David; my older brother began to protest but she interrupted him, “David, don’t ask any questions or complain, I’m going to be late and I don’t plan on answering questions during the time I’m suppose to be meeting with a few important guest at the Buckingham palace in a few days.” Her heavy British accent twisted around her words, I always wanted an accent but it just never worked out. Sucks for me.

Good thing I didn’t care.

Only good thing was Isabeau would be gone for three days starting tomorrow.

Isabeau turned to me and smiled, it was forced.

 “Ah, my sweet Raven!” She sighed at me, she was only nice to me for some dumb reason of her own, “You have nothing to do, do as you wish while I’m away. Zoey dishes and dinner-” I don’t know why she calls me Raven, it’s just a name she just happens to always use. So I ignore her whenever she uses it

 Like I was going to let her make Zoey do the dishes and make dinner, crazy old crab. Besides I knew she would assign Zoey to do it, she always did and whenever Zoey got hurt she’d do nothing but promise she’d never make her cook again. Anyone keeping count of how many promises she doesn’t keep? Well not me.

 “I cooked dinner already, Isabeau.”

Her smoky gray eyes turned to me and she gave me a cold look, “Oh,” Yeah, how’s it feel for you trick to be thrown back in your face!

She looked disappointed that she couldn’t bother anyone more and nodded to us and hurried up the white marble stairs.

When the sound of her heels disappeared I grinned and pulled off my sweater. That went better then I thought.

“Anna, care to switch chores?” I asked.

She nodded slowly, after thinking about it.

David plopped down on the couch and lifted his legs up and laid back against the arm of the couch. Lazy, as always.

 “The lady gave us more things to do.” He never called her Aunt or Isabeau always lady or woman, “Now I feel like Cinderella.”

Zoey perked her eyebrows at him, “Isn’t that more down my alley then yours?”

He gave her a crocked grin and ruffled her hair.

 “As long as he doesn’t go gay on us I’m fine.” I stuck my tongue out at David and walked to wards the kitchen, “You guys go ahead up stairs after she leaves, I’ll do everything.” Anna began to object, I held up my finger and she stopped. “She never gives me anything to do, besides I want some new fingerless gloves, black and red. I hope your all writing this down.” Anna smiled at me and sat down next to David.

Zoey jumped into a chair, picked up a remote, turned on the TV and began flicking threw channels. She stopped on Disney channel and turn to me while ignoring Anna, and David’s complaints.

 “So what did you cook, Val?”

I drummed my fingers against my chin and gave her a toothy grin, “Chicken I guess.”

She beamed at me and turned back to wards the TV, and she flicked it off faster then I could blink since Isabeau was coming back down the steps.

She stood over the last four steps in a silk glittering gown that flowed behind her and hung at every curve, it wasn’t for her age or fit for the place she was going to but she loved to make an entrance, that would explain the red pins she plucked out her hair and let her red wavy hair hang. And she was only about thirty-three. Though the amount of make-up she used always made her look in her late 20’s.

Isabeau gave them firm looks, and turned to me a smiled warmly. I ignored it and began gnawing on my nails; she could do favoritism another day.

 “Well I’m off.” She said after putting on her fur Shetland coat, she would only be gone for about 4 to 5 hours so that gave me time to do there stuff in an hour, and then free for the next three.

We waved until her car turned the corner, and we slammed the door, relieved.

 “Hallelujah she’s gone, Santa wont have to climb down the chimney this year my wish has come threw!” David chuckled to himself and headed upstairs after taking his magazines off the coffee table.

Zoey put her book bag over her shoulder, got a bag of chips out the kitchen cupboard and ran upstairs. Anna got her GED books, gave me a salute and went upstairs after Zoey, of course they knew I wanted to be alone downstairs. I pulled my band off my shelf smoothed it over my hair and started off with the chores. When I was done my brother and sisters came down, we ate dinner; I stayed on the computer for a while then went to bed.

The next day I was woken by Isabeau, a bell ringing by my ear and the blazing sun blinding me close to death.

I swore and sat up smacking Isabeau in the face by mistake, should have punched her. Sometimes I felt like I was Cinderella without the stepsisters but an annoying stepmother, maybe that would explain the reason I hate Cinderella so much. I once kicked a classmate of mine in the nuts five times because he called me Cinderella girl. I don’t know why I did it, but the guy doesn’t quite like me these days. And that’s how I make friends, the easy way. Good thing Ette doesn’t call me that.

I had forgotten about Isabeau “Raven, up and at em…” I tuned her out and waited as she rambled on and left the room, I really wasn’t feeling school today. Well, I didn’t any day but today I wasn’t feeling it at all.

I walked into Zoey’s room pulled back her covers and turned on the lights. She sat up with a blank expression and turned a heavy glare on me. She slept more like a boulder then a rock.

 “Hey, it’s better me then Isabeau. She rang a bell in my ear for more then 30 minutes, I was going to hit her with my guitar but it cost a lot and I don’t plan on losing my only one.”

