The Key To Andi

Chapter 1, My life's been screwed over

I was mad, no that's not a strong enough word for how I felt. My mother, Alouette Johnson had dragged me back to her hometown Dinan, France. She moved me back here from the usa. From my dad, even though that could count for nothing given the way he screwed up our family. But my friends, my school, my trips I had planned. I literally had to drop everything, well my mom made me drop everything to come here. "Mom, why do we have to come here?" I know i've been going on about all the negatives but the only plus was to get away from my father. "Lizzy, I told you I wanted to come home. I haven't been home since-" "Since I've been born so 17 years. But why now?" I whined, I didn't care if I sounded like a 2 year old I was furious. "I think it would be nice for you to have a family." "I have a family!" "Me, your father, and his new girlfriend. That isn't a family. Carissa and I started talking about a year ago." Carissa was my mother's twin sister. "Why didn't we go then?" "Your cousin died." "You could've been moral support." "Look in my purse. There's a picture of them." "Mom, what does that have to do with anything?" She was avoiding my question. "Elizabeth! Just do it." I did what I was told, and didn't argue because she used my full name. I saw the spitting image of my mother. My aunt Carissa, Then my uncle Alain. The eldest Bret who had curly dark hair, just like my uncle. Then, Andi, she was the one who died. She was the spitting image of me. Long wavy golden hair. The same freckles and bright blue eyes. Her height, complexion, cheekbones, posture everything was the same! I understood now why we didn't go then. I looked much to like andi and I have a feeling it would have just been harder for Carissa's family. My eyes drifted to the youngest, Guy he had light straight hair just like his mother and mine. The other middle girl Belle looked like her father as well. "MOM!" "Don't worry they know what to expect.'' Once we arrived I threw my bags down and yelled to my mom,"I'm going to explore." I didn't really want to explore but it was better than unpacking. As I was walking down Port St. I could feel so many eyes on me. I pulled my hood over my head and ducked into the nearest store. Nobody knew who I was as far as they were concerned Andi was back. I climbed the stairs and ran into a boy about my age. He hadn't dropped any books at that point but when he saw my face a face of horror washed over him and he dropped all the books. He stared for a couple of seconds and I looked away, watching the books tumble down the staircase. He started picking up the books. I grabbed Sherlock Holmes and handed it to him. "Thanks." he murmured. "I'm just going upstairs." I nearly smacked myself in the head really? I'm going upstairs? No shit Lizzy. "Be my guest." I brushed past and felt his eyes on me. I sighed I better get used to that. I grabbed my favorite book and checked out. "Where's your assistant?" I asked. "Max? He just left." Max, It suited him. I walked out. As if he heard my question he appeared. "I think we need to talk." Max steered me into the cafe next door. "Who are you?" He demanded as soon as I had sat down. "I'm Lizzy Johnson." "Lizzy?" "Short for Elizabeth." A few seconds passed. Then I realized that I wasn't supposed to know his name. "You are?" "Max Lawrence." "Max?" I said mocking him. "Maximilian." I tried to resist the urge to burst out laughing, nope didn't work. I laughed out loud. "What are you like royalty?" He gave me a look. "Sorry." I said trying to stifle my laughter."What are you doing here in Dinan?" "Visiting the Grants for the summer." I said with bitterness in my voice. "That explains why you look so much like Andi." "Yeah, except I've never been here, so you know People have been staring at me ever since I've gotten here. As far as they are concerned Andi is back from the dead." "I'm sure that's not true." "Look who's talking, you had a pretty big reaction when you saw me." "I slipped." I should've kept my mouth shut and believed him. But I continued. "I'm sure you walk down those stairs 30,000 times and could do it blindfolded and not slip. You freaked out." "You look like her but don't act like her." "Excuse me?" I said glaring at him,"I mean that in the kindest way possible." "Mmm Hmm, anyways did you know Andi?" "We were friends." "More than friends?" "Direct aren't you? No, we weren't boyfriend/girlfriend." "Do you know how Andi died?" I froze. why did I even say that? shit that wasn't smart. Max snapped. "Liz, If you know what's good for you you should never talk about her death." "Everybody knows except for me. What do you have to hide?" I challenged. "Why do you want to know?" "She was my cousin and I don't want to stick my foot into it as soon as I meet them." "She fell off a cliff." He stated matter factly. "You said you wanted to meet your cousins. I'm pretty sure they are coming here today." I went tense. "What's wrong?" "Other than never seeing them before... How about looking exactly like their dead sister." The waitress gasped and missed my cup spilling coffee on the table. She must have heard the last part. Oops