Stay Away from Pleasure

Chapter One

I can never seem to get my hair right in the mornings so I have to do it the night before. I have my father's hair. It's curly, tangled and impossible to brush. Fortunately, I've had this hair for a little over two decades, so I know how to manage it.

Across my room, my phone buzzes. It's Claire.

Decline.

Claire's my sister and we aren't really close at the moment. She's three years older than me. When we were younger, we did everything together. We were so close we could've been married!

It's funny how things change. 

Dearest Claire decided to officially move out when I was seventeen. I was fine with it because she came around at least once a week. Well, at first she did. After a few months, she became a stranger. I barely knew the new Claire. She rebelled. She smoked. She was no longer the sweet Christian girl that I once knew.

My whole family is Christian. They're very strict with their rules and quite orthodox. Once they found out about Claire, they flipped and she was practically disowned. As soon as that happened... well, Claire just wasn't my sister anymore.

I never saw her until I moved out when I was eighteen. I went to live with two of my friends from high school and I bumped into her. We didn't meet up, though. She didn't come to my housewarming party, even though I invited her. We fucking bumped into each other.

It's the funniest story, believe me.

I was working at this stupid pet store and silly old me was running late. It was a matter of life or death. I had to make a choice: bus, subway or taxi? I decided to take a taxi so I yelled out for one. A taxi pulls up from behind me and I go to step in and guess who pops up from behind me... Claire!

Oh did she say hi? Nah. She just stole my goddamn taxi.

"Sorry sis! I'm running late." She blew a kiss as she got in the cab, then it drove away.

She's so sweet!

I ended up being an hour late and then jobless.

Most of the time, it feels like she's the younger sister, or worse, like I don't have one at all.

Six years later, here I am. I've only seen, or come in contact, her three times since then. Three times in six years. Well damn. Growing up sucks.

In all truth, she was probably calling for cash just now.

Not too long ago, r blew all her money on drugs. Mom and dad would never help her out and they've actually told me not to. But I am a child of God and I won't deny my sister of the help she needs.

I'm incredibly stable at the moment. I work in marketing for the company L&C (Leroy & Cory's) that plans on building an eco-friendly society.

Earning money while saving the world feels good. I don't know the full details about the company, but normally the marketing team are just given a project and we have to make it sell, sell, sell. Without us, they'd be giving lethargic teenagers books to read and the elderly condoms to use.

I love feeling wanted, most importantly, I love feeling needed. But then, so does everyone.

My phone buzzes once more.

It says:
Why do you keep ignoring me? Call me back sis.
I need your help!
Claire x

Aw! I got a kiss at the end! How pathetic.