• song : sk8er boy / avril lavigne •
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'So you just press it down with the heel and that's it!'
'The heel and that's- AARGHH!!'
'Tate!'
I rushed to his side, checking him for any serious injuries. He scratched his knee a bit and his palms were full of fresh cuts, but apart from that he was okay. I tsked and helped him stand up.
'I said press it down with the heel not barely touch it.'
He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest defensively. 'I'm sorry Rodney Mullen but some of us weren't born on the skateboard like you.'
'You think too much about your next move,' I ignored his jab and tried to point out why he failed again. 'More importantly, you're not wearing protective pads and helmet.'
'Because I look like a gnome.'
'Safety's more important.'
He frowned. 'Ugh, you sound just like my grandma.'
My eyebrows stopped furrowing in an instant and a wide smile found its way to my face. 'Ooh, I love Grandma Jackson. She always gives me sweets.'
'Yeah,' Tate snickered, 'which makes you turn hyperactive and then I have to melt under Sophie's glare.'
I punched him in the shoulder and he whined loudly for the whole skate park to hear him. 'Party pooper. When will you learn to have some fun?'
'Never,' he replied with a small shrug, bending to grab his skateboard. 'It's what makes us a special duo. I'm the serious and responsible one. You're the tomboyish and crazy one. We balance- '
'Not another word Jackson or I swear I'll push you off the ramp tied to your board!'
He sighed and tugged me after him impatiently. 'Fine. Let's go home, I'm bored anyway.'
When his mum opened the door her big smile faded after seeing Tate's grumpy face and scratched knees.
She looked at me with a sad smile. 'I assume skateboarding didn't go well?'
Tate pushed past her with a groan and climbed upstairs, slamming the door of his room shut. With an apologetic shrug to Barbara I followed to find him stretched on the bed with Jill the Stuffed Parrot under his arm.
He groaned again, flashing me a finger. 'Go away Snow, I'm fine.'
'You actually have the guts to lie to me Jackson? Look at me. Look at me you little dipshit!' I yelled furiously, stomping my foot. At the sound of my raised voice he sat up, his dark brown eyes watching me gingerly.
'Jeez, what has gotten into you all of a sudden? Okay, before you start yelling I already know what you're about to say so there's no need for- '
I slapped him.
'What the hell was- '
I slapped him again.
'Snow- '
And again.
He learned the lesson and shut his trap.
'Now, listen to me.' I sat down on his bed, my feet dangling as usual. 'I'm sick of seeing you give up on everything you try. Soccer, art, journalism, chess ... and now skateboarding. You're only good at whining and being my best friend.'
He fell on his back, staring up at the ceiling covered with a huge astronomy map.
'Wow, thanks so much Snow.'
I ignored the sarcastic comment. 'You need to wake up Tate. You need to wake up and fight 'cause life won't treat you like Glandstone Glander,' I said watching him roll his eyes at my dramatics.
The thing is I've never been this harsh on him so he doesn't know how to react.
Picking up my skate and the backpack from where I dumped them, I shook my head dissappointed and headed out.
'See you in school, m'kay?'
He opened his mouth to speak but I already closed the door behind me.
Reaching the kitchen I stopped abruptly and ran back upstairs. Tate was still in the same position where I last left him.
His head snapped up when I coughed to get his attention and because he looked so sad and miserable guilt overhelmed me and I pulled him in a tight hug.
'Sorry for the slaps.'
His voice came out muffled. 'I barely felt them.'
Breaking the hug I narrowed my eyes at his indifferent face. 'Liar liar pants on fire.'
'That saying is for the kids,' he snorted and an evil smile spread across his face. 'But then again it's your age group, isn't it?' he started snickering so I pinched him and he fixed me with a glare. 'Stop hurting me!'
'Then stop talking.'
We were silent for a while, laying back down on his bed in the dark and staring up at the illuminated ceiling.
'Wanna watch Fantastic Four?'
'Shut up, you're ruining the moment.'
