Strangers

Chapter Two

    *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

     I was rudely awakened by my incredibly annoying alarm clock. I smashed the small button on top of it, oozing out a sigh of pure hatred. "I really need a new alarm..." I muttered after swinging my legs from my soft bed. What a weird dream! It felt so real?

    "Amelia!!!" Screeched my evil step mother. Yes, I have one of those, although, I wouldn't say she was nearly as terrible as Cinderella's. "Get out of bed, sweetie! You have to make breakfast." I raised my eyebrow in complete confusion. Did she just call me sweetie? I don't make breakfast in the morning? She must be trying to impress someone.

   Groaning, I slouch myself over to my closet and grabbed a simple top and a pair of skinny jeans. I pull my hair out from its messy bun, and let it cascade over my shoulders, only running my fingers through to get the style I desired. Putting on as little makeup to make me look more alive than I actually felt, I skipped out of my bathroom down the unlit hallway.

    As if the morning couldn't get any better, I ever so gracefully tripped on one of the steps going down the stairs almost breaking my neck, but something caught me. My stomach did silent flips when I glanced up at a tall statue like figure that had saved me from a trip to the hospital. My breath had been caught in the back of my throat.

   His oddly bronzed skin held my forearms in place, and his sharp chiseled jaw tensed up as his warm brown eyes stared down at me. I was in a complete trance. There was no way he was real! He was absolutely gorgeous! His ripped muscles were practically exploding through his shirt, and his soft looking brunette hair was in a mess like he just rolled out of bed.

   Finally regaining my composer, I straightened out my body so I was completely balanced on the floor. "Thank you." I almost whispered. Realizing how delicate my voice had sounded, I cleared my throat and stared at my white converse, realising they were out to kill me. That's why I tripped! My shoe is untied. My attention turned back to the out of place stranger standing before me. He had such a cold and blank expression on his face, he didn't say anything! Just simply nodded, and turned away.

  Well that was kind of rude? I can understand him being annoyed with having to save my life, but it wasn't like I did it o purpose! I swear, it is hard to find people with at least some level of decent manners these days.

   As if he sensed my frustration, he quickly turned around and said,"No problem." Then he continued walking. Well that was weird..

    I followed him into the living room, and it finally hit me, causing me to stop in my tracks. What the hell is he doing in my house??? Who is he?? There is a complete stranger walking around in my house!! Should I call 911??? Where is my phone...?

   "AMELIA- oh, there you are! What took you so long?!" Jessica shrilled. She rose her eyebrow when she noticed me patting myself down, but then her crazy glazed eyes returned to their rightful place. "Sorry, I was getting ready. What do you need?" I rolled my eyes.

My dad married Jessica a year after my mom had died. She was 12 years younger than him, and was a bit of a gold digger. We all thought it was a midlife crisis, but my dad was never the same after mom. Maybe that's why he left us out of the blue 2 years ago.. Jessica adopted my brothers and I, and has been taking care of us ever since. She was pretty cool up till about 2 months ago when she just started bring home odd characters like rich college kids and drug dealers. She was hardly ever home after that.

   "Get the coffee pot going, and make some pancakes or something. Our new neighbor is here, and he lives in that huge house next door. Don't embarrass me." She hissed. Sometimes, I want to remind her I wasn't her maid, but then again, I wasn't exactly paying the bills either. I rolled my eyes once again, but still complied to her request.

   "Alright." I said while making my over to the coffee machine to start it up, and then grabbed the ingredients I needed for breakfast. After I poured the batter into the now hot pan, I armed myself with a spatula. I stacked an entire plate and decided to make a large side of bacon. You can never go wrong with bacon!

    Satisfied with the results, I brought plates to the dining table, and placed them down in the center. I heard Jessica talking to the stranger from earlier in the living room. I retrieved the rest of what was needed for breakfast, and then went to grab my little brother.

    Okay, he wasn't that little. He was only a year younger, but maturity wise, he was 12 and I was 23. I acted and looked older than I was, but I was only a week away from being 17. Yeah, I know what a shocker.

    I stepped into his pig sty of a room, and gently shook his shoulder. "Daniel" I softly whispered, "Get Up. There is breakfast downstairs and Jess has someone over." He made a similar groan that I did this morning. "Five more minutes..." He grumbled, shifting away from me. "Fine, but you better be up when I come back or I won't be so gentle." I threatened before turning back down the hallway to my other brother's broom.

   I am actually a sister to 3, but the other one moved out and is in his 20's. It's just Daniel, James, and I living together now. James is 18, and he is actually about the graduate high school. He is in that phase of his life where he was going to do whatever he wants and no one can stop him. In other words, he is getting into a lot of trouble which is why I wasn't surprised when I opened his door to reveal an empty bed.

   Shrugging at his absence, I tried to get Daniel up once again, this time he was ready. We both stepped downstairs, and sat at the table to eat. Jessica blessed us with her presence while giggling at whatever the mysterious guy was saying. Gross! She was like, 38!!! He looked to be about in his late teens to early 20's. She's unbelieveable.

   Instead of setting himself down in the other 4 chairs available, the stranger seemed to have placed himself beside me. Shifting under his gaze, I offered everyone a cup of coffee, and went to the kitchen to get 4 mugs. I could still feel his eyes on me while Jessica was saying something about the neighborhood.

    It is very difficult for me to carry the cups without spilling, so I was very grateful when someone came to help me out. That disappeared when it was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. He tried to take all four mugs, but I stepped away from him, and shot him a polite smile. "I can handle this." He reached for the cups again, this time successfully taking two out of my hands. "Let me help." He muttered under his breath. I was taken back by how low his voice got. Fine! Dang, take the freaking cups! I just dropped a half-hearted "okay" and let that be the end of it.

     We returned to the table, both placing everyone's coffee in front of them, I returned to my seat, between my brother and the guy. Jess finally introduced him to us, and us to him. His name was Drew Wislon. Then my stepmother began talking, again, and jeez, this woman can talk! "So, Drew, do you like your new home? It is awfully big for one person." She said not so subtlety. I know what she is trying to do... She is seeing if he is with someone. I can't blame her, a guy as attractive as Drew would surly have a lady friend.

    "Well, not entirely empty. My family and I are very happy with the house." Drew said, beginning to cut into one of his pancakes. Daniel looked up from his food for the first time since we sat down. "Do you have any brothers my age? Don't really have that many kids in this area that I can hang out with."

    Drew gave him a sincere smile," Yeah, I have a brother named Ron and a brother named Kenny. They are both almost 16 year old twins. And then I have a brother a year older than you named Jim. You would like them." Daniel's eyes went big. "Awesome!" He said while doing a weird fist pump. Drew chuckled. "Yeah, you should come over and meet them sometime! In fact, why don't you all come over for dinner tonight? I can get a chance to meet your older brother, James." Jessica gasped in delight," That sounds wonderful!"

    Drew then looked over to me with a smirk playing on his lips. "Good."