Sunday.

Gravel crunches in the driveway as I put down my paintbrush. Rushing to the window, I see Jake's black-on-black 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

Correction- I expect to see Jake's black-on-black 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

Instead, I see a stock equipped black 1999 Cadillac Escalade. Trust me, there is a significant difference. As I set down my paint pad, I trip over to my bedroom door and fall just short of the handle. I reach up and twist, pulling my body into a standing position. As I open the door, I hear Mom laugh as she embraced my brother, and Dad's hand slapping Jake's back. I quietly close my door and settle myself on the Banister.

Gravity pulls me towards my impending doom.
Oops- I mean my brother.

Gliding lightly to the foyer, I make eye contact with Jake and place my feet on the floor, stopping just before the Banister hit a 45-degree angle to the floor.

"I see Tina still isn't obeying you guys. Hey, Teens."

I clear my throat without my eyes leaving Jake's face.

"Hi, Jacob."

He blinked as it registered that I had not used my nickname for him, Jays. I looked over to his left to see his girlfriend.

Can you say, 'How the hell did Jake land her?' If you can, let me tell you what I can say-

'Cause Jake's parents are loaded.'

No joke. We (the Rex family) owned two restaurants in town and one in a town twenty miles north- Nooksack. Rocket Express Coffee & Donuts is just down the street from our house, and Dirty Dan Harris' Restaurant was a little bit farther, in a section of town named Fairhaven. We also owned the Black Forest Steakhouse in Everson/Nooksack.

"So, Jacob, who's your golddig-girlfriend?"

He glared, but motioned her forward.

"Tina, this is Laena. She's from Seattle, I met her at the Spaghetti Factory."

Laena waved, and I took in her appearance- blonde hair that had lost a bit of luster, brown eyes gone to seed, and a body many women starve themselves for. She was beautiful, but something about her was wasted. She looked like a rose on it's way to dry, head-hanging death. Like, the inbetween stage, where it's still wonderfully gorgeous, but you start to see that soon it's going to be fragile to the touch and terribly arid.

"Hi, Laena. Mind if I call you Rose?"

She looked confused for a moment.

"Uh, sure, but how did you know my middle name?"

I'm good. I smiled and winked.

"You've got it written all over you."

Jake laughed and started talking to Mom and Dad. As I finished descending the stairs and went towards the kitchen, I passed Laena Rose.

And as I smiled and walked through the doorway, I swear I saw something pass over her face. A flicker before the thousand watts were turned on and I had to look away. A small, mere glimpse of something. It was miniscule, but it scared me all the same.

It was fury.