A Family Affair (Hunter Street)

Chapter Seventeen -- A Break in the Adventure

THE HOUSE WAS quiet as Anika quickly got dressed in her room. Evie was sleeping in the top bunk, her soft snores filling the silence. Anika knew she needed to be quiet as she pulled on her pants, but she was struggling to put her feet through the legs of her holey jeans. Her feet kept spilling through the holes, and she nearly tipped over. Holding onto her bed, she managed to stay upright and finish putting her pants on. 

Letting out a sigh, she grabbed her phone from where it was plugged in. She glanced at the page pulled up on her screen, her heart hammering in her chest. Something special was happening downtown Amsterdam, and it started early in the morning. She wanted to be one of the first people there so she could get her siblings and friends the best gifts for Christmas. 

She shoved her phone into her back pocket, and she tiptoed over to her closet. Slowly swinging open the door, she grabbed her jacket that was hanging from the inside of the closet. She put her arms through the sleeves and felt the pocket, glad to feel her money purse sitting in the left pocket. She quickly and quietly shut the door and slid her feet into a pair of light blue tennis shoes, the color matching her shirt. 

Anika moved over to the door and swung it open, praying that the hinges wouldn't squeal. Someone must have been listening to her because it was totally silent. She headed out into the hallway and shut the door behind her, hoping that no one else was up. Walking on her tiptoes, she walked toward the stairs. Unfortunately for her, she heard someone softly clear their throat to her right. 

Turning that way, she saw Tess leaning against the doorframe to her room. She was dressed in her pajamas and wore a frown on her tired-looking face. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "And why so early?"

"Did I wake you up?" Anika asked instead of answering her older sister. "Sorry if I did."

"I haven't had my coffee yet. Please answer the question, Nika."

Anika sighed, scrubbing a hand across her face. "I'm going to a small Christmas market downtown," she says. "I'm finishing up my Christmas shopping, even though I did shop a lot back in Mexico and through the rest of the year."

"You're not meeting up with the boys?"

"No."

"Because I don't really care if you do. Well, I do if you share our clues, but if you want to see them, that's fine."

"Just like you saw Max?" Anika asked, grinning widely. Tess stands up straight, her tiredness suddenly disappearing. "I was the one who let him go, just so you know. You tied him up pretty tight!"

"I didn't --"

"It's whatever if you shared clues," Anika said, shaking her head. "We've all done it at one point or another, so don't worry about it." She pointed to the stairs, and Tess nodded once. "Can I go now?"

"Go ahead." Tess shot her a smile. "Have fun and get me a good gift!"

"I will. Love you."

"I love you too, Nika."

They shared a grin before Tess shut the door to her room. In the early morning sunlight, Anika made her way down the wooden stairs, skipping over the squeaky parts. Soon enough, she was exiting the house and walking down the sidewalk, following the GPS on her phone. This was the perfect time to think about what happened yesterday.

Anika was confused as to why Sal and Jasmyn were lying to her. Something was going on between them, and she was the best person to talk things through with. She was upset that they lied to her. Hurt run up and down her spine, and it felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders because of them, the treasure hunt, being split up from everyone she loves . . . she could go on and on.