Chapter 7: A Small Ripple

|8:43 am|

The quietness that Sunday brought rung throughout the Pierce house, as the two eldest siblings slept reposefully by each other's side, finally able to obtain some well-needed rest.

The harshness of the luster sunlight arose from the small window, and the faint voices of two lovebirds singing a melodious tune sitting on a tree branch transpired soothingly.

The ambience was seldom peaceful, as the facade of normalcy was fortuitously initiated.

Allison was buried underneath her brother's gallant arm, as he was sprawled comfortably upon the bed, and she remained on her back, her head tilted slightly to the left on her pillow.

Then unforeseeably, the loud chimes of Allison's phone rung caustically, piercing straight through her eardrums, startling her somewhat uprightly, as she felt something weighing her down.

The gruesome noise annoyed Allison, as she broke away from her pleasant dream to awaken next to her brother resting in close proximity to her cold body that lay motionlessly on the bed.

Jackson's eyes remained shut, deep in slumber, as Allison turned her head to the right, eyeing her phone that hid underneath her pillow, that she must've brought with her last night while departing her room to go to Jackson's.

Attempting not to awaken her brother, and disturb his peaceful sleep, she squirmed awkwardly in her position, completely enveloped by Jackson's left arm that clung tightly onto her waist, and managed to slide her left arm out from the small space between her and Jackson.

The eldest Pierce boy wriggled in his sleep, clutching onto Allison even tighter, and inched closer to her head that lay distraught upon the worn-out pillow.

Allison inched forward with her arm to grasp the rasping phone and didn't bother to check the caller ID, desperately trying to diffuse the loud ruckus it emitted.

As she glanced one more time at her unconscious brother that slept easily beside her with a thin line pressed onto his lips, and his arm wrapped around her frame involuntarily, she accepted the call hastily and muttered groggily. "Hello."

The familiar, fervid voice that blared through the phone speakers alarmed her instantaneously, as she jolted upwards in her position promptly, rousing Jackson startlingly, as he gazed quizzically at his sister that sat anxiously on the bed with the phone attached shakily against her ear as if she had just seen a ghost.

The next words that escaped her lips frightened both her and Jackson, as she spoke in recognition. "R-Rebecca?"

Immediately, Jackson pulled his arm back in a hurried motion, at the mere mention of the redhead's capricious name, and Allison moved further away from her brother, staring ahead at the wall with widened eyes.

"Allison!" Rebecca exclaimed on the other hand, unbeknownst to the iniquitous scene being played out in the Pierce's house. "I have something to propose to you. I hope I'm not disturbing anything..." she trailed off mischievously, referring to her date with Ethan last night, and the potential events that could have played out at the end of it.

"No," Allison responded abruptly, glimpsing skittishly at Jackson who lay beside her wonderingly, confused by her rather odd reply. "You're not disturbing anything." She laughed nervously and resisted to bite her nails in uneasiness.

"Well," the over-enthusiastic redhead started. "As I mentioned in my texts I sent you last night -that you failed to reply to-, Jackson and I are going out." Allison tried so hard to remain expressionless and listened closely. "And I wanted to suggest our first date being a double date; that way it wouldn't be awkward between us."

"A double date?" Allison repeated atrociously, unable to control the volume of her voice, as Jackson's eyes widened at the horrific topic, completely unaware of the context, as he only heard one side of the conversation.

"Yes," Rebecca eagerly confirmed on the other hand. "It'll be so much fun, now that you and I both have boyfriends." Allison refrained from cringing at the word and continued listening to her friend's horrible proposal. "What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Allison repeated timorously, finding it difficult to enunciate her opinion. "I think...it sounds like a decent idea." She managed to choke out in uncertainty, trying not to damage Rebecca's avidity.

However, this unsure statement was interpreted quite differently by Rebecca as a sanction, and she reputed in elation. "Great! Text me Jackson and Ethan's number, and I'll create a group chat for tonight's double date, and give you all the details!"

After articulating one last squeal in excitement, she hung up, as Allison slowly lowered the phone from her right ear, confused by what had just occurred, and took a while to process what Rebecca had just spoken.

Jackson lay in anticipation, staring up at Allison's frightened eyes, as she restated robotically. "We have a double date with Rebecca and Ethan tonight."

After hearing her speak those dreadful words, Jackson sank headfirst into his pillow, muffling a displeased groan, as Allison sighed in her sitting position, finally texting back Jackson and Ethan's numbers after receiving impatient texts from Rebecca herself.

She set her phone aside, and laid back down in her original sleeping position, staring at Jackson perplexingly, as he continued to let out unearthly sounds into his pillow.

"I thought you'd like it; this is your first official date with Rebecca," Allison voiced quietly, trying to watch his reaction, as he lifted his head from the pillow, and faced her in an ambiguous manner. "Why aren't you happy?"

Sharing an intense gaze with his sister, he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. She stayed quiet, expecting some sort of explanation, but he remained speechless, unsure as to how to elaborate on something he himself could not explain.

Then suddenly, a strange aroma entered Jackson's nasal cavity, distracting him from the obscure discussion at hand, as he questioned aloud in curiosity. "Do you smell that?"

Allison scrunched her eyebrows at his digression from the subject matter, but

sniffed briefly to get a whiff of the unusual smell.

She tilted her head in confusion and articulated hypothetically. "It smells like something's burning."

Jackson nodded at her theory casually, then the two shared a knowing look, and both murmured in unison. "Mother."

Instantly, Allison stood up from her brother's bed with her phone in her hand, cautious about mother walking in, and misunderstanding the whole situation, while Jackson followed her lead, scrambling to find a clean shirt that would cover his exposed chest.

The two guiltily dispersed from each other, and awkwardly looked at one another.

Then finally, Allison made her way discreetly out of the bedroom, on her way down the stairs, as Jackson followed closely behind.

As they trudged down the stairs, they saw a trail of smoke emerging from the kitchen, and there before their eyes, witnessed mother casually puffing a cigarette on the bar stool, heedlessly.

"Mother," Jackson articulated incredulously, as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "What are you doing here?"

The two siblings failed to mask their true reactions to mother's recently unexpected visit, and fought to refrain from yelling at her for being so careless and nonexistent in the twins' lives.

