“Mum I don’t want to go to the football! I want to finish this book!” I sulked in the car stuck between Eli and Liam, the two of them excited to play under 8’s footy today. It was freezing outside and there had been a frost, I definitely didn’t want to be pulled away from my bed.

“Your such a cry baby Erin, it’s a book, god!” Liam cried out giving me a glare.

Usually we got along fine and he was the protective older brother (only by a few minutes) but since I was killing his buzz for his so called “big game” he was getting snappy.

Eli shrugged “It is cold.” He allowed. Liam huffed folding his arms before snorting and brushing it off. “Besides I don’t think babies can read.” He taunted making Liam roll his eyes and slump further in his seat.

I gave Eli a shy but grateful smile as he stood up for me. He knew just what to say to clear up any tension we had, we didn’t fight much but when we did it got nasty. Eli was like our referee, always stopping it before it got out of hand. He smiled faintly back at me giving my hand a discreet squeeze before turned to face out the window.

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“No I can’t. Can you put that down.” I hissed up at him. He caught the item and raised his brow pointedly “Please?” I said rolling my eyes as I sat behind the small white desk slash counter.

He turned and put it back on the shelf in the corner and turned back around to face me “C’mon.” He pleaded his gray eyes falling into a soft look, something like a dog at the pound.

Before I could snap back the phone rang jumping slightly I reached for it and picked it up “Body Beautiful, Erin speaking.” I said in my best confident friendly voice. Jed smirked over the table and taking the advantage stepped around the desk over the ‘employees only’ invisible barrier “Um, no sorry we won’t be opened Sunday.” I said eyeing Jed as he stepped closer and leant in extremely close to my face, too close “No Tuesdays are fine.” I said attempting to keep the anger at Jed out of my tone.

“Please.” He pleaded pulling at my arm like a child.

I shoved him away “Okay. Thank you. Bye.” I said and hung up “No!” I snapped at him “I can’t, so no.”

He straightened up “Okay.” He said in defeat but also annoyance “Call ya late than maybe. Love you.” He said as he paused at the door.

I looked up “Yeah me too, bye.” And without another word I looked back at the desk as if busy.

The sound of the door closing told me that my boyfriend; Jed Coleman had finally took the hint and left. As I searched under my desk for my bag an inch of guilt surged through my body; I just lied to my boyfriend of eight months and told him I couldn’t leave the shop. I could have left if I wanted to; it was a quiet day so mum wouldn’t have minded. I lied to avoid hanging out with Jed for the day, what was wrong with me? Though I knew our day wouldn’t be anything then him making out with me in the back of his car and persisting me to cave in and let him get in my pants, though I must admit he wasn’t doing that as much lately when we did get a chance to meet up, maybe he had given up asking realizing I wasn’t going to cave any time soon.

As I laid my hands on the book all guilt left me, it was simple why; I wanted some me time. I smiled shrugging, it was fair enough I thought as I pulled the book opened and left all my problems behind. Legs curled up on the chair I sat absorbed in my own world. The chair swayed as I absentminded swiveled on the swivel chair. I was at peace.

Until the door opened, sighing I took a deep breath and spoke through clenched teeth still looking down “Jed I’m busy.”

I could hear them as they walked across the tiled shop and pulled out the stool beside me and sat down “Oh I can see you are terribly busy.”

At the sound of their voice all anger instantly vanished and instead a rosy shade crept up onto my cheeks. Looking up I stuffed the bookmark into the page and hastily hid it from their eyes “Eli?” I said speechless as he just looked at me smiling amused “Oh I’m sorry, I thought you were Jed.” I said smiling apologetically as I lopped my arms around my knees and sat my chin on between my knees watching Eli.

He searched the room smiling carelessly “Yeah I figured.” He said finally looking down and smiling over at me I blushed and looked down at my toes “So you are helping your mum today?” he said again looking around.

