Deadlines

Chapter One EDITED:

The florist smelt like it always did. Grandma stood behind the counter, finishing up with a customer before heading our way. She smiled big at me, but when her gaze turned on Mom, she frowned. "Delilah Jane, I thought you were on bed rest!" Mom was pregnant. She was so pregnant that I thought her stomach would burst any minute. I was excited to have someone around the house to play with besides Dustin. I had decided that Dustin was some sort of spawn of Satan.

"Payton, my little angel, come here," Grandma held out her arms and I walked quickly into her embrace.

Grandma was my favorite person on the planet. "We need flowers for Jilly Bean's room, Gramma," I tell her, pointing up at Mom's stomach. With nothing more than a smile, Grandma took my hand and led me into the back green room.

There were already three bouquets set up on a table before me, three different beautiful arrangements and Grandma already knew which one I would choose. Without hesitation, I picked the pretty pink ones. "Those are my favorite," I smile.

Grandma nodded knowingly. "Perfect. Would you like to know why they're perfect, Payton?" I nod with wide eyes. "There are cherry blossoms," she tells me, placing the arrangement in my small hands. "They symbolize power and love and beauty and you, Payton, are the most beautiful girl in the entire world."

Thirteen Years Later

My morning was uneventful. Dustin, my idiot of a twin brother, hogged the bathroom, so I ended up not having enough time to do my hair. I dropped a giant glob of toothpaste right on the chest of my shirt deeming it unwearable and my right Converse shoe was officially damaged with a hole putting my big toe on display. My hair went up in a bun, my shirt was changed, and I covered the hole in my shoe with duct tape. I don't think the rest of my day could be saved with duct tape.

Downstairs Jill and Dad were at the kitchen table, Mom was at the stove making French toast and Dustin was nowhere to be found. That was fine by me.

I walk passed Mom to get to the fridge and she kisses me on the cheek. "Morning, lovely. Breakfast?" I shake my head and grab a apple from the fridge.

"No time, have to leave soon if I don't want to be late." I bite into the apple and reach for the car keys on the counter. They're taken from my hands before I get a full grasp on them.

"In your dreams, Pay," Dustin chuckles, dangling the keys above my five foot frame. I fake a kick to his balls. He doesn't even flinch. I sigh.

"We need to leave, Dus--"

"Hey Mom, check this out," Dustin interrupts me, gripping his shorts and shoving them down to his ankles.

"Oh my God! Dustin are you kidding me?" Jillian shrieks, dropping her fork to cover her eyes.

"What on earth are you doing, Dustin?" Dad places his newspaper on the table and raises his eyebrows.

Dustin twists and points to the back of his upper thigh. "Check it." On his skin was a fresh, new tattoo of a grey anchor. I had to admit, it really was awesome.

"What does it mean?" Mom chimed in.

"The hell if I know. Maybe I'll win a boat or something," Dustin grins and then pulls his shorts back up, sticking his phone in his back pocket. "So, Payton. Anything new for you today?" He pauses and chuckles. I glare at him. "Oh! That's right! You don't haven't even gotten your first yet!" He laughs again. "Tattooless and clueless, you know what they say," he winks and I lunge for him.

"Dustin!" Dad barks. "Be nice to your sister."

"I am nice to my sister, aren't I Jilly?" Dustin smiles at Jillian who doesn't look the least bit amused.