As Allison winced at the repulsive smell of the cigarette, mother merely scoffed flamboyantly, and lit it out by slamming it mercilessly on the cold marble counter.

She fabricated a toothy grin, and explained impetuously. "I'm just making some pancakes!"

She raised her hands in the air in delirium, only now bringing attention to her sloppy makeup from last night, and her unruly hair.

"They say they cure hangovers, you know?" Janet rambled on, as Jackson looked disapprovingly at the cigarette butt irresponsibly laid out on the counter, and Allison shook her head in displeasure, sighing in annoyance.

Her eyes then trailed to another stream of smoke, that materialized from the stovetop, and her eyes widened in fear.

"They're burning!" She exclaimed in panic, rushing over to proactively handle the chaotic situation.

She immediately turned off the stove, and took the flat pan that was now covered in a charred layer of pancakes, and soaked it in the sink, preventing a house fire from outbreaking.

Jackson worriedly ran after her, and stuck close by her side in concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing his sister's panicked expression, as Allison nodded shortly in response, then turned to face Janet in frustration and anger.

Janet only shrugged deceptively, putting on an innocent facade, as Allison harshly opened her mouth to confront her on her incautious behaviour that could have resulted in the house being burnt down.

Howbeit, restricting her from uttering a single word, the twins scampered down the stairs in excitement, and rushed to greet their mother that they hadn't seen in a long time.

"Mommy!" Jocelyn cried longingly, as Jackson slickly reached to grab the cigarette butt off of the counter, and discarded it appropriately, just in time to behold the twins in mother's incumbent embrace.

"My babies!" Janet ululated over-dramatically, as both Jocelyn and Alex rested in ease in their mother's arms. "Oh how I missed you both!"

Allison's facial expression softened slightly at the seldom sight, and she shared a knowing look with her older brother, who also watched the infrequent interaction distantly.

Cutting the tenacious moment short, Bruno came trotting down the stairs, wide awake from his deep slumber. Getting the scent of a person he hadn't yet met, he darted towards Janet, who pulled the twins away hastily, to transmit a look of pure disgust at the mutt standing elatedly in front of her.

"What is this dog doing in my house?" She spat, eyeing Jackson, who rushed to pull Bruno back by the collar to prevent any impulsive action from his mother.

Allison avoided her mother's treacherous eyes, as Alex went to give Bruno a friendly pat on the head, enunciating in elaboration. "This is Bruno. He's very nice, and playful."

"Yeah!" Jocelyn added in pure delight, skipping over towards the shaggy haired dog, and her twin brother, as Jackson backed away hesitantly from Bruno. "He was all alone, and he didn't have a home."

Janet sucked in her teeth at the subjectively objectionable view, as Jackson and Allison both awaited cautiously at how the perilous situation would turn out.

The drug-infused woman let out a disingenuous laugh, parading over to the eldest Pierce sibling who expressed a look of discountenance.

"Jackson, could I talk to you in private?" She exhorted, completely dismissing the occurrence, as her slimy hands found a place on Jackson's puzzling shoulders. "It's an adult matter."

Over Janet's shoulder, Jackson saw Allison flash him a skeptical look, but he only nodded momentarily at his mother's cynical request, and then eyed his younger sister in reassurance.

The twins hung back with Bruno, as Allison started to prepare a breakfast that was not burnt, while Jackson allowed Janet to lead him away from the others, beyond earshot.

"I wanted to ask you something," Janet began, as Jackson nodded reservedly, curious as to what exactly she had in mind. "I need three-hundred and fifty dollars." At the expected mention of Janet's great desire for money, Jackson's face fell completely, and he displayed a look of contempt. "It's for a business investment-"

"So in other words; drugs," Jackson cut her off with a scoff, then tilted his head in a disdainful manner.

Janet only rolled her eyes unashamedly, and then shrugged categorically. "Drugs that will help us make profit."

She spoke fiercely, a perilous smirk sewn on her shrewd face, in attempts to coax her eldest son by provoking his greed.

Jackson however, resisted her troublesome proposition, and retorted indignantly. "By feeding your addiction?"

Janet flashed him an injunctive look, and started speaking sternly. "If you do not comply to my needs, that mangey mutt-" she gestured discreetly to Bruno who was playing in the living room with the twins, "must go."

Jackson followed her motion towards the four legged creature, and the amount of joy that he brought in the dreadful Pierce household, and how the twins were genuinely happy by his sole presence.

Janet expressed an overpowered look, as she noticed her eldest son plunge into his softhearted thoughts, and then finally met his gaze once again, internally chuckling at his defeated look.

"Fine," Jackson agreed hesitantly, glaring at his mother. "But only on one condition."

Janet furrowed her eyebrows in fascination, and placed a sassy hand on her bony hips, awaiting his stipulation.

"You must watch the twins today, while Allison and I complete our day-long shift in order to earn your money," the black-haired boy articulated confidently, while Janet slouched backwards in amusement at his futile request.

"You mustn't be serious," Janet countered, scoffing at his ridiculous imposition, as Jackson's facial expression remained restrained. "I'm sure Allison's child support money would be more than enough to meet my needs-''

"That is not to be touched!" Jackson interrupted her defensively, his raised voice catching the attention of the twins who had now stopped their playful shenanigans, and Allison, who halted in her preparations for breakfast in the kitchen.

Janet snickered childishly at his sudden outburst, and argued provokingly. "And why not? She is evidently not a child anymore; why would she need it?"

Jackson tried suppressing his anger, but clenched his fists in rage at the unreasonable woman standing in front of him, failing to react orderly.

"She is seventeen," he spoke through gritted teeth. "She is still a child-"

"Oh please," Janet ridiculed, rolling her eyes tauntingly. "At seventeen, I was already sleeping with guys twice my age, and getting pregnant," she hawked, taking pride in her injudicious decisions.

At this statement, Jackson had surpassed the limit of controlling his bad temper, and very lowly and firmly retaliated. "She is nothing like you."

He said the last word in pure disgust, as Janet delayed a scornful reaction, triggering Jackson's impulsive behaviour even more so.