Mum was a beautician and after school most days I hung out here; my reasons were for peace, my own time and to help. I didn’t get paid which suited me fine most the time, all I did was read, answer phones, play solitaire, advise customer (usually the elderly) of what products to buy, do my homework and when all else I’d leave the shop (after telling mum of course) and go find a book, a CD or go to the café or something. I did it until six and then we’d go home, it was my own choice but I chose to spend a lot of my time here and not because of an interest for a future career.

The phone rang and I jumped, again and picked it up “Hello Erin speaking” I said friendly customer service tone. In request to book an appointment I dragged the diary closer “We have next Tuesday at three free or the following day at the same time.” I informed as she questioned for a free three o’clock appointment. As she checked her calendar I doodled and drew at the corner of the diary the pencil etching in a heart and then vines and flowers and some other details. “Tuesday? Okay, can do. That’s a facial wasn’t it?” I double checked going over the drawing again “Yeah, no that’s fine. Okay, thank you, bye.” Smiling I hung finishing the outline of the picture. I looked up as I sat the pencil back in the pen holder “So Eli, what’s up?” I asked noting his gaze on my drawing “I’m guessing you’re not here for a bikini wax.” I said smiling.

He chuckled looking up “No, that’s next Wednesday.” He teased making me giggle “No, I saw you in here with your head in a book again so I thought I’d come in and annoy you.” I rolled my eyes smiling “Nah, just coming to ask you to pass a message onto your brother for me?”

I nodded “Shoot.”

He smiled “Tell him our group assignment for bio is due and that he better bring the other half, his half, to school tomorrow.”

I nodded “Right, bio assignment due tomorrow, bring and finish own contribution. Got it.” I said saying the message to remember.

Cool, thanks.” He said getting up.

“It’s kay. Are-“

“Oh sweetie I am done. Oh hi Eli!” I rolled my eyes and packed up the desk and my stuff.

“Hi Sandra.” Eli said politely.

Mum picked up the diary and clicked her tongue in disapproval “Erin do you have to draw all through it?”

I looked up defensively “You know I scribble everywhere.”

She rolled her eyes “Oh I do, paper at home is enough proof.” She said as Eli chuckled and I picked up my school bag and book and mum picked up her own bag and laptop as we made our way to the door.

“Want a lift Eli?” mum offered as I locked the door with a kick making me curse under my breath “Erin!” mum chastised in disapproval.

“What? You know you’ve gotta kick it.” I said “Besides you should be showering me with sympathy not lectures. Think of my poor bruised toe.” I said passing her the keys as she rolled her eyes and Eli chuckled.

“No I’m right Sandra, my cars down there.” He gestured up the street.

“Okay well goodnight Eli.” She said smiling as she climbed into the car.

I turned to Eli “I’ll pass on the message, see ya around I guess.” I said and with a small wave got in the car.

Pulling my legs up onto the seat I watched Eli out the window. Eli had caramel brown hair, he was tall and reasonably built and his eyes were a piercing blue that made you melt from the inside out. He was also my brother’s, Liam, best friend. Sighing I pulled my book back out.

“Erin? Erin?!” my head snapped up at mum who was looking at me with frustration “What did…”

Mum was the backbone of our house; she held us together and didn’t take crap. She sat talking to me her hands moving gesturing along with her words. Her dirty blonde hair that was pulled back was starting to fall out. Her warm hazel eyes gestured and moved to fit her words just as much as her hands. What always confused most people most about mum was that she was a beautician but she didn’t do anything fancy to herself like manicures or pedicures or layers of professional and dazzling movie start makeup to herself, she left it natural. I must admit tough natural suited her especially with her flawless skin.

“Well?” she prompted making me resurface “What did Eli want?”

I shrugged making her happy that I was actually paying attention now “He just wanted me to pass a message onto Liam.” I said making her nod as we turned down our street.

We lived in Epping, a rural town in NSW of Australia it was a gorgeous town with a mixture of people.

Pulling into the drive we got out “Alekay!” I cried crouching down to stroke my brown Border collie pup; he was about seven weeks old. Scooping him up I cooed and patted him all the way into the house.

