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Tera: Alright people who love me. I own everything here. Gah, I'm still doing a disclaimer, aren't I? -slaps self- Well, since it is a new fic, a new website, and new disclaimer, I have opted to get rid of my old master and bring in a new one. His name is Chris. He comes up in chapter 2.
Chris: Hello.
Tera: There, now you've been introduced. On with le fic!
Chapter 1
“Well, I think that’s the last box,” Travis said, putting his arm around Lily.
She looked at her twin. “I miss the old house already,” she said, sighing.
The two looked at the maze of boxes strewn around the new house like a tornado hit.
“Think of it as a fresh start,” Travis said.
“A fresh start? Who are you? Oprah?” Lily asked. Travis grinned.
“Come on, you two! Let’s get some lunch!” called their dad, Frank Adams.
“Dad. We just got here,” Lily called.
“I know! But the moving people are taking care of everything so why don’t we grab some lunch?” Frank asked.
“Dad, how about you bring lunch back and Lily and I’ll make sure nothing gets broken, then we’ll all sit down and eat together?” Travis asked.
“Great idea! How does Subway grab you?” Frank called in an attempt to be optimistic. Lily’s chest caught in her throat. Subway had been her mother’s favorite restaurant.
“How about Wendy’s?” Travis yelled, rubbing his sister on the back. Lily smiled up at him gratefully. Sometimes it was great having a twin.
“Sounds great! Hamburgers all around?” Frank yelled cheerily.
“Chicken sandwich, dad! You know I’m on a diet!” Lily called.
“Dad, I will have a triple burger,” Travis called dramatically.
“Right-o! Be right back!” Frank called.
They heard his car start up and he drove away.
“Travis, it’s gonna be so different,” Lily half whispered.
“Well, it’s what dad wants, isn’t it?” Travis asked.
“I guess. But did he ever once stop to think what we wanted?” Lily asked hotly. Angry tears welled up in her eyes.
Travis looked at her. “Oh, hey, honey, don’t cry,” he said, hugging her.
Lily sniffed into his shirt. Even though they were twins, he was still twice her height.
“You know, you’re probably the only guy who calls his sister ‘honey’,” she said.
“You’re all I got, Lil,” Travis said.
“You have dad,” Lily said with an edge to her voice.
“He’s not the same,” Travis said giving her a reassuring squeeze.
It had always been that Lily had looked up to their mother and Travis to their father. Then, Clarice Adams had gotten HIV from a blood transfusion. Lily grew even closer to her mother until she had died four months ago after three years of illness and pain. It had started right after Lily turned 13. A month after Clarice had died, their father announced that he had bought a house in Pennsylvania and they were all moving. Three months after that, they were packed and standing outside their brand new two story house that was about three feet away from their new neighbor’s house, waiting for Frank to come back with lunch and hoping they could find a spot to put the table before he did.
Lily sighed. “We should clear a spot for the table,” she said.
“You’re probably right. You clear the spot, I’ll get the table,” Travis said.
“Alright. In the kitchen, wherever that may be,” Lily said. They both trooped off to set up.
At the next clap of thunder, she jumped up. “That’s it,” she thought to herself. Gathering up her sleeping bag, she tip-toed into Travis’s room across the hall. He was awake too.
“I can’t sleep,” Lily whispered, laying her sleeping bag next to her twin’s.
“You have to, we have school tomorrow,” Travis whispered back. Lily groaned. It hardly seemed fair that they could pack up and move in the day before school started.
“Dad won’t unpack without us,” Lily said.
“Oh well. We’ll be back around three anyway so we can start and hopefully he’ll help us finish when he comes home. It’s not like we didn’t get anything done today,” Travis reasoned. It was true. They had all the boxes sorted into their correct rooms. All that was left was unpacking and arranging furniture.
“But why is he making us go so soon? I haven’t even figured out where my clothes are, let alone where the bathroom is,” Lily said.
Travis chuckled. “I’ll show you the bathroom. Now come on, let’s get some sleep,” he said firmly. They both lied down with backs to one another.
“Night, Trav.”
“Night, Lily.”
Lily hugged Seymour to her and tried to fall asleep.
“No,” Lily said from the sink where she was trying to get decaying mustard off last night’s dinner dishes.
“Dad, it’s the new thing to walk to school,” Travis said in mock standoffish-ness.
“Do you think people will be able to tell you two are twins?” Frank asked.
“The idea is that they see how much taller than me he is and assume we’re not related,” Lily said, raking her fingers through her hair for the millionth time.
“But you both have the same hair and eyes,” Frank protested.
“Yeah? So?” Lily asked.
“Black hair and periwinkle eyes are not common,” Frank pointed out.
“I know. That’s why I love my eyes so much,” Lily said.
Clarice Adams was French and she had had the most beautiful eyes in the world. They were a soft color, blue with just a hint of purple. Periwinkle. Lily and Travis had both inherited those eyes. Lily wore heavy eyeliner to accent them. Travis just walked around hoping the guys wouldn’t call him girly.
