Battle Scars

-Chapter 2-

     "When I saw her, walking down the street, she looked so fine, I just had to speak. I asked her name, then she turned away! As she walked, all that I could say was-"

"Oh ho ho.. someone has a little crush on me!" Austin teases, appearing behind my chair.

I jump and turn around quickly. "Austin!" I complain. "You gave me a heart attack!" I fix my glasses and glare at him.

Austin chuckles. "It's my specialty, Kiddo. Haven't you noticed?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I roll my eyes. "I have, thank you very much." I twirl the sketching pencil between my fingers and turn back towards my sketchbook.

"So.. what's up, Kiddo?" Austin asks, taking a seat on my bed.

"Austin..." I sigh. "I'm not a kid anymore. I'm 13, going on to 14 in a few months-"

" 3 months, 17 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, and 12 seconds." Austin interrupts, smiling his playful smile at me.

"Wha-" I shake my head. "I'm not even going to ask." I stand up and brush the eraser shavings off my shirt and onto the floor. "The point is, there is no need to call me  'Kiddo' anymore. "

"But- You are 5 years younger than me. You're still a kid to me."

"5 years, 1 month, 23 days!"  I correct him, grinning back at him.

Austin chuckles and pulls me next to him on the bed. "This is why your other nickname is Austin Junior." Austin says, poking my chest.

I poke his chest and grin. "We are nothing alike!"

"Sure.."

"Alright, you're loud, crazy, and fun around people while I am the shy, speechless one."

"Except me and mom."

"Yeah, but still-"

Austin laughs. "I always find a way to outsmart you." He pulls me up. "Now get dressed, Sierra! We're going to the studio later!"

I groan as he drags me across the floor. "Why?" I complain.

"Because," he says, still dragging me. "I'm recording." 

I groan again. "I don't want to!"

Austin sighs. "Do we really have to do this?"

"Apparently."

Austin picks me up into his arms and throws me on the bed.

"OW!"

"Sorry not sorry.."

I brush the hair away from my face. "Thanks."

"Get dressed!"

"Fine, mother! I'll be right out!" I say sarcastically.

Austin playfully shoves me off the bed. "I'm serious."

"Nyah nyah nyah.."

"Please?"

"Alright, fine."

Austin smiles and walks out of the room, leaving me to deal with the tornado of junk in my room.

I blow my bangs off my face and stare around. This may take some work.

Obeying Austin's orders, I throw open the closet and take a pile of clothes and toss them onto my bed. They make a satisfying plop, causing me to grin to myself. I put on a pair of shorts and a Spurs Jersey (Call me a Bandwagon fan, being a Spurs fan in Miami) with Tony Parker's number on the back and try my best to fix my crazy  brown hair.

"There we go," I mumble to myself. "It actually looks okay.."

I take off my glasses and clean them off. I got eraser shavings on them somehow.

I walk to the bathroom and brush my teeth, then stumble to the kitchen.

"Morning." I mutter, sitting down at the table.

"Morning, Sierra." Mom replies. "You sleep good?"

I nod, not mentioning anything else.

Let's say there was a little... incident.

"YOU BANDWAGON FAN!" Robert shouts, appearing behind me.

"I'm not a bandwagon fan! Unlike some people." I point to Austin, who was busy doing.. uh.. whatever behind the couch.

"Yeah. Sure. NAME 5 PLAYERS!"

"Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Danny Green, Austin Daye, and Marco Belinelli." I challenge.

Robert glares and me and Austin. "It's on, Mahones."

I smirk and grab myself a cup of juice from the table. I take a sip and watch Austin, the idiot he is, treasure hunting behind the couch.

"I found a quarter!"

"Good for you. Big achievement." I mutter sarcastically.

Next thing I know, a quarter hits me in the back of the head. "Ow! MOM!"

"Austin, what are you doing?" Mom scolds, staring at him.

Austin shrugs. "She started it!"

I stick my tongue out at him and turn back towards my juice. I pick up the quarter from the floor and examine it closely.

"It isn't a quarter", I think to myself.

I look even closer, and find something interesting. It's a silver dollar from back home!

I smile to myself and put it in my pocket. "Something to remember home by."