Present

"Stephen!" I yelled up to my brother as I lifted a box. "You still have more boxes!"

"I'll be down in a sec," he said as the sound of his video game blared from his room. I could tell he was playing GTA and I desperately wanted to go play it with him, but I had to help unpack. You see, my brother and I, plus our adoptive parents, moved to a new town called Beacon Hills. We moved here because my adoptive dad, Zach, got a job here. My adoptive mother, Vanesa, was the one who had the brilliant idea of moving here. Stephen and I didn't really want to move here, but we didn't really have any choice.

"Get down here Stephen!" Vanesa called. I don't really like to call her mother, since she isn't even my mom. So, don't expect me too.

Stephen groaned before pausing his game, running down the stairs to claim his boxes of junk. I smiled as I handed him a box full of his shirts before he shot me a smile back. "Thank you my lovely sister."

I rolled my eyes before messing with his hair,"You're welcome my lovely brother." He hissed at me for messing up his gelled hair before running back upstairs, boxes in hand.

"Here Sarah," Vanesa said while handing me a box that had 'Sarah' written on top in Sharpee. I took the box before running upstairs to my room, which had about a million boxes sitting in it. I set the box on top of my white desk before pushing a few dark hair strands out of my face. I was about to run back downstairs, but a small photo sticking out from one of the boxes caught my attention. The corners of it were slightly burned, since it was one of the few things that survived the fire.

The photo was of Stephen and I before mom died. We were standing in front of our old school, bags on our backs. I was smiling while Stephen had a look of annoyance on his face, clearly not wanting to be in the photo. I could tell that it was the first day of school, since I actually was wearing a dress for once. I remember mom convincing me to wear that dress, that beautiful blue shirt dress. I threw a fit, but I ended up wearing it anyway.

"What are you looking at?"

I turned my head to see Zach standing in the doorway, a brown box in his hands. He walked into the room after I lowered the picture in my hands.

"Just a photo I found in one of the boxes," I said while shoving it in my pocket. "One of the things that survived the fire."

He set the box on my bare bed,"Here's another one of your boxes. I think it's the last one actually."

I smiled as I walked over to the box, opening it up to see what was inside. There wasn't much, but it was all of my objects that go on my desk. My picture frames, my pencil holders, and lots of other little objects.

"So, we're officially moved in?" I asked while closing the box before setting it on my desk.

"Yep. Now time for the fun part," Zach said while clapping his hands. "Unpacking the boxes."

I laughed,"Loads of fun."

Zach smiled at me before wrapping his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into a side hug. "I hope you kids like it here. I've heard that it's a good town."

"I hope I like it here too," I smiled,"But do we have to go to school tomorrow? I can help unpack?"

Zach walked towards the door,"You aren't getting out of going to school."

I groaned,"But Zach-"

"No butts! You and Stephen are both going," he said before winking at me. I rolled my eyes as he walked down the hall, back downstairs. I sighed as I looked around my messy room, not wanting to start unpacking yet. I decided to just go see what Stephen was up too, since I was bored.

I didn't make it to his room before the door bell rang downstairs. "Sarah! Can you get that?" Vanesa called up to me. I groaned before walking downstairs, placing my hand on the door knob. I pulled the door open to see a tall, muscular kid that was wearing a red shirt. He had brown eyes and his hair was gelled upward. I noticed that his jawline was a little crooked when he smiled at me and stuck his hand out.

"Hey. I'm Scott. Scott McCall," he said as I took his hand, not really sure why we were shaking hands in the first place.

"Sarah," was all that I said. I didn't exactly know what to say, since I didn't even know the kid.

The boy smiled again,"You guys just move here?"

I nodded,"Yeah. We just got all of the boxes unloaded from the truck."

"Who is it?" I heard Vanessa call from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes before turning around and shouting.

"Scott McCall!" I yelled before turning back to the tan boy.

"Oh!" Vanesa said before she came tromping down the hallway, standing next to me. "It's nice to meet you."

Scott smiled,"You too."

"Stephen is upstairs," Vanesa said while looking at the stairs. "He's glued to that new game that came out. What's it called Sarah?"

"GTA," I groaned for the millionth time. She can't ever remember anything. Scott could tell I was annoyed because he laughed at me.

"I'll go get him," Vanesa said before Scott stopped him.

"No it's fine. I can come back another time," he said while shoving his hands in his pockets.

Vanesa smiled,"Okay then. Tell Melissa I said hi."

