Joshleen 1: Fortunate Accidents

Fortunate Accidents- 18

I could no longer hear the noise. I realised I was in the closet, I guess remembering the past made instinct kick in? I have no clue, it just felt like Connor was here with me.

"Tailah," I heard someone call. Or maybe I didn't, I was probably just being paranoid.

"Tailah, you here?" I heard someone call again. Maybe Colleen and Josh were home. I didn't really sound like them though.

I heard someone walk up the stairs, open the door to Colleen and Josh's room and walk towards the closet. I was freaking out! Who the heck is in the house? It's not Colleen or Josh because they're not meant to be home for a little while.

The person opened the door of the closet. To my greatest relief it was Rachel. She had scared me so much!

"Tailah? What are you doing?" She asked obviously surprised that I was on the closet floor.

"Uh, just looking for something," I said.

"What are you looking for?" Rachel asked me.

What more could a motherless, fatherless 12-year-old girl want? I lived in L.A. for starters with two young people who actually cared about me!

"Nothing," I lied to Rachel.

"Okay then, well, get out of the closet," She laughed.

She stuck her hand out for me to grab. I grabbed it and pulled myself up.

"So what have you been doing today?" She asked me. Do I tell her the truth or just make something up? I trust Rachel, why lie to her?

"Talking to Connor," I say truthfully. Lies just take too much energy.

"Who's Connor? Oh, is he your boyfriend?" Rachel asked in a sing song voice.

"No. I've never had a boyfriend in my entire life and don't plan on it!" I say, "Connor is my older brother,"

"You have a brother?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, I have a brother," I tell her. I guess I just figured it was common knowledge for some wacko reason.

"What's he like?" She asked. Wow, she was getting a little personal now, honestly though, I didn't mind all that much. It was just surprising. No one is normally or genuinely interested in listening to me.

"He's everything I imagine my dad would be like. He's loving, protective and he's basically the father figure in my life, well, before I came to live here," I tell her. She's listening to my every word.

"So he basically is the man in your life?" She asked.

"In a way I guess yeah," I reply.

"Well, he sounds awesome!" Rachel smiled.

"He sure is," I say. Opening up is something I do rarely, around Rachel though it's something I wanna do.

"Wanna come downstairs and find something for dinner?" She asks me.

"Sure, I'm actually pretty hungry,"

We walk downstairs and into the kitchen. Rachel looks around in the cupboards and fridge and eventually states,

"I'll order the pizza,"

I laugh a little. She seemed so set on finding something to cook and then just resorted to the all famous pizza.

"I can teach you," I say.

"Teach me what?" She asks.

"How to make homemade pizza," I tell her. When mum used to work late Connor and I'd get hungry and wouldn't be able to have takeout so we learnt how to cook together. Pizza was Connor's favourite so we ate it quite a bit.