I hurriedly put my shorts and shirt on and gather up my clothes. I look down and see a hairbrush and almost pick it up to brush my hair. Then I figure it’s probably Hailey’s, and who knows what that creature has in her hair. I grab my stuff, and quickly leave the bathroom. Fortunately on the short run back to my room, I don’t run into any of the O’Connor’s. I close my door behind me slowly, and put my clothes in the hamper. I plop down on my bed, and grab my cell phone off the charger. I unlock it and see it’s already 3:50. I find it very hard to believe I was in the shower that long. I wonder why Jacob’s already here. There’s one high school in Vernon, and the O’Connor’s don’t attend it. They go to some public school in L.A. Granted; I think their school gets out at 3:30. So that would leave them enough time to get home by now. I go to my contacts, and let my finger hover over Mason’s name before I hit it.

          “Hey Mick.” Mason says, answering on the first ring.

          “Hi Mase.” I reply.

See Mason and I have a pretty good friendship for a brother and a sister. It could be due to the age gap we possess. Mason is twenty one, and I’m seventeen. Growing up we were best friends, I mean we had other friends, but still.

          “How are ya?” He asks me, and I hear a male voice in his background. It must be Tanner, Mason’s college roommate.

          “I’ve been better. What about you?”

          “I’m just moving the last things out of my dorm. What do you mean? What’s wrong?” He asks.

          “Did mom and Phil tell you what they did to me?

          “What they did to you?” He repeats, “Um no.”

          “They sent me to Vernon!”

          “Vernon as in Vernon, California where the O’Connor’s live?” He asks.

          “Yup, that’s the one. I’ve only been here for about three hours and I already want to go back home.”

          “Wait, but why?” He asks.

          “Because I hate it here!” I tell him.

          “No Mick, why did they send you there?” He asks.

          “Ohhh! Because you know how they’re going to Brazil?” I ask, waiting for his response.

          “Yeah.”

          “Well I didn’t wanna go with them, and ya know be a third wheel. So I kinda decided I’d just stay at home, but then mom’s all like, ‘No, you aren’t mature enough to stay home alone for three months.’” I tell him.

          “What? That’s crazy. You’re seventeen years old. You’re plenty mature.” Mason says.

          “I know! That’s what I said!”

          “That’s insane Mick. But hey maybe it won’t be so bad.”

          “It’s raining Mase. That’s like a bad omen!”

He chuckles, “You’ll be okay. So have you run into any of the O’Connor’s yet?”

          “I did actually. Just a few minutes ago when I was in the bathroom. Jacob freaking walked in while I was getting dressed.”

          “What? Did he see anything?” He asks.

          “I’m pretty sure he didn’t.” I say, then decide to get off the subject of how bad my life is sucking right now. “So what are you doing for summer?” I ask him.

          “Tanner and Sophia, Lucas and Jasmine, and Laura and I are going down to Florida.” He tells me.

          “Wanna swing by California and pick up your favorite little sister?” I ask him, half-jokingly, half seriously.

He chuckles, “Sorry Mick no can do.”

I sigh, “I know. Well have enough fun for the both of us. And while you’re out there having the best summer of anyone’s life in Florida, think about your poor little sister who’s slowly meeting her untimely demise.”

Mase lets out a hearty laugh, “Yeah okay Mick. I’ll talk to you later.”

I sigh again, “Okay Mase. But seriously, have fun.”

          “I will. You too.”

I hang up the phone and put it back on the charger. I sigh and fall back on the bed, my stupid head hitting the headboard. I close my eyes and pretend I’m back at home. I’m at the beach, me and my best friends, miles and miles away from Vernon and the O’Connor’s.

          “If it isn’t McKenna Bryant.” A voice says, interrupting my rendezvous.

I keep my eyes closed, willing the voice to go away. I know whose voice that is. I mean, obviously it’s deeper, but it still sounds the same, sorta. I sit up opening my eyes, and look at him. “Go away Ryder.” I say.

Ryder O’Connor. Bad boy of the O’Connor family. He’s a juvenile delinquent, and he deserves to be locked up in a prison. I mean, even seven years ago which was the last time I saw him, he was horrible. He was the source of my torturing. Ryder’s the eldest of the O’Connor’s, and I guess he has to be about eighteen, maybe ninenteen by now depending on when his birthday is. He still looks exactly the same as he did a mere seven years ago. He's got long-ish brown hair, and he's a total badass. 

