How Typical

Chapter 1

        I closed the car door, thanking Mrs. Benson for the ride home as Amelia and Sebastian waved at me from inside the car. Another summer full of school projects done. I walked up my driveway, pushed the side door open, and entered my warm home, taking in the yummy aroma of cinnamon and sweetness that filled it. I smiled because I knew what that meant.

        "Who made the cookies?" I asked as I entered the kitchen. Upon my entrance, I immediately knew the answer- they were a gift from our neighbors, the Rockwells. There they sat, conversing with my mom and sisters, completely at home.

         "Hi, Andrea. We were baking and thought it would be nice to bring some goodies over for your family." Ms. Rockwell replied in between laughs as she made her way over to greet me. She pulled me into a tight embrace before returning to her conversation with my mom.

        My mom is Ms. Rockwell's best friend, if not her only friend and by default our families are pretty close. People tend to be brought together by rough times.

        Ms. Rockwell's husband was a terrible person and he practically terrorized his family. They confided in us when things were hard and we made sure they knew our door was always open.

        Fortunately, we don't have to worry so much about him anymore.

        There were three Rockwell boys- Terrence, Tyler, and Tucker.  I noticed my little sister, Savannah, sitting on Tyler's lap, teaching him some hand game she probably played with her friends. "Hey, guys." I said to the boys as I crossed to the other end of the room. My greeting was met with a "Hey, Shorts." from Terrence, the oldest, a head nod from Tucker, the youngest, and absolutely no response from Tyler. I rolled my eyes.

         He was so irritating. I can't stand the way he pretends I don't exist. It's not like we were ever friends or anything. No, just go on and keep ignoring my existence all together. How typical of him.

         I moved on into the dining room where my dad was reading an article or something. Judging by his work being spread everywhere and him isolating himself from the boisterous fellowship in the kitchen, I assumed he wouldn't want to be bothered, so I just gave him a kiss and a hug and made my way up to my room. I'm a bit of a daddy's girl.

         After climbing up the stairs to my bedroom, I dropped my bag on the ground by my door and let out a big yawn. I dragged my feet all the way to my bed, collapsing in an exhausted heap onto the burgundy comforter and letting the fluffy material engulf me. Ten minutes passed before I managed to pull myself up and change out of today's ensemble. I put on my blue pajama pants which were decorated with multicolored peace signs and left the tank top I'd worn under my button up shirt on.

        My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since noon. Hearing the banter coming from the kitchen, I decided to stay cooped away in my room and wait for our neighbors to leave.

        I climbed into bed and curled up with the book I was currently reading. It wasn't interesting at all, I'd just read all of the other books I owned already. It was about some girl who falls in love with some guy she meets on vacation at first sight and of course, he's dating the one girl she hates at first sight. Blah blah blah- typical plot line. I was only on the third chapter and I already knew how this book was going to end. What's the point of reading a book if you can predict every dialogue and every twist? There is none. I want to read a book with a completely original plot. Something that really makes me itch to keep reading as opposed to forcing myself to.

         I was taken out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. "Come in!" I called and in walked my sisters Jessica and Savannah. Savi jumped up onto my bed and tackled me in a hug. "Andy, come down stairs and play with us! Don't be such a loner!" She yelled in my ear, a little too loud. She's always too loud.

         My older sister, Jessica, chimed in on my behalf. "You don't even know what a loner is, Savi." She then addressed me. "Why don't you come down with us? It's abnormal to lock yourself away like this. It's not like they're strangers- they're our neighbors." I ignored that statement and kept reading.

        I can't be irritated by Savi because she doesn't understand why I don't stay down stairs when the Rockwells are here but Jess knows I can't stand Tyler.

        Tyler and I were best friends growing up. We were literally inseparable for the first half of our lives and then out of nowhere, he just stopped caring. He completely abandoned me after the fifth grade and traded our friendship for popularity. I was completely distraught at the time.

         But now, I'm older and I've gotten over that. Tyler Rockwell is nothing more than a class act, pompous jerk. And absolutely nothing more.

        "Look. I just don't feel like being a hostess right now. School starts on Monday and I would like to spend these last few days of summer having some time to just be tranquil and serene. We both know that I'll get worked up over one thing or another if I go downstairs. It's bad enough that I'll have to see Tyler in school every day. Can't I enjoy the refuge of my own home?" I answered after a minute of silence. Originally, I had planned to ignore them until they left, but they seemed unrelenting.

        "Why don't you like Tyler? He's always nice to people." Savi asked as she shifted back off of my bed to play on my exercise ball. I don't know why I have it to be honest. I never use the thing for anything more than a bouncy seat when I'm bored.

        "He's nice to you. That doesn't mean he's nice to everyone." I huffed.

        "He is nice to everyone. You're just bitter." Jessica said with a smug expression. This comment received a glare from me. The heated stare was extinguished by my mother yelling up the stairs for the three of us to come down.

        I pulled myself up from my cozy spot, still clutching my book, and followed my sisters downstairs. The party had moved into the living room and our neighbors had seemingly gotten more comfortable than they were when I left twenty minutes ago.

            "Where'd you run off to, Shorts?" Terrence asked.

            "I was in my room. And you can stop calling me Shorts, by the way." I narrowed my eyes at him jokingly

            "Maybe I will when you grow a few inches." He winked. I childishly stuck my tongue out at him as I took my seat next to my mom. Terrence has called me Shorts since I was ten because I'm a little under average height. I'm five foot, five inches- that's not really that bad. He's just freakishly tall. I always act like it's annoying, but he knows it doesn't bother me. In fact, I kind of like being teased. It makes me feel like I have a big brother.

            "So, Andy, did you get your schedule, yet?" I heard from a voice that made my entire being turn ice cold. It was Tyler. He was sitting in the sofa next to me. I turned my head to face him, nodded 'yes', and looked away again.

            "Well, uh, did you get into the AP Bio class?" He continued. The fact that he was actually trying to make small talk was irritating to me. He can't be bothered with me in front of his friends but when it's just our families together, it's nothing. I felt my cheeks getting hot.

            "Yeah." I tensely replied.

           "Hey, me too. So we have at least two periods together this year." He had on this smile that made my cheeks get even hotter. How dare he try to use that spurious charm on me? He is a very thin sheet of glass and I see right through his stupid farce.

            "Tyler, we could have every class period together and it would still feel like we didn't attend the same school at all. So your comment is both irrelevant and pathetic." I spat.

        I could tell he wasn't expecting that response as his eyebrows furrowed into a puzzled knot. Satisfied with my boldness, I turned my body to face away from him and buried my head in my book.

         I recognize and accept that my actions weren't necessary but I just wanted to be clear of the fact that I'm not here to be his friend only when it suits him.

          From my peripheral vision, I saw him turn around to spark up a new conversation, still pondering what had just happened. I turned the page in my book, even though I wasn't reading it.