No You And Me

Chapter 2

(1st person p.o.v)

'Riley! Riley where are you?'

'I'm in the barn mum! I'm awake!'

'I am aware,' she smiled as she approached me and wrapped her amrs around my neck. Her hair dangled from the top of her head in a short ponytail and her white camisole was slightly stained but she obviously didn't care.

'So you got plans today?' she asked me.

I laughed. 'Yeah like I ever have plans.'

'Oh come on darling, that don't mean that you can't have some fun.'

'Stop saying that,' I rolled my eyes and left her tending to Kara's greedy needs.

I left the ban and walked into the kitchen where everything was rustic and made of oak or mahogany. It reminded me of my dad; he built the house. I hovered over the stove and put on the kettle while setting up a pot at the same time.

'Hey mum, what do you want for break fast!' I called out.

'Ssshhh,' she snapped as she walked in hurriedly.

'What?' I rolled my eyes and opened the door to our glossy red fridge; the last expensive thing we had only because Roland didn't like the fact that her yoghurt got spoiled once. 

'You'll wake your grandma!' she hissed.

'Oh sorry, I forgot,' I sighed.

'Just make us some eggs and baked beans and a salad for your grandma.'

'Anything else?'

'Whatever you want to make sweetheart,' she ran off to tend to the neighing animals that apparently needed brushing. 

I thought of mum's mother who was asleep in her bed and prayed for nothing else but our well-being thought it was not something she would live to see. I dumped an egin the pot for grandma and fried the rest while I heated the baked beans in a different pot. I normally would enjoy a huge breakfast but that isn't an option anymore.

I take the food off the stove as soon as its done and begin setting the plates. Grandma walks down the stairs carefully as she grips the bannister with much force.

'Morning grandma,' I rush to her side and place her arm around my shoulder.

'Now why you had to that? I got it.'

'Sure grandma,' I smirked.

'Mmmmnnn what is that smell? What you cooking girl?'

'Only your favourite ting in the world.'

'Which is?'

We reach the bottom and I open up the tray to show her the array of fishsticks and slices of pineapple.

'You made me a fishstick breakfast broil?'

'Yup,' I smiled.

'You are an amazing girl.'

'I always admired grandma's long twisted braids; she kind of reminded me of Whoopi Goldberg.

'Thank you baby,' she cooed as I helped her into her seat.

'Good morning mum,' mum entered and kissed her cheek before running upstairs to fetch my little sister Rhiannon; she's two.

'Honey is that family finally here?'

I knew grandma was talking about the rich family who had been building their house for some months now. We watched them zip back and forth with suitcases, boxes and bags.

'They must got a lot of stuff,' she said.

'I can't even imagine owning that many tings; what would they do with 'em?'

'I have no idea.'

Mum came back down and plopped Rhiannon into my arms.

'So that new family is here?' she asked and we nodded.

I watched her walk towards the window and watch them for a few moments.

'They must be so damn rich.'

'Sop staring and come and have this delicious breakfast; my baby's made some fishstick breakfast broil and we gon' eat it and we gon' like it.'

My mum smiled and gave me another hug. We said the grace and tucked into our breakfast. Mum launched into one of her funny stories about Martha and the rest from the market before a bell rang. Someone had come to buy something.

'I'll get it,' I said and excused myself. I usually tended to customers these days anyway. As I entered the box-shaped shop I tripped over a box and nearly cam crashing down.

'Careful,' it was a masculine voice. When I looked up I almost exploded at seeing the blue-eyed boy standing in front of me. Seeing him up close made me realize that he was was older than me; way more mature so maybe last time's incident wouldn't repeat itself.

'Morning,' I smiled and pushed my long braids out of my eyes. 'So what would you like?'

'Just a few eggs,' he said.

I choked on hearing how deep his voice was but comported myself and began searching for the medium-sized basket of fresh eggs. Damn is shoulders are so broad; I thought.

'Here you go, anything else?'

'Um yeah, do you have any apples?'

'Yes but we also have a basket of fruit; it's an assortment and it lasts longer than the apples on they own.'

'I'll take that.'

I nodded and scanned the shop for the fruits.

'So you moved into that big ol' house over there?' I asked while squatting down in pursuit of the basket.

'Yeah; it's uh pretty big.'

'Mmmhh,' I fished the basket out from a shelf and placed it on the table. 'That's $14.63.'

He dipped his hands into his pockets and handed me a twenty-dollar note.

I asked 'You're dad's name is Crawford right?'

'Yeah,' he said.

'He's a writer?'

'Yup.'

'So that makes you Michael his son.'

'How do you know all that?' he placed his elbows on the wooden counter-top.

'People round here talk; especially since they been building a mansion right there,' I gestured to his house.

'I see, and what's your name?'

'Here's your change,' I said as I handed him a few notes.

I did not want this to start because I knew that everything would go downhill once he knew my name.

'You can keep the change, but I may not leave without knowing your name.'

Holy sit.

'It's Riley,' I said.

'Nice to meet you Riley,' he smirked and walked out. I tried so hard not to stare at him but my eyes followed him back to his house.