1 Chapter1

#Chapter1

Owen

I stopped my car, turning it off with a sigh. I watched as the door of the car parked in front of me, opened and my best friend, Caleb stepped out and ran his hands through his dark brown hair. I took a deep breath and let it out with another sigh. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this weekend, but I didn’t have any choice. Reminding myself of this, I push my car door open and step out following Caleb to the front door of his parents' house.

As we near the front door, I run my hands through my hair several times. /"Great/", I thought to myself, I'm nervous!/" I see Mr. And Mrs. Kelly, Caleb’s mom and step-dad, at least once a month, if not more. They are not who I am nervous to see. It’s Abby Davis, Caleb’s younger sister. I haven't seen her since I graduated from high school. She was two years younger than us but I was always in love with her. Since the day she was born. At least that’s what everyone said about our first meeting.

My mom had told me Mrs. Kelly, Davis back then, had brought her over to show my mom and I had been playing with Caleb when Abby woke up and started crying. I walked to the bouncer she was in and began rocking her. Glaring at Mrs. Kelly when she tried to pick her up. She ended up having to hand me the bottle and let me feed her because I wouldn’t let anyone near her. The story goes that for the first 2 years of Abby’s life I watched over her like a hawk whenever I was around and got extremely mad when I had to leave her behind. I rubbed my chest remembering how it felt to leave her. It was the worst pain ever.

Caleb opened the door without knocking, like always and announces that we have arrived, his voice carrying throughout the house. It’s only seconds later, that we hear heels coming from the kitchen toward us. Soon, the women responsible for the siblings looks, Mrs. Mary Kelly, came into view. She was an inch taller than Abby, besides that and their hair length, they looked alike. I always would look to Mrs. Kelly, liking that Abby would still be beautiful no matter her age. I swear that is not as creepy as it sounds.

/"My boys are here,/" the women who is like a second mother to me, smiles at us and opens her arms as she runs to us. We both wrap an arm around her sharing the hug. She pulls away and places a hand on each of our cheeks. /"I’m so glad you're here./" We both laugh at her excitement and the fact that we can see the tears forming in her eyes. She cried over so much and we always made fun of her for it.

/"You ready for your big day, Mom?/" Caleb asks her. We both laugh again when she nods her head like a kid who was just asked if they wanted their Christmas presents early. /"Where’s Dad and Abby?/"

I felt myself lean in toward them a little so I could hear what her answer was. /"Your dad is still at work and he is picking your sister up at the airport on his way home. They should be here by the time dinner is ready/"

Caleb scrunched his face in confusion, /"I thought she was coming in last night./"

/"She had papers to grade or something before she could leave and it took her longer than she had thought it would so, she had to take a flight today instead. She will be so happy to see you. She has missed you by just a few days her last several visits./" I felt myself smile a little knowing that Abby had become a teacher like she had always wanted to when they were growing up. /"Since you both are staying the weekend, I made up your rooms. Put your bags up and come help me in the kitchen,/" Mrs. Kelly commanded before walking off to the kitchen.

Caleb grabbed his bag and took the stairs 2 at a time. While I walked down the hallway past the living room where my room is. The Kelly’s country house was where we spent most of our summers. When Caleb and I were 13, I spent most of the year at their house in the city, so Mrs. Kelly ended up turning the guest room into my room in both homes. The Kelly’s are like my second parents and have never treated me any different than their own children.

After putting my bag down on my bed, I went to find Caleb. At the top of the stairs, I had two options. I could take a left and head to Caleb’s room or to the right where Abby’s is. Looking toward her room, I see the door open which is weird because Mrs. Kelly always has all the doors shut. I turn right and look inside, finding her making Abby’s bed. I thought she was in the kichen, but knowing her she remembered in the middle of stirring something that Abby’s bed wasn’t made yet. I laugh at this thought, stopping at the door. I knock lightly on it, drawing her attention to me.

/"Do you need something, Owen?/" She smiles, standing straight with a small grunt. I smile back at her and walk into the room looking around. It hasn’t changed at all. I spent a lot of nights in this room with Abby. We had to be quiet so we didn't wake her parents whose room was right down the hall. But that always seemed to make whatever we did funnier. We would whisper talk to each other all night. The real challenge was when I would make her laugh, which was one of my favorite things to do, and keep her quiet. Her laugh was always so loud when she really found something funny.

/"Do you need some help?/" I ask her, shaking the thoughts of the past from my head.

/"Sure,/" she motioned toward the bed.

/"This room hasn't changed much,/" I voiced my earlier thoughts before I could stop them. I hoped she didn’t pick up anything weird in the tone of my voice.

/"Nope,/" she said not looking at me but tucking the sheet under the corner. I was sure that my side didn’t look half as good as hers. /"I kept all your rooms the same./"