"Will do," Scott said while backing up. He smiled at me,"I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"I'll be there," I said before Scott walked off. Vanesa shut the door before I turned to her. "What was that all about?"

"I talked to a nice lady named Melissa earlier today, who is our neighbor, and she told me that she had a son who was around the same age as Stephen. I thought maybe they could hang out or whatever, but it seems to me that you two hit it off," she said before walking back to the kitchen.

I scrunched my eyebrows together before following after her,"Hit it off? What's that supposed to mean?"

Vanessa didn't answer me,"Do you want pizza or Chinese?"

I sighed,"Pizza."

"Go ask Stephen what he wants and then I'll order whatever," she said before disappearing around the corner. I made my way up the stairs once again before opening up Stephens door. He was sitting on the ground, still playing GTA. I shut the door behind me as I walked into his room, sitting on the bed behind him.

"Vanesa wants to know if you want pizza or Chinese," I said while crossing my legs.

"Pizza," he said, his eyes never leaving the TV screen. I was about to get up and leave before Stephen made me stop. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked as Stephen paused the video game.

"Why do you call them Vanessa and Zach," he said while turning to face me. "Why not mom and dad?"

I sighed,"Because they aren't our mom and dad Stephen." I paused,"And they never will be."

Stephen didn't say anything as I stood up and walked to the door, stepping out into the hallway.

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"Stephen stop it," I giggled as my brother ran through the Grocery Store riding a grocery cart. We were supposed to be getting food but instead Stephen decided to act like an idiot, which wasn't anything new.

"Watch this," he said while grinning at me. I shut my eyes, not wanting to watch whatever chaos he was about to create. I opened one eye however, because I was still curious. If anyone asks if I know him, I've never seen him before in my life.

Stephen kicked his leg back while licking his lips, focused on something dead ahead of him. He pushed off and raced down the isle, speeding past all the food on the selves to the side. I laughed at him as he turned around to face me, his hair blowing in the wind. I giggled for a moment before I noticed a girl standing in front of Stephen and the running cart.

"Look out-" was all I managed to say before Stephen slammed into the poor girl. I dropped the grocery list in my hands before running forward to go check and see if everyone was alright.

The cart was lying on its side, the wheels still spinning around and around. All of the food we collected was scattered across the floor, some of it on top of Stephen. My brother was lying on his back, looking up at me in a daze, unsure what was going on. I groaned at him before turning to the girl, who was lying on her stomach. She lifted her head up, her black hair covering her face before she brushed it the side. Surprisingly, she didn't look angry.

"Are you okay?" I asked the girl while helping her up. She didn't say anything for a moment as she looked around, trying to figure out exactly what happened.

"Yeah I'm fine," she said as Stephen started to stand.

"I'm sorry, my brother is such an idiot sometimes," I said, earning a look from Stephen.

The girl faintly smiled,"It's okay. It was only an accident."

Stephen tried not to laugh as I shot him a glare, telling him to keep his mouth shut. "I'll help you pick up your stuff," I said while bending over, handing her a box of rice. Stephen helped me pick up the girls' food before we picked up our own.

"Thanks," the dark haired girl said.

"No problem. It was my brothers fault anyway," I said while shooting Stephen a glare. He rolled his eyes at me before the girl looked between the two of us.

"What's your names?" She asked. I kind of looked at Stephen, who also thought it was a little odd. The girl must have seen me give him a look because she quickly spit something out,"I just want to know because I'm new here and I don't exactly have very many friends-"

"Stephen," my brother said, interrupting the girl. She smiled at him before I said my name.

"Sarah," I said as the girl nodded.

"My name is Kira," she said while brushing hair away from her face.

I smiled,"We're actually new here too. We just moved here today."

"Really?" Kira said, her expression happy. "So you haven't started school yet?"

"We start tomorrow," Stephen chimed in. "How long have you been here?"

Kira looked up in thought,"We got here Thursday and I stayed home and helped unpack Friday. So, I have to start school tomorrow."

I smiled,"Well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow then."

Kira smiled as she clutched the bag of food in her hands,"See you then." She ran her fingers through her hair before turning around and walking off, disappearing around the corner.

"What were you thinking?" I snapped to Stephen as soon as Kira disappeared.

"It was an accident-" he started to say.

I crossed my arms,"You should have been more careful. You could have seriously hurt her."

"But I didn't," Stephen said while grabbing a can. "And actually, I think I found you a friend. You should thank me."

I rolled my eyes and didn't answer my brother. I lifted the cart back up until it was back on four wheels before proceeding our little shopping trip.