Little Green Stars

Chapter 15-All the Marbles

"What the hell are you wearing?" Jaxson calls from the end of the stairs.

"Damnit, Jaxson! Silas!" Maeve scolds while packing her lunch in her new Michael Kors bag that I now know she bought with house blood money.

"Mom! Do you not understand you're the one saying dammit but you yelling at my ass!"

Maeve throws a Tupperware lid across the kitchen at him as he enters the kitchen.

"I'm leaving early today. I have a closing this morning and forgot the congratulations basket at the office last night," Maeve says, leaning over to kiss Silas goodbye in his highchair. "Don't forget to have some cars picked out for Thursday afternoon."

"Bye Mom," Jaxson calls as he stuffs the toast she made him in his mouth.

I don't have time to be annoyed by Maeve right now. I'm currently dying of anticipation. I've been messaging Jin and walking him through how to get into the house via the passages. It's not going very well. He's not the best at following directions. Is that a universal guy thing?

"Seriously, what are you wearing?"

"It's my new look," I respond, distracted.

"You look like you're going to work a corner."

"Good, that's the look I'm going for," I say, lifting my leg in the air and pointing my toe.

"Stop!" Jaxson says, throwing the same lid at me that Maeve threw at him. "Seriously, what is going on with you?"

Oh, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that my whole world is falling apart. "Nothing," I say, and continue to click away on my phone.

"Who are you texting?" Jaxson says, trying to lean over to look.

I grab the phone and hold it against my chest. "Excuse you!" I demand.

"Seriously?"

I cautiously bring the phone back down, keeping it directly in my face. Jin's inside! A moment of relief waves over me, but quickly fades as soon as his next message pops up.

It's bad. You need to see this.

I stare at the words as my heart probs. Damnit! When will my bad luck ever end? My last name is Shamrock for christ sakes!

"Vel?" Jaxson says, pulling my eyes from Jin's message.

"Hey, I need to leave. I forgot I have a test to make up for Dwyer. You got Silas?"

"What test?" Jaxson calls as I grab my bag and head out the door.

What is it? I message Jin back.

My room is trashed! We need to clean it up before my parents c.

Shit! They home?

BRB...

I stare awkwardly at the phone while running across the grass to get to the sidewalk.

They're leaving soon. I'm gonna eat w them before they go.

It takes me a solid ten minutes of half-running, half wedgie picking to get home. Do I even call it that anymore? What else would I call it? I don't want to call it Jin's houses because I don't want to involve him in Maeve's treachery. But what else do I call it? Just "house"?

Just as I'm turning to enter the side yard of "house," I see a car pulling out. I fall back, making it look like I'm going to the neighbors. Once the Dodger's sticker is out of sight, I head straight past the mailbox—giving it a passing kick because why not—and head up to the porch.