Ruby

~Chapter One~ Alarm Clock

"How's Frank?" Mrs. Lee asked Mom. Frank was my father's name. Dianne was my mom's name.

"He's on a business trip in New York." Mom responded.

"Sounds like he's having a good time then." Mrs. Lee said as she put down her bags. Mom was carrying two bags as well. I didn't see what was inside though.

"Yes, but it says it really windy and cold."

"I'm sure."

"While those two are talking." Vivian said. "Is Chloe home?"

"Yes." I looked at Mother's bags. For some reason, I got curious if she bought me anything.

"You doing anything this weekend?" Hannah asked. Vivian sighed.

"Just shopping. Not my favorite thing to do."

"How can you not like shopping?" I asked. Vivian then sighed. She put down her bag and asked if we bought anything. "Ya. I got these ear rings." I pulled out the pair of jewelry. Hannah showed Vivian the shirt that she bought and also the coat.

"That it?" She asked.

"We also have some nail polish we got for my aunt's birthday."

"You're thoughtful."

"You girls want to go home now? I'm tired of shopping." Mother asked. Hannah and I nodded.

"Lucky. I still have things I have to buy." Vivian complained.

"Come on. We now need to find some shoes that'll actuality fit you." Mrs. Lee said. Vivian sighed again walked away with her mother after grabbing her bag.

"Lets get into the car." Mom said and picked her bags back up while gesturing towards the door. We all walked out the front door while carrying our items and hopped into the car. Mom drove us home to my house in her white car which I still didn't know what kind it was.

When the sound of the key unlocking the front door reached Chip's ears, he immediately started barking. I walked through the door first with Hannah behind me. We each were carrying a bag. I put mine down before Chip made it to the door. I picked him up he continued to bark. He was happy to see me.

"What took you guys so long? I thought that you were just going out to a movie." Chloe asked when she entered the room. Mom walked through the door and took all the bags into the family room, which was different from the living room.

"You knew?" I asked.

"I'm not an idiot." I put Chip back down and closed the door. Hannah and I took off our shoes and asked again what took us so long.

"We went shopping after."

"Without me?"

"Pretty much." Chloe was obviously frustrated. She left the room and went upstairs with her arms crossed. Hannah shrugged and I rolled my eyes. We then went into the family room which was bigger than the living room, but had similar furniture. There were more windows and had a big flat screen TV. The living room is where we do reading, homework, simple study time, and the family room is where we do entertainment and things. There was an office connected to the living room actually which is where my father did his work for his job.

In the family room, the bags from the mall were placed on the couch.

"Ruby, you can hang out with Hannah for a while then we'll take her home. After that, I'll take you and Chloe to the train station." Mom said.

"Okay." I responded.

"Hannah, does your parents that you've been gone this long? I should've asked you that earlier."