The One in the Background ✔

Chapter 2

The final bell ring dismissing us from school. Since Ryan has football practice after school today, I meet up with Haley for a ride home.

"Hi Haley!" I greet her by her locker.

"Hi Mia. I was wondering if I could go to your house for a sleepover since you know, my parents and everything." Haley's parents have endless arguments all the time, and sometimes they both can be abusive to her. I get late  night phone calls from her, with her in tears about what previously happened. She loves them dearly, and too much to tell anyone. I am the only one who knows.

"Of course. You are always welcome at my place." I reply.

"Thanks." We make it to her car. She hops in the drivers seat while I get in the passengers. The trip to her house isn't to bad of a drive. Once we arrive, she shuffles into her house to grab an overnight bag. It only takes 5 minutes for her to come back out.

"You okay? All ready?" I ask to make sure nothing rough went on in there.

"Yep, didn't even notice me. Let's roll," She replies with a smile, "what should we make today?" Haley and I have a special tradition to bake every time she comes over. When we grow up, we want to own a bakery.

"Actually, I found a recipe for some really yummy looking cupcakes." I say eagerly.

"Oooh! Cupcakes! What kind?"

"Strawberry cream cheese. It seems tricky, but we can totally do it."

"Yum! Even if they fail, I will eat them anyways." She lets out a laugh.

Once we arrive, I open the unlocked door and yell, "Mom! Haley is spending the night!"

"Okay honey!" I hear back.

"So Mia. What is this strawberry cream cheese cupcake recipe you speak of?" Haley asks as we head to my room. I go over and grab my laptop off my desk. After it turns on, I pull up the recipe.

"Here it is." I show her.

"Okay. Okay. Mmm. Alrighty." She says as she scrolls through, "I think we have a winner. They looks so good." She says referring to the picture of the final product at the top of the page.

"Sweet. They total time is like an hour, add about 15 minutes, and yep. We should start after dinner like usual."

"Great."

"But, to be honest, in math today, I literally almost died. He now officially my least favorite teacher."

"I know right. I felt so bad for you. He's mean. I was trying to help you out, but he's like nope. And I quote, 'was I asking you Haley?' " At this point I am cracking up, because for the teacher's voice she used a high pitched voice. "I don't think you saw but in the end when he was all like 'didn't mean for your face to turn red' I gave him this nasty look, did you see his reaction? Ha! Hilarious." She finished. This  is why she is my best friend, she always has my back.

"No, I didn't see. I was to busy drowning in embarrassment."

"Oh, don't you worry. I bet everyone has forgotten by now." She said with a smile.

"Sure."

"I'm home!" I hear a yell from downstairs.

"Oh! Katie is home. Hi! Haley is here!" I scream back. I hear footsteps going up the stairs, with the dogs rumbling as well. Katie then bursts through my door.

"Are you guys making something today?" She asks.

"Yup!" Haley and I say in unison.

"What is it this time?"

"A surprise," I say. Katie tries to peek at my laptop, but I shut it just in time. "You'll just have to wait, little sis!"

"Aww, okay then. And I am not that little. I'll be in my room." Katie says as she leaves.

"Okie dokie. Bye!" Haley replies.

~*~*~

We have been talking for the majority of the time, waiting for mom to give us the call that dinner is ready. But instead, the two dogs go crazy barking. It sounds like they are about to kill someone. I hear many different male voices telling the dogs to, "shut the hell up."

"Do you hear that?" Haley asks, stating the obvious.

"Uh, yeah. I guess Ryan is home?" I say, more as a question verses a statement. Usually on Fridays, Ryan goes to one of his football buddies, or some chicks house for the night. Never has he come here. "Lets go check it out, and dinner."

Haley nods, and we head downstairs. As we near the family room, I see some of the senior boys I can recognize from school. I can sense this will be a very awkward confrontation.

"Hey guys!" My brother shouts to his friends, noting our existence, "You have probably seen her around, but this is my sister, Mia, and her friend, Haley." He says to his group of 4 boys. I give a small smile and wave.

"And you people are?" Haley trails off.

"And girls, these are my friends." He points to each one of them and they introduce themselves.

"Hi, I am Logan. You two look very nice this evening." He smirks, and gives an obnoxious wink. But to be honest, I believe he is the most attractive one out of the bunch. He has dark brown hair, and piercing blue eyes.

"I'm Joey." says a boy with both brown hair, and brown eyes. He was one of the taller ones in the group.

"The name is Alex." snapped a boy, who looked a lot like Ryan. But obviously not 100% like Ryan, you get the picture though.

"And saving the best for last, I'm just Leo." smiled a boy, who had brown hair, and eyes.

"And, all of us, will be crashing here for the night." Ryan finishes.

Oh joy. This will be a long night.

~*~*~

A/N

In this chapter, you met a lot more characters. I did give a description for each, but you can visualize them however you want. Thanks for staying with the book, even though it is just starting.

-Emma