F.B.A. (Famous By Association - Kendall Knight)

ONE

Have you ever been famous by association?

 Pro tip, don't.

 My life has been "Aren't you Taylor McKay's sister" or "your brother was so funny in that tv show". Having a famous little brother was a real pain in the ass. 

 Me on the other hand, I'm River McKay 16-year-old sister to the world's up and coming superstar who is currently on a flight to L.A., where that superstar and our mother live. 

The past 2 years I've lived with our grandma back in Maine, but she had gotten sick and eventually passed away. I got the news I had to move a few weeks ago when mom and Taylor were in town for the funeral. I hate funerals they're weird.

Tay lived at the Palm Woods "Home to the Future Famous" as Taylor worked off the debt our mother had dragged us into. In the past she had a bit of a gambling problem. Totally reformed now I suppose. I think she just stopped wishing to strike gold because she realized could just use her 13-year-old kid.

"Would you like a beverage miss?" I hadn't realized I was dozing off until the flight attendant spoke to me.

 "Uh yeah sure. Got any orange juice?" She smiled and nodded her head before walking away.

 Orange juice sounded good, not even for the fact that it was like 8:30 but just because it was delicious. 

She comes back a few minutes later with a half-filled plastic cup. I take it and thank her then try to sit back to relax. My watch tells me that there's only about 45 minutes left until we landed. My heart was pounding, how was I supposed to get used to all this? L.A.? Living with famous people? My brother being followed by paparazzi? 

I put in earbuds hoping to calm down especially before I had to see mom. She kind of worries about me. She's always freaking out asking if I'm okay over face time. Then I thought about Tay. I miss him. He's always been the sweetest kid. Sometimes I worry that being famous has changed him, I wonder if he still asks almost every stranger how their day is just because or if now it's something my mother tells him will look good for the magazines.

About an hour later I'm standing in the most crowded airport in existence trying to call my mother. I almost give up trying to call her when I hear my name. 

"River! Sweetie, River!" My mother was standing behind what I was assuming is her driver holding a white board that says, 'RIVER M.'

She looked different. Her hair didn't have the overgrown roots I was used to instead her hair was shiny and jet black like the old photos. Her face didn't seem tired, just aged and she had the most obnoxious pair of soccer mom sunglasses on I've ever seen. I walk over wheeling my suitcase behind me. When I approach, she throws her arms around me, and I feel a little startled. Mom wasn't a hugger.

"I've missed you, Honey!" I slowly return the hug.

 "I missed you too mom. Where's Tay?" She lets go and motions for the driver to take my bags. 

"Oh, you know airports can be a lot for our little star, is this all you brought?" She motions to my luggage. 

"Uh yeah" I say as the driver starts to take the backpack off my back, "And yeah, guess that makes sense. I can't wait to see him."

 "He's just as excited sweetie. Now, should we take you shopping?" I was about to say I didn't really feel like it, but it seems like it was more of a statement than a question. As I follow the driver and mom, I felt like I was in another universe. Since when did my mom hug people or get her hair done. Since when did we have a driver? It didn't feel like my family. I wondered what grandma would think of all this.