Forced Rogues

Chapter 1

"Breakfast is ready!" The call came from the kitchen. Kenelm smiled when he walked in and saw his sister beginning to take the plates to the adjoining living room.

"Forget the coffee?" He asked, taking long strides into the room to offer his help.

"Forget the coffee?!" She mocked him, looking horrified. "Never! How could you suggest such a thing?" Her pretended offense didn't have any bite as a large smile spread across her face. Kenelm raised his eyebrow at his sisters antics, leaning back onto the counter.

"Are you seriously going to pull that today?" He asked, her smirk answering his question.

"I suppose not. Head to the kitchen and grab the coffee please?" She tipped her head towards the door, finally setting the plates down on the coffee table.

"So," Kenelm's voice rang from the kitchen, as he poured the dark liquid into two cups, "When do you have to go into work today?" He grabbed the cups and started walking back towards the living room, watching his sister sit in front of a plate.

"I actually got the day off today." She motioned him to the other plate, signing her thanks.

"Really? That's awesome! You haven't had a true day off in a while." He dug into the food that she had made, enjoying her cooking.

"Maybe, but you can't say that it isn't good money."

"True. Still you would think Suzi could let her best waitress off now and then." Jalayna laughed, sitting back with her coffee.

"I would think that's exactly why I hardly get time off Kenelm. You know that I couldn't risk this apartment for fewer hours. It was a main source of income."

"But did your school really have to suffer because of it?"

"It didn't suffer much. Besides, now that you're working part time, I'm able to drop my hours back. I'll be starting my senior year this year, at the actual high school." She said nonchalantly, only the twinkle in her eye betraying her intent.

"Oh well that's goo... Hold up, what now?!"

"I said that we're making enough money for me to drop my hours down. It helps that I was able to save a bit of cushion to be able to comfortably drop my hours so I could go to school."

"No. Fucking. Way!" Kenelm said, but one look at what his sister was wearing proved that she was telling the truth. Instead of her normal waitress outfit or her lounge clothes, she was wearing a biker style outfit, one he hadn't seen her don in a while. She normally only wore it for the trips for their side business. A smile seemed permanently implanted on her face.

"You're seriously doing this. Do you know how crazy this is? Did Suzi push you to this?"

"Maybe a little." Jalayna admitted. "But I did take the initial steps myself. I'm all set, I just have to pick up my schedule from the office."

"This is amazing! I can't believe that you were finally able to do this. I know we've been struggling for so long, but now we can get a break and finally stop struggling!"

"We'll never stop struggling Kenelm." Jalayna admitted, sobering the conversation. "There won't be a way for us to comfortably live until the curse is gone." Kenelm immediately became somber, watching his sister stand and grab their dirty dishes. Her shirt raised and he saw one of the many scars on her body. The largest one spanned diagonally across her back, and was given to her by their father before they escaped. He remembered the day she had gotten that scar, because the broken bottle was meant for him.