Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 25 - That Wicked Sweater

"Anna is really talented though. Everyone local wears her stuff. I've ordered a few things also. Her friend Harmony rides her coattails as far as I am concerned." Stacy said sneering.

"Here you were going to the party to watch over your sister and she ended up watching over you." Alicia laughed as she kissed Kyle making him automatically wipe a smudge of frosting off Alicia's lips.

"Um yuck, please don't do that." Stacy said at her parents' display of affection. She jerked a napkin off its roll to hand to either of her parents. Alicia took it and laughed. Jake didn't even want to know what she was thinking for they have not been shy about displaying affection or personal bedroom jokes.

Stacy turned on Jake.

"Yes Jake, thank you oh so very much for being so over protective. What if I were dragged into a room and disappeared? You wouldn't even have known!" Then back to her parents.

"So much for Jake keeping an eye out for me, when he has some rich girl to yak it up with all night. I think he is fired as protector."

"Well I did my job and warned you. You said not to worry so I didn't." Jake said trying to cover himself. Alicia and Kyle exchanged looks and smiled.

"Ugh." Stacy said before she refilled her glass of milk and grabbed another cupcake. "This has been the worst night ever!"

Jake said nothing as he was stuffing his face with his second cupcake as well. He couldn't get enough of them.

"Why was your night so bad honey?" Kyle asked.

"Because Dad, I found out tonight that all guys flock to slutty people if given an easy opportunity." Stacy pouted.

Kyle stood straighter looking at Stacy. Jake shook his head behind Stacy's back.

"Is everything ok now?" Kyle asked anyway.

"Yes, but boys are just disappointing." Stacy said pouting.

"Her interest ended up leaving with Anna's best friend Harmony." Jake explained.

"What was weird though was Skyler wasn't drinking at all then half an hour later, it seemed he had several drinks in his system. I saw him drink from a cup, but I don't think he even finished it before that witch Harmony pulled him out the door. She had a drink also, which she too is the same age as Anna and me." Stacy said before brightening up. "Can't you arrest her Dad?"

Alicia laughed. Kyle looked serious.

"Was she drunk when she got into the car?"

"No." Stacy said turning around to throw away her garbage disappointed.

Kyle laughed as he watched Stacy smack Jake on the arm. Stacy turned to leave the kitchen to avoid more questions. She grabbed her third cupcake and her milk on the way out. Jake knew Stacy didn't care about how many sweets she ate because her metabolism consumed it once it passed through her throat.

"Goodnight." Stacy mumbled before she disappeared around the corner almost knocking out the stopper that Alicia had propped the kitchen door open with.

"Are you going to talk to Anna again?" Alicia was asking to be sure, Jake knew.

"No, she was just safe to talk to because it looked as if she didn't want to be there either. She's pretty funny and more mature than everyone that was at the party. Her father travels for his job a lot, so she has pretty much raised herself. Anna doesn't have anyone but the staff that raised her but is seems she is close to them like family. Her mother died of cancer when she was five years old." Jake said. He watched as the expression on Alicia's face changed from interest to empathy.

"You know I used to dream of what it would be like to be on my own. She is alone a lot without the connections of family like I have and she doesn't seem happier for it at all. She misses her Dad a lot and cherishes the time she does get to see him. She has him on a throne." Jake said staring straight ahead.

"I would think that without anyone but her best friend to talk to, it would be frustrating.

"Well, at least you weren't bored." Alicia stated.

"That's right, and I had a good time, but there really was something strange about Anna that I just couldn't figure out. I felt every time she gave me an answer she wasn't giving me the full answer. It was kind of strange. We had talked about our likes and dislikes, but it felt like a questionnaire for a dating service. I had the feeling she wasn't telling the complete truth about really anything she said, though her statements gave the tone they were facts and her opinions seem true. It was just a little empty. I felt kind of sorry for her."

"Why would you feel sorry for her?" Alicia asked.

"She seemed unhappy to me. I saw a slight discoloration of a bruise under her makeup, but I didn't want to intrude."

"You think someone in her life beats her?" Kyle asked.

"Not sure. She loves her father and hasn't talked bad about anyone else. She didn't even mention having an accident of any kind to make a bruise, but I didn't even bring it up either. I just had this feeling she wasn't telling me everything, but she just stopped short of some of the details of her stories. It was frustrating."

"You never know. Spending an evening with someone doesn't make them spill everything. Was she nervous who your father was?" Alicia asked concerned.

"No. Just like when we were younger, I still don't tell people what Dad really does unless I have to." Jake replied.

"You mean unless you are trying to get out of a speeding ticket, right?" Dad asked and smiled.

"Yeah, something like that." Jake laughed. Kyle looked disappointed that he had finished his cupcake, and grabbed one more only looking slightly guilty.

"The reason I still don't mention what you do for safety reasons, because you never know how people will react or what they would do." Jake said remembering a few instances where their family was in danger because of his father's job.

"That is smart son." Kyle replied trying not to talk with his mouth full.

"Thanks." Jake said then yawned. "Anna's really nice, but like Stacy says, she's a little strange."

"Wow, you're agreeing with your sister? Do you have a fever?" Alicia joked.

"Sometimes I wonder." Jake laughed.

"Well it isn't like you are rooming with her, so her flaws may be tolerable." Kyle said and smiled while finishing off his last cupcake.

"I'm not judging because only a couple of hours just isn't enough time to really get to know anyone. Her eyes are an incredible shade of light green. They are almost scary, but it was difficult to stop staring at them. The combination must have been what tripped me out." Jake said staring into the space of his memory of Anna.

Kyle and Alicia raised eyebrows and gave each other a look. Jake finished his cupcake and washed up. He was tired and just wanted to go to bed wishing his parents a good night before heading up to his room.

His bags were already packed and waiting. He set his alarm, brushed his teeth, unclothed except for his boxers, and fell into bed.

In the dark with only the moon shining in his window he thought of Anna and her soft lips. Anna didn't give him the feeling that Brittany did and he knew nobody ever would.

If he had never met Brittany, Anna was someone he thought he could hang with.

Jake closed his eyes and his last thought had been of Anna's eyes jiggling.