Almost Siblings

~14~

*Juliet*

"Really? This song? Again?" Abigail complained when Tristan put on Too Much Too Ask  by Niall Horan for the third time. "When is it my turn to pick the music?"

"But your music is no good. You only like that electrical-DJ-stuff. I want songs with real instruments" Tristan shot back. "And I'm driving, so I decide"

It had been like this ever since we got in the car. Tristan and Abigail had been fighting what to listen to all way and we were two hours into the three hour drive. 

I couldn't really concentrate on them though. I was too nervous about where we were going to even care.

I watched the cities and smalltowns we were passing as we drove and I wondered how Daniel would react when he saw me. Maybe he would me mad.

I hadn't even noticed I had fallen asleep until Abigail poked me on the arm and said that we were almost there. I took a sip of my water bottle and tried to control my breathing.

Abigail gave Tristan the directions to the house and all too soon she told him to stop the car. I looked out the window and say a yellow house with a set of swings on the front yeard. 

Tristan turned to look at me in the backseat.

"You can do this. Once you're ready"

I nodded.

"Do you want us to come with?" Abigail asked.

I shook my head. I sat there looking at the house for a while longer before deciding to just get this over with.

Here goes nothing, I thought and opened the car door.

The walk up to the front door felt so much longer than it actually was.

I made a halt outside the white front door. I knocked two times and then I waited.

What if he wasn't home?

I didn't get to worry any longer, because the front door opened and a little girl was looking up at me. 

"Who are you?" she asked.

I had always imagined my father to be the one to open the door. I was not prepared for someone else.

"Erm, is your...dad  home?" I asked her, without answering her question.

"Laila! Mum said you weren't allowed to open the door" a slightly older girl appeard behind her. She looked at me and I just looked back at them. "Who are you?" the older girl asked.

"Girls, who's at the door?" A woman appeard behind them. When she laid eyes on me she stopped in her tracks. "Juliet?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Daniel won't be home until later. But do you wanna come inside?"

I nodded again.

"I'm Jane" she introduced herself. I had never actually seen her until now. I had just heard about her. She had blonde hair and green eyes. She was a very beautiful woman. 

"Juliet" I shook her hand. "Which you apparently already knew"

"You look just like your dad, so I figured" Jane looked at her daughters and told then to introduce themselfs.

The youngest girl introduced herself as Laila. She had her mother's hair colour, but her eyes looked simular to mine. She wore a pretty yellow dress and looked to be about 10 years old.

The older one looked around 12-13 years old. Her name was Polly and she had my hair colour and also my eye colour. We looked like we could be sisters. She wore a pair of jeans shorts and a grey crop top. 

"We were just gonna sit down for lunch. Do you wanna join us?" Jane asked.

"Actually, do you have room for two more?" I asked remebering that Tristan and Abigail were still outside in the car.

*Tristan*

"I wonder how it goes" Abigail mumbled as we were both still sitting with our eyes on the house. Juliet had been gone for almost 20 minutes now. 

"I'm sure it's fine" I said.

A few minutes later the door opened and Juliet came out with a young girl behind her. She opened the passanger door and bent down to our level. 

"Are you guys hungry?" She asked. "Jane and the girls are having lunch now"

Me and Abigail both nodded and Juliet suddenly remembered the little girl next to her. 

"Oh, and this is Laila" she introduced her.

Abigail begun talking to Laila and followed her inside the house. Me and Juliet were left outside.

"So I take it it went well" I told her.

"Well Jane is nice. And Polly and Laila are as well. I haven't met Daniel yet so.." she trailed on. 

"You were fine now and you'll be fine then too" I assured her.

We went inside to where Abigail were getting to know Laila and Jane. 

The other daughter, Polly, had her back towards us as she sat the table for three more people. When she turned around and saw me, she stopped in her tracks and blushed. 

What can I say? I have that effect on pre-teens.

"Welcome here" the woman, Jane greeted me.

We all sat down around the table.

"So," Laila begun with her eyes on me. "Are you Juliet's boyfriend?"

Next to me, Juliet choked on her water. 

"Erh. No. We are sort of step siblings. Our parents live together" I explained.

"I have a boyfriend" Laila said. "Actually I've got two" she looked very proud. "Their names are Todd and Alex"

"So, what happened to Troy? Did you dump him?" Polly asked.

"Yes. He's stupid" Laila answered. "He kissed Sasha"

"Oh no" Polly said sounding very sarcastic. "So, is Juliet our stepsister?" she asked Jane.

"I think half sister is the right term, since you've got the same father. And speaking of father"

The door opened and a man walked through it.

Laila stood up, screamed and ran towards him.

"Dad!" she screamed.

He lifted her up and hugged her.

Me, Abigail and Jane all looked at Juliet, who just stared at the man.

Abigail took her hand and I saw her squeeze it lightly.

The man put Laila down and entered the kitchen. 

He stopped right in his tracks when he laid his eyes on Juliet.

"My daughter" he whispered.

"Hi dad" Juliet whispered back.