For What It's Worth

Chapter Ten : Sisters, Secrets and Stargazing

S I S T E R S , S E C R E T S  & S T A R G A Z I N G

Isabelle

I wake with a quiet cry out as my bed starts suddenly jolting around. We're not having an earthquake are we? I fully open my dry, sore eyes and see a small boy jumping up and down on the end of the bed.

He has a head full of blonde hair, tanned skin and a pair of the biggest blue eyes I've ever seen. He's now squealing with laughter, jumping with his arms in the air above his head. This is not real. There is a toddler on my bed. There's no way this is real.

"Rex! Oh my god." A high pitched voice calls out, reaching out to stop the boy on my bed.

A tall, fashionable woman dives to the rescue. She's got long, glossy, light brown hair that sits perfectly down her shoulders. Her skin is tanned like the boy's, dewy and glowing. She's beautiful.

"I am so sorry." She says. I scramble myself up, keeping the covers over me. Thomas bounds into the room, jumping into some sweatpants. His hair is a complete mess and he has crinkle lines of his bed sheets across his cheek.

"Uncle Tom!" Rex cries out excitedly at the sight of him.

"Hey!" He returns with the same amount of happiness. He whisks Rex up, carrying him on his side.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize anyone was going to be in here otherwise I would've come later." She nudges Thomas hard in the side. I brush my fingers through my hair, sitting up against the headboard of my bed.

"This is my sister, Amanda and her son Rex." He introduces them to me and I smile politely, still half asleep to say anything back. "This is Isabelle, she's been staying her for a while." Thomas holds Rex's hand up to wave at me but he's too distracted by Thomas to look my way.

"Hi." I nod. Amanda's grey eyes twinkle back at me.

As soon as Rex's feet meet the floor he tears off, out of the room. Amanda turns straight on her heels, chasing after him still in her boots and white coat with fur on the ends of her sleeves. After throwing Thomas a deadpan look, I swing my bare legs out of bed, grabbing a pair of shorts out my drawer to slip into underneath my sweater. He stands at the door waiting for me to join him.

"Good morning." He chimes. "How are you?"

"Tired." I answer, yawning. I quickly comb my hair out to make myself a little more presentable. I really don't want to look this bad while meeting someone from Thomas' family.

"Yeah, you look tired." He teases, messing my hair up.

"Hey!" I argue and he drops his head back laughing as we walk side by side. I sort myself out before his sister sees me again.

"Do you think I would be able to leave Rex here with you for a few hours? I'm meeting some old friends." Amanda calls back after managing to catch him and scoop him up into her arms.

"I have class for an hour or two this afternoon." I look up to see them both looking at me.

"I can watch him while he's gone, if you're comfortable with that." I suggest. "I have nothing on today."

"Yeah, that would be great, thank you." Amanda smiles at me while Thomas kneels down to Rex's level.

"Rex are you going to say hi to Isabelle?" Rex cowers behind Thomas, peeking his head around him to give me a little wave.

"Hi Rex." I whisper warmly, giving him a kind, encouraging smile.

"Come on muffin. You're not one for going shy." Amanda rolls her eyes and we all chuckle as Thomas ruffles his hand through Rex's head of golden hair.