One Of Them

Chapter 12

~Ashton~

I twist and turn, the paper-thin mattress creaking.

"Ash?"

Through the darkness, I seek out Kaylie, her big blue eyes wide. "Yeah, what's wrong?"

She pads over to my bed. "I-I-I can't sleep. Mom has a bed cough and..."

I slide over for her. "You can stay here."

She smiles. "Thanks."

I push her dirty hair away from her face. She's so innocent and pure. I wish I could protect her better. "Anytime Kay, I'm here for you. Now go to sleep," I whisper, closing my eyes.

"Ash."

"Hmm."

"It's past midnight I'm eleven." Shoots I forgot.

I turn onto my side to face her. Eye to eye. "And what would the special birthday girl like to do tomorrow?"

Her eyes twinkle, lighting up the room as she smiles. "Make it a surprise, k?"

"Your wish is my command." I can't help but smile myself.

"You know you're the best big brother in the whole wide world."

"I know. Now go to sleep."

"Ok. Goodnight Ash."

"Goodnight Kaylie."

My eyes drift close and darkness envelops me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sabina~

I pull my damp hair away from my face in a messy bun before getting down to work by mopping the kitchen floor. First, the mop gets dipped into the soapy water and then scrubbed back and forth along the tiles as I hum a merry tune.

I know Ezra is watching me from the doorway, probably with a mean smirk on his face.

"Can I help you?" I ask, finally looking his way.

"Yeah, you can," he says, stepping into the room.

"Ezra, I just washed the floor!" I scold.

He freezes with a sheepish look on his face. "Oh right, sorry."

"Yeah, whatever. Now what did you want?"

"It's our day off. Why are you cleaning the house?"

"Because it needs cleaning." Duh.

He smiles mischievously. "Well leave it messy because we're going out."

I sigh. "Ok, fine." I could use some fresh air after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Ladies first." Ezra smirks playfully as he opens the door to the arcades for me.

"Thank you." I enter the dimly lit room of blinking neon-lighted arcades, Ezra close behind me.

"How many chips would you like?" The pink-haired girl behind the counter asks.

"One hundred, please," Ezra hands her the money.

"Enjoy your stay." She smiles, handing him the chips.

"Thanks." He stuffs the chips into his sweatpants and then turns to me, "What game would you like to play first?"

I shrug. "You choose."

"Ok." He takes hold of my hand and pulls me toward the back of the arcades where I know the dance machine is situated.

A hooded figure is already playing the game, his feet flying from metal arrow to metal arrow to match the coordinate arrows on the screen.