He didn't say anything but I knew he was grinning like a madman and truth be told, so was I.
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'Snow White Daphne Matthews! Get your ass to the kitchen right now!'
Startled by the sudden noise my nervous system kicked in and I found myself on the floor in a cocoon of duvet.
Sometimes I want to throw her out through the window for doing these things.
Groaning and cursing rapidly under my breath, I wiggled my way out of the warm covers and walked out of the room with my eyes half-closed and hands in front of me like a dead man.
I came back from Tate's an hour ago, went straight past Belle and Sophie who were gossiping in the living room and upstairs to my room.
Maneuvering my way through the house using only my special abilities I was able to reach the before-mentioned kitchen in no time. Sophie was waiting for me with arms crossed over her chest.
'Wha'?'
She narrowed her eyes which is always a bad sign. 'You do realize it's seven o'clock in the evening?'
There was definitely a catch somewhere. Carefully, I nodded, rubbing my sensitive eyes. 'Um, duh otherwise I wouldn't be sleeping.'
'And do you, by any chance, remember what I said about seven o'clock on Monday?'
I needed a few moments to clear my head from the pieces of dream that were still clinging before I could process her words. When it finally hit me, I mumbled an apology.
'It was a rough day.'
Sophie sighed, rubbing her temples.
'For you and me both. Go upstairs and change as quickly as possible, preferably into something formal,' she demanded, finishing her coffee and placing the cup inside the dishwasher.
'Er, I don't think that sort of clothes exists in my wardrobe.'
'I still have to wake up Ari and drag Belle from the bathroom so you'll have to find something without my assistance.'
Turning on my heel I walked back to my room, crashing back on the bed. The door opened almost immediately and a strong smell found its way to my nostrils.
'Not now Belle.'
She walked over to my bed wrapped in a towel, leaving the door open so I had to turn on the other side to avoid the bright light coming from the hallway.
'Snow, when Sophie calls you by your full name it means something serious is up. She told me to help you with clothes since this is a formal dinner and you're even more hopeless than Ari. Besides, we will lose our reservation if you don't hurry.'
Sophie finally managed to bring us all together and after two failed attempts of dinner we were finally going to one.
Yeah, even Ari.
Apparently yesterday Rhys heard Sophie was having problems trying to have us all together at one place and he forbade Ari from coming to his bar anymore if she doesn't attend the dinner.
Furthermore, when Sophie told her she's officially grounded because of the stunt she pulled this morning Ari only laughed in her face and slammed the door shut, torturing us by playing her electric guitar which was why I went outside with Tate in the first place.
I yawned, swatting Belle's hand away when she started tugging on my clothes. 'Not now. Go away, shoo. You're not welcomed.'
'Don't you 'shoo' me! I'm here to help.'
What does a person need to do in this house to get some rest?
'I don't need your makeup advice Belle, for the hundreth time.'
She sighed, getting up from my bag and starring for the door. 'You two are hopeless.'
'Copy that, now out.'
There was a noise in the back of my room and I angled my head to find her rumaging through my closet.
'Jesus, this looks like one of those storages Brandi and Jarrod end up buying,' she said, referring to the Storage Wars. 'When was the last time you cleaned it up?'
I've had enough of her snoopy ass here.
'Belle get the FUCK OUT of my room you insufferable bore!' I yelled and threw the first thing I've found, a mega-size Rubik cube, at the place I heard her voice from.
The cube hit the wall but not the target. The target scolded me for being a child before closing the door behind her.
Alas, utter silence.
It didn't last long because suddenly Ari and Sophie started arguing about her choice of footwear, their raised voices reaching my peaceful cocoon.
Clamping a pillow over my head I cursed the day I became a triplet.
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'Okay you're all ready, finally. Now, let's go through the rules again and this time without a single mistake. Belle, you can go and wait for us in the car.'
She nodded distracted by a text on her phone and walked away, shutting the door behind her.
