Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 7 - Sister Trouble

If it weren't for his sister, Stacy, Jake Mason would have said his goodbyes to his friends earlier in the day instead of having to stay up all night partying with everyone. Jake figured he'd keep an eye on Stacy at his friend Bryce Jensen's party because she had been behaving oddly and secretive since she woke up earlier than that morning. It was as if she were avoiding him whenever she could. He had a feeling she was up to something that was going to get her into trouble somehow. Not that she would care, because she always managed to talk her way out of it. Of course, Jake wanted to keep her safe but deep down he knew he was sick of her getting away with everything since he never got away with anything ever.

Stacy was leaving in a couple of days to go on a college tour, but he was taking off in the morning. The thought that they would fight the night before made his head sick. Jake just wanted to make sure that Stacy wasn't adding to her plans during her one week of freedom. Besides it would also be the last time he would see his friends until the summer, as his plans for spring break were devoted to Brittany in Hawaii this year to romance her patience.

The long drive that awaited him in the morning was filled with a glorious path of skiing, gambling, a beautiful girl, and lots of love. He couldn't wait to get on it, so this night of babysitting was more of an annoyance than anything. Normally he could trust Stacy, but it seemed that since he moved out to go to college, she had given herself much more freedom than their parents did when he lived at home. It wasn't really that he didn't trust her, he was worried about her innocence which was something she tried to hide instead of being proud to keep. Jake had seen so much violence through his uninhibited visions. It was Stacy that was raised in a fluffy clouded bubble. They both had physical defensive training to protect themselves, but neither had ever had to use it. Jake had seen blood, she had only heard stories.

He opened her bedroom door without knocking and she screamed startled. Jake saw all he needed to see.

"Oh, hell no! And that is why I am going tonight." Jake said. Stacy jumped into a pair of sweatpants and ran past him, but he didn't need to rush because he knew where she was going.

"Mom, tell him he can't go to the same parties I go to." Stacy called out as she walked into her mother's home office where Alicia was working on an upcoming wedding. She was just hanging up the phone just as her daughter burst in yelling. Jake had trailed two steps behind Stacy. At six feet, he towered over her average height with a sneer on his lips. Their mother looked up at them with a set smile prepared for the conflict that had nearly interrupted her phone call.

"Mom, you know that normally Stacy doesn't care if I go with her anywhere, because then she is guaranteed a ride home." Jake looked at Alicia with eyebrows raised expecting her to deny it, before he continued but she said nothing.

"She is up to something. I'm going. Even though she drives now, I'd be glad to give her a ride." Jake said with a smirk of a smile without adding coal to the fire.

Stacy turned to him and snapped like a wild alligator whose tranquilizer had just worn off.

"I am not up to anything."

"Show her what you are wearing to the party then." He said with a wicked smile stretched across his half Cheyenne boy face, giving him a sinister look.

"Mom doesn't care what I wear, as long as I am responsible and smart about everything I am doing." Stacy protested as she stood with her arms crossed across her chest. It looked like a defiant stance from his sister, but he knew Stacy better than she thought he did when he caught the look of worry cross her face faster than a shadow on the wall of a passing car.

"That's true." Her mother said quietly. Stacy's confidence returned and grinned at her brother.

"Show Mom the skirt then." Jake challenged Stacy.