Broken

Chapter Three - The Party

The dresses for the party at the top!

Elizabeth's POV

It has been a week since my grandparents departed. They were the only family I had, aside from my father, but I don't really count him anymore.

After my mother had left, her side of the family just kind of disappeared.

Her parents, my grandparents, had honestly never liked me all that much. I can see them leaving, since my mother was only, what, sixteen when she had me? Yea. I 'ruined her life' according to her parents. Yea, I'm not the only one who ruined someone's life.

Her younger sister was cool, only fourteen when I was born. When my mom left, she was twenty two. I don't know why she didn't stick around. Probably beca-

"Hey!"

I was jolted out of my zoned out state by my best friend, who had just clapped right in front of my eyes.

"Let's go! We have to go to your house to get a weekend bag and then to mine where we can hang out and get ready for the party." Adi exclaimed, already packed with her bag pushed over her shoulder.

Slowly packing my half-finished notes from the class, I zipped up my backpack, the one I had gotten two years ago from Adi's older brother. The same brother who has already claimed me as his fourth little sister, yes, there's Adi, Avine, Ava for short and Arilynne, Ari for short, who are Adi's six year old twin sisters. Her older brother, a twenty year old who is engaged to his long-time girlfriend, continues the A name tradition with his name set as Aaron.

Holding up a string bag to show her I was already packed for tonight, I pulled my heavy backpack over my shoulders, starting the long walk to Adi's car.

Three flights of stairs, two hallways, and a parking lot later, I was climbing into the passenger seat of Adi's car.

Setting my stuff on the back seat, I had just enough time to buckle before Adi was zooming out of the parking lot. Whereas she was excited for the party, I just wanted to stay home and cuddle into a fuzzy heated blanket.

In a matter of minutes, we were pulling into the driveway of Adalyns house.

As soon as I had stepped onto the concrete, I was pulled into a bear hug by Aaron.

"Long time no see, Bug!" Aaron called me by the pet name he had given me from the time I screamed when he had 'jokingly' put several different kinds of bugs on the bed I was sleeping in after several attempts at waking me up. Suffice to say I woke up after that.

"Hi, Aaron!" I cheerily said, hugging the one of two men whom I wasn't afraid to go near.

He had the best hugs, just like his mother.

He would, when he stood around 6' 2" with brown hair like his father. He inherited green eyes from his mom, with the muscle and stature of his dad.

I hadn't seen him in about a year because he had joined the army. He had been released for the next four years so he could attend college, Stanford to be exact, but would be going back to the army after.

After Aaron released me from the hug, he hugged his sister before we all walked inside.

As soon as I walked in, I was tackled by two small figures.

"Eli!" Two identical voices exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of Mr. and Mrs. Archer, who walk into the living room from the office and kitchen, respectively.