Opposites Attract

Chapter Three

"Ashley, Ashley... Wake up." I hear someone whisper in my ear. I turn over, not looking, trying to fall back asleep. Suddenly, I feel ice cold hands hold my ankles and before I even process what's going on, I'm swiftly pulled off my bed onto the floor.

"What the hell?" I yell, I open my eyes, feeling rage, and see a smiling Julian.

"You have to get up sunshine." He smirks and I glare.

"Don't touch me ever again." I say, my tone low.

"Oh what are you going to do about it? Is that some sort of threat?" His voice becomes snooty and I take a deep breath.

"Maybe. It. Is." I smirk.

"Ooo, and what are you going to do? Hurt me? By the look of you, I doubt you could even closely hurt me." He chuckles, taking a look at me.

"You don't want to be the one to find out, jerk." I stand to my feet and push past him, harder than I would normally do.

"Oh, c'mon, Ash! Why are you so upset?" He laughs, I don't dare look back.

"You." I mumble and walk through the open doorway, I immediately smell breakfast and I hear my stomach growl, I can always rely on food to make any bad day better.

"Mmm, pancakes, bacon, and eggs." I manage a small smile, looking forward to the meal. I take a seat at the table where my parents were and Julian takes a seat right next to me, I roll my eyes.

Dishing up my food, I decide to eat in silence. I don't want to give him another opportunity to make fun of me, or start something once again... After we pray, I begin to eat my food, listening to the small conversations between the three of them. It wasn't too hard to tell that Julian was just as cold to my parents as he was to me. Hopefully, I won't see him at school, and he won't try to talk to me, at all. I hope he gets lost on campus and I leave and he doesn't find his way home; yeah, that sounds like a great day.

"Honey, you need to take Julian to school today. Make sure you show him around and introduce him to a few people." Julian leans back in his chair, and by the way we both changed our reactions, both of my parents clearly knew that we did not enjoy each other.

"Why?" Our voices mingling together as we ask at the same time.

"Julian, as long as you are here, you need to do the same exact things as Ashley, that means that you have to go to school, and you have to do chores. You have responsibilities, son, welcome to the real world." My father smiled, standing to his feet to rinse off his plate. Julian doesn't respond to my father, I study his face and see that he doesn't grumble or roll his eyes. I guess my father must scare him a little, plus, if he messes this up, then I don't know if there is another place for him in the system.

"Today, you are going to go out and help Ashley to start off, she will show you the ropes around this place. Once you get home from school today, you are expected to do the same thing, understood?" My mom spoke to him sternly, but still kind.

"Well, what do I need to do?" Julian looked at us, and I chuckled, he is not going to like this.

"Come on city boy!" I smirk at him and stand to my feet. I pull on my boots, and Julian follows me out the door, he is silent during the walk, and I don't care to start a conversation with him anymore. What's the point, he is always going to be like this, I should just enjoy the fact that this isn't going to be some vacation to him.

"Every morning, and late afternoon the horses get fed." I inform him, showing him where the food is, and what to do.

"This is nasty." Julian complained, rolling his eyes. He crosses his arms and watches me do the work.