Allison took notice of her brother's rage, and swiftly skidded over towards her lanky mother, and her ferocious older brother.

"Breakfast is ready," she spoke calmly, attempting to diverge from the risky conversation between the two.

Jackson met his sister's collected eyes, and immediately, his gaze softened, while their mother unaffectedly strutted towards the dining table, near the twins who had cluelessly shrugged over their heated moment.

Allison and Jackson stood across from one another, their stares lingering compassionately on each other, as Allison gave him a comforting smile, in an effort to calm him down.

Gradually, his fists unclenched naturally, as a result of Allison diffusing the situation successfully, and the two headed towards the dining room side by side.

Jackson led Bruno out into the backyard to do his morning business, and then rejoined the rest by plopping into one of the chairs.

He admired his plate that was occupied with Allison's tasty, sunny side up eggs, and only then took notice of the uncomfortable aura.

Jocelyn and Alex innocently and obliviously ate their breakfast, while Janet held her gaze tempestuously on Jackson sitting across from her. Allison kept her head down, trying to push away the abnormality of their interactions with their mother, and played around with her food.

The Pierce siblings couldn't recall the last time mother had sat down at the dining table, and ate with them, and they all felt weird in her irregular presence.

Due to this peculiar circumstance, the Pierce's ate in silence, as Jackson was still reeling back from his enraged encounter with his mother.

This silence was soon interrupted by the loud bell-like notifications on Allison's phone, that echoed immensely throughout the house. One after the other, her phone gave off many noises, alarming Allison herself, who quickly grew annoyed by her strident phone.

Janet chuckled to herself, as Allison rushed to turn off her rowdy phone that relayed countless amount of texts that Rebecca sent in the group chat that she had made.

"Looks like Allison is quite popular with the guys," Janet remarked in a snarky manner, winking insinuatingly, as Jackson's breathing hitched at the audacity of his lousy mother to degrade his sister once again.

Instead of addressing her daring comment, Jackson raised a sly eyebrow, a clever idea coming to mind.

"Did you hear about the carnival in town?" He spoke aloud, catching Allison's attention at his erratic question. "It has proven to be this town's most renowned event."

Janet curiously tilted her head, trying to silently figure out Jackson's intentions, but was rudely drawn away from her thoughts by the twins' childish excitement.

"A carnival?" Alex repeated in fascination, picturing animals performing extraordinary tricks, while Jackson nodded in confirmation.

"I wanna go!" Jocelyn whined immaturely, accidentally dropping the cutlery on the ceramic plate, causing a ruckus. "I wanna go!"

"I wanna go too!" Alex chimed in, agreeing with his twin sister, as Janet cringed at her children's chattering voices.

Jackson simulated a scanty charade, and clicked his tongue in sorrow. "Well I'm afraid it's impossible, since Allison and I both have work today..."

Instantly, Allison's head shot up once again at the implicit lie that he had told, as Jackson briefly accorded her a suggestive look, and a discreet wink, while the twins both pouted wildly in despair.

"No fair," Alex scowled grumpily, furrowing his eyebrows in anger.

Janet listened attentively to where exactly this exchange was leading, and watched Jackson play out his scene, in irritancy.

"Unless..." the eldest Pierce sibling trailed off mischievously, finally meeting his mother's feral eyes. "Unless mother takes you to the carnival -only if she's not busy of course."

The twins gazed towards their mother with hope-filled eyes, as Jackson now produced a well played smirk on his lips, while Allison listened in awe, at her brother's ability to swindle their mother into performing her parental duties.

"Please, mommy," Jocelyn begged, widening her eyes cutely to slickly convince her mother to fulfill her wishes.

"Yes, please," Alex corresponded, sharing the same, optimistic expression.

Janet stayed speechless, angered by Jackson's unexpected, devious ways, and directed her eyes straight across at her eldest son raising a subtle eyebrow, and repeatedly rubbing his thumb over the tip of his index and middle finger, to represent the money that she had asked for.

Their mother held on an agitated expression, smiling through gritted teeth at the twins, and then strained to say. "Of course."

Allison froze in her spot, with eyes widened in disbelief at Janet's unaroused, yet cooperative response, and her brother's imperative shrewdness.

"Yay!" Jocelyn exclaimed, unable to control her excitement, as Alex himself was predominantly in a good mood as well. "We're going to the carnival!"

Jackson flashed Janet a conniving look, as she sat mannerly in defeat, staring maliciously at her eldest son.

Allison took notice of the thick, uncivil tension between them both, and voiced coherently to the twins. "Why don't you two start getting ready?"

With her dignified suggestion, Janet and Jackson broke their hostile gaze from each other, and watched as Jocelyn cheerfully glided out of her chair, along with Alex, who forcibly stuffed his last bite into his mouth, and followed his twin sister gleefully up the stairs.

Before Janet could make one of her childish remarks, Allison beat her to the chase, and spoke in sheer concern. "Make sure your boyfriend Christopher doesn't tag along."

Dumbfounded by her noticeably stern manner, Janet scoffed in ridicule, unable to grasp her rigorous statement seriously, due to her meek personality.

Her callous reaction failed to slither past Jackson, as he budded in defensively. "Don't bring him along, and you will get the money," he bargained austerely, in an effort to persuade their deranged mother to agree compliantly.

Janet held on a defeated look, desperately seeking for any source of profit to sustain her substance addiction.

"Well in that case," she uttered curtly, giving a manipulative smirk to her eldest children. "I'll be waiting in the car."

With that, she stood on her heels, vacating the dining room, and made her way tenaciously outside, into her automobile.

-

While the twins prepared for their fun-filled day, the two eldest siblings began cleaning the residue of breakfast.

Jackson hovered over the kitchen sink to scrub the grubby dishes, sneaking a few glances outside of the window just above the sink to surveillance his mother sitting impatiently in one of her many ex boyfriends' beat up car, and monitored her activity attentively, to ensure she wouldn't depart capriciously, while Allison cleared the dining table.

The eldest Pierce daughter gathered the remainder of the dirty dishes, and started making her way towards her older brother, who had instantly snapped out of his gaze, after sensing his younger sister's presence.

