Cece Writes A Book [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4 - "You're thinking of vampires."

"I yelled at little girls."

Elliot thought about it for a moment. "It's not the worst thing you've done."

"You should have seen their terrified faces."

"They dance in a studio where Tristan teaches. I'm sure they have heard worse from him," Elliot said. "Plus, remember that one year at VBS."

Cece shook her head but quickly entered the coffee shop, remembering all too clearly the fateful day Elliot was talking about. She realized this wasn't the first time she had yelled at little kids.

"What's going on with Millie Kate?" Elliot asked as she joined Cece in line. "Maybe I can help you figure out where you need to go."

Cece sighed deeply. Elliot asked her question like there was a simple answer. It might be a simple answer if Cece knew what the heck was going on with Millie Kate.

"Come on," Elliot prodded as they moved up in line. "Just tell me what's going on in the story and I'll throw out a hundred ideas. They all might be bad but they might inspire the right idea. Where is Millie Kate?"

Cece looked at her sister uncertain but decided to give her idea a try. Even if nothing helped, at least it would be time spent not organizing.

"She is at this stupid party," Cece started, her voice carrying all her frustration. She shook her head. "I got her there fine because stupid Malcolm was still in the country and hadn't decided to betray me yet!"

"She's at a party," Elliot said, trying to steer the conversation onto the right track. "Who's party?"

"The Barlow's."

"Who are the Barlow's?"

"How should I know!?!" Cece said, throwing her hands up in annoyance.

"Well," Elliot said calmly, "it is your story, but now I see it was presumptuous of my to think you knew who the Barlow's are."

Cece noticed her sister's drop in tone and recognized it was her soothing voice.

"I'm sorry," Cece breathed out as they reached the register. "It's just I got her to this party and I can see the party and I know who is at the party, I know the freaking color of the napkins at this stupid party but for some inconceivable reason I can't get Millie Kate into the party. She is being very stubborn."

"Maybe she isn't supposed to go to the party?" a voice offered.

As the words hit Cece's ears it was as if someone had handed her the missing puzzle piece she had been looking for.

"Maybe she isn't supposed to go to the party?" Cece repeated slowly, letting the idea settle. As the information clicked into place she could see the bigger picture of her chapter and all the details started to come into focus.

The world around her began to transform. She could feel the heat turning humid and she blindly moved to the nearest empty table and pulled out her laptop.

Millie Kate looked up at the monstrous, white colonial house that loomed over her. There were only fifteen steps between her and the front door but she couldn't make herself move.

She could hear the clinking glasses and the soft chatter coming from the backyard. She could picture the party that awaited her. The Barlow's annual Garden Party was an event of the summer season you didn't miss, and yet Millie Kate remained on the sidewalk.

She heard quick footsteps approaching and she turned to see Wesley James Cartwright III walking along the sidewalk towards her. He looked harried: his hair sticking up in the back, half his collar popped. He was tucking in his pink polo shirt and didn't see her until he was only a few steps away.