Read. Read. Turn page. Read. Read. Turn page.
"You've been doing this for an hour," Juli complains. "You need to get out of this house and do something fun for once."
"I am," Paige argues. "Can't you see I'm reading?" Turn page.
"I meant my definition," Juli says. "Come on, get up and party!"
Paige growls. "If I do it, will you shut up about me not having your definition of fun for a while?" she asks.
"Mayyybe," Juli drawls.
"That's a yes from her," Emery says. "I do have to admit, it's been a while since you did something different other than reading and working."
Paige thinks about it, and then bookmarks the page she's on and closes the book. She ignores Juli's squeal of triumph as she gets up and puts on a jacket. She goes downstairs and walks to the front door. She hears someone walking behind her. Paige turns around and sees her sister.
"Where ya going?" Anika asks.
"Somewhere," Paige replies.
"Aw, you should've said the club!" Juli says.
"That's not something you want Paige to say to Anika," Emery says.
"Oh. Good point."
"Then where?" Anika presses.
"I'm just going to be running a few errands," Paige lies. She pats her pockets and finds that she doesn't have the car keys. She goes to the kitchen and finds them on the counter. "Can I trust you to stay here with mom?" she asks.
"Of course you can," Anika says, pouting. "I'm not a baby."
"No, but you're young." Paige bends down and hugs her sister. "Behave while I'm gone, alright?"
Her sister huffs. "Fine."
"Great. See you later."
______
Five minutes into driving, Paige hears Juli talking again. "Where can we go that's fun for me and boring to you?" she wonders.
"I'm not boring!" Paige exclaims. "I don't want to get in trouble all the time. That's all!"
"Paige has a point, Juli," Emery says.
"That's because you're boring, too!" Juli says. "I'm the only one here who knows fun!"
"Maybe if you have read a book once in a while instead of complaining, you'd knows Paige's kind of fun, too," Emery shoots.
"Both of you, calm down," Paige says, scowling. She stops at a red light. "You're acting childish and I don't want to hear it. I don't care how entertaining you are." She ignores the weird look from the diver next to her. "Where's the nearest café?"
"I think it's on the right at the next stoplight," Juli suggests.
"Thank you for your cooperation," Paige says.
"You're welcome!"
The light turns green, and Paige starts driving. "I'm putting down a couple of rules for you, Juli," Paige says.
"Why not Emery?" Juli asks, sounding annoyed that she's the one who has to follow them.
"He's more of a conscience than a pest," Paige answers.
"Hey!"
"First rule," Paige continues, ignoring the party animal's protest, "is you're going to let me do what I want to do." She changes lanes. "Second rule, and that's you don't complain at all."
"Might as well make her mute," Emery chuckles.
"You meanie-face!" Juli tells Emery.
"Am I wrong?"
"And the third rule," Paige interrupts. "You don't get to tell me to have more fun for the week. Am I clear?"
"Fine," Juli grumbles.
"Good." Paige turns right at the next stoplight, like what Juli says, and she keeps driving until she sees a building with a coffee symbol. "Found the place," she announces. "Remember the rules, Juli?"
"Yeah."
"OK. Let's go in."