This Could Get Ugly / Conrad Fisher

Front, Formal, and Functional

TW: Mentions of triggering topics such as EDs, disordered eating, assault. This is the first and last warning.

I walked in the house right around 12 in the afternoon (I already needed to start getting ready for my mother's event, fantastic). It was already starting to heat up outside and I loved that even in September it would be hot. That's what I loved about living in the southern part of California. It was hot year round.

I entered the in from the side door when I saw Cameron making breakfast in the kitchen. She eyed me suspiciously.

"Coming home in the morning now, huh?"

Whenever she thinks she's being all sly, she gets this look on her face. Raised eyebrows and just a hint of a smile. I love my little sis. She's as easy to read as a book.

"Nope, I was just out for a morning walk."

"Of course, sure." My sisters and I have a pretty surface relationship on these things. I don't like to talk about my life to them, as the oldest I'm supposed to look like I've got it together.

Cara and Cameron are twins. They are freshmen this year at Villa Prep, the high school we all go to. I am a Junior. I love my sisters more than anything in this world. My parents have let me down a few times, but never my sisters.

I get myself a glass of water and watch her make her smoothie. She's always eating and has the most beautiful body. I wish I could do that.

Cameron is the level headed one, a little more serious than Cara. She picks up on things even when I don't share.

"And how's Jere, this morning?"

"He's really great, Cami." I laugh. She knows all.

"Is he coming to the event tonight?" She looks hopeful. I love that she loves him.

"Of course, he never misses. You know that."

Most famous people fundraise to look good for the public approval ratings. My mom is not like most famous people. She fundraises and personally organizes events once every few months. It's one of her best qualities. The parties are usually fun, not really press oriented. They're all about the homeless shelters she highlights.

My mom and Jere's dad have been friends for longer than I'd noticed (I wasn't as observant as Cam). Jere has been going to these events for years. It was only a few months ago that I had realized he went to them.

Jere always shows up. All the more to love about him. His commitment to others makes him a total sweetheart.

"Great, I can't wait to mess with him." Cameron loves to tease Jere; he's too easy to annoy and Cam eats it up.

"Will you give it a rest for one night," I joke, "the poor guy has had enough of you, don't you think?"

"Never," she grins and starts up the blender. I take that as my queue to head upstairs and shower.

As I'm heading up the stairs, I pass Jilly. She's our mom 2.0. Her real name is Jillian but when Cara was little, she had a lisp and couldn't pronounce her name correctly. It was so cute it stuck. I love Jilly too. She's like the aunt I never had and her daughter is the year between my sisters and I. We all got along, it was a perfect little group.

"Hey Jilly," I give her a smile.

"You look absolutely radiant, what's up?" Jilly knows when to make the good moods even higher and the bad moods not so bad. Naturally, I tell her everything.

"Oh, nothing," I say.

"You know I don't beg, Lina-bobena." She stopped me from moving up any more stairs.