And Her Name Was Jessica Jones

Beth

"Roberta Vera!" My mom's voice floated up the stairs.

"Yeah, mom?" I called back while turning the volume of my radio down.

You'd think my mom using my middle name would worry me, but mom only refers to me and my sister with both our names.

"Bethany Joy's here!" Beth! I jumped to pull on a shirt and scrambled down the stairs.

"Bethany!!" I shouted, leaping into my older sisters arms.

"Ughf. You're getting a bit big for this, Robbie," Beth grunted.

"Roberta Vera, you're not five. Get off your sister before she collapses." My mother laughed. Beth put me down and gave me another squeeze.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a huge grin.

"I'm here for your Big Birthday Bash, babe!"

"My what?" I turned to my mother, who was waving her hand near her neck at Beth.

"It was a suprise," my mother sighed.

"Oh!" My sister covered her mouth, "Sorry, Ma."

Beth turned to me and began pulling me up the stairs, "Mom, Robs and I have a lot of catching up to do, what time should we be down for dinner?"

"Dinner's at six."

"Coolio!" Beth grinned and pushed open my bedroom door.

"Three hours to catch up with my baby sis," Beth said flopping down on my bed. "Dad still get home at 6?"

"Yeah, just in time for dinner." I walked to turn off my radio.

"You dont have to turn that off. I love Breaking Benjamin." I pushed the button anyway.

"I know," I gestured to the Tshirt I was wearing, "but I thought it'd be easier to talk without it."

"That's wear my shirt went, you little theif," Beth laughed, "I thought I lost it in the move. But you've had it this whole time."

"Guilty," I shrugged, "It was to big for me at first, but now it fits perfect."

"Yeah. You've grown a lot in the last three years. Love the piercings by the way."

Thank god she likes them. When we were younger Beth used to get mad at me for copying her style, I've always loved alternative stuff. After she moved out I got a bunch of piercings, but tried to stay clear of hers. Beth has a septum, a tongue piercing, and an eyebrow piercing, along with piercings in every spot of the ear imaginable, I got a nose ring, a belly button ring, and asymmetrical cartilage piercings. I've steered clear of dying my hair, not that I could top Beth's forest green.

"Thanks, Beth," I smiled.

"Seriously, babe. You look bitchin'."

Bitchin' is Beth's favorite adjective. She describes most things as bitchin'. I'm like that with radical or rad because I guess I'm an 80s loser.

"You know," Beth jumped up from my bed and dragged me over to the mirror, "If you dyed your hair half purple, you'd look super cool."

"Really?" I pulled on a strand of my boring black hair, "Ya think?"

"Totally!"

"I've been thinking about dying my hair for a while, but I couldn't think of a color I'd like."

"Honey, I know these things. Beauty school grad, remember?"

Beth is so cool. She works in this awesome shop where they sell alternative clothes, makeup, and accessories and they do hair, piercings, and tattoos. Beth is a hairdresser and piercer there and gets most of her clothing from it with her employee discount. She has a few tattoos that she got from a coworker of hers named Stacey Barnes.

"How about tomorrow while you're at school I pick up some bleach and hair dye at a good beauty store and we do it that afternoon?" Beth suggested with eyes lighting up like fireworks.

Beth is so passionate about what she does. I hope I can find something I'm passionate about before high school ends.

"Yes. Let's do it!"

Beth erupted in squeals, "You're gonna look so good, babes!"

"Now," Beth yanked me on to the bed with her, "what have I missed in the last three years, tell me everything!"

Beth lowered her voice, "Start with girls." I'm so glad Beth's back.