'Why doesn't she have to go through this too?' Ari asked, seeking justice as always.
'Because your sister is the blessing and knew the rules while still in diapers,' Sophie snapped back at unfazed Ari.
Her ginger hair was still a mess and she was wearing two different shoes. She must've noticed me staring because she followed my line of sight and groaned, shooting us an accusing glare.
'Why didn't you tell me I'm wearing two different shoes?'
I shrugged, optioning for the harsh truth. 'It's funny.'
She opened her mouth to scold me but then dropped it and continued where she left. 'Now, I don't want any food fights, swearing or God forbid, punches.'
'So basically all the fun stuff,' Ari pointed out, but Sophie ignored the comment and raised her voice.
'You won't suddenly get into one of your moods when I tell you the news.'
'News huh? What news?' I asked, swaying on my heels back and forth.
'I'll tell you once we actually get there. Ah, and one more thing. No alcohol of any kind. No champagne. Use your fork and knife. Don't give tips to the waisters- '
'Like we have any money,' Ari muttered again, this time earning a pretty long stare from Sophie.
' -and certainly no earphones. Okay, I think that's all. Let's go before this reservation gets cancelled too.'
'Pity it already didn't,' Ari sighed in annoyance, placing the RayBans on the top of her head and securing the phone in her pocket before slamming the door open, Sophie yelling at her to respect the older neighbours.
Ari rolled her eyes and a second later slammed the car door after her.
'I really don't know what I did to deserve this,' Sophie groaned and I followed swiftly, eager to get inside the warm car.
✴
'Hey Sophie?'
'Hm?'
'What the fu- I mean, what's this?' I stopped myself on time, pointing at suspicious white sauce on my plate.
Out of all the places in this town Sophie took us to a Greek restaurant which meant we were stuck with questioning her about all the food in order not to end bent over the toilet.
'That's gyro sauce, more commonly known as tzatziki. Go on, try it.'
Hesitantly, I scooped a bit of the sauce on my fork and closed my eyes preparing for the worst.
The taste was a bit sour, but after I chewed it with seafood it got better. Sophie smiled knowingly and continued to talk to Belle. Something about free perfume samples at Macy's.
I glanced at who has Ari finished her meal about ten minutes after we've arrived and is now scrolling down her phone with earphones in her ears hidden by long hair.
Suddenly, Sophie cleared her throat and looked at us expectantly. I subtly nudged Ari with my elbow and she sighed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest with a hard expression on her face. At least she removed the earphones.
Sophie fiddled with her necklace nervously, a sign her nerves are a mess right now. She's always worried how we will take in things, but it's really only Ari she has to watch out for. Our big sister doesn't like changes. To be fair, she doesn't like anything that comes out of Sophie's mouth.
'Girls,' she started carefully, not quite meeting any of our eyes, 'I just want to say how I like living with you here. Sure, you are a handful, especially you Ari,' here she glared at her but the my stone-cold triplet said nothing, looking 'through' Sophie as if it's a boring old ghost and Ari's waiting for it to stop talking so she can stop pretending that she's listening.
'Sophie, quit stalling and tell us what this is about,' Belle demanded on the edge of her seat, forgetting the restaurant etiquette.
Sophie blushed slightly and retreated to her nervous wreckage persona. 'I-I got promoted on my job and- '
Belle clapped enthusiastically, cutting her off. 'Oh Sophie I'm so happy for you!'
'Wait there's m- '
Ari stood up angrily, a few guests turning to look at her but she paid them no mind.
'You called me here for this?!' she whisper-yelled, her nostrils flaring. 'Forget it, I'm so out of here.'
Sophie snapped back to reality and threw her a stern look. 'Sit down Ari. I'm not done yet.'
Running a hand through her wild hair she sat back and started texting someone underneath the table. I couldn't quite read the name of the person from where I was sitting, between her and Sophie, but my guess was that it was either Cade or someone else from the bar gang.
She doesn't really have friends besides them and somehow I don't think she wants to.
