Finding Avery

Chapter 1

Just then we hear the door open, "Avery?"

"Yeah, it's me mom!" I smile. My baby sister sounds exactly like me.

"Come to the kitchen, please!"

I hear feet padding down the hall and she rounds the corner staring at the floor.

"What's up." There in all her glory is my baby sister in ripped skinny jeans, a flannel and some vans.

"Say hi to your sisters." My mom says.

She looks up and I can tell she's at the very least been drinking, but I'm not about to call her out on it.

"Hi." She says.

"Can I go now?" She asks. "Please."

"Yeah, baby."

"Ugh, I'm not a baby, stop calling me that." I laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" She glares.

"You're the youngest, you'll always be the baby." I shrug.

"And you'll always be the golden child." "Wait! This year, the bronze child." My eyes widen.

"Avery, knock it off." My mom says.

"Mom, it's fine. I can handle a dig." I say.

"Yeah mom, she can. She's been getting a ton of them lately. Too old, burnt out, can't come back from pregnancy, doesn't care about her club team, I mean the list goes on. Right Al?"

"I think you might be missing a few, but yeah. Thanks for the reminder, sis." I say.

She stares at me and I can tell she's frustrated because at this exact moment, Avery and I are the same person. We both can't stand when we don't have a come back or we're not getting the reaction we're looking for.

She gives, "Whatever." And turns to head upstairs, presumably her room.

"Wow. Still wild. I don't know how you don't explode on her, Alex." Jen says.

"It's because they're the same person, did you see that look? Alex gets that look." Jeri says.

"Hey I think this little baby is hungry." I see Serv walk in.

"There's a bottle in the fridge, honey." I say and he nods.

"I'm going up to find the spitfire." I say.

"Goodluck." They all say.

I climb the stairs and head in the direction of my old room and crack the door, 'Amateur hour, Avery. At least lock the door if you don't want to be bothered.'

I see the window open and head towards it. I look out and up and see her back.

'And my old hiding spot? Need different shoes for that.'

I turn around and slip off my sandals and grab a pair of vans slip ons. I go to put my foot in and feel a baggy. I pull it out and see a bunch of pills, 'Probably adderall or Xanax. Definitely flushing these.'

I walk to the bathroom and empty the baggy into the toilet and flush it.

I climb out the window and start climbing upward.

"Don't fall. Wouldn't want mom and dad to hate me more because you fell off of the roof." I hear.

I sit next to her, "Mom and dad don't hate you, Avery. They're worried about you. We all are."

"Well, stop. Worrying about me. I'm fine."

"Mmm. Oh yeah, I can see that. 16 and hammered on thanksgiving day. I can really see that you're fine."