The Girl Across the Street

The Girl Across the Street- 6

In a few minutes I hear a car door slam and just pray it isn't my mom. The front door opens and close. "I'm home!" I hear my sister call out.

Relieved, I shout a reply. "I'll be right down Cassidy! I have to do something really quick!"  I grab my phone out of my pocket. Realizing Will probably won't have his phone, I text Kelley. 'Please tell Will he was right and that I'm sorry.' I press SEND, grab my shirt, and put it on as I walk downstairs.

Cassidy is sitting on the couch, flipping channels. She looks up when she hears me come in. "Mom is still at the hospital, they let her stay longer because Deborah convinced the nurse that she is Will's aunt, which is basically the truth right? I mean, she is his godmother, so it's almost the same thing. She's pissed at you though. What did you do?"

I shake my head. "It's a long story. Did you finish your homework?" She nods her head. "What do you want for dinner? Something easy." I don't know why I bother asking.

"Chocolate chip pancakes." We say in unison, Cassidy is much more enthusiastic than I am. That has been her favorite dinner since she was in first grade and eight years later, as an eighth grader, she still loves them. Even things at home are predictable.

I nod and turn into the kitchen. Cassidy follows right behind me. This is really the only time we bond, while making chocolate chip pancakes together. It was one of these times that I found out about her first boyfriend, and later her first heartbreak, let's just say, the kid got what was coming to him. We are slowly entering a phase where most of her friends have little crushes on me, which is completely hilarious.

I like having this time with my sister, when our parents aren't home and we make dinner together, but I'm glad it doesn't happen too often because then it would get old and it wouldn't be special.

I grab the eggs, pancake batter and chocolate chips while Cassidy gets out the pan, bowl, spoon and measuring cups. Cassidy grabs a pair of scissors to open the mix, and then we begin to throw in the ingredients.

Finally, it's time for a tradition my sister and I have every time we make pancakes. One of us turns away while the other puts something extra in the batter. It used to be a surprise every time but we have both gotten to have favorites. I feel like changing it up today. When Cassidy turns around, instead of going for the bananas, I grab a small handful of mini marshmallows. After I stir them in, I turn around so Cassidy can put in her ingredient. Usually, she puts in white chocolate bits that we discovered one day that my mom thinks are hidden really well. She still doesn't know that we've discovered her stash.

We start to pour batter onto the pan. "So Cassie, how is school going?" I ask, using my nickname for her. If I ever used it in regular conversation, she would kill me. She pretends to hate it, even though I know she doesn't mind it.

"Are we really going to talk about school? Ick. Well, you know how my teachers are. You had the same ones. But I'm doing well; of course they all still love me thanks to you." She smiles, it's an ongoing joke between the two of us, and all of the teachers love her because I was a good student. I turned in my homework and participated in class, etc. they all say they won't treat her special, but it's clear she is always a favorite.

"Anyone I need to beat up?" I ask, half joking. Cassidy always knows to tell me when guys are giving her crap. At this point, though they know not to mess with my sister.

"Nah, they're all too scared of you to do anything to me." She says, laughing. "But you know; I have to worry about this too. At this rate, I'll never get another boyfriend."  

"Damn right you won't." I say, cracking my knuckles, sending her into a fit of giggles. "Do you have your eye on anyone?" I ask. I'm glad that Cassidy and I have the kind of relationship where she knows she can talk about this sort of stuff. Heck, I know more about my little sister's love life than my mother does.