Scarlett 'Arranged Marriage'

Chapter2

Sira's P.O.V.

Something is definately wrong. I've been breaking my parents rules all week and I haven't even been yelled at. That and my mom's been crying. Not that I was spying or anything, but the walls are only so thick when ur listening from the bathroom right next door. It might have something to do with the fact that my birthday is tomorrow. Or that something totallyhuge that is gonna give me aMAJOR gimme-all-the-tylenol-we've-got-in-the-house-headacheis gonna happen. Man, I seriously hope that it's just that my birthday is tomorrow. I thought about this as I walked back to the house from Jade's a few blocks over. Her parents were gone for the weekend so she decided to throw a HUGE early birthday/just cuz party at her house, inviting everyone from the 8th grade up til seniors in college (I tried to talk her out of it, but once she gets an idea in her head there is no reasoning with her). I crossed the grass, threw my bag on my back, and climbed up the wall of the house. Quietly, I snuck onto my balcony, keeping my back facing the inside of the house. "It's about time you got back, Red. I was just about to go out looking for you."

Quickly, I turned around to see Owen sprawled out on my couch. "God, Owen! You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you were dad!" I shreiked. "Dad only wished he looked this good. And anyway, he left about...", he looked at his watch. "Three or four hours ago." "Oh," I replied as I sat on my bed. I was kinda wishing I had stayed home now, cuz I didn't even get to tell dad goodbye. "He told me to tell you he said goodbye, and that the next time he came back, he would have a new charm for your bracelet." Owen said, sitting up on the couch. Owen can always guess my mood, and he must've noticed that I was kinda sadthat I didn't get to see dad before he left. See, my dad's in the army, and whenever they call for him to leave, he has to leave. No matter what. So, when I was littler, he started bringing me back charms for my bracelet from wherever he had gone to. I always wore my bracelet. "Whatever," I said to Owen, and got up to close the balcony doors. The air outside was making my room cold. "Don't be like that. You know dad would rather be here for your birthday than anywhere else in the world. And he's been to some pretty cool places," he said walking up and tapping the charm from Japan. I smiled and said," Yeah, I know. But that doesn't stop me from being mad about it though. And anyway, you never come to my room, so what do you want?" "That's a MARVELOUS way to greet your oldest brother, who came home JUST for YOUR birthday," he said stressing the syllables, trying to make me feel guilty. It worked. "I'm sorry," I said to him. "What is it that you would like o wise oldest brother?" "We're having a family meeting. My room. 20 minutes. Be there," he said as he headed for the door. "Wait," I called to him. "Is the family meeting including mom, or not?" He turned around and looked at me with his gorgeous hazel eyes in amusement. "It's 3:40 in the morning, Red. What do you think?" Then, he turned and left the room.