Kylie & Kate

One

"This is it." The social worker pops the trunk and hands me my bags.

We're in front of a small white beach front house, with a red front door and pink flowers planted beside it.

"Okay. Thanks." I take my luggage, which is one trash bag and my backpack which is crammed full of clothes.

I don't have to walk to the door, because Kylie comes out and meets us.

"Thanks for bringing her." Kate shakes the social workers hand, then turns to me.

She's wearing a white button down top, denim shorts, and a bikini top. Her hair is darker than mine but wavy, and she looks like me. And mom.

"Hey, Kylie." She says, and I'm not sure if we should hug, so we don't.

Kate and I barely knew each other. We had different dads, so we were half sisters, and she was twelve years older than me. She lived with mom and me until I was about four, then moved in with her dad, then I guess moved here. I had no idea what she was like.

"Hey."

Kate puts her arm around me. "Let's go inside, I'll show you around."

Her house is infinitely different from moms. It's clean, with light coming in through windows everywhere, white walls and hardwood floors.

"This is the kitchen," she smiles warmly and leads me through the house, telling me all the rooms. There's a living room, laundry room, kitchen, office, and two bedrooms across from each other.

"Here's your room," she says. "We can go shopping later to get stuff to decorate, if you want. And anything else you need, like a phone and stuff."

"Okay. Thank you."

"I'll let you get unpacked."

I put my stuff down on the bed and sit down beside it. I'm exhausted from traveling, so I pull a blanket from my stuff and wrap up in it, falling asleep on my bed.

I wake up to Kate knocking lightly on my door. "Sorry to wake you up." She says.

I yawn. "It's okay."

"You want to get dressed and go to the mall?"

I nod. She leaves me to change out of my jogging pants and sweatshirt into a pair of jean shorts and a cute pink tank top. I put on a pair of knock off Birkenstock's, and we head to the mall.

Kate and I went shopping. I got a new phone, some new clothes, and some stuff for my room. After we left the mall she picked up a pizza. We eat with paper plates on the couch.

"I'll get your plate," I say, because I'm so used to being overly polite with mom. I take it and start cleaning up the kitchen.

"That's okay. You don't have to treat me like Leah."

She says moms name. I guess I don't blame her.

"I wasn't." I throw our plates away.

"It's okay, I know how it was. Living with her."

"She didn't fucking hit me, if that's what you're saying." I said, which was true, she was always too drunk or high. "And you don't fucking know, because you got to leave. So why don't you stop running your mouth about something you don't know about!" I'm almost yelling at her.

Kate crosses her arms. "Kylie, you can't talk to adults that way."

"What the fuck are you gonna do about it?" I roll my eyes and start to walk back to my room.

"Kylie, come back here right now." Kate says.

"No." I slam my door and flop down on my bed.

Kate opens the door and sits down on my bed.

"There will be consequences for your actions. This is an adjustment, I know, but you can't act like this."

I don't say anything back. I'm hoping she'll just lecture me, then shut up, but she doesn't leave.

"That's why I'm going to spank you."

I laugh, but she's serious.

"Good luck with that." I roll my eyes.

Kate grabs my wrist, and pulls me over her lap in one swift motion. She puts her leg over mine, so I'm pinned on her lap.

"Let me go bitch!" I yell, jerking away from her.

Her hand doesn't hurt at all over my shorts. It's kind of embarrassing, but she stops after a few minutes and I try to stand up.

"I'm not done, Kylie." Kate says.

"What? Just let me up!" She doesn't.

Instead, she slips her hand under my stomach and I feel her unbutton my shorts.

"Oh fuck no!"

I lose the fight to keep my shorts and panties on, and her and stings on my bare ass. Plus, I'm embarrassed. And pissed.

"Ow, Kate, quit it! I fucking hate you! Ow!" I yell, squirming a little on her lap.

"You will not curse at me, Kylie. And when I talk to you, you will respond respectfully." Kate lectures.

"Okay, okay!" It's starting to hurt, bad. "Ow, ow, please! Ow!"

Tears fall over on my cheeks, it's stinging so bad I can't help it. I can't believe I'm crying in front of her.

"Ouch, Kate!" I sob into the bedspread, helpless. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

I don't even notice when she stops, I just suddenly realize she's rubbing my back instead of hitting me. I jump up and jerk my shorts up even though it hurts.

"You hit me!" I yell, tears still rolling down my face. "I'm sorry for cussing at you, but you can't hit me!"

"Kylie, I didn't hit you. I spanked you, which taught you a lesson." Kate says calmly.

"No you didn't! I want to move back with mom! She never did this!" I sob.

"Well, she did to me. Maybe that's part of your attitude problem." Kate says.

I sniffle. I can't imagine mom caring enough about me to do what Kate just did. "Mom did not."

"Yes she did. When I was younger, and she cared more about if I was getting into trouble than drugs." Kate says.

She wraps her arm around my shoulders and I let her. I lean into her chest and she sits there and rubs my shoulder for a few minutes.

"I'm really sorry." I mumble.

"I know. It's okay." Kate says, continuing to hold me. Wanna watch a movie?"

It sounds stupid, and I don't really give a shit about watching movies, but I don't say that.

"No, I think I'll stay up here."

"Okay." Kate says.

I curl up under my blanket, my ass throbbing, trying to decide if I hate it here or not.