'So,' Sophie started again, more urgently this time, 'my boss offered me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Apparently, my company's stronghold is in England and he told me that, in case I decide to take up the promotion, we'll have to move there. Our trip and first month rent will be paid for and there's even a place for the three of you at one of the very prestige Academies there whom they are partners with. I guess what I'm saying is that ... we're moving,' she concluded tiredly, finally looking up to meet our eyes.
No one dared to speak, and the silence was becoming unbearable so she continued to talk, 'I know I'm asking much of you, but like I' said, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and not just for me. You could get to know a whole new country. Moreover, spending a semester and half at the prestige British school will enhance your career prospects. I really think we can all benefit from this.'
I wanted to be happy for her, I really did, but I don't think she knew what she was asking of us. My best friend was here. All my childhood memories are here. Our parents' graves are here.
Everything we did, everything we love is in this peaceful town, and Sophie wants us to leave all that so we could 'enhance our career prospects'?
To hell with that!
'Oh Sophie, that's ... Wow,' even Belle couldn't muster up anything more than that and I noticed her eyes weren't sparkling like usual nor was her posture straight. She too was taken aback with this proclamation.
There's a possibility we never come back. Belle might not display her emotions like Ari, but I could read on her face that she was slowly beginning to understand what exactly she'll lose.
That haughty friends of her, Friday night dates, weekly shopping trips with Sonja and her kindergarten crush who finally noticed her after all these years... These are the things even Belle, the most polite kiss-up in the world, won't let go of so easily.
Sophie turned to me and Ari with a sheepish smile, pink blush spreading across her cheeks. She knows her and me are the most difficult people to break the news to, especially Ari.
I met Sophie's eyes with a sad look, aware that the disappointment is visible on my face.
Her eyebrows furrowed and she opened her mouth to ask something but Ari stood up again, her fuming self finally reaching the breaking point. I sighed and hoped that drama doesn't happen this time.
My wish wasn't granted because the next moment Ari exploded like a ticking bomb who's been ticking for too long.
'No.'
Her face was a mask of rage and her silent yet deadly voice sent goosebumps down my hands and not the good ones. I was hella scared. She was clutching the table with her fingers, knuckles turning stark white.
Ignoring Sophie's horrified expression, Belle's uncertain glances from Sophie to me and my silence she was finally ready to spit out what she's been holding inside for too long.
Sophie was biting down on her lip nervously and playing with her necklace, the thing she always does before her explosions. This time it wasn't going to save her because Ari wasn't going to let it slide. Nobody was going to make her move away.
This is her hometown and she intends to stay here until she grows old. Finally, when the rage reached the point of no return, my older sister exploded.
'How dare you?!' she yelled red in face, eyes burning like two torches. 'You think just because a group of dicks decided to give us to your care, you have the right to choose the way my life will go?!' All the chatter died but that didn't matter to her. She had eyes and wrath only for Sophie, whose face was pale and stern.
Ari pointed a finger at her. 'Our parents' graves are here, my friends are here and I have no intentions to leave just because you got the opportunity to move to England! Well newsflash, I'm just peachy without you. We are orphans and nothing you do will change that, so stop fucking up my life just 'cause you always wanted to have kids. Unlike you, Sophie, I don't pretend everything's fine 'cause it's not. You're not my mother and you'll never be even close to her no matter how hard you try.'
With that she grabbed her bag and bolted out of the place, leaving the restaurant in utter silence and Sophie with tears falling down her cheeks.
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Hullo cool people!
Yikes, Ari really did it this time. Lol, anyone thought she would actually agree to Sophie's proposal? Yeah, right.
Alright, Tate! Thoughts about him, as which celebrity do you imagine him and what's your advice for his laziness? D'you have a friend like that?
What would you do if your stepmom told you you're moving to England?
I know I'd ask how much time I have before packing my stuff before seizing the opportunity.
Please be so kind to drop a vote / comment if you liked the chapter, thanks :)
T.