Absolutely Nothing

Chapter 1.

 Picture of Natalie to the side      

        “Mom...Ma, I can't breathe!”

I huff in to my mom's thick dark hair as she squeezes the life out of me. “Oh, c'mon Natalie. It's just a hug,” she says in between sniffles.

I sigh and decide not to resist, even though I can almost feel my face turning blue. About a minute later, I feel her boa constrictor-like arms relax. Finally, she pulls her arms completely away and places her hands on both sides of my face. She shakes her head and gives me a sad, smile smile.

“What kind of mother am I to be leaving you with my crazy sister the week before you head off to your new school?” She says for about the fiftieth time today while shaking her head.

And I say, for the fifty-first time today, “Mom, why in the world would you pass up the chance to go to France with your best friends just for me?”

“Well...maybe staying here would be more fun,” she offers.

“You know if you want, I'd be happy to take that ticket if you'd really rather stay here,” I half joke.

She rolls her eyes and gives me a sloppy kiss on the cheek before hugging me one last time.

        When she pulls away, I wipe the tears from her eyes. “Hey, I'll see you on Christmas. Don't burn the house down while I'm gone,” I tease. She laughs, tears still running down her cheeks as she tucks some hair behind my left ear before she speed walks to her car. I wave at her as she pulls out of the driveway.

        I take in my surroundings. The place looks a lot different since I was last here about five years ago. Back when mom and dad were together, we used to stay at the lake house every summer for a week or two, but ever since they split up, my mom and I never really left the city. I've always liked it out here with the fresh air and thicket of trees surrounding the house and dirt road.

Behind me, I hear the screen door slam so I turn around to see Aunt Jamie walking towards me. “Good lord, that woman's finally gone,” she smiles, referring to her sister – my mother. “I got through a whole damn CSI episode waiting for her to finally drive away!”

I laugh and give her a tight, quick hug.

        She looks me up and down and I do the same. She's wearing the regular – a tight white tank top with a black bra showing through, and jean short-shorts – the kind that my mom would definitely despise. She pulls it off though, considering she only weighs about 110 pounds and she's just about as fit as it gets. Tattoos cover ever inch of her right arm, she has five piercings on each ear, a nose piercing, a lip ring, and pastel pink hair to top off her whole look. To say the least, my mom and her are polar opposites. Only god knows how they're related.

“Holy hell, Natalie. You look fucking fine!” She says, wide-eyed. I giggle at her word choice and roll my eyes. “Look who's talking! You're almost 35 and you don't look a day older than 19!” I laugh.

“You act like 35 is old or something,” she smirks, swatting my arm. I laugh, and walk in to the house, holding three of my bags, while Jamie holds the other two. She shows me to my room and helps me choose out an outfit, because according to her, it should be illegal to wear a Beatles shirt like the one I have on. No one knows why she hates that band so much, but then again, no one's ever dared to question all mighty Aunt Jamie. She ends up picking a casual white sundress that tightens around my waist and hangs loosely to about mid-thigh.

        We make our way down to the kitchen where a table full of food is layed out neatly on the table.

“Jamie, what'd you do all this for?” I ask, suddenly feeling my mouth water. She gives me a sinister look and smirks, “You think I had you put on that cute dress for nothing?” My confused look obviously gives her the hint that I don't understand what she's getting at. “I want you to meet my boyfriend. Also, he's bringing his cousin with him. He's your age!” she sings the last words and I roll my eyes. “A little birdy told me that he's quite the looker too,” she winks. I playfully nudge her right as the doorbell rings.