She grinned at me and climbed off the bed; before she could take her fourth step she did a face plant. I looked down at her sleeping body on the floor and folded my arms across my chest. The kid was worse then me; I might would get a few more minutes of sleep if Isabeau left the room, I would just flip over and go back to sleep. But Zoey just climbs out her bed takes 3 steps and falls on her face, and goes back to sleep without even saying ‘ow’. 

I pulled her blanket off the bed and put it on her, I’d let her sleep a little longer then I’d come back in to wake her up. Besides Isabeau only came around once to wake everyone up. Then she would go and get dress, do the paper work her boss gives her, put on a fashionable dress, assign chores for after school and leave before the clock turns to 8:30. Then later in the afternoon she'd be gone and off to London, she wouldn't take us with her last time she did she was nearly broke when we got back. Besides David could watch us after all he is 21 soon to be 22, and only in his third year of college.

I pushes my door open and made my way to wards my dresser, I’d go with black and yellow today. I pulled out a black and yellow across stripped short sleeve shirt, black cargo Capri’s. I got the rest of my clothes and dragged myself to the bathroom with one eye open, next time I wont stay on the computer so long, 7 hours strait could really ruin a person.

After I washed and got dressed, I dried my hair with a towel and began fixing it up. After I was done I toyed with my hair for a few minutes, fluffing it up. I studied my hair in the mirror and smiled, spikes would have to do today, more teasing then what I did regular. I started putting on my eyeliner carefully and skillfully. I had just finished my left eye when David came by and leaned against the door entrance behind me.

 “Whoa, you look like an owl.” He grinned at his joke and tugged on one of my spikes, “Wow it really stays up, I swear sometimes you use wax.” He grabbed his toothbrush and was about to leave when he turned back around, “By the way where’s Zoey?”

I used a tissue to wipe away the part I messed up, “She’s sleep on her floor again, give her a few more minutes. She’ll wake up soon, if not kick her.”

 “Again? I know your owl makeup stuff makes you look cooler in your own way, but you have a few bags under your eyes. You might not be able to cover that up, so try just letting them stay there and you’ll look older then me in a few weeks.” He chuckled at his joke and went out laughing after I elbowed him. Dork.

Smiling to myself I examined myself in the mirror for a few seconds, grabbed my stuff and went out the bathroom when I bumped into Anna, I hadn’t been talking to her much. Since her little visitor came over, who keeps coming over more and more often. Since David also knows the dork wad I leave them alone to enjoy his company, as long as they don’t bother me I read in peace.

 “Val have you seen Zoey-”

I walked right past her, “Sleep on the floor, in her room.”

I went in my room and shut the door; I dumped the dirty clothes in my basket and put on my necklaces, fingerless gloves, and a skull hairpin. While pulling on my socks and converses I hummed an FOB song to myself, I got up off the bed stretched then ran down the marble staircase.

 “Raven, darling the money for you is on the counter,” said Isabeau when she came in from the other room; I looked at the business suit she wore and my eyebrows rose. She saw puzzled face and tugged at the blouse, “I’m going to a meeting so I have to dress this way, a pity though.” She murmured the last part to herself, but I heard it.

I watched her leave and hurried to the kitchen, writing a note next to the 70$ on the counter and hurried back upstairs. I grabbed my bag and ran back downstairs.

 “I’m out.” I called.

A few shouts from them and I opened the door and left. I locked the door and turned around and slammed into a firm muscle chest, in white. My upper lip curled into a snarl as I looked up that mountain hair, it was white on top today how wonderful.

 “Oh, didn’t see you there, Raven right?”

This time my mouth did turn into a snarl.

 “My names Valarie.” I spit on his pricey Vans and pushes him aside, “Don’t play **** Victor, you may be a friend of Anna and David, probably Zoey to.”

 “Well she is a suck-up.”

 “Don’t remind me.” I said after rolling my eyes to the sky, “But you’re not a friend of mine, so piss off.”

I hurried down the steps and started walking across the lawn quickly, Silent treatment would make him go away, it worked well on guys that just wouldn't take no for an answer.

I hurried down the block and looked back every once in awhile to make sure he wasn't following me. After the third time I turned around in the last 5 minutes, turns out he was. I don't know why I didn't see him before but he had his eyes on my head walking about 10 feet behind me, nearly glaring. I shuddered.

When I saw my school Bloomfield High school in sight I sprinted down the sidewalk to wards it.

A brown brick building with the words Glen Ridge High School printed on the front in big, silver, bold letters. I opened the front glass door and sniffed in the smell of bleach, and he came in right behind me. But instead of following me he went to the main office, maybe he gave up.

I walked down the hall while running my hands against the lockers, until I reached mine. I opened it a three swift movements and grabbed my books, slamming I turned around and rammed into someone.

