THEM

Chapter 1

If you see this story anywhere other than right here on Wattpad, it has been stolen and put up there without my permission. So, please let me know if you come across any of my work outside of Wattpad as that is the only place where I post my stories (unless I've stated otherwise) so that it can be dealt with properly.

~JaeJae

***

"Come on Ally. Just one game."

I looked up from my phone where I was absently scrolling, my "I couldn't give a damn even if I tried" face in full effect, and shook my head once.

"Nope."

This had been going on for the last thirty minutes.

"Come on! Please?!"

My answer wasn't going to change no matter how many times she asked, but I pretended to think about it a little longer this time before answering, just to humor her. I even added a little head scratch and a glance upward for extra effect.

And then...

"Nope."

"Ally!"

"Ava!" I replied back in that same annoying tone she was using on me right now.

"Mom, Ally won't play tag with me."

The little witch even had the audacity to stomp her foot and put a hand on her hip.

I heard a deep sigh from behind me.

"Allona stop teasing your sister. Is one game really going to kill you?"

I looked over my shoulder from my spot on the bottom step of our porch and squinted up at my mother who I wasn't even sure was my real mother at this point after that question.

"Will one game kill me?" I repeated. "Did you really just ask me that?"

My mom's "Couldn't give a damn" face was even stronger than mine, but I chose to ignore it.

"Mom, the last time I ran was-"

I counted on my fingers.

"Three years ago at Thanksgiving-" I concluded. "And that was only because I was not about to miss out on grandma's peach cobbler. She made it for me and me alone, and you monsters would have devoured it if I had been just a few seconds late."

My mom rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"So, you're telling me the only time you'll run is if food is involved?"

I nodded with a smile.

"Yep."

My mom simply shook her head.

"You're young now so you can keep the weight off, but once you pass thirty and suddenly you're over two hundred pounds, don't call me because you got stuck in the bathtub."

I rolled my eyes and turned back around and started back fiddling with my phone again. I wasn't even really doing anything on it except scrolling through my social media, closing the app, and then reopening it again two seconds later to repeat the process all over again.

Whatever made it look I was busy and kept me from playing a game that involved running with Ava.

"Mom please make her play with me. Just one game. Pretty pretty please?"

Two pretties? The little she demon was really laying it on thick.

I knew what was coming.

"Allona-"