As expected, Allison flashed a confused look Jackson's way, after setting the plates carefully on the marble counter, and questioned curiously. "Care to explain what happened back there? I don't have a shift today."

Jackson turned off the faucet abruptly, and looked cautiously towards the window once again, then took Allison delicately by her shoulders, leading her away from their mother's view.

He guided her away from the kitchen window, and spoke in a hushed tone, while releasing his hold on her. "I know," he simply replied vaguely, as Allison scrunched her eyebrows, still unaware of his devilish plan. "I texted Henry to see if there was a shift available, as he works weekends with us, and he said that you can come in for the day to work with me, and cover his shift."

Allison only tilted her head at her brother's ramble, as he faltered his cheerful grin after viewing her befuddled reaction.

"U-unless," he stammered in hesitation, intuitively reaching to run a hand through his silky hair in nervousness. "Unless you wanted to spend the day at home."

"No," Allison quickly blurted, startling Jackson by her sudden outburst. "I want to work." Jackson sighed in relief, and relaxed back into his upright position. "I'm just confused as to why you randomly urged mother to go to the carnival with the twins."

Allison gazed upwards at her older brother in question, as he only pressed his lips into a thin line.

Jackson took in a big breath, and elaborated further on his actions. "Seeing the twins so happy to see mother, made me realize that we cannot replace her," he spoke sentimentally, sighing in sorrow. "And as much as we're always there for them to mask the departure of our father, and the absence of mother, they deserve to spend as much time with Janet as they possibly can, even if it's through bribery."

Allison gave her brother an empathetic expression, and smiled at his altruistic personality.

"And, I figured we could use a day off from our hectic lives," he voiced truthfully, sharing a knowing look with his sister. "Our lives promulgate around the twins so much, that sometimes I forget our age." He continued, the tone adversely shifting, as reality crept in. "We deserve to be selfish every once in awhile."

He eyed his sister keenly, showcasing the severity of his own mental exhaustion, as Allison took notice of his undesired state.

In attempts to recreate a lighthearted atmosphere, she jabbed in a teasing manner. "And you'd spend your only day of freedom with your sister?"

Jackson scoffed jocularly, and leaned inwards, meeting Allison's coppery, immaculate eyes, and responded mellowly. "Who else would I spend it with?"

The two held a strong gaze, as Allison struggled to comprehend his equivocal statement. But before she could question further, the twins came stumbling down the stairs eagerly, with wide smiles outstretched on their unblemished faces.

Jackson and Allison both pulled apart from their clandestine conversation, and immediately replicated a smile to match the twins' youthful excitement.

"Where's mom?" Alex wondered, vigorously looking left and right, failing to mask his instant look of worry.

Allison made her way towards her younger brother, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, partnered with a comforting grin. "She's waiting for both of you in the car."

Jocelyn squealed in exhilaration, and jumped upwards, causing her two pigtails to bounce gracefully against her narrow shoulders.

"But before you go," Jackson voiced authoritatively, approaching Jocelyn, as he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. "Take some money to buy any snacks your hearts desire. Keep it safe," he advised, handing a bunch of bills into Jocelyn's tiny hand, and folded it securely around the cash.

"Yay!" Jocelyn exclaimed in elation, already fantasizing about the wondrous snacks available at the carnival, as Jackson stifled a chuckle at his baby sister's childish appeal. "Thank you, Jackie."

She swung her appreciative arms around her older brother's broad shoulders, as Jackson reciprocated the embrace, holding onto Jocelyn tightly, as he pecked the top of her head tenderly, while Allison watched from afar, smiling in adoration at the loving sight of her two siblings.

Finally, they pulled away, as Jackson now made his way towards Alex, who stared at him in curiosity.

"Alex, I want you to hold onto this," he spoke sagely, handing his cellphone to his younger brother. "In case there's an emergency or something, don't hesitate to call." He explained further in depth, while eyeing him intensely to make sure he was understanding everything clearly. "Allison's number is on speed dial, if you should need anything." He showed the speed dial button to his brother, as Alex nodded obediently, admiring his older brother's concern for them.

"Can we go now?" Jocelyn whined, pouting her lips, and rocked back and forth in one place restlessly.

"Yes, you can," Allison authorized with a slight chuckle, as Jocelyn beamed in enthusiasm, and raced outside, with her twin brother following swiftly behind, leaving the front door ajar.

The two eldest siblings watched in contentment at the twins finally getting to live somewhat of a normal life, even if it were only for a day.

Jackson made his way to the front door to shut it, but was taken aback by Alex speeding inside, and rushing to envelop Allison into a tight embrace.

Allison herself was surprised at his sudden gesture, but nonetheless, wrapped her nurturing arms around Alex's petite frame, as Jackson witnessed the staggering view.

Once they both pulled apart, Alex enunciated unfeignedly. "Thank you for coming back last night."

Allison furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at his unforeseen statement, and then watched him run back outside.

After he boarded the car, Jackson closed the front door successfully, now taking awareness of his sister eyeing him ponderously.

"He thought that you had eloped with Ethan yesterday," he relayed in exaggeration, as Allison studiously recalled Alex's torrent last night, before her date with Ethan.

She forced herself to shrug over Alex's unfortunately dysfunctional mentality, and decided to crack a jocund joke to change the sensitive topic. "Trust me, if I were to elope with Ethan,  I'd make sure you guys didn't have a clue."

However, her attempt to regain a buoyant atmosphere failed, after she saw Jackson's displeased expression.

Jackson made his way to the backyard speedily, and let Bruno in, as he instantly curled up restfully on the couch.

"I should get ready for work," Jackson voiced awkwardly, heading towards the stairs. "We're leaving in a few minutes."

"What?!" Allison exploded, frightening Jackson with her sonorous reaction. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

She raced up the stairs in panic, as Jackson withheld his urge to laugh at his sister's easily bothered personality, and ran after her, to watch her strutting towards the bathroom to get ready for work.

He caught her before she could enter, and darted past her swiftly into the bathroom first, smirking victoriously once he had successfully gotten inside before her.

"Wha-hey!" Allison exclaimed in frustration. "What are you doing? I came here first!" She declared aloud, placing a turbulent hand on her hip.

