Young Writers Society

Riley

The Next Day...

Bree had me up at ten, becuase mom and dad would be here at eleven. On the dot, no doubt. She dragged me into her bedroom and forced me into the awful outfit she had picked out for me. She also made me put on make up, something I hadn't worn in a long time. Rather, she did it, while I sat and scowled.

"I am never going to forgive you for this." I tell her, she grins.

"Suck it up." She says. She finishes pulling and tugging at my hair, and then holds up a mirrior for me.

My usually pink lips are a bright red, there is a blue shadow behind my eyes along with mascara and eye liner. There is a red blush to my cheeks and my hair is pulled into a high ponytail. I look like a barbie doll.

"What have you done?" I ask.

"Made you look hot, admit it Riley, you look good." Bree says. I sigh. Bree already had herself done up, but then again, she didn't have to change a bit. She hands me the pink heels and puts on her yellow ones to match the sun dress she wore.

I walk down the stairs, clutching the railing as I did. Reg took one look at me and burst out laughing, he had to hold onto a pillar for support.

"Riley, is that you?" James asked.

"No, its the Easter Bunny." I said sacrcastically.

"Well, at least your voice hasn't chaged. MY god, Riley, what happened."

"Bree." I hissed.

Alis comes down the stairs, "Riley, seriously....This is low, even for you." I roll my eyes.

I make my voice all high and sweet, "Not it's not Alis. Now lets all just be nice and...stuff." I say. Everyone else, Ace included, starts laughing. Then the doorbell rings.

James~~

Reg may have been laughing but I wasn't. I waited till she was down the stairs then walked over, "Whats our cover?"

*sorry its short*

Riley

"My parents." I hiss, as Bree gets the door. They come bursting in. My mother, fat and red-headed, looking somewhat like an overwieght dwarf. And my father, not much taller, but thin and defined. They both hug Bree, my mom only coming up to Bree's shoulder.

"Bree, oh we are so happy to see you, when we got your call we were just so excited. You've grown so much, I am so glad you found a nice little group of friends." Reg is biting his lip to keep from laughing.

My mother comes up to me, "Oh, Riley, youv'e gotten so lovely, and I wasn't so sure when you were little, but...oh!" My hands tighten to fists behind her back when I bend down to give her a quick hug. My dad comes up and wordlessly gives me a hug as well.

"So, Bree, who's the lucky guy?" My mother asks. Bree points to Reg.

"He's awfully, um, large, Bree, are you sure?" My father asks. And, compared to mom and dad, Reg was huge. He was tall and had a lot of muscle on him. He made my dad look like a stick.

"Yes, dad, I am sure." Bree says, rather annoyed. My dad goes over, shakes Regs hand, and introduces himself. James was giving me a look that questioned how I could be so tall when my parents were so, um, not tall.

Alis comes downstairs, "Who are the midgets?" She asks. I reach for my gun, then realize it isn't there. Damn.

"My parents." Bree says coolly.

"Oh," Alis says, seeming to regret what she said, "Well its nice to meet you." My mom comes up and gives Alis a hug.

"It's alright sweetie." My mom says. Alis reaches for the gun she doesn't have either.

Alis

I reach for my gun, then stifle a hiss remembering that Bree confiscated it. I go to stand over my Reg, because both of Riley's midget parents seem remotely afraid of him.

"Not what you would expect, huh?" James says.

"Not even close." I say.

"I wonder were Riles and Bree got there 'ieght from, eh?" Reg says.

"I was wondering the same." James says. Bree goes to show her parents to there room. Riley comes over to us, looking like she's about to shoot something.

"Two weeks." I whisper to her. She takes a deep breath and puts on a fake smile.

"I can do this." She says.

"Riely, where's my purse?" Mrs. Evans yelled.

"Coming mom!" Riley says. Even her parents could probably hear the strain in her voice.

Ace

Pretty much everyone was meeting Riley's and Bree's parents, but I couldn't force myself to go to the foyer. I mean, what would they think of me? Meeting people was very frightening for me sometimes. It was stupid how scared I was to meet the American gang for the first time, but these people...they weren't...us.

"I can't do it," I murmured a few times under my breath as I paced the kitchen, tugging on the ends of my blue-colored hair. My entire body trembled violently and I was pale and freezing, even wearing two jackets. Something was blocking my throat. I almost wanted to cry, but that wouldn't help matters. "I can't do it."

For someone with post traumatic stress disorder, I certainly didn't do anything to make myself better. Joining a gang, surrounding myself with people--people who could possibly hurt me, no less. Breaking into houses. Stealing. Always hiding or running. But maybe it was just the only thing I knew how to do well.

Reaching for a sponge and cleaning spray, I started to scrub the kitchen counters almost obsessively. I worked on the same spot, muttering gibberish and hiccuping for about five minutes straight when Maitea came in and grabbed my wrists, stilling the motion.

"Ace, you have to stop this," she said, prying the sponge out of my left hand and throwing it back in the general direction of the sink.