I looked down at the girl across from me with blond hair nearly white, dark chocolate brown eyes, pale skin that looked almost fake, Asian she had to be. Her face was still very small and soft looking but it looked like she wore make-up, I hope. Well I could see a bit of eyeliner and light lipstick, or that was the real color. But she looked like something in a fantasy, as in completely fake. Though the make-up made her look a whole lot younger, I could barely even see her eyebrows, she even had tiny little band put over her hair. She looked more like a Gothic doll actually. The black skin tight shirt hewore weren't connected to the long sleeves she wore that came up to her palms. She had on black suede boots that came up to her knees, black shorts with pink leggings under them, and a belt with five chains on it. A blue necklace that had the peace sign on a pink black chain. Though she wasn't slender so everything fit her perfectly, hey she actually was a doll!

And....

So we both sat there studying each other, carefully.

 "Your going to pick up my books?" she said watching me.

I looked at her black books on the floor and starred, they looked like 500 year old leather bound books that belonged in a museum. But I don't pick up books for people that bump into me, I don't know how she did when the hall is so wide and I'm in front of my locker not in the middle of the hallway, unless she was examining my **** and got to close.

I looked back up at her and scowled, "No."

She looked at the books then back at me and muttered, "Bitch." under her breath. I ignored her comment surprised and surprised myself by not punching her, hey she was a noob be nice to noobys.

She picked up her books quickly, got up, glared at me and walked off swiftly. I watched her go and then I thought: Where the hell had she come from? I had never seen her before. Gothic anime freak.

I got up and watched her walk into my class, wonderful. As long as she didn't sit by me, actually it would be better if she was in the wrong class.

I felt a finger jab me in the center of my back, and I swung around catching my hand connecting to Etta's cheek. And she didn't stop to clutch her cheek she just smacked me back. I stuck my tongue against my cheek and looked at her. Blue shirt that said 'I wasn't kissing him, I was telling his lip a secret!', skinny jeans black. And she finally put her eyebrow ring back in! She had put a pink blue streak in her brown hair and spiked it like mine, her hair was a little shorter then mine so sometimes she used extensions. She also wore contacts, gray today, probably green tomorrow, since tomorrows Wednesday. But every time I looked at her I saw her brother, there just to identical, but if I tell them that then they'll probably try to get something even worse changed. Like.. genders.

 "Nice shirt." I commented after slamming my locker shut.

As soon as Ette pushed open the classroom door I nearly fell forward on my face, the Asian girl was sitting on the lap of stalker boy. OK, maybe I was a little irritated about it, just a little.

And he saw me come in, and grinned so evilly in my direction I felt like he knew what I was thinking, and that he did the grin on purpose. Grinning back at him, since I wasn't planning on giving in, and followed Etta over to our tables. And he went back to talking to the Asian girl.

Then Etta left her seat, placed and envelope on Ette's desk, who was apparently sleep or suppose to be, and walked over to the stalker, and the Asian girl.

And they began chatting like they where old buddies that met up at a diner.

Mr. Fillian walked in and cleared his throat. A tall, lean man with curly black hair and dark chocolate skin, milk chocolate eyes and a smile that melted hearts. My best teacher I'd have to say, even though I don't have any other teachers I like. Mr. Fillian just has the easiest work, not a lot of homework, hes very helpful, and like I said a smile that melts hearts.

Mr. Fillian gestured to the Asian girl and Victor and they walked to the front of the class.

He sat down at his desk and propped his feet on the end, placing his hands behind his head and sat there his eyes glued to Victor and the Asian girl, introduction, I guess.

Victor looked at him like he was an idiot and grunted and turned to wards the class and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He look at the window and muttered something to himself quietly, I snickered.

 "Feels like Kindergarten again." I leaned forward in my chair and whispered to Etta who sat next to me, we where aloud to pick our own seats in Mr. Fillian's class.

She leaned back whispered back, "I know."

Mr. Fillian gave a 'shhh' sound, after sending both of us a look I hushed. "I didn't hear you Mr. Francois." He leaned back farther in the chair still watching Victor.

Francois?

Victor sent him a glare and Mr. Fillian glared back.

 "I said Victor Francois," he perked his eye brows at Mr. Fillian, "Better?"

He nodded and looked at the Asian girl, he smiled giving her an encouraging smile and watched her step forward and look around the class warily.

Then her eyes set on me, "Michiko Yamamoto, Miki for short, which I prefer." and with a small wink at the class, then looked back at Mr. Fillian and gave him a cheery smile, suck up.

He got up from behind the desk, came around and leaned against the front of the desk in an awkward pose with his left foot behind his right. He looked around the class assigned them to seats. Seats that would ruin my life. Miki would sit to my right, Victor to my left and as always Etta in front of me and Ette behind.

Yeah, this sure was going to be like Kindergarten. Just like back then I'll have more people annoy me, but this time not about my style or personality, since Victors just like me.

But I'll have a stalker guy sitting next to me in every History, Literature, Chemistry, and Gym class. I'm so lucky, I mean really lucky.