"Well I announced coming here first," Jackson argued back playfully, sticking his tongue out in a childish manner, as Allison gasped at his roguish behaviour.

With that, he shut the door gloatingly, making sure to lock it, as Allison huffed in exasperation, and verbalized dramatically. "That's not fair! You take the longest to get ready," she reasoned, hoping she could gain some of her brother's sympathy.

Not hearing another response, Allison scowled, preparing to make her way towards her room, but heard the bathroom door urgently opening.

She remained in her position, looking at her older brother smirking mischievously, as she flashed a hopeful grin his way.

Instead of gaining his understanding, Jackson only remarked wittily. "It takes time to get my hair to look as luscious as it usually does; I don't expect you to understand."

He smiled waggishly at her, whilst wiggling his eyebrows, and then closed the door once more, as Allison's mouth hung wide open in astonishment, and then she stormed into her room at last, a small smile tugging at her lips.

-

The two siblings made it out of the house in the nick of time, and were both seated in the car, on their way to work.

While Jackson stared ahead at the windshield, making sure to drive efficiently, yet cautiously, he held a small smirk on his lips, as Allison sat grouchily in the passenger seat, frowning furiously at her provoking older brother.

She had barely gotten ready in time, and even then so, her long brown hair was severely damp, as a result of not having enough time to blow dry it after taking a shower.

After completing a right turn along the end of the street, Jackson glanced shortly at his irritated younger sister, and commented rather slyly. "You know, I really like what you've done with your hair; I think it suits you well."

He smiled cheekily at her, and then diverted his eyes back on the road, as Allison battled to withhold her urge to yell at her troublesome brother who had erratically been acting rather mischievous lately.

"If I get sick because of this, you're going to have to take care of me," she scolded firmly, raising a stony eyebrow, as Jackson only chuckled to himself, now drifting his eyes back onto Allison who remained unyielding.

"When have I not?"

Allison only rolled her eyes in a partially playful manner, and refrained from smiling at the infantile banter between them both recently, that radiated all sense of normalcy betwixt siblings.

Now, the eldest Pierce daughter found her eyes floating towards the passenger window, and her mind wandered into a train of defective thoughts.

Imperiously, she asked. "Why did mother want money?"

Immediately, Jackson's frolicsome smile faltered at the sound of the unpleasant topic, and he replied tangibly, with his hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel. "Drugs, what else?"

Allison scoffed quietly, shaking her head in disappointment at their mother's rapacious personality.

However, she forced herself to dismiss the sensitive subject matter as Jackson pulled up into the parking lot, and both of them made their way silently into the Red Rose Café.

The bell hung gracefully above the door, and rang melodiously, as the Pierce's were greeted by Henry's friendly face that emitted a jolly smile.

In reciprocation, both Allison and Jackson fabricated a toothy grin, and made their way behind the counter where Henry beamed in excitement.

"Glad you came in, Allison!" He exclaimed appreciatively. "Now I can enjoy the remainder of the long weekend with my family."

Allison nodded modestly in response, and glimpsed briefly at Jackson, who was already on his way to the back to fetch an apron.

Before she could follow after him, Henry stopped her in her tracks, and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Will you be okay to work the day shift?" He asked thoughtfully. "Sometimes it can be quite busy."

Allison released a genuine, thankful smile, and nodded once more. "Yes, I should be fine." She went on further in reassurance, her gaze falling towards the back room where Jackson was. "Besides, I'm not completely alone."

Henry smiled in return, and replied. "Well please let me know if I could be of any assistance, and text me the total sales at the end of your shift."

Allison nodded once again in compliance, and watched as Henry made his way in front of the counter, after giving her an encouraging pat on her shoulder.

Jackson now made his way out of the back room, already wearing an apron, and holding an extra one in his right hand. He casually tossed the green apron in Allison's direction, as she caught it slickly, and then looked ahead at Henry who held on a teasing appearance.

"You'd better not fool around, today," Henry spoke jokingly, smirking at Jackson, who only shook his head with an impish expression.

"No promises," he responded sneeringly, as Henry grinned, and then made his way out of the coffee shop, triggering the pleasant bell once again.

Allison tied the strings of her apron behind her, then stood eagerly, awaiting Jackson's instructions.

However, he remained oblivious to the fact, and leaned against the counter boringly, watching the clock hung on a nearby wall, tick.

Allison scrunched her eyebrows, and questioned. "Are we supposed to be doing something?"

Jackson turned his head rightwards to face her, and shrugged innocently. "We are. We're waiting for customers."

-

It was now noon; midway through their seven hour shift, and customers had started to pile in rapidly.

Allison was behind the till taking orders, while Jackson was preparing the orders, and making several cups of coffee diligently.

There were a number of customers seated at the tables, restlessly waiting for their orders to arrive, as Allison struggled to remain calm under pressure, while trying to deal with a difficult customer.

"So are you sure you guys don't sell milkshakes?" A blonde asked, for what felt like the millionth time to Allison.

Nonetheless, the resilient Pierce daughter responded politely. "Unfortunately not."

"Well can you recommend anything that's remotely close to a strawberry milkshake?" The customer continued, while a few impatient groans were heard from the customers behind her in line.

"Um..." Allison stuttered nervously. "Iced coffee?"

She outstretched a skittish smile, as the blonde customer showcased a frustrated look, and

placed a vexatious hand on her hip.

Jackson stopped in his tracks, overhearing the unbearable conversation, and approached his younger sister who looked overwhelmed.

"Allison, why don't you take over preparing the orders?" He offered, placing a comforting hand behind her back, and met her anxious eyes. "I got this from here."

He nodded in assurance, as Allison flashed him a grateful smile, and resumed his previous task.

While she prepared a coffee, Jackson had professionally communicated with the snotty customer. "I believe there's a milkshake shop a few blocks down. Why don't you try there, instead?"

The blonde girl raised her eyebrows in disbelief, at the audacity of Jackson's suggestion, and held her mouth agape in shock. She scoffed, after Jackson only gave her a sweet smile, and then turned furiously on her heels, rushing out of the shop.

Jackson held in his urge to let out a laugh, and proceeded to take the order of the next customer in line, while Allison pressed down on the coffee machine, causing a loud sound to emerge, catching a few customers' attention.

