'STARS HANG FOR PENELOPE'

|Chapter 5|

    * 1 week later. *

A loud high pitched scream shattered through the air. Feet scampered across the floor, loud clunks following right behind.
  "Jess give me that!"
    Hilly was beyond mad. She stood in the hallway of the second floor, glaring hard into her sisters eyes. The little 12 year old, closest to the stairs, grinned with her tongue out. She took her right hand from behind her back, waving an envelope with fancy lettering. The letters spelled 'Hily Richmond'.
    Hilly had went out after the breakfast, that Mama M made, to check the porch for any mail whatsoever. Strangely enough, Mr. Mosley had already saw about the mail and politely handed hers over. She had almost thought it suspicious, yet didn't see any other piece of mail on him; it was soon out of thought and out of mind. Hilly was just about to open the letter in her room when Jesse swindled in and snatched it out her hands. Bringing them to this very moment.
  " What it is? Why can't I see it? More importantly, why did I not get one!?" Jess screeched bitterly. This caused Hilly to give a dramatic eye roll and scoff.
   "Are you really that bored, dear? Guess someone shouldn't have given up their music lessons so quickly" she went to grab the flaunted paper.
    Jess quickly turned to dash down the stairs. Hilly right on her tail, screaming her name once again. Her bare feet flying from underneath her as she swung to turn. She gasped as her night dress came up, allowing her pale legs to feel the cold wooden floor. She saw her sister stop at the sound, and turn to look down at her with her mouth ajar. Mama M rushed out the kitchen, mumbling a simple 'oh' at the sight. Madam Alane walked in after; her 2 year old son on her hip. Her face was twisted in confusion. Her eyes shifted between her two daughters.
     " What in tarnation is goin' on here?"
  Hilly sent slit eyes to Jess, still laying on the floor.
    "Jess is just being childish, mother."
  "Am not! She fell all on her own!"
  Mama M quickly intervened, offering to take Nat Jr., who was giggling at his siblings banter, back into the kitchen to get his chocolate milk. Madam Alane handed him over then waved her off in dismissal. One of her hands rested on her hip, while the other went to her forehead. She let out a long sigh. She looked back to the girls.
     "Why are you on the floor Hilly?"
      "Yeah tell her Hildrid" Jess added, received a warning look from her mom.
      " I told you mother, Jess is being a childish brat at the moment. She took my letter, I just want it back" her mother raised a brow.
    "That's what this is all about? A letter?"
   Hilly simply nodded.
   "You have got to be more mature than that Hilly, you're a young woman! One of class at that, please learn to behave as such or no more off colleges for you. Get up and fix your dress." Hilly glumly held her head down as she slowly got off the floor. She moved her hands softly against her dress to straighten it out. Her cheeks were flushed from humiliation. Jess watched her sister in guilt. She couldn't believe she had acted the way she was a few minutes ago.
     "Jessabelle, hand the letter over to your sister please." Jess bit her lip while following orders.       Madam Alane nodded and left back to the kitchen, to continue whatever she was doing with Nat Jr. and Mama M. Jess then took the time to apologize before her sister scat off. She reached to touch Hilly's arm.
      " Um Hilly, I'm so sorry I did that and then got mother involved. It was very stupid and I knew I shouldn't have did it. I guess I just knew it'd be about the party and I'm always stuck in the study most of the time with the other kids. I got a little jealous, heated. I don't think you're the immature one at all..." Hilly twisted her face in distaste towards her last sentence, she quickly removed her arm.
    "This letter was about the party, it'll determine if the bakery out of town will come to cater tonight. It's a big thing, with my return added and all. You had no right taking it." Jess just looked at her. 
   "And as far as your apology goes, I'm happy you're not allowed to partake in the festivities." Hilly quickly added before running back up the stairs.
   "She didn't mean that baby doll, she's just a little hurt is all you know."
   Jess heard Mama M's words but just continued to look up the stairs silently. She knew she was a bad sister.