“Your mother,” Frank started to say, but then become very distant and suddenly looked frail.
Lily gently laid down the dish after finally getting off the mustard, wiped her hands on her pants, and rushed to the table. “Dad, I love you,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“Me too, dad,” Travis said, then looked at his watch. “Oh, come on, Lil, we’ll be late if we don’t leave.” He shouldered his backpack and waited for Lily to get her things.
“Bye dad!” they chorused and walked out the door.
Then, one of them, a tall blonde with a pink swishy skirt and white halter stopped walking and looked at Lily. “Are you new?” she asked in what she imagined was a sympathetic voice. Lily looked up and nodded. The blonde girl gasped and the other four girls with her followed suit.
“Oh my gosh, your eyes are gorgeous!” she breathed.
Lily smiled. “Thank you.”
“I’m Crystal,” the blonde girl said holding out her hand.
“Lily.” She shook it.
“Lily! It matches your eyes!” Crystal said.
“Again, thank you,” Lily said.
“Oh, how rude of me. This is part of the cheerleading squad,” Crystal said.
“I’m Melissa,” a brunette with a black skirt and red top said.
“Anna,” said another blonde with a blue skirt.
“Kristen,” one with fiery red hair wearing all white said.
“And I’m Lisa,” said one with short brown hair wearing a yellow skirt.
“Hi,” Lily said.
“Oh, don’t just sit there all alone! Come have lunch with us,” Crystal said.
“Thank you,” Lily said. She gathered up her Slim Fast and followed them to a table.
“So, where did you move from?” Crystal asked once they were all situated.
“Florida,” Lily answered. All the girls smiled and “ooh”-ed.
“Was it as good as everyone says it is?” Crystal asked. They all leaned forward.
“Florida is the greatest place on this earth,” Lily said.
“Have you ever been to Miami?” Anna asked.
“Oh, loads of times,” Lily said dismissively.
“Are the boys as fine as they are on TV?” Melissa asked.
“Some of them,” Lily answered truthfully.
No one heard her answer. They were all too busy staring at something beyond Lily’s head.
“Mumma mia,” Crystal breathed.
Lily turned to see what they were looking at and was shocked to see Travis. “Are you all looking at the tall guy with black hair?” she asked. There was a simultaneous nod. “You mean my brother?” Lily asked.
Five heads swivelled around to face her.
“You live with him?” Crystal asked.
“Yeah. Hey! Travis!” Lily called. Travis turned his head, spotted her, then made a beeline toward her.
“Hey, I’ve been looking all over . . . Hi,” Travis said brightly.
“Um, guys, this is Travis. Travis, this is Crystal, Anna, Lisa, Melissa, and Kristen,” Lily said.
The girls all smiled charmingly and waved with their fingers. Travis waved back. “Well, glad you made friends. I was just checking on you, now I’m gonna go sit somewhere else,” he said to Lily.
“Bye,” Lily said.
“It was a pleasure meeting all of you. Farewell,” Travis said, bowing slightly. He took off.
“He is so fine,” Crystal said.
“Mm hmm,” Melissa agreed. Lily shuddered and drained her strawberry Slim Fast.
“It was alright,” Lily said.
“She was hanging with the popular crew,” Travis teased.
“It was no big deal,” Lily mumbled.
“That girl, the blonde one, she’s hot stuff,” Travis said.
“Thanks, I’ll tell her,” Lily said dryly.
“Thanks, sis,” Travis said.
“You are so welcome,” Lily said acidly.
“Hey, Lily, what’s up?” Travis asked spearing a pancake.
“Nothing. Dad, I’m not hungry, I’m gonna go take a walk, leave the dishes, I’ll get them when I get back,” Lily said, exasperated. She stood up and picked up her own plate.
“Hey, I’ll do the dishes,” Travis said.
“Thanks,” Lily said shortly. She set her plate in the sink, shrugged into her jacket, and set off. She hated it here in Pennsylvania. It was only 9:00 in September and already it was cool enough for a jacket. And she missed the palm trees and the water and her friends. But most of all she missed her mom. If they hadn’t given her infected blood during her transfusion when she got so sick she threw up a lot of blood, she would still be alive now. Lily just couldn’t stop the tears that coursed down her cheeks. Damn doctors. Didn’t they know how to check blood for signs of that kind of stuff? Of course they did. They had even assured her it was safe. Lily had suggested they sue the doctor when her mother was announced infected, but her parents wouldn’t hear of it.
Without realizing it, she walked into a park. There was no one there anymore and she sat down on one of the deserted benches. She had no idea where she was or how far from the new house she had strayed. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to call it “home.” She leant over and picked up a rock. Gathering all her strength, she hurled it as far as it could go.
“You have quite a good throwing arm,” said a smooth voice beside her. Lily shrieked and stood up.
Tera: As much as it doesn't seem like it (yet), this is a vampire story.
Chris: Starring yours truly.
Tera: Yes, starring him. So, read, review, and most of all, enjoy!