"No!" I cried as it sailed across the kitchen and landed with a soggy splat on the bread box.

"You're shaking." She sighed and waited until I calmed down a little before continuing. "Let's go meet them. I'll come with you."

Defeated, I let her drag me away from my obsessive-compulsive scrubbing and toward the noise of the people in the other room.

Reg Carter

I wasn't particularly best at family reunions, but Riley's unrest and the dragging about of Ace by Maitea was quite enough to sway me into the category of "doing alright." My initial thoughts of the pair was that they were hilarious, but after a while I began to realise what they really were. Those obsessive parent figures. I growled at the thought.

Bree walked up to me after getting her mother a cup'a tea. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, all too fine. You?" I replied.

"I'm okay," she said bluntly. I take her hand and smile at her. She smiles back, but before anything else happened there was a call from the lounge.

"Bree! Oh, Bree deary! You've forgotten the milk in the tea!"

Bree sighed and went to aid her mother. I laughed a little and decided I'd go into the lounge and do a bit of socialising. I walked in and took a seat in the armchair closest to the door, facing the sofa where Mr. and Mrs. Evans were sitting.

"So, what's your name, son?" asked Mr. Evans concerned.

"Reg," I grinned, "Reg Carter."

"Ah, I knew a Reg once," he replied, running his finger down his cheek in thought.

"Did you indeed" I replied bluntly.

"Hey hey!" said Mrs. Evans, clearly feeling jealous of conversation, "No past thought banter now dear. So, Reg, how'd you meet our Bree?"

"Now there's a long story," I said. At this moment Bree walked in and I looked at her with anxiety as if to say fancy tellin' it?

Bree

I look at my mom and dad.

"Well, you know, obviously, that Riley and me have been hanging around with a group of people for quite a while. I used to lead a group in spain, but Riley said she needed me here. I cam first. Reg had allready been with Riley's group for a while ,and had known her before in Mexico. We met, and, everything just fell into place." I said. Reg gave me a look.

"Well, thats nice sweetie. Its good you have found another soul like yourself." My mother said. I laughed a little.

I sit next to Reg and whisper quickly t him, "Riley doesn't want our parents to know were part of the Fishers." he gives me a questioning look. I lead him out of the room, ignoring my parents stares.

"My parents work for the FBI!" I tell him when we are out of earshot.

"Tha' could be a problem." Reg said.

"Yeah, but they had to come. I mean, only for two weeks."

"Riles won't make it tha' long."

"She will, she has more self-control then you would think."

Lets hope. Reg says, then leans down to give me a quick kiss.

"What if they find out?" I ask, slightly worried.

"I'll find where ya 'id our guns and make sure they don't leave this place alive."

Hey, Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been busy.

Maitea

I drag Ace into the sitting room where Mr. and Mrs. Evans are.

"Hi, I am Maitea, this is Ace." I say, sittingo on a couch. Ace sits next to me.

"Oh, what a pretty name you have deary." Mr. Evans said.

"Yes, it is, in fact." Mr. Evans agreed. I grinned.

"And what a strange name you have." Mrs. Evans looked pointedly at Ace.

"I like it." Alis said coolly, walking into the room.

"Of course you do." Mr. Evans said.

"What is that soposed to mean?" Alis snapped.

"Alis, clam down!" Riley said, walking into the room. James followed behind her. I watched Alis stiffin when James walked next to her. She relaxed when he sat on the opisite side of the room.

Ace

I felt heat rushing into my face. My name was strange, was it?

Taking a breath, I began, speaking slowly and quietly, "With all due respect, who do you think you are coming in here and insulting me? You got something against me? Well, I have a novel idea. How about the next time you want to say something nasty to someone, you go lose a pound or eighty so that then, you might have some room to talk."

The girls' parents sat there looking shocked for a few moments, as did everyone else. I just huffed and stood up. "Excuse me," I said and left the room, heading to my bedroom.

I couldn't believe I'd just said that to her. Slamming the door, I flopped down on the bed and sighed, closing my eyes, rubbing them. Really, was Ace such a strange name? I'd been told it was an homage to all the pilots that came before my mother--skilled, quick, disciplined, and deadly. Okay, so I'd completely violated that third quality, but at that point I wasn't sorry for it, and I wasn't planning on apologizing.

It wasn't something I could help, either. Most times, I just said things I didn't mean without thinking, and sometimes without even realizing I'd said them. I suppose it goes with the whole PTSD thing. Being mentally unstable. They put me in an uncomfortable position and then closed in on me, suffocating me until I had to find a way out.

Again, I wasn't going to apologize to them, but I knew I'd probably have to say I was sorry to the gang. I hoped I hadn't ruined everything, but I was sure I had.

My breaths started coming in short gasps and it looked like I was staring through a straw; I tried to fight the oncoming attack, but I soon blacked out completely.

Maitea

Ace goes upstairs, I turn to Mrs. Evans, "Did you really have to say that? Didn't, for one minute, you consider his feelings?"

