Chapter 2

"Shel", I heard my mom's voice loud and clear and soon, someone was shaking me in my own bed. Seriously? Hey, I'm trying to sleep here, woman!

I groaned and turned my back to the pair of hands. I covered my ears with my two little cushions. Oh, how much I love them. They really help me in the mornings and definitely in situations like this one. 

"Shel, if you don't wake up right now, I won't give you any breakfast." she warned. Completely ignoring the underlying threat in her voice, I couldn't help but think that her voice is like a siren. I winced and shit, I've got a headache already.

"Mom, two more minutes." I whined and cuddled more into my cotton pillows. I hummed in pleasure. Is it only me or does the bed seems more comfy and soft in the mornings? Right when we have to wake up? Just then, I heard my mom opening my window and letting the sunlight in. I groaned again in frustration. I covered my head with the blanket and tried falling asleep again but I couldn't.

Heck, since my evil-like mom has already woke me up, why not wake up early for once on a Sunday morning? Damn right, you guessed it. I am so not a morning person. If I get a nice and full sleep, I would get up by myself but since I slept late last night, I am feeling so lazy to wake up. 

"Shelly Jessica Anderson, will you wake up?" Oh no! I quickly hummed in response and sat up in bed. I glanced around my room with my half opened eyes. Sunlight was streaming through the window, turning the sheer hangings around my bed filmy gold. I checked the time. It was nine o'clock. Seriously, mom? Nine o'clock?

"Really mom, you woke me up at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning?" I couldn't help but whined. I pouted in annoyance and sighed, I really needed my beauty sleep. It's only on Sundays that I get to sleep a bit more. Unlike on school days, I have to wake up at seven o'clock to get ready for school.

"Shel, stop acting like a 5 year old child. You have to wake up. Your father wants to go and meet the family that moved in yesterday. Let's go welcome them into the neighbourhood. Come on, get up, you lazy bum." she pulled at my arms. 

“That’s not our job.” I scowled in annoyance.

“Shelly”, she gave her fierce pointed look sending a chill down my spine.

"I'm up, I'm up." I quickly muttered while pushing her prying hands away and moved to get up. 

I pushed the hangings aside, jumped out of bed and made my way to my inter-connected bathroom while thinking that last night wasn't a dream after all. My senior year will start tomorrow and I was really not in the mood to go waste my time welcoming them. Well, I'm not selfish, okay? I just wanted to prepare myself for tomorrow and also, that's something that my parents should do, not me. 

It's my senior year after all. I want to make the best out of my last year. Even if I am not popular at school, well, that would be a lie as I tend to be a bit popular all thanks to my best friend who is one of the populars. I also have a few more friends, like my dancing partners and some classmates who are nice to me at school but being popular isn't really my thing so I tend to avoid anything associated with it. I wanted to go shopping today for my school materials. I have to buy a few clothes also. It was summer and I needed some more summer clothes.

I entered my turquoise and white tiled bathroom as I thought about how I would make this school year special for me and my friends. I brushed my teeth and studied my face in the small squared mirror. I was not gorgeous like the queen bee of my school. I was well... okay.

I don't have words to describe myself. I am good as I am. I don't like to show myself to others. I don't like to be the center of attention at school. Unlike the queen bee, Sandy, she really likes to be in the limelight at school. Every boy fall at her feet, begging her to be their girlfriend.

And the latter likes to please them. Every day, a new boy but she usually chooses the popular ones as she is an attention seeker and what would be better than to be with the populars themselves. Like really, if you are beautiful, keep yourself preserved for the one who you will love in your life, right? I am not the dating type. I just want someone who would make me feel like I'm the only one and that I'm special for him. I know that's a lot to ask for but a girl can dream, right?

I smiled and splashed some water onto my face. I grabbed a towel and took a bath. When I finished, I dried myself with the towel and grabbed a white short and a light purple tank top to wear. Since the closet and the bathroom are connected too, I don't have to get back in my bedroom to get my clothes.

I have to praise the guy who made it like that but still, I don't like the way the houses are so close to each other. I got ready and took a pair of white converse to pair with my choice of clothes. My closet consisted of almost everything that a teenage girl would need. My party dresses in one compartment and so on. Since my mom is a fashion designer herself, she always designed most of my clothes. That's why my closet is loaded but shopping once in a while is a must.

I went back in my bedroom to do a light make up and applied some light pink lip gloss. I checked myself in the mirror. I look okay and fresh. I brushed the wild coppery curls that have clustered over my head and let it opened. It was straight and curly in the ends. I am ready to go. I went downstairs and saw my parents in the kitchen. 

"Good morning." I smiled at them and pulled a chair to sit down.

"Good morning, dear." my mom answered and placed a sandwich on the plate in front of me.

"Good morning, princess." my dad kept his morning newspaper aside on the table.

We ate in silence. When I was full, I started washing the dirty dishes. I helped my mom in the kitchen while my dad kept trying to tease her.

"Come on dad, will you stop acting like a spoilt brat?" I shook my head at him with a serious look on my face and dad looked scared for once. I chuckled and watched as he tried to escape, his shoulders slumped down. But he walked in the closed back door and fell on his bum. I gasped and closed the tap. My mom and I shared a knowing look and burst out into a laughing fit. I was laughing so much that I couldn't hold it anymore and fell down on the floor, clenching my sides. 

"How could you laugh at me?" dad glared jokingly at mom and then glanced at me. I snickered.

"You should have seen your face. It was priceless. If I had my camera, I would have captured -", I was cut off when he lunged at me. I screamed and ran away before he could catch me. I went straight outside in the yard but my dad suddenly hoisted me up over his right shoulder. I squealed and pinched his sides making him drop me but I jumped down in the drive way. I could hear my mom laughing from behind. I couldn't help but think how much I have missed days like this.

"What were you saying?" my dad grabbed me again and started tickling me. 

"N-no-not-nothing." I wheezed out unable to control a guffaw from erupting.

"Good!" my dad stopped seemingly content at my response but smirked once I looked up at him. He raised his hands up in the air and I knew what was coming. I turned around to get away but it was too late. He already had his fingers up in my hair messing it up.

"No, not my hair." I whined and pushed him away. 

Both mom and dad snickered at me and my messed up hair. I pouted at my mom but she simply smiled and winked at me. My mom slapped the back of dad's head and the latter gasped in shock. I grinned at mom who was smiling back at dad's funny face sheepishly. God, I love my parents.

"Come on, Shel!" my mom pulled me towards her and ran her fingers through my hair, adjusting the mess that my dad made. 

"Voila", she patted my head and turned her back towards us to close the front door.

I stick my tongue out at my dad who returned the gesture but then, made a monotone face when my mom turned back around.

"Mom, what's that?" I asked her when I saw a little white bag in her right hand.

"Oh! That's just some sweets to welcome them. Let's go." my mom ushered up toward the house. I can already notice the two cars and the deadly looking black motorcycle parked in their driveway from here. As soon as I stepped on the wooden porch of the house, my dad rang the doorbell and we waited patiently. 

Soon the door opened revealing- wait what?

This must be some kind of sick joke.

This can't be Max Jackson!

Not him!