The coffee machine let out a distorted ruckus, spurting out sparse chunks of liquified coffee grounds onto Allison's apron, and face.

Jackson hurriedly turned around to witness the view, and widened his eyes at the horrid sight.

"What happened?" The eldest Pierce son demanded, rushing over to his shaken up sister, completely disregarding the customer he had been dealing with.

"I..." Allison struggled to communicate effectively, staring helplessly above at her older brother. "I-I don't know...it just, broke."

Instead of scolding her, Jackson ran a distressed hand through his hair, glancing vigorously between the broken coffee machine, and the line of angry customers wanting to satisfy their caffeine addiction.

Finally, Jackson regathered his calm exposure, and attempted to figure out the problem, by rummaging through the various, external metal parts the coffee machine consisted of.

Without success, he stumbled backwards in bewilderment, breathing uneasily, as Allison conveyed an apologetic expression. Her coffee-covered hair stuck onto her skin like glue, creating an uncomfortable feeling, both physically and mentally.

"I'm sorry," she spoke faintly in sorrow, catching Jackson's immediate awareness, as he softened his expression at the sound of her frail voice, and the sight of her frightened eyes.

"It's okay," he said consolingly, staring back into her worried eyes. "It's not your fault."

The two held their gaze on each other momentarily, but were soon interrupted by the harsh comments made by unsatisfied customers awaiting their orders.

Jackson took in a deep breath, and then marched towards the till, and announced loudly. "Attention, everyone," he began, as Allison fumbled with the coffee machine, attempting to fix it. "Due to our machine unexpectedly malfunctioning, we are unable to serve any coffee for the time being. I apologize for any inconvenience."

The sound of displeased complaints were heard throughout the coffee shop, as a handful of customers walked out in anger, while Jackson sighed.

There were a few customers who had already received their orders, and were unaffectedly enjoying their lunch and coffee at the tables.

As the order line had completely dismembered, Jackson turned around sulkily, to see Allison trying to dissasemble the coffee machine, in an effort to repair it.

"Allison," Jackson started in concern, hurriedly walking over to her in a brotherly manner. "You're gonna hurt yourself," he reasoned. "Let me just call Henry, and notify him. He'll know what to do-"

"Does Henry keep any tools around here?" Allison cut him off dismissively, now redirecting her gaze onto her worried brother, as Jackson stared at her in shock, taken aback at her perseverance.

"Yeah...they're just in the back, in his desk drawer..." the Pierce son trailed off unsurely, watching Allison march to the back room in determination, while he trailed behind.

He stood before the curtain that separated the front from the back room, and was startled once Allison had arrived back so quickly, with a bunch of different screwdrivers.

"Allison," Jackson spoke authoritatively, but she didn't seem to listen. "Allison," he spoke a little louder, making sure to watch the volume of his stressed voice, due to the remaining customers left in the store. "I really think we should call Henry."

Allison rolled her eyes in response, and gave Jackson an affirmative look. "Just let me try this, and if it doesn't work, we'll call Henry."

Jackson only sighed at her stubbornness, but nevertheless, finally nodded in approval at her request.

Allison started unscrewing the coffee machine, pulling it apart in a matter of ten minutes, and started dissecting it further, not failing to examine it in great detail.

While she did so, the residue of the coffee grounds that spat on her left an odious sensation, as her clothes stuck adhesively to her pale skin.

She continued to pull apart the big machine, and after successfully disassembling it, she looked at every working part studiously, as Jackson watched in wonder at the complexity of her fascinating brain.

The metal parts were quite old and rusty, but still seemed to be functional. However, her eyes came across an unsecured part that hung loosely, covered in liquified coffee grounds.

"Aha," she muttered underneath her breath, reaching to fixate the part securely back into place.

Jackson tilted his head, and mentally worried for his sister's safety from a distance, afraid her persistent personality would erupt at any given moment.

"Did you figure it out?" Jackson questioned in curiosity, slightly leaning towards the coffee machine to get a better look.

"I think..." Allison dwindled, now assembling it back together, and tightened the screws. "This should do it."

As she finally completed putting the machine back together, she attempted to brew another batch of coffee, and awaited in anticipation for the results.

She mentally prepared for the ear-piercing sound, but was surprised when she heard absolutely nothing. The coffee was now successfully and peacefully brewing.

Jackson's eyes widened in amazement, as he walked to stand beside his more than capable sister, who smiled jubilantly.

"You did it!" He beamed, unable to contain his delight, as Allison shrugged humbly. "Sorry for ever doubting you."

Allison now smirked tauntingly, with an ingenious appearance. "You're forgiven. But you better not doubt me again."

Jackson chuckled slightly, only now noticing the residue of the coffee grounds on Allison's left cheek.

"You have a little..." he spoke, stifling a laugh, as he gestured to Allison's face.

Allison's eyes widened insecurely as a reaction, and she rushed to wipe away the mess that the machine had created. Only, she had failed to wipe off the now dried substance, amusing Jackson even more.

She stood there in defeat, pouting childishly at her failed attempt, and grew frustrated by the second.

"Here," Jackson offered, grabbing a napkin from the dispensary, and tried not to break out into fits of laugher. "Allow me."

He gently grazed her mellow cheek with the white napkin, triumphantly obliterating the splatter upon Allison's face.

As he did so, he met her now relaxed eyes, grateful that they had regained their lovely glow, as Allison reciprocated his intense stare.

The two had disappeared into a whirlwind of incautious thoughts, completely forgetting about their surroundings, and the workplace, rather, getting lost in a blissful reverie.

Soon after, the store bell had chimed, indicating a customer's presence, snapping the Pierce siblings out of their unruly imaginations.

This time however, the bell's sound was not melodic, rather, inconveniently dissonant.

-

|4:24 pm|

It was nearing the end of the Pierce's shift, and it had slowed down immensely, since their coffee machine mishap.

Jackson was currently sanitizing the front counter with a damp cloth, and Allison had just come out from the back room, completing her scheduled break.

"Did the twins contact you?" Jackson inquired nonchalantly, continuing to clean the counter thoroughly, as Allison shook her head in response, fastening her apron straps tightly against her back.

