Cruise - Lauren Cimorelli

Prologue

I study the girl next door as she continues to dance in her room - her dark brown, wavy hair bouncing as she does so. I can hear the song she's listening to; MKTO's Classic. It's clear she's not afraid to sing along - I can't deny that her voice is hypnotizing. It gives me goosebumps on the back of my neck, my arm hairs standing on edge. 

I watch as another girl jumps in, appearing out of what seems to be from nowhere. She's much taller than the other girl, and has much lighter hair and paler skin.

She grabs the original girl's hand and starts dancing with her, smiling and giggling together uncontrollably which makes me smirk the tiniest amount, before realizing how creepy this actually is - staring at my neighbors having fun together, is quite disturbing and if I was them; I would be kind of worried for my safety. 

I close the blinds before sighing to myself, wondering what in the world I could be doing at this moment to take my mind off the girl next door. It's weird how I've grown up next to her; but I've never spoken a word to her, let alone do I know her name or even have the courage to talk to her. 

She could after all be a total bitch, because that's what people think of us homeschooled girls. That we're either freakishly religious with no social skills or totally stuck-up and bitchy. However, I'm not one to judge considering I'm homeschooled myself. 

"Vesperia," I hear a voice echo into my room, glancing up from the floor where my eyes had fallen I notice one of my sisters, Jacinda. She's nearly sixteen and nearly four inches taller than me at 5'9. 

Flicking her jet-black hair off of her shoulders, she inches closer to me - her eyebrows furrowed intensely. Normally I wouldn't care so much, but when Jacinda clearly has tears in her eyes which she's trying to hide and I'm unaware to what is going on.

"It's mom,"  tears slowly fall down her cheeks; her eyes wide with agony and hesitation. Drawing a deep breath, she steps closer to me again - throwing her arms around me. "JJ took her hospital, she was screaming like crazy and hyperventilating." She pauses again, inhaling harshly - almost as if she's desperate for another gasp of air, but I would be too if I had to deliver news like this. "She said something about her stomach feeling like it was going to explode."

In this moment, I feel my heart sink and shatter into at least twenty-four tiny pieces, obviously Jacinda can see it on my face, not to mention the tears that are struggling against me to fall out of my electric green eyes. 

"Is JJ okay? How did she handle it?" I try and change the subject which just causes Jacinda to shrug, shaking her head as she tries to collect herself, which quite frankly - she is doing a fantastic job of. 

"She handled it like JJ - you know, completely calm and laid-back style?" She lets out a light, slightly pained laugh which causes her to choke a little bit. "I'm just scared. I hope it's nothing serious."

"Mom say she doesn't want us to live here by ourselves, not even alone with JJ." Jacinda sighs before looking up from her phone that reveals a text from our eldest sister. "She firstly doesn't want dad looking after us since she certainly doesn't trust him and doesn't want us missing school. She want us to go to the Cimorelli's until she gets home." 

"Ugh," I groan placing a hand to my forehead, feeling absolutely exhausted from this day. It went from amazing to awful really quickly. "Are you serious?"

"I wish I wasn't being serious in all honesty." Jacinda breathes before shrugging. "JJ says that mom says Lisa and Christina are going to come and help us carry our bags over."

"Where do these girls even freakin' live? I so don't feel comfortable with this."

"Mom must trust them and be close with them if she's choosing them over dad."

"But dad's an asshole."

"That's true," Jacinda agrees before punching me softly in the arm. "They live next door apparently. We'll just have to see when Lisa and Christina come over."

"Uh," I hesitate before shaking my head. "We're going next door? Is that what you just told me?"

"Yeah, I think so." Jacinda flops herself down on to her bed, her eyes slightly closing. "It's going to be awkward, huh?"

"I guess so, just a little bit." I agree before falling down next to her. "I don't really want to think about what JJ will say when she comes back."

"Then don't," Jacinda exhales before rolling over to face me, her bright blue eyes meeting my exotic green ones. "We don't have to. All we have to do is pack our bags and hope for the best."