Maybe Then...

Chapter 2: if I weren't such a burden

If I weren't such a burden,

maybe then, I would be more likable

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"Good morning, sweety," aunt Ruby said to a tired looking Daniel, still dressed in his pajamas. He sported his blonde hair in a remarkable bedhead style, and his eyelids were tripping over themselves with tiredness.

I blinked at the stove clock.

10:56. Yeah, and I'm the one who does nothing all day.

He didn't reply, only began making himself a bowl of cereal.

"You're going to one of your friends houses today, right?" she continued.

"Yeah, around lunch, why?" he asked as he crouched down at the fridge and coming back up with the milk.

"I was thinking that maybe you wanted to bring Amelia with you?"

My head snapped up from my phone in time to see a little bit of milk spill out of the bowl. Obviously he was just as shocked as I was, if not more.

He glanced over at me before looking back at his mom. "You're kidding, right?"

I knew I shouldn't care, but the hint of laughter in his voice still stung a little.

"Daniel Ingridson!" she scolded. "She is your cousin, and she is new to this town and doesn't know anyone here yet! The least you could do for your own family is help her make friends."

"No way! She does not need to be taking my friends! I'm pretty sure she can make some on her own."

They were talking like the person that was being talked of wasn't even there. I took this as my chance to butt in.

"Actually, I really don't want to mess with any of his plans," I said sheepishly.

"Nonsense!" aunt Ruby declared. "You won't be doing any harm by tagging along with them a few times."

"A few times?" he whined.

"Yes, she's going to hang around you and your friends for at least the next week. And that is not an option."

I opened my mouth to say something right as she turned to me. "And you have no say in this matter, either. Your grandpa wants you to get out of this house, and I don't think he's wrong. You don't need to be moping around this might house all day."

I snapped my mouth shut. Neither of us were getting out of this.

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The car ride seemed unbearably silent, the music on one of his CDs played softly like background music nearly the entire ride to none other than McDonald's to pick up some food.

He sighed as he parked on the side of a cookie-cutter suburban home. "Listen Amelia, it's not that I don't wanna hangout with you. It's just that," he paused and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not sure if you'll make them uncomfortable or something."

I really felt like a nuisance now. I nodded, knowing that he probably felt like he was having to baby sit me.

A couple of grease-filled bags in our hands, Daniel laid a few knocks in the door and, seconds later, a blonde haired, lip-pierced boy opened the door and grinned. The cool air from the AC flew into my face as we stepped in and away from the summer heat.