"No," she replied, now gathering her brown locks into a loose ponytail. "I've only received the numerous texts from Rebecca's double date group chat." She rolled her eyes after her sentence, and started helping her brother with cleaning.

The Pierce boy's breathing hitched at the mention of the certain redhead that possessed such a peculiarly feisty personality, as he fought to maintain his composure.

"So..." he started wonderingly. "What do you think about the double date tonight?"

He kept his eyes on the cloth he was holding, while scrubbing the wooden counter, and snuck a quick glimpse at his younger sister to observe her reaction to the mentioned topic.

Allison only shrugged simplistically, wiping down the coffee machine to give it an extra glow. "I don't know what to think about it, except anticipating about how it'll be extremely awkward," she explained sassily, as Jackson laughed to himself.

"Glad I'm not the only one not wanting to go," he shared in relief, as Allison stopped cleaning, and turned to face Jackson.

"But we should want to go," she spoke melancholically, resulting in Jackson meeting her gaze knowingly. "I mean, this is what normal people our age do, right?"

Jackson only held on a quizzical expression, unaware as to how to react to her rhetorical question.

Thankfully, he was relieved to hear the bell go off, as he reflected into an upbeat greeting. "Hi there."

"Hello." Came a frightening voice, catching both Jackson and Allison's attention, as they turned their heads to the left to meet a pair of formidable eyes.

"Alaric?" Allison let out viscerally, finding it eerie to see him outside of school premises, as he approached the front counter.

"Allison," Mr. Fairchild greeted warmly, displaying a solicitous smile. "I was unaware that you worked here."

His hair was slicked back neatly, and his dominant manner reminded Jackson of their first introduction a few days ago.

"Um...yes," Allison stuttered nervously, feeling uncomfortable with his unconventional presence. "I just started working here recently."

Alaric nodded meticulously, his eyes now falling on Jackson who stood anxiously silent.

"And your brother, Jackson." He went on further, while the Pierce boy avoided his domineering eye contact. "He works here as well?"

"Yes," Allison confirmed wholeheartedly, rocking back and forth apprehensively.

"Well," Alaric stated imperiously. "Quite an outstanding fortuity to meet you both here!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, as Allison angled her head slightly in confusion. "I just happened to be near the shop, and decided upon getting some coffee."

The Pierce daughter laughed timorously, unable to analyze Alaric's anomalous conduct. He seemed to be staring at both Jackson and Allison in quite an ambiguous manner.

"What can I get for you, today?" Jackson finally spoke up, tired of Mr. Fairchild's predominantly intimidating behaviour.

Alaric grinned queerly, and enumerated. "I would like a regular medium coffee for here; two cream, no sugar please."

Jackson nodded, tapping the product into the till, still not daring to meet his gaze.

As he ordered, he handed a five dollar bill to Jackson inscrutably, leaning inwards slightly, forcing the Pierce boy to meet his covert eyes, and voiced firmly. "Keep the change."

He then presented an unfazed simper, and strutted composedly towards a table, staring coyly at the clock.

Jackson placed the bill in the register, and turned towards his sister who had already begun constructing his order.

As she prepared his coffee, the pair's eyes met consciously, as both of them struggled to preserve their equanimity.

However, Allison forged a convincing smile, and paraded towards Alaric who sat oddly in dominion, shakily balancing the cup of coffee in her right hand.

As she presented the mug onto the circular table, Alaric smiled in gratitude, yet refrained to touch his boiling hot coffee.

Instead, he focused his primary attention onto Allison, who stood before him in a perplexing manner, while Jackson observed painstakingly from afar, fearing the worst.

"How have you been, Allison?" Alaric's soft voiced echoed through the empty shop, snapping Allison out of her ceaselessly daunting thoughts.

She was met with a kindhearted, gentle smile that portrayed Alaric's true character, and grew a bit comfortable in his presence now, yet proceeded to remain vigilant.

"Good," she mumbled underneath her breath, carefully watching her expressions to not accidentally showcase her trepidation.

Alaric smiled in response, and then continued his uninhibited interrogation. "And the twins? How are they doing?"

At the mere mention of Jocelyn and Alex, Jackson's ears perked up instinctively, growing more anxious at where exactly the conversation was leading.

"T-they're good," Allison stuttered momentarily, taken aback by his inquisitive question.

"Since you and your brother are working," Alaric started venturously, triggering Jackson's instinctual protectiveness. "I reckon the twins are home...alone?"

Immediately, Jackson clutched his fists tightly in repressed anger, contemplating whether or not he should intervene.

However, his raging conviction was brought to a halt when his sister replied unalterably. "They're actually at the carnival that's in town today, with...mother."

Alaric raised a keen eyebrow, then reflexed into a relaxed expression. "Ah, I see. Your mother is off of work today?"

Allison nodded compliantly, as Jackson let out a quiet sigh of relief, appeased that the conversation hadn't escalated intractably.

"Allison," Alaric began once again, still failing to drink his now simmered down coffee, as he met her docile eyes. "May I ask why you haven't come to see me in quite awhile, at school?"

Allison instantly gulped fearfully, as Jackson studied his sister's intimate behaviour towards their school's social and youth worker wonderingly.

"I..." the eldest Pierce daughter trailed off, harshly being put on the spot. "I've just been busy lately...working. That's all."

Alaric furrowed his eyebrows in an analytical manner, and then picked up his cup of coffee at last, and responded credulously. "Then I look forward to our next discussion -at your convenience, of course." He curved his lips upwards stoically. "Thank you for the coffee."

Allison nodded politely, scurrying back to her brother that remained behind the counter who caught a glimpse of Alaric's devious eyes.

As Alaric began drinking his coffee, and occasionally glanced at the clock hung on the wall, Jackson discreetly took Allison by the arm and led her into the back room abruptly.

Allison shot him a questioning look, silently wondering why he had pulled her away so suspiciously, while Jackson hung onto her shoulders, hunching forwards to speak in a hushed tone. "I think he's onto us." He went on, meeting her youthful eyes. "Maybe it's for the best you don't affiliate with him any longer."

He softened his grip on her, until his touch was barely even noticeable, and then pulled his arms to his side, trying not to cross the line, or seem too controlling.