"Think about it mom, not all of us are perfectly emotionally f-" Riley starts to say. Bree elbows her in the ribs.

"Ace, has a little bit of a difficult time, uh, when he gets mad." Bree said. I run upstiars to go talk to Ace. He needed a friend now, more than ever.

sorry its short.

Alis

I watched Maitea run after Ace. I honestly hooped she could calm him down. Keep him from doing anything....rash.

"Could you get me a bit more sugar, deary?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"Certainly." I said with a grin I stood up. I wondered where Maitea kept those chocolates of hers. riley stands up too, obiously not tursting me enough not to put something in the tea. I shake my head, she sits down.

I go into the kitchen, and take out the salt. I put four large spoonfulls in, then stir. I imagined the look on her face when she drank this. My grin grew more porfound. I go back to the sitting room. Riley gives me a look. I smile sweetly and hand the tea to Mrs. Evans. She takes a bog gulp, then spits it out all over Reg.

That does it. I start cracking up. This really was hillarious. The look on Reg's face. some aparently got on suzie to, because she is standing up dabing at her skirt with a towel. I laugh even harder. Reg looks at me. From mis ezpression, I was going to get it later. Bree is up, ruining my good moment, trying to clean off Reg's shirt. He whispers something to her I don't catch, but looks pointedly at me. I grin again. Mrs. Evans looks like she wants to shoot me too.

Riley is laughing.

Reg Carter

I shot up and stared at Alis. Before taking the china cup from Mrs. Evans and lobbing it at the wall angrily. It smashed everywhere. The room went silent.

"You best behave, Alis," I growled and went out of the room to fetch a dustpan and brush. I knew the dramatics had had an effect as everyone in the room had slummed to silence and Maitea shouted a few words of concern from upstairs.

I went back upstairs and cleared up the smashed china brashly. I looked at them all in the room and put on a forced grin.

"Let's not stop you havin' fun, eh Mr. and Mrs. Evans?" I say, my voice strained. "I insist."

Mrs. Evans nervously tries to return to conversation and I walk out of the room into the kitchen. That was enough acting like we were five years-old, I thought to myself.

Ace

I lay down until my vision came back. I was aware that Maitea had come in, but I didn't say anything; concentrating on staying conscious was hard enough.

The bed shifted with her weight as she sat down on it. I felt her eyes on me and then heard, "Ace, are you okay? That was quite an outburst for you."

"I'll be fine," I answered. "Honestly, I don't think I should show my face down there for the next...however long it takes before we run them out."

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, smiling. "You're not planning to run them out, are you?"

"No. I wasn't planning to say a darn thing until she rounded on me. Even so, I guess I should just stay up here." I sighed. "Maitea?"

"What's up, Ace?"

"Do they think I'm a horrible person?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

Suzie-

I wasn't sure what to do... laugh or get upset at Alis for ruining the only skirt I had. I decided to inwardly fume, outwardly giggle. Reg too gave me a look that said be quiet before leaving.

"So... how was the trip here Mr. and Mrs. Evans?"

"Oh, perfectly dreadful. But it was worth it to see our little princess," Mrs. Evans answered and patted Bree's hand. I saw Riley frown and glare at her parents so I stood up.

"How about I get some more of that tea stuff."

"No sugar this time please," said Mrs. Evans, her tone distrustful. I nodded and walked to the kitchen, past Alis.

"Suck up," she coughed. I rolled my eyes and continued to get the tea. All we needed was a screwed up family reunion. That would put a damper in anyone's day.

Riley

Oh, perfeect, now Bree was mom and dad's princess. I sigh and roll my eyes, but I am glad she is happy. Reg still seems pretty upset, but I decide not to say anything. No need to get anyone any more upset.

"Hey, mom, I hear we are having Chinease food tonight, your favorite." I say. I was hoping I could make something out of that asian cookbook in the kitchen. If not...

"Oh, that's good sweetie. Are we getting PF Changs?" My mom asks.

"No, I am making in." My dad frowns.

"Lets hope it doesn't end up like those cookies you tried to make when you were five. Ugh!" My dad says.

"Of course not." Bree says.

"Oh, don't be put out with us, no need to get riled up, Riley." My dads joke wasn't even close to funny. Suzie comes back with the tea.

"Did you put any poison in it?" I ask her as she walks by. She smiles, and shakes her head. "Drat." I whisper under my breath. She laughs a little.

Bree

I follow Reeg into the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"Fine," he says, his hands are shaking from anger.

"Meet your almost parents-in-law." I say with a fake grin. He scowls. I try again. "Once you get to know them they are okay. They are rude, they can't help him."

"Two weeks." He whispers to himself.

"Yes, just two weeks you have to put up with them. Then all you have to do is put up with me for the rest of forever." I laugh a little. He bends down to give me a quick kiss.

"Yeah, all I 'ave to do is put up wit' you." He reapeats. He is obviosly kidding. I laugh again.