Sullivan Siblings

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"Shut the front door!" I exclaim with a grin before jumping into Astrid's body and tackling her to the ground.

"Not again!" She moans, kicking and wiggling to be free of my grasp. Sucks to be her, I have eight purple belt juju meow brothers that sometimes wrestle with me. Suddenly she freezes, causing me to pause as well. "ZAYN!"

"Ermergerd, where?!" I jump off of her, roll on the ground, kneel like superman landing and stand up, brushing my hair out of my face and tugging grass from knotted strands. Zayn absolutely cannot see me in such a state!

"Haha, loser!" Astrid cackles, doubling over and slapping her knee. Per usual, her shirt is two sizes too big and some sort of bright colour with a pair of black leggings and a raggedy pair of running shoes. I think she's poor like Katie. They make me feel well off for always having food on the table and new clothes to wear, even if I don't technically wear them.

"Oh, you–!" My feet slip on the grass like the Road Runner from Looney Toons. As I try to gain traction a teachers voice discards that idea.

"You are not Selena Gomez, you can keep your hands to yourself!"

"Five bucks and I will!" I holler back, pointing at Astrid when the teacher looks our way. It was her, I mouth but clasp my hands behind my back when Astrid looks at me.

"How 'bout a detention?" Is the female teachers counteroffer.

"It's okay." I wave her off with a sheepish look. "I got a dollar, dollar. A dollar is what I need!"

"We was po' folks livin' in a rich folks' world. We sure were a hungry bunch." Astrid grins at me. If I was romantic I'd call the next look I gave her a love locked gaze or some other sappy thing.

"Ermergerd!" I squeal, totally ignoring the teachers warning and pouncing on Astrid. I wrap my legs and arms around her, practically suffocating her in my excitement and shouting in her ear. "I can't believe you know that song! I'm not the only old soul here! Do you even know when that song is from? No? 1961, Bill Anderson! I am in love with you!"

"You were supposed to keep it going!" Astrid complains and tickles my armpit. I leap like a jackrabbit to get away from her intrusive hands.

"Oh! Okay!" I jump up and down excitedly, songs barreling through my mind. Too many, too fast. "I wrote my new song on a five dollar bill but I won't be able to sing it until I get hot on the trail for to pick up the track of the dirty little thief and get my five bucks back!"

"I got it!" Astrid declares after a silent moment, fist pumping the air. I ignore a group of classmates staring at us like we're the crazy characters from Loony Toons. "Money. Get away. You get a good job with more pay and you're okay!"

"Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition and yawn and stretch and try to come to life!" I'm jumping up and down again, clapping my hands to the beat as I scream the lyrics of Dolly Parton's most well known song very off key.

"Take this job and shove it! I ain't working here no more! My woman done left and took all the reasons I was working for!" Astrid shouts Johnny Paycheck's song. The bell rings, signalling the end of our measly five minute break between classes.

"You are, like, officially, seriously, my best friend!" I squeal, heel kicking my butt as I clap my hands. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much within these last five minutes.