Ellie had two adorable half siblings – Hannah, who was a year and a half older than Cole, and Declan, who was eleven. Not surprisingly, the two shy teens didn’t spend time with each other when I brought Cole to these dinners. Declan always monopolized Cole’s time anyway – Declan had a large collection of video games for them to zombify themselves in front of.
About eight months ago, Joss had taken me on a night out with Ellie. After five minutes I got the distinct feeling I was being taken under their wing. Ellie immediately asked me to her family’s Sunday dinner (while Joss smirked happily at someone else getting the ‘Ellie treatment’), insisting that I bring Cole. After two months of dodging the invitation, I finally got to the point where I felt rude declining. I dragged Cole along and we both enjoyed ourselves so much, we tried to make Sunday dinner at the Nicholses’ house whenever we could.
I loved it because it was the only time Cole and I really got to be ourselves. Whatever Joss had said to the Sunday gang, no one ever asked about Mum, and Cole and I could relax for a few hours each week. Plus, Elodie was the epitome of a mother hen, and having never had that, both my brother and I enjoyed being taken care of for once.
Sunday dinner included the Nicholses, Ellie and her boyfriend, Adam, Braden and Joss.
While we waited for dinner to be ready, I usually hung out with Hannah. Looks-wise, Hannah was a smaller version of her gorgeous big sister. Tall for her age, and if she was going to be following exactly in her sister’s footsteps, Hannah had already reached her full height at five foot nine. She was absolutely stunning with short pale blonde hair, wide velvet brown eyes that peered out from under a stylish fringe, and delicate features including an adorable pointed chin. She was going to be a little fuller-figured than I ever would be, already sporting a decent cle**age and a nice curve to her hips. At fifteen-going-on-sixteen she could pass for eighteen, and if it hadn’t been for her shyness, she’d probably have had boys beating down her door and causing Clark no end of aggravation.
As big a bookworm as I was, Hannah was an even bigger one, hiding behind literature and her schoolwork. I thought it was a shame that she wasn’t more outgoing, since she had an amazing personality. She was sharp as a tack, kind, funny, and a little snarkier than her big sister. I’d taken to sitting in her large bedroom, going through her piles of books while she chatted away to me about everything and nothing.
‘That was a good one,’ Hannah observed and I turned around from her bookshelf to see that she was looking up from her laptop. Apparently I’d done something more interesting than her friends on Facebook.
‘This?’ I waved the teen book at her. I didn’t really read young adult books, but Joss had waxed lyrical about them so I decided to give them a try. Hannah saved me a ton of money, acting as my own personal library.
She nodded and smiled, a dimple dipping in her left cheek. She really was adorable. ‘There’s a hot guy in that one.’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Age?’
‘Twenty-four.’
Pleasantly surprised, I smiled, flipping through the pages. ‘Nice. Who knew teen fiction had got so risqué?’
‘The main character is eighteen. It’s not gross or anything.’
‘Good to know.’ I stood up from my kneeling position and wandered over to her huge bed to flop down beside her. ‘I wouldn’t want you corrupting my innocence.’
Hannah chortled. ‘I think Malcolm’s already done that.’
I gave a wee huff of amusement. ‘What would you know about that stuff? A boy caught your eye yet?’
Of course, I’d expected her to shake her head, frowning like she always did when I asked her this question. To my utter surprise, her pale cheeks flushed red.
Interesting.
I sat up and pushed her laptop off her lap on to the bed so I could have her full attention. ‘Tell me everything.’
She slanted me a look. ‘You can’t tell anyone. Not Ellie or Joss or Mum –’
‘I promise,’ I replied hurriedly, feeling a bubble of excitement for her. First romances were so exhilarating.
Making a face at my obvious anticipation, Hannah shook her head. ‘It’s not like I’m going out with anyone.’
I grinned. ‘Then what is it like?’
She shrugged uncertainly, her eyes suddenly filled with dismay. ‘He doesn’t like me the same way.’
‘Who doesn’t? How do you know?’
‘He’s older.’
Worry stabbed me in the gut. ‘Older?’
Hannah must have heard the note of reproach in my voice because she waved my concern away quickly. ‘He’s just eighteen. He’s in the last year at school.’
‘So how did you meet?’ Although I was willing to be a friend to Hannah, I also wanted the details so I could figure out whether there was reason to be concerned or not. Hannah was a young fifteen when it came to boys and I didn’t want anyone taking advantage of her.
Relaxing, Hannah turned towards me, getting more comfortable with confiding her boy story to me. ‘Last year these boys started to make fun of me and my friends. We didn’t really bother when we were together. It was just names, and they’re just a bunch of idiots who skip school and bully everyone who actually likes school.’ She rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the young male species. ‘Anyway, one day last year I missed the bus, so I began walking home. They followed me.’
I gripped her duvet cover, my eyes wide. ‘Di–’
‘It’s okay.’ She cut me off, reassuring me. ‘Marco stopped them.’