Alienated [✔] » k.th

Epilogue

2 years later

The smell of fresh cardboard and floor cleaner filled the air. Months ago, she moved in to her new house and still she hadn't finished unpacking.

   "Joey, where do you want me to put all of these books?"

   "Just put them back in the box," she answered not bothering to look up from her computer. "I told you not to put my stuff away for me. You're gonna make me lazy."

   "Well you have to do something with these boxes."

   "Don't tell me what to do."

   "What are you looking at?" The minor walked over to see what she was up to. "Are you looking at the online reviews for your book?"

   "No." She lied.

   "Yes, you are." She closed the screen to Joey's computer. "You should get ready for your book signing. You know, the super important event that's in an hour."

   "I know that." She pushed away from her computer.

   "You're not even dressed yet." The girl gestured to the clothes Joey slept in.

   "All I have to do is slide into my hoodie and jeans and I'll be ready."

   "... Do you have a hoodie for every occasion? Because that's all you ever wear."

   "Yeah." She replied as she pushed herself in her swivel chair to the other side of the room to retrieve her phone which was on vibrate. "Y'ello?" She answered.

   "Jo! Where are you! You said you'd be here at twelve." Vick said from the other end of the phone.

   "I'm on my way there."

   "No. She's not!" The pre teen intervened. "She's sitting here in her pajamas."

   "Hey!" Joey turned to her. "You're supposed to have my back here!"

   "Oh, I didn't know you were there, Ava. Hey."

   "Hey, Vick."

   "You really shouldn't lie, Joey. Especially to your own sister." Joey rolled her eyes. "Hurry up and get here."

   "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, I'll be there." She hung up and turned to Ava who had a smirk on her face. "I hate you."

   "I love you too," she sang.

She went into her room and grabbed one of the many hoodies in her closet and pulled it over her head. "Ms. Joseph! Where do you want me to put all of your pictures? On this shelf right here?"

   "Ava, I told you not to put my stuff away for me! And I believe I also told you to stop calling me that!"

   "I'm putting it away anyway. I'm tired of seeing it lying around in boxes."

   "You don't even live here!" Joey replied as she finished putting on her belt and stepped out of her room to see Ava staring intently at a picture in her hands. "What are you looking at?"

   "I've never seen this man before. Who's this?" She pointed to V who was looking out at the ocean, only in his swimming trunks and T shirt.

   "No one you should worry about," she took the picture out of the girl's hands, threw it back in the box then kicked the box to the far side of the room.

   "C'mon! You never mentioned that you had a love life. I was starting to think that you were asexual."

   "Mind your own business, knucklehead. Maybe then you won't get in so much trouble."