This Time Tomorrow

This Time Tomorrow: Chapter Four

“Oh, Alex?”

I ground my teeth at the tone of voice Alyssa used, and refused to acknowledge her in any way.  Calling my name that sweetly either meant my little sister wanted something, or she wanted something.  Yep, that was all there was to it.

The idea of being nice to me just because she could had never crossed her mind.  Truth be told, I couldn’t actually recall a single time when she’d done something for me out of kindness.  She’d always had an ulterior motive.  Was always bargaining for something, or conning her way into getting what she wanted.

I’d tried countless times to reach out to her, and play the role of supportive, caring big sister, but she’d slapped my hand away continuously.  I’d given up years ago on the reality of us coexisting together peacefully.  It would never be anything more than a silly fantasy I’d once harboured.

“Alex,” Alyssa tried again, this time with a hint of impatience.

I continued to chew on my broccoli like I had wax in my ears, oblivious to all sound around me.

“Mom,” Alyssa whined when she belatedly figured out I wasn’t about to play her game.

“Alex, your sister’s talking to you,” Mom said, nudging my elbow with her fingers.

Sighing in resignation, I glanced up from where I’d been concentrating hard on my dinner plate and looked across the table at Alyssa.

She was already grinning like a Cheshire cat, elbows resting on the table, fingers clasped together.  Eyes the same shade of green as my own were regarding me like she already knew she’d won.

“What?” I asked, rather harshly.

“Alex, don’t speak to your sister like that,” Dad said, glancing around the newspaper he was reading.  

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at both of my parents, who would happily let Alyssa get away with murder.  So oblivious, and probably a big part of why Alyssa was so bratty to begin with.

“Indy and I have a project due tomorrow and we haven’t finished it,” she said, daintily tucking a stray wave of dark hair behind her ear.

“So?” I said, spearing a baby carrot  with my fork and putting it into my mouth whole.

“So I need a ride over to her house after dinner.”

I couldn’t help but snort, and almost succeeded in sending bits of carrot flying out of my nose in the process.  Of course, she chose to mention her so-called project in front of our parents.  It meant there was a bigger chance of succeeding in her quest.

“Please, thank you, I’m eternally grateful,” I said, my voice dripping sarcasm.  I gave her an arch stare.  “These are all things that would go a long way in persuading me to actually do something for you.”

‘It’s okay if I just spend the night there, isn’t it, Mom?” Lyss asked, ignoring my comment altogether.

“Of course it is, sweetie,” Mom said, getting out of her seat to take her empty plate to the kitchen.

“Uh, hello?” I interjected, waving my fork around.  “You’re forgetting the part where I haven’t even said yes to taking you.”

“I need to be there by nine.  There’s a documentary on the history channel that we have to watch to help us with our project,” Alyssa said, and I was starting to get really annoyed with the way she was talking like I was superfluous in her plans.

“That’s nice,” I said, pushing my plate away from me.  I’d suddenly lost my appetite.  “But I can’t.  I already have plans.”

“Hang on,” Dad said before Alyssa could start complaining.