          “Oh come on Mickey, I missed you.” He says.

          “Whatever Ryder, just go away. I already don’t want to be here in Vernon, and I’m already having a pretty bad day.”

Ryder doesn’t go away; instead he sits down on my bed, next to where my legs are laying. “Wow Mickey, seven years. You filled out nicely.”

          “Have you always been this much of a pervert?” I ask him, staring up at my ceiling.

          “Of course. But I’ve gotten much better at picking up chicks. I mean, I was what, twelve the last time you saw me.”

I don’t reply, hoping he’ll get the message and go away. Again he doesn’t. Suddenly I feel his hand on my knee, and I jerk away from his touch. “Do not touch me Ryder O’Connor.” I tell him threateningly.

          “Why not? I make you uncomfortable?” He whispers, getting close to my face.

          “No you don’t make me uncomfortable, I just can’t stand you.” I tell him, moving away from his face.

          “So you’re how old now? Eighteen?” He asks.

          “I’m seventeen.” I tell him.

          “Jailbait.” He whispers, smiling at me.

          “You don’t have to worry about going to jail, because you and I will never do anything.”

          “I don’t know Mickey, you’re pretty hot. I’ll have you in no time.” He promises, his minty breathe blowing over my face.

          “So, after all this time you’re still a jerk, huh Ryder?” I meant it as a rhetorical question, but Ryder never was the brightest guy out there so obviously he doesn’t get it.

Ryder stands up and walks towards my door. But then he turns it around, “Just remember Mickey, my bedroom is right across the hall. You’re welcome to come in anytime.”

I roll my eyes at his stupid black shirted back as he leaves my room. What a prick. Seeing as Ryder is the oldest O’Connor child, when we were younger, he was top dog. The boss. A self-absorbed king, from age two-which is how old he was when I was born-until age twelve-which was how old he was when we stopped coming. I’m not gonna lie and say Ryder isn’t hot; because he is. In fact, he’s really hot. Quite possibly the hottest O’Connor child. But I can’t stand him, not to mention he’s nineteen years old and going into his sophomore year in college. If he even went to college that is. It’s now only 4:00. Time is going by so slow. I can’t go back to Dallas until like a week before school starts back. It starts on the 27th of August meaning I can back home on the 20th. That bites because today’s only June 15th.

I curl up in my bed, trying to fall asleep, even though I probably shouldn’t because it’s so early still. I hear the sound of a girl screaming loudly outside my bedroom door. I sit up quickly. Ice Princess must be home. The door bursts open and I see Hailey O’Connor standing before me. She still looks pretty much the same as she did seven years ago when nine years old. Only her brown hair is shorter, hanging around her shoulders. As opposed to being long, choppy, and split. She’s wearing a leopard print mini skirt and a brown camisole with a little jacket over it.

          “Why are you here?” She asks.

          “I know you knew I was coming.” I reply.

          “Well yeah, but not today. Why are you here?” She repeats.

          “Family stuff.”

          “Don’t you have any real family you could have stayed with?”

You better believe I do. Aunt, Uncles, Grandparents, Friends. I tried to convince my mother and Phil to let me stay at anyone else’s house, but they were set on me coming to Vernon. I sigh, standing up from my bed, “Listen Hailey. I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. That’s fine. I don’t wanna be here, and you don’t want me here. I get it. But believe me, if I had any other option, I would not be here in your stupid little town right now. So I think these next three months will go by just fine and dandy if you stay out of my way, and I stay out of yours.”

Hailey rolls her eyes at me and crosses her arms as she thinks of something to say. Finally she replies with, “Don’t cross me McKenna.” Then she storms out of my room.

I sit back on my bed, and really try to go to sleep this time. There’s no one I want to see. I’ve already had three run ins with the O’Connor’s. won’t be long until I have to face the remaining three.

As I open my eyes, my heart rate increases as I see a person staring out of my window. His back to me. From the back and judging by the blondish/brown hair, it’s William. Will for short. I clear my throat, and Will turns around looking at me. Will should be seventeen now, like me, but boy does he look older. Not even in a bad way. He looks to be about nineteen, possibly twenty. He looks way hotter than I would have ever thought he’d turn out to. I mean, not that he was ugly or anything. But when we were seven, he got braces, and the following year, he started wearing glasses. He was also a bit on the chubby side. Not fat, just fluffy. Let me tell you, the glasses are gone, and so are the braces and that fluff is nowhere to be seen, and William O’Connor is looking pretty damn good.

