking.
"I did not! Shut up, Buttface," he yelled.
She smiled at me, giving my shoulder a little squeeze. "He told us how his grades were improving because of you. Thanks for helping my hopeless brother."
I failed to understand that. If she was talking about his grades in biology, I just did our lab activities like how I had done them with Sunny. I didn't help him to get better grades. Finn worked on his self-improvement.
"Now, now, Val." Fallon wrapped her arm around her sister's and tugged her away from me. "We'd better go if you want to make it on time for your appointment. Leave the kids alone."
"Thank you, Fallon," said Finn, relief plain in his voice.
"Don't thank me. I'm still concerned about this situation." Fallon knitted her eyebrows, looking cold and commanding. "Mom and Dad won't be back until 7 PM, so you have the whole house to yourself for exactly four hours and forty-five minutes."
"So? What are you afraid is gonna happen?" he asked.
"The place being burned down. You kids doing something inappropriate. And our dog rolling in the dirt outside and spreading it all over the house."
