Falling From Life

10

          We pull up to Starbucks and get out of the car. Silver and Shaylee have already woken up and they're excited. I hear one of them tell the other that they were getting "fancy hot chocolate" and I laugh. We go in and wait for our drinks when Jacob walks through the door.

           "Jacob!" Viviann goes to him and hugs him.

          "Hey, pretty ladies!" Brianna emerges from behind him and kneels down to give my sisters a hug. They love all my friends, so I can't wait for them to meet Mark.

           "Yo, dudes! What am I? Chopped liver?" We all laugh as Silver, Shaylee, Brianna, Viviann, and Jacob all hug me all at once. "Smartasses." I mumble. We wait for Jacob and Brianna to order before we sit down, the girls sip happily on their hot chocolates and we all have a- slightly loud- conversation.

          After chilling with each other for a bit, Viv, the twins, and I all head back to her place. I told Mark to pick me up there. I hear my phone ping and I pull it out of my pocket to look who it was. Speak of the devil:

          Hey, I'm at the address you sent, but you're not here. I'm currently sitting in the living room of a couple of nice people getting grilled... they seem so kind, but they can be very protective I see lol

          I laugh, "Viv, we need to save mark, your parents are questioning him."

          "Sounds like them, call them, tell them he's safe." She laughs with me.

          "Yes ma'am!" I dial Trinitee's number and wait for her to answer.

          "Stephanie!"

          "Hey mom, hows your interrogation going?"

          "I.. why I have no clue what you're talking about!"

          "We both know that's a lie!" I laugh, "let him go, he's my friend, we're gonna be hanging out tonight." We pull into the driveway.

          "Well you're no fun," I can hear the smile in her voice, "I'll see you in a bit."

          "See ya!" We all get out of the car and head inside. My stomach is tying itself in knots. I'm nervous about being alone with him, but I'm excited at the same time. As soon as I open the door, Silver and Shaylee run up to mom and dad and cling to their legs, asking about the mysterious man in the living room.

          "You're seven! You shouldn't even know the word mysterious!" I yell laughing, they stick their tongues out at me. Mark comes up to me with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

          "Those your sisters?"

          "Yep, they're twins, just turned seven last month."

          "Man, December babies. I heard they're the craziest."

          I laugh, "You can say that again!" At that moment, they both come running up. Shaylee hugs him, and he looks surprised.

          "You make my sissy laugh, so I like you. Make her proud." She smiles at him, revealing the tooth she just lost last week and he smiles back.

          "I will, don't you worry." He crouches down to look at both of them, "I'm here to help take her pain away, just like everyone else here is, and just like she takes your pains away."

          "Do you love Stephie?" Silver asks really quietly, looking at the floor. Shes always been shy with new people, but that's a bold question coming from her. Mark and I look at each other, I blush and shrug crouching down as well and giving them both a hug.

          "We'll have to find out, won't we?" I ask them. I look up to see him smiling at me. They hug me back and I kiss their foreheads, "I'm gonna be out for a bit tonight, dont be mean to mom and dad ok? I love you guys."

          "We love you too sissy!" They hug me tighter, then hug Mark, then run back yelling "I wanna play princess, I wanna play princess!" I giggle as we head out the door to Mark's motorcycle.