          “McKenna.” He says softly.

          “Hey Will.” I reply.

Yes, I did say the O’Connor’s tortured me, and they did! I mean they were horrible to me. One time they put itching powder in my clothes. All of them! That was the worst few days of my life. I literally had to throw away all of the clothes I’d brought to Vernon. Another time they took my toothbrush, my freaking toothbrush and cleaned the toilet with it! Luckily though Asher did tell me before I brushed my teeth. But aside from that, Will was usually the nice one. He usually told me what to look out for, or where the traps were set or whatever.

          “How are you?” He asks, from my window.

I nod my head as a gesture of ‘okay’, “I’ve been alright. What about you?”

          “Good. I’ve been good.”

          “That’s good.” I reply; still in shock of how much different he looks.

          “Staring isn’t polite McKenna.” He says jokingly.

I shake my head, clearing my thoughts, “I’m sorry, it’s just. You look so…”

          “Different?” He offers.

I nod, “Yeah.”

          “I hope that’s a good thing.”

          “It’s a good thing.” I confirm. Honestly it is. He's taller now, obviosuly, and his brown hair is shorter than it used to be. 

Will smiles, and I am nearly blinded by his perfectly straight, and bleached white teeth. Okay, so that’s an exaggeration, but his teeth are straight, and they are white. “You look pretty different yourself.” He says.

          “Do I?” I ask.

Will nods, “Yeah, you do. You hair’s longer.” He tells me.

I crack a smile, “Yeah, I guess it is.”

          “I missed you McKenna.”

          “I missed you too Will.” I tell him truthfully, patting the bed next to me, telling him to sit down. “So tell me what you’ve been doing the past seven years.”

          “Not much. Football camp during the summer, school the rest of the time.” He says, sitting down next to me.

          “You play football?” I ask him.

Will nods, “I started playing when I was thirteen.”

          “So why aren’t you there now?” I ask.

          “Well for starters, today was the last day of school, and second I didn’t wanna go this year.”

          “How come?”

          “Because you’re here this summer. I wanted to see you.”

          “It has been seven years.” I state.

          “Yup, it has.”

          “What time is it?” I ask him.

He pulls his white iPhone from his pocket, “It’s 6:50. Come on, we’re late to dinner.”

          “What time is dinner?”

          “You don’t remember?” He asks, and when I shake my head no, he says, “6:30.”

          “Oh right. Well in my defense, we didn’t really eat dinner at the table in any of the ten years that I was coming here. Remember?”

Will nods, cracking a slight smile, “I remember. We used to just eat hot dogs and hamburgers like every night.”

I laugh, “Exactly. Remember that one time when you, I and Asher slept in the tree house that one night, and our mom’s went ballistic?”

He chuckles before saying, “I do remember that. Then they said we couldn’t leave our rooms for the next two weeks.”

          “And I was trapped in that room with Hellish Hailey.” I say.

          “Hellish?” He repeats, as we go down the stairs, “So you curse now?”

          “Don’t say it like you don’t.” I say, elbowing him.

          “Well I’ma guy, it’s expected out of me.”

I nod, “I guess you’re right about that.”

We reach the end of the stairs and go into the kitchen where the rest of the family is sitting, eating a dinner of…wait for it…Wait for it…Wait for it….Pizza. My eyes connect with Todd’s almost immediately, and that’s only because he looked right at me when the door opened. Todd flashes me a quick smile, and I smile back slightly before tearing his eyes away from his. Aside from Ryder, Todd was the worst. He was basically Ryder’s beta. His second in command. If Ryder was sick or something, Todd took over as top dog in their little mission to destroy McKenna Bryant. My only guess as to why is because he’s the second oldest. He was eleven then, so he should be eighteen or almost eighteen by now. He’s hot, I admit it. Hell, all of the O’Connor boys are hot.

William and I sit down at the table, him on my left side and Jacob on my right. Hailey is directly across from me, shooting daggers at me with her eyes. What I did to make her hate me so much? I don’t know. But we’ve never liked each other. Maybe it’s because we were, and still are so different, and our mothers just tried to make us befriend each other. Yeah, I guess that’s why. I look down away from her unfriendly gaze as Will hands me a paper plate with pizza on it. “Better get used to it, we are a strictly pizza eating family.”

