I will survive

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

“Come on Cathy. We need to leave now!” I said to Cathy.

“I'm coming!” Cathy came running down the stairs and almost ran into me. Dad was out, so this was actually a very pleasant evening. And we were going to be fed properly tonight too, because we were going to go babysit Audrey's blind brother.

When we got there I rang the door bell. Cathy was shivering next to me, and I too was starting to feel dangerously cold. Hypothermia was not something I wanted Cathy to get. I wrapped my arms around her in a futile hope to warm her, but I had next to no heat to offer.

Isabel, a maid, opened the door for me and smiled. One could say we were friends.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” I replied. “This is Cathy, Cathy, Isabel. I don't think you've met before.”

“No, we haven't,” Isabel said and smiled down at Cathy. “Please, come in. You look chilled.”

“No kidding.” We walked into the toasty house and my skin stung from the sudden warmth.

“I'll just call Audrey down–”

“No need,” I interrupted. “I'm here to babysit Cole.”

“Oh, yes, she mentioned. Don't tell her Mum. She thinks Audrey is staying home responsibly and watching her brother.”

I smiled. “Wouldn't dream of upsetting Audrey.”

“This way,” the maid said and led us up the stairs. Now, I'm glad she was showing me the way, because otherwise I would have gotten lost. This place is huge, and I know from personal experience that getting lost in here was a nightmare.

Isabel knocked on a door and a male voice said, “Come in.”

We entered the dark room. Isabel quickly found the light-switch and flicked on the lights.

Cole was older than me. We'd met a few times before and I actually really like him.

“Hi,” I tried.

Cole sat up and said, “Mel, is that really you?”

“Yeah. This is my sister Cathy. Audrey said I was to er 'babysit' you,” I said putting air-quotes around 'babysit', which was stupid of course because he couldn't see that.

Cole snorted and said,” I don't need a babysitter. You can go home.”

“But I need the money.” My tummy grumbled. God, I hate it when it does that in public.

He cocked his head so his right ear was closer to me. “She's actually paying you to babysit a seventeen year old?”

“Yeah, I guess the fact that you're older than your babysitter makes things awkward, but at least let me stay here and look like I'm doing what she asked me to do. I really need the money.”

“Fine. Isabel, you can leave.”

“Okay sir,” and Isabel left us to it.

“Cathy, come here,” Cole said. Cathy made her way slowly towards him and every muscle in my body tensed, alert.

When Cathy reached the side of his bed he asked, “Where are you exactly?”

Cathy reached out a hand and touched the tips of the fingers of his outstretched hand.

“Why'd you bring her?” he asked me.

“Because I couldn't leave her alone.”

“What about your parents?”