My New Sister

Chapter Five

The Friday before Christmas vacation, Ruth, Pippa and I sat in the auditorium, enduring the torture of the cheerleader's performance. All fifteen of them were dressed in red mini dresses with fluffy white trim and Santa Hats, and they were bouncing around to Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas". Rachel was, of course, center stage, and every eye in the room was glued on her. It was revolting.

                After that was over, most of them rushed off-stage, leaving behind Rachel and her three closest friends -- Allison Tyler, Holly Vega, and Violet French. Together, they were the four most popular girls in school. Allison and Rachel were both in grade ten, but Holly was a junior and Violet a senior. They got into position and the music of "Jingle Bell Rock" began. The girls started to dance, their steps identical to the ones in the movie Mean Girls. I looked around and saw a few teachers with looks of disapproval, but for the most part, everyone seemed to be enjoying the performance.

                Pippa and Ruth, who'd been extremely upset when I'd called off the petition, looked over at me with the faces of failures. I apologized for the hundredth time, and they just nodded. They felt massive amounts of sympathy for me, of course, but that still couldn't disapprove how disappointed there were. They had a right to those feelings, though. I was disappointed in me, too.

                Christmas Day came. It started off like every other year, with Audrey and I coming downstairs to see the gifts that "Santa" put under the tree. Audrey was in a really good mood, thankfully, and had jumped for joy when she unwrapped her first phone -- an outdated Samsung slide. I got some books, some comfy socks and posters for my walls. A few DVDs (my favourite among them being The Help). Audrey gave me a beanie with which I instantly fell in love. It was knitted burnt orange and looked great on me.

                After Audrey and I gave Mom our joint gift to her, a new coffee machine, we were sitting around on the floor, telling stories and laughing. When we reached a lull in conversation, Mom said something neither of us wanted to hear.

                "Girls, Jake has invited us to Christmas dinner at his house."

                "Nuh-uh." Audrey said.

                "We always go to Nan and Pops' house!" I reminded Mom. Nan and Pop were Dad's parents, who lived up in the country about two hours away. Since Dad left, we only saw them a few times a year, Christmas Diner being one of those times.

                Mom combed a hand through her hair nervously and said, "Well, I cancelled with them for you two."

                "You have no right!" I said. "You didn't even ask us!"

                "You're going for Boxing Day supper instead. Tonight we're going to Jake's house."

                "With Rachel, I presume," I rolled my eyes.

                Audrey, who'd be oddly quiet during this exchange, said, "I hate her. And I hate Jake!" Before storming up the stairs.

                I turned to Mom, shrugged and said, "Merry Christmas,"

I had already thought that Jake was well off when it came to money, but when we visited his house I soon realized that he wasn't just well off -- he was stinking rich. He lived in what was most likely the largest house in town. It was three stories, with huge gates leading to a cobblestone driveway. His property was huge, with neatly trimmed bushes and beautiful gardens. The outside was nothing compared to the inside, which was grand and majestic in every way. Spiral double staircases, plush rugs and exquisite paintings on every wall. The best part about Jake's was that it wasn't stuffy like a castle -- it was modern. White walls and floors, golden accents and new, fresh furniture.