Barbies & Big Egos

Chapter 1

*Please turn off all cell phones and other electrical equipment. Cabin crew; prepare for landing*

“Cell phones!” Beth laughed at the voiceover.

“You’re going to have to get used to their accent, we’re staying here for two months!” I replied, laughing at her undeniable excitement as she crammed her bag with everything she had been using to keep her occupied on the 11 hour flight from London, clearly wanting to get off the cramped plane and out into the Californian sun.

“I know, two months! Two whole months in the City of Angels! How many celebrities do you think we’ll see in that time?”

“Well I’ve been here to visit my auntie, uncle and Spencer like eight times and I’ve never seen one, unless you count that guy who was in two episodes of 90210 which I don’t, so none probably. And anyway, we’re not staying in Hollywood, my uncle’s house is in Malibu.”

“Malibu? OMG that’s were Leonrado DiCaprio lives!” She babbled, her excitement growing by the second until she looked like she was ready to burst like a balloon.

I groaned realising that this was what my life was going to be like for the next two months, my only other option for company being my cousin. To be honest he’s not that bad but the idea of spending 8 whole weeks with just the two of them would be enough to make Mickey Mouse want to jump off a cliff. The movement of everyone getting out of their seats, eager to get off the plane was enough to break my away from my thoughts of how many different ways I could kill myself using just the plastic cutlery I had leftover from the nauseating slop American Airlines manage to get away with calling ‘lunch’.

“Come on Annie, we’ve got a city to explore” Beth said as I noticed that she was already stood in the aisle with both our bags. I shimmied my way between the seats and joined her in the narrow walkway before we both continued down to the exit of the plane, through the terminal and straight to the baggage carousel. Our huge pink suitcases soon appeared; we hauled them off and went to find Spencer.

There was a big crowd of people but I heard my name being called; “Annabelle Darcy James”.

I turned to find the cousin who I had dearly missed, “Spencer Brody James!” I stretched out my arms as he pulled me into a hug, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too cous”, he replied. My attention soon turned to a sniggering I could hear, coming from the other side of Spencer. I pulled myself away so that I could see the source of the childish remark.

“Darcy!” The boy managed to get out as he kept laughing while clutching his stomach.

“And you are?” I asked, clearly not finding my middle name quite as funny as he was.

As soon as he heard the seriousness in my tone he looked up and tried to hold his laughter in, “does Barbie not like being made fun off?” he responded tauntingly.

“Barbie?”, I questioned his choice of nickname.

The only reply I got was him pointing towards my fuchsia suitcase, before he couldn’t hold his laughter in anymore. Not amused by his behaviour I turned back towards Spencer hoping for a slightly more helpful answer.

“That’s Jake, you’ve actually met him before when your family came to stay when we were eight, that time when you broke your arm”, he said trying to jog my memory. He succeeded and a flashback of when this so-called ‘Jake’ had ‘accidently’ knocked me off the trampoline shot through my head, “he’s staying with us for the summer as well.”

Now that sentence would make every single Disney character want to jump off the Empire State building. “He’s what now?” I questioned, hoping I had heard him wrong.

“I know you two didn’t exactly get on well last time you met but that was 10 years ago, I figured things would be different now.”

“The only thing that’s different is the size of his ego which is probably bigger than Mars by now.”

“She’s right mate”, Jake addressed my cousin, “she’s the same immature, chubby-cheeked girl I remember”

“Immature?” I asked, stunned at his choice of words, “if anyone’s immature it’s the boy who had a 10 minute laughing fit at the name Darcy.”

Just a mention of the name and he was laughing again, “don’t say it again!” He begged as if someone was tickling him and he had no way of stopping his laughter.

“Darcy is Harry Styles’ favourite name so she doesn’t need to take this from you”, Beth stood up for me.

“Harry Styles?! You brought One Direction fans to stay with us for two months?” He asked Spencer.

“We’re called Directioners!” Beth retorted, offended by his error, “and much to my dismay, Annie isn’t one of them, her music taste is about as bad as your fashion sense!”

Spencer stepped in front of Jake before he could respond to her last remark, “Can we at least get in the car before you start arguing again?”

“Fine but Barbie and Directionater are sitting in the back!” the boy I was growing to hate shouted out as we reached the airport car park.

“My name is Beth but if you’re not going to call me that then at least get it right; it’s DirectionER not Directionater!” She responded, making the boy smirk.

“What about you Barbie? No comment on your nickname?” He teased as he slowed down to walk next to me; I ignored his remark and picked up speed to join Spencer, not giving Jake the satisfaction he craved.

“Does he have to stay with us?” I whined.

“His parents happen to be on the cruise with mum and dad too and the last time they went away he threw a huge party and now they don’t trust him alone in the house.” He sighed, realising it was going to be a long summer of arguments.

“What, and Uncle John trusts the pair of you alone in your house?” I questioned, surprised by my Uncle’s choice.

“Dad doesn’t trust us; he trusts you to make sure nothing happen.”

“So I have to be the responsible one and make sure neither of you throw any wild parties while they’re gone?”

“Is Spence telling you about all the awesome parties I’ve thrown? I’d say two months is about enough time to throw 15 more, so don’t worry, you’ll get to experience the prestigious events,” Jake butt in to our conversation.

“Oh no, if I’m in charge there will be no parties thrown in the house no matter how ‘awesome’ you think they might be!”

“Who on earth put you in charge Barbie? And I don’t just think they’re awesome, it’s a well-known fact.” He stated.

I rolled my eyes at his overuse of the nickname he had given me, “my Uncle, also known as the owner of the house, put me in charge so there will be no parties.”

He turned to Spencer, “Dude why would you tell her what your dad said now she thinks she can control us!” He turned back to me, “and if you think I’m just going to follow your orders you’re going to be sorely mistaken!”

We reached the car and Jake got in without another word, before getting in, Spencer turned to me, “please could you two not kill each other this summer, that’s not something I want to explain to either one of our parents when they get back.”

“Spence, this isn’t my fault! All I said was no parties and now he’s having a hissy fit like a three year-old girl!”

“Annie”, he pleaded.

“Fine.” I said before getting in the car.

Well this was going to be a fun summer.

+++++

The chapters will be longer after this but it seemed like a good place to end it and I want to see if anyone actually reads it first.