A Story to Remember

Chapter 4 Not Your Ordinary Family

Gavin-

“What was that?” I ask after hearing the door slam shut a few minutes ago. “Is that normal.” David walks in the back door.

“For a teenage girl, yes. For our sister, not in a million years. She’s a lot more level headed then this.” Seth answers. “I think I'll call her favorite restaurant for dinner.” He retreats to another part of the house.

“I wonder what that fight was about. She’s never gotten into a fight with Austin about anything,” John wonders aloud.

“Maybe she’s going through a phase.” David supplies taking all the dishes to the sink and beginning to wash them. “John, you dry.”

“I’m on it.” He answers catching the towel and I’m left standing in the kitchen.

I head out and try to find my room. I hear crying coming from one of the rooms. ‘Chelsea’ I head toward the crying and knock on the door. The crying stops and I hear footsteps heading toward the door. “What?” She asks not opening the door.

“Are you okay?” I ask through the door

“No, I just single handedly ruined my best friends life. I’m not okay.” She answers, “It sounds even worse when I say it out loud.” She mutters retreating from the door. I twist the knob and push the door open. “What do you want Jason?” she sighs sitting by the window with her back to me. “If you’re going to try and fix things, you can't.” she pulls her knees up to her chin and stares out the window.

“You told him?” I ask walking over to the desk and straddling the chair resting my arms on the back.

“Yeah, I told him, and now he’s coming to Hollywood. He’s going to let his whole team down, miss a whole semester of junior year the hardest year of high school, and he was hoping for a scholarship to go to college on. If he comes with me, none of that is going to play in his favor.” She answers looking and sounding defeated. “I’ve ruined his life, just because I was scared of going back to Hollywood and facing running into my blackmailer. It’s entirely my fault.” She stands up and facing where I’m sitting.

“I can help him finish high school.” I tell her. “I’ve got tutors for every class you can think of at my disposal. I can give them a call. As for sports, I'll play with him when we’re not practicing. I'll fly him to his games. I’ve got sports teams I work with in my free time I can see if Austin can work with some of them.” I offer she stands speechlessly.

“I- he- Why?” she stutters through the question. Standing in front of me, she looks toward me her eyes daring me to answer.

“Like you said. I’m trying to help.” I answer

“Why?” she repeats sitting on the trunk at the foot of her bed. I roll the desk chair over the wooden floor so we’re face to face

“Because, you’re going to be a fellow cast member, and my cast mates, work together and look after each other your friend is trying to help you, so I’m going to help him, and you’re going to let me.” I answer her looking into her brown eyes cloudy from crying.

“The final decision rests with Austin and his parents, not me.” Chelsea says walking to the door, “School starts tomorrow, so: dinner, dishes, TV, and then bed time. I have to go get some fresh air. The house still smells like smoke.” She turns back and faces me, “You can’t stay her unless I’m in here, go downstairs with my brothers or come for a ride with me. Your choice,” I follow her downstairs to where she is arguing with her brother, her ever-present hat on her head.

“Chels, where are you going? Dinner’s on its way and it’s a school night.” John asks her not looking up from his book.

“I’m going for a ride with River, and I’m going to let Storm and Buttercup out, then bring in Smokey. I'll be back in ten minutes.” She answers grabbing two leashes and exchanges her hat for a different one. “I'll stay in the riding ring and I promise to be back before dark.”