I take it and eat a bit of the first slice, “Well it’s a good thing I’m not a vegetarian then.” I say.

Asher-the only O’Connor I’ve yet to speak to in my five hours of being here-laughs, “That lasted how long? Like two hours?”

          “Not even that long.” Todd corrects.

          “Yeah more like twenty minutes.” I say.

At that everyone around the table laughs, even Hailey. Ryder catches my eye and winks at me. He seriously creeps me out. I mean, he crept me out even when we were kids. Well not so much crept out as scared me, but still. I look away from him, continuing to eat my pizza.

          “So anyone have any major plans for the summer?” Uncle Ricky asks, looking around the table at his six children.

Six children. I cannot believe he and Sarah had six children. I mean, the two of them are relatively young in terms of age. I believe Sarah must be 37, possibly 36, and Uncle Ricky must be 37, or 38. Either way, that means Sarah would have still gotten pregnant at about 18. That doesn’t surprise me though. Sarah and Uncle Ricky were high school sweethearts, like my parents. In fact, they were all really good friends. I have always thought that is the only reason why Phil had never come out to Vernon with us during the summers. He’s my step dad, so that might have been a bit awkward for everyone. I mean like they could be sitting around reminiscing, and Phil wouldn’t really know what to do. He’d just be sitting there. Sad, but true.

          “Justin and I are going to the lake tomorrow.” Hailey says.

          “Really? And I assume Justin’s parents will be in attendance?” Uncle Ricky asks.

          “Of course, Daddy.” Hailey says, picking apart her pizza.

I’m gonna take a wild guess here and say that this Justin guy is Hailey’s boyfriend. Who would want to date her and have to put up with her 24/7? I have no idea. Well not technically 24/7, probably like 10/5.

          “What about you Mickey, planning on staying here in Vernon?”

I shrug, “Oh probably not. I’ll just go down up to L.A. Ya know, hang out at the beach and all that stuff.”

Uncle Ricky nods his head, and Sarah says, “How is Mason?”

          “Mason’s good, he’s going to Florida with his girlfriend and some of his friends for the summer.”

          “Really? What college is he at again?”

          “He’s at Amherst, in Massachusetts.” I say.

          “Right, right. And he’ll be a senior in the fall?”

I nod, “Yup.” I say.

As we continue to eat, I glance towards the window where the sky is grey and the sun is nowhere to be seen. It’s still raining pretty badly. No thunder or lightning though, and that’s always good. Eventually though, the O’Connor’s begin to retreat from the table, and then there are three of us left. Me, Jacob, and Will. As I study Jacob out of my profile, I discover just how much more he and William now look alike. They’re “identical” twins. I put air quotes around identical, because they are identical, but I mean everyone can tell them apart. As a child, it was easy to tell them apart. William was fluffy, had glasses and braces, and Jacob…well Jacob didn’t. But now that William’s morphed into this guy who looks like he just walked off a photo shoot for Abercrombie, it’s a bit more difficult to tell them apart. William’s hair is a lighter shade of brown than Jacob’s though. It’s like, I don’t chestnut or something.

          “I’m really sorry about earlier McKenna; I swear I didn’t see anything.” Jacob tells me.

          “Wait, what happened?” William wonders.

          “I walked in on McKenna when she was getting out of the shower.”

William chuckles and I elbow him in his side, “Shut up. It wasn’t funny. You scared the shit out of me.” I tell Jacob.

          “Two times.” William notes.

          “Two times what?” I ask him.

          “Two times you’ve cursed.”

I roll my eyes, “Trust me, I’ve cursed so many more times in my mind between the time I woke up this morning and now.” I tell him.

          “Mickey, don’t tell me you’ve turned badass on us.” Jacob says.

          “Wouldn’t dream of it. But if I do, you two will be the first to know.” I say, jokingly. Then I yawn, standing up, “Well I’m tired, I guess I’d better get some sleep.”

          “How can you be tired? You just woke up.” Will says.

          “Maybe she’s pregnant.” Jacob says.

I hit him in the back of his head, knowing I won’t inflict any serious pain. “The chances of me being pregnant are about 0 in 100,000,000.”

          “What, so you’ve never had s-“ Will starts.

I cut him by letting out a huge yawn, “Wow, I am so tired. Flying and all that good stuff. See you two in the morning.” I say, as I quickly leave the kitchen, and go up to my room. I close the door behind me as I collapse on my bed laughing, before curling up under my covers.