Nevertheless, Allison nodded in agreement, astounding Jackson by her lack of stubbornness.

"You're right," she confessed wholeheartedly, staring up at him with her lips pressed together into a thin line.

Jackson raised both eyebrows at her unexpected response, and inquired curiously. "I must ask," he started, tilting his head slightly. "What makes you agree?"

Allison met his quizzical gaze once more, reflecting a disheartened expression, and revealed truthfully. "Because, he knew you worked here; I had mentioned it to him before." She went on, as Jackson's eyes widened in realization. "So him coming here, was not a coincidence."

-

It was now ten after five, and the Pierce's shift was officially over. Alaric had left just moments before the end of their shift, acting rather murky, and Jackson and Allison were now in the car, on their way home.

As Jackson numbly turned right into a street, he couldn't help but stare at his sister, who held on a desolate facial expression, looking out the passenger window sulkily.

Worriedly, Jackson vocalized in compassion. "What's wrong?"

After hearing his concerned voice, Allison had separated from her trancelike state, and glanced fleetingly at her older brother who had now shifted his attention back onto the road.

"Nothing," she spoke just above a whisper, redirecting her stare towards the window once again.

Jackson pressed the brake gently, coming across a red light, and stared dazedly ahead, knowing very well that she was upset from her previous encounter with Alaric.

Finally, the eldest Pierce son decided to broach the delicate topic, as the formidable silence grew uncomfortably larger. "I knew that you visited Mr. Fairchild's office often, but I wasn't aware how close you two were."

His uncomfortable gaze shifted between his sister at the painfully long red light that forced his eyes upon her, and vice versa.

Allison remained speechless, unable to form a sensical response in regards to Jackson's comment.

"He seems to really care about you," Jackson stated observantly, now lightly compressing the gas as the light turned green, then diverted his sight back onto the road ahead.

Allison only let out a tired scoff, and remarked rhetorically. "What does it matter now?"

Jackson flinched marginally at her grating words, and gripped onto the steering wheel tensely.

"You were right." She went on, shaking her head in disappointment at herself. "We can't trust anyone. I was just stupid enough to think that someone might actually be on our side for once."

Jackson gazed at his younger sister vicariously, after parking the car beside the curb across from their house. "You're not stupid for wanting something normal, Allison."

The Pierce daughter unbuckled her seatbelt coldly, intensely meeting her brother's eyes.

"You're right," she confirmed heartlessly. "Maybe I'm just naive."

With that, she evacuated the car, as Jackson followed her lead towards their vacant house, sighing tiredly.

"Why did you park on the road?" Allison asked, dismissing their foregoing conversation, while Jackson unlocked the front door.

"In case mother returns," he replied smartly. "We told her we'd be at work all day."

Allison nodded, impressed by her brother's advanced thinking, and entered the house subsequently after Jackson, only to be greeted joyously by a cheerful Bruno.

He rushed to welcome both Jackson and Allison home, emitting an authentic, gleeful ambience.

"I missed you too, buddy!" Jackson exclaimed, crouching downwards to run a loving hand through his dense coat.

Allison smiled admiringly at the affectionate two, and made her way into the kitchen, while Jackson led Bruno outside to do his business.

As Jackson closed the backyard door behind him, he towed after his sister, who was already preparing a little snack for the both of them in the kitchen.

He plopped down on the barstool, placing an elbow on the kitchen counter, and rested his chin in his hand, smiling at his sister in reverence.

"What do you feel about cheese and crackers?" Allison questioned ardently, making her way into the pantry to fetch a box of unsalted crackers.

She held them up for Jackson to see, as he playfully furrowed his eyebrows in consideration, pretending to be indecisive.

"Hmm," he spoke aloud, now rubbing his chin in a studious manner. "I guess they'll have to do."

Allison scoffed in amusement, and rolled her eyes frivolously, placing the box in front of Jackson, as she then started rummaging through the refrigerator to find a block of cheese.

"We shouldn't eat too much; we do have a date to attend to this evening," Allison reminded perfunctorily, successfully finding her desired item, and started piecing them up onto a plate.

Jackson involuntarily succumbed into a frown, and muttered underneath his breath. "Of course. How could I forget?"

Allison turned on her heels with a plate of cubed cheese in her hands, and marched over to her cranky brother, displaying a look of pleasure, pretending not to hear his grouchy comment.

She placed the circular plate in front of him, as Jackson smiled in gratitude, and she then made her way back towards the fridge.

"Did the twins call or text, yet?" The eldest Pierce son inquired in concern, as Allison swiftly turned her head around to meet his tender eyes.

"No, they haven't," she replied, followed by a sigh. "I'm sure they're having a lot of fun at the carnival, with mother."

The two shared a knowing look, as Jackson stared down at his plate of cheese in slight distress.

Allison took notice of his perturbed regard, and continued in reassurance. "Mother wouldn't hurt them." She went on, trying to convince Jackson and herself. "She isn't completely heartless."

"You mean like the way she never hurt us?" Jackson responded callously, painful memories flooding back into his worn out brain, as he stared intensely at a disheartened Allison.

Attempting to change the morbid topic, Allison began eagerly. "So, what should I cook for the twins tonight?"

Jackson snapped out of his tiresome, mental state, and stood up from his seat, after satisfying his hunger from the cheese and crackers, and spoke considerately. "I'm sure they'd have eaten at the carnival. But if not, we still have some leftovers from yesterday."

Allison opened her mouth to reason with him, but was beaten to the chase, as he continued with his overprotective lecture. "You worked all day today. You must be tired." Allison tilted her head slightly at his thoughtfulness, watching him gracefully pour dog food into Bruno's bowl. "Plus it's our day off; you're exempt from all parental duties."

Jackson then opened the backyard door to let Bruno in, as he raced eagerly to eat his dinner.

"Well," Jackson announced, finally looking at Allison, who stood in the kitchen speechlessly, hanging onto the refrigerator handle that kept the door ajar. "I'm going to start getting ready for the date; we have to leave in an hour."

With that, he marched up the stairs, as Allison watched his nonchalant behaviour incredulously, a dazzled expression sewn on her face.