Opening the door I made a detour first to Liam’s room, my twin brother. The door was opened so I walked right in and collapsed on his bed as he looked up from his desk “Got a message.” I declared making him smile and ruffle Alekay’s hair from my lap “Your part of the bio assignment is due tomorrow.”

His hazel eyes grew wide in alarm as he cursed as absentmindedly he pulled his fingers through his thick dark brown hair “Help!” He almost cried looking up at me.

I sighed “You are so lucky we’re twins.” I muttered stretching my hand out for the assignment sheet. After reading it I looked up smiling “You’re also lucky that my bio class did this last week.”

He smiled in relief “My part is B.” he pointed out tapping the heading which read ‘Part B’.

I nodded “Okay, so…”

***

And I spent the next hour instructing Liam as I played with Alekay. Liam is smart but he had a habit of pushing assignments to the side than doing them the night before. His focus was more on his sport aka football. Which I admit is stupid since we are in year eleven. That is why I gave him an overview of it all when he comes to me in need I don’t hand him the answers I make him work. I secretly also liked to watch him squirm and beg, it was part of the sibling outlines and rules.

“Okay.” I said getting up as his nose instantly dove into the text book.

He looked up “Thanks.” He said with a grateful smile I smiled and left the room.

Liam and I were closer than usual siblings; maybe it was because we were twins or something that made us click, I wasn’t sure. We were opposite though so it was a curiosity, not just to the family but friends, teachers and other students to the school. Liam was athletic and reasonably muscled and solid, I was pathetic at sports and I wasn’t muscled I was just tiny and clumsy. Liam’s interests were sports mine were books and photography. Liam had a bunch of friends ranging from groups whilst I had a small bunch of friends. Liam had girls galore and I was invisible. Liam was popular and I was just somewhere in between, I didn’t care.

Collapsing on the lounge I looked up to find dad flipping through the channels of the news and pausing on each one when the other was on an add break. I didn’t see the point; they all said the same thing.

“Hey kiddo.” He said giving up and leaving it on some random one; with a girl with the driest and dullest voice. I smiled up at dad as the voice droned on in the background. “How was your day? What’s Liam up to?”

I shrugged “School work.”

“Tackled yours?” he asked.

I nodded “Didn’t have much. Got it done at the shop.”

He nodded his focus falling back onto the TV as the sports reader appeared. Dad was tall, built and had Liam’s hair except his eyes that were a greenie-blue. He sat ankles crossed and with scattered paper all around him; dad was an accountant and he liked to bring work home so he could get work done before mum finished work and got home since he finished work earlier most of the time. Also when he was younger he was the parent that was there after school since mum’s job sometimes went late and was at some odd times, especially if she was doing weddings and such.

Getting up I left the lounge room into the hall again and walked down into my bedroom. My room was covered in photos the rest were shelved and decorated with memorabilia, jewelry, perfume and other little trinkets. Right next to my bed was a shelf full of books all with their spines worn and loose. On my desk sat my iPod speakers and piles of CD’s. I am a neat freak so everything was in alphabetical order and no mess touched my room basically except my bed which I never made. My bed was an apple green cover and my walls were of a charcoal grey and also a apple green feature wall, the colors all worked nicely together.

Kicking off my shoes and trading them for my ugg boots I crawled into bed hunched up with my nose in a book.

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I know! Another new story, already? :O But in all honesty both Dead Girls & A Broken Heart and Hiding Behind The Music are coming to an end and I want to get some of my just plain romance novels started as I have a bunch. I promise this story wont affect my other writing as a lot are coming to an end and they are my mine priority. I just wanted this chp up to see the response. So this is the beginning, it will be 2 POV story, obviously if you read the story description :P The italics/bold part at the start of every chapter is going to be a memory of the chp's POV if you are wondering!

Covers/banners already made are in the slideshow on the side >>>

Please let me know what you think of the plot line and so far, any suggestions for the story or my writing or what you want is happily taken into account, same goes for covers/banners!

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