The Sinclair Sisters

It couldn't have been that bad, could it?

Richmond, Virginia
November 9th, 2020

Shannon

I hate Julius Sinclair.

As I dragged my feet from my Calculus class to my Biology class, my mind continued going over and over again why I hated my foster father so much.

Because of him, I couldn't go through a whole day without feeling lethargic and exhausted. It's times like this I wish he had given me the tiger instead or, better yet, the lion. But my luck isn't that wonderful and I got the clouded leopard instead. It just so happens that clouded leopards are mainly nocturnal and sometimes crepuscular. And I just happened to be majorly nocturnal.

Yay me.

I opened the door to the lab and flopped into the seat beside my sister, November. I immediately placed my head on the locker and closed my eyes. Ember patted my back in understanding. She wasn't as nocturnal as I was, so she could actually get some sleep at night. I couldn't shut my eyes at night for more than a few minutes and not getting enough sleep during the day was driving me nuts.

One of these days, I'll pass out from exhaustion.

November was talking to some of her friends about some actor I couldn't care less about. She was the more social twin, and had some really good friends. I just went about minding my own business and I wasn't as social.

I blame the leopard genes.

My nose was attacked my a strong, flowery scent as our teacher, Ms Cressida, walked in. She was the only teacher who insisted on her student calling her by her first name. "Young lady, could you please raise your head," she said. She was also the only teacher who didn't bother to learn any of her students' names.

I raised my head and the scent got stronger. I squeezed my nose and turned to Ember. Her face was also rumpled; she couldn't handle the scent either. I sighed inwardly. Couldn't people go one day without perfume or cologne?

She turned to the board, "Today's topic is cats. We'll be doing a study on them until you go home for Christmas break." I choked back a laugh and Ember snickered. A lesson on cats with two human-cat hybrids in attendance.

The joys of irony.

I tuned out as Ms Cressida started talking but immediately tuned back in as our school secretary, Mrs Arbelaez, walked in. She whispered into Ms Cressida's ear, but I could easily hear what she said and I frowned immediately.

'November and Shannon Sinclair are to leave the class. Their sisters are here to take them home. Some family matter or so.'

I turned to Ember, who had also heard and was just as confused as I was. Ms Cressida turned to the class, "November and Shannon Sinclair, your attention is needed in the Head Office." I stood up and packed my books and Ember did the same. We followed the secretary out and she led us to the office. My sisters, Tamala and Zephyr, were there waiting for us.

Tamala Sinclair was the fifth child of the family and had just graduated with a major in arts. She was from Mozambique, and you only had to look at her to know she wasn't from around here. She had long, dark brown corkscrew curls that bounced as she walked and chocolate coloured skin. Her eyes though, were amber in colour because of her leopard side.

Zephyr Sinclair was the seventh child and was still in school, doing a major in gymnastics in UCLA. She was from Iran and had fair skin and long, straight black hair and a straight fringe. Her eyes were a very dark brown, nearly black, so you couldn't really tell that she was part cheetah and probably fast enough to give Usain Bolt a run for his money. It didn't help that she was an athlete.