Who Am I

Chapter 5

Who am I - Chapter 5

After 2 hours of watching picture after picture come up on the computer screen, watching my sister doing fake smile and laughter with people who don’t know my sister, don’t know my parents are slowly breaking apart and taking us with them, don’t know that Erica has been rejected to the only college she applied too, don’t know my sister has crazy hormones from her break-up.

“Beautiful!” The photographer yelled.

“Were done?” Erica asked as she got out of the model’s arms. The photographer nodded, Erica stripped off her shoes and gave me the one-minute gesture. I remained seated in the office chair.

Interns were still running around like crazy, picking up coffee, throwing out garbage.

“Come on Ashley.” Erica said as she passed by me. I got out of the comfy chair and followed my sister like an obedient dog. We went down the solid cement stair case, I went to get the car and start it while Erica changed. I pushed open the glass doors and walked towards my car.

I started the car, leaned back and sang along with the radio.

“And I know that I'm drunk but I'll say the words

And she'll listen this time even though they're slurred

Dialed her number and confessed to her

I'm still in love but all I heard

Was nothing.”

Erica tapped the car window, I unlocked the car, she hoped in. Her make-up was still on, her hair put in a ponytail, with the same baggy sweats she had on earlier. I pulled out of the parking lot.

“Where’s your car?” I asked.

“I think still at Tyler’s, do you mind going by there so I can get my car?” Erica asked as she placed her hand out the window and let the wind fumble with her fingers.

I nodded, then I thought about it. “ Where is Tyler’s?”

Erica sighed and told me the directions. I followed them, which lead to a normal house but with a huge mess of garbage on the front lawn. Beer bottles, plastic bottles, actual garbage bags ripped to shreds to dumb the garbage on the lawn.

I’m glad my house doesn’t look like that.

“Thanks.” Erica said as she hoped out of the car. She passed by my window.

“Erica wait.” She stopped in her tracks and turned towards me. “You hate me don’t you?”

“You’re my sister, of course we will fight but I wouldn’t hate you.” She flashed a smile, I let out a breath of relief. “Oh Ashley,”

“Yeah?”

“Can you be home in an hour, I want to tell mom and dad about college, and I don’t want to do it alone.” I nodded, and waved her goodbye. I drove off. Erica applied to a college, a local one here, but they declined her. I told her this and I will keep telling her this until she believes me, that it’s fate not to go to that college, that its destiny to go to another because it will be better for you.

Since mom and dad both went to that college, they automatically assume that Erica and I want to go to that college to be like them, but I don’t want to do what they do. And neither does Erica. Erica has a bunch of employment opportunities with modeling, a bunch of magazines and agency’s call her because they want her. But my parents believe that modeling is some sort sport you do after school, that it wont be that important when you’re older.

A sudden caffeine crave washed over me, there was a small coffee shop around the corner. I pulled up in a parking spot, turned off the car and walked to the door. The first thing I noticed was the delicious smell of coffee, and the 80’s floor. The place was empty, just me and the few people that worked here.