Taking A Chance(Complete)

Chapter Two

When I get home I go straight up to my room and collect the books I borrowed from Erica and her daughter Jessica who lives across the street. Once I have the books from my book shelf, I make my way down stairs and out the front door.

I met Erica and Jessica a couple of months after I first moved down the street. I had run out of coffee and my Father wasn’t home to take me to the store to get some and it was also late at night so I did not at all fancy walking. I saw the lights on across the street so decided to see if Erica had any (I didn’t know their names then). Erica invited me in for a coffee and then got me a whole jar. Since then, Erica has welcomed me into her home, treated me like she treats Jessica. Erica is like the Mother I never had and Jessica is like the sister I never had a chance have.

Walking up to the house I notice that the garage doors are open. I make my way inside. Normally I go to the front door but I know today that both Erica and Jessica are home because Erica’s son, Dakota –someone I have never met, just seen pictures of- is returning home from a trip. I can’t help but wonder if its the same trip North and Luke were on.

Max, Dakota’s golden retriever comes trotting out the house and greeting me. I stroke behind his ear to greet him. “Hey boy.” This dog is without a doubt the world’s best dog. Trained in absolutely everything and doesn’t have a nasty bone in his body. Sometimes when my father wasn’t home, Erica would let me take him home with me so I had some company. Erica has always hated the way my father neglected me.

I follow Max into the house. I place the books onto the counter in the kitchen. “Erica? Jessica?” I call out. I leave the kitchen and make my way down the hall towards Jessica’s room. This is normally where she is if she’s home, normally with her head in a book. I knock on the door and slowly push it open. Jessica is laying on her bed her bed with her head in a book. “Hey, I just brought those books back.”

The book drops from its position over Jessica’s face. “Awesome.” She says before sitting up and jumping of her bed. “I’ll give you some more. Now Dakota is home, I’m able to go in his room.” I follow her down the hall until we come to a door. She opens it and reveals some steps going up to the room above the garage. “Come on.”

“Wait.” I grab her arm gently. “Are you sure your brother wouldn’t mind us going in his room?”

She shakes her head, smiling. “No. Mom just banned me from his room while he was away. He’s home now but he had to go out.”

“Were not going to get caught?” I ask.

She shakes her head again. “Besides, if we do he won’t get angry with me. He loves me too much.” I laugh and follow her up the stairs. I’m shocked when I walk into the room. Is this really a boys bedroom? This was not something I was expecting. The floors are clear, the bed is made. Everything on the desk is organised. I follow Jessica to the book shelf and we both sit down on the floor.

I take a look at the books. The first thing I notice is that they are all neatly organised by genre and author. Just by looking to Dakota’s bedroom and book shelf I can tell that he likes to be organised. That’s something we have in common.

For the next half an hour, me and Jessica go through all the books. Laughing, joking and smiling between us. Even though she’s younger than me, she acts older. Like me, she likes being independent but at least hers wasn’t because she didn’t have a choice, she chose to grow up, wanted her Mom to trust her with times like these where she can be at home alone.

After looking through the books and choosing a couple out, Jessica suggests that we go down stairs to have some chocolate chip cookies with some milk. I immediately agree. I’m not one to refuse cookies. “Where is Erica?” I ask Jessica, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.