Chapter 5

"Tophyr! Get back here!"

Tophyr laughed heartily as she ran down the trails of Central Park. It was normal for the Hurst siblings to go on a run once a week. All six of them were pretty good athletes and the running helped them stay in shape.

Today it was just Alex and Tophyr. The others had opted to stay home and rest after a gala that had been held in Mr. Jonathan Stark's honor. Everyone who was anyone had gone, including the Hurst family. Tophyr had been dressed elegantly with her blond hair pulled partially back. She had made everyone happy by going but that was all.

This morning after waking, she found Alex already up and roaming about the house. They were making too much noise so they both changed and went out for their run. Alex had promised Starbucks once they were done and she had taken him up on the offer, even going so far as to make it a race where the winner got a free cup of coffee.

"Sheesh, Toph. This wasn't a 50-yard dash," Alex complained as he caught up to her. Both were breathless as they looked at each other. Alex stood up and looked closely at his sister. "Wow."

"What?" Tophyr asked.

"Your eyes."

"What about them?"

"They're full of light. I haven't seen them that way since we went horseback riding in the Bahamas." Tophyr lowered her eyes. "No, don't do that. Don't lower your eyes. They're so full of life."

"Not many people like eyes that are full of life," she replied as she started towards the Starbucks stand closest to the park.

"Toph, you can't go by what other people think. That's just destructive." She shook her head as he caught up to her. "Come on, Tophyr. Talk to me. Maybe I can help."

"I've asked you to back off."

Alex was silent as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. "Okay, sis. I'm at a loss. Fill me in."

"I asked you a few weeks ago to back off. Then last night at the gala, you stayed by my side constantly. There were a few people who I wanted to talk to who were guys, but did I get to? No. You, Alain, and Percy wouldn't let me get close enough to do so."

"Does this have anything to do with that Stark boy?"

Tophyr stopped and turned around, forcing her brother to stop as well. "What if it is? You ruined my entire chance of talking to him. Because of you, I may never get to know him like everyone is telling me to do."

Alex was shocked she had talked to him that way. She never had since she was a child. "You really like this guy don't you?"

"I don't know what I feel about him because you won't let me decide it on my own. Am I attracted him? Well, duh! He is an attractive man, but I can't figure out my own feelings if you won't let me."

He was silent as they finished their cool off walk towards Starbucks. Tophyr had never really been interested in guys while she had been in school. Education was too much of a rush for her. Her pride was always wounded when someone sad she was weird because she didn't have a boyfriend. Truth of the matter had been she didn't want one while she was in school. She wanted to finish with good grades.

And she had and then gone on to college. She was the smartest person he knew and she was the prettiest of his sisters. Britani and Lily were really pretty, but there was something about Tophyr that stopped him. No matter what he was doing, if she came into the room, he had to stop what he was doing and watch her walk. It sounded weird but she was just that pretty.

As they rounded the corner to the coffee shop, he looked up. Derek and his friends were sitting outside talking, three girls attached to each guy. He wanted to get in front of his sister but he was a little too late. She saw them. The look on her face killed him but he didn't get a chance to say anything as she went in.

"Hey, Tophyr," Alex cringed as he heard the suave voice.

Tophyr turned around and looked at Derek. "Derek." Her reply was so cold Alex choked on a laugh.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"I already got that covered," Alex said as he handed her the drink she normally got.

"Well, then would you like to sit and talk for a moment?"

"Don't you need to get back to your girlfriend?" Alex squinted in laughter at his sister. She was taking care of herself quite well.

Derek turned around. "No. She's my cousin. She's just visiting from Washington." He looked at her to hopefully get her to quit looking at him like she was going to rip him to shreds. "What do you think is funny?"

Alex sobered up for a moment. "You. I think it's hysterical that you have a girl on your lap yet you're trying to get with my sister. Dude, she's not like that. Come on, Toph."

Tophyr didn't argue as they walked out of the coffee shop.

~~~~~~~~~

Percy was reading his history book in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. He sat there for a moment, hoping whoever it was would just go away so he could study. He knew Tophyr wouldn't get it because she was on the balcony of their room painting and she wouldn't hear it.

The doorbell was consistent. He sighed and got up, rubbing his eyes as he walked across threshold. Throwing the door open he looked at his visitor. Derek Stark stood opposite him in a nice jacket and designer jeans. When Tophyr was right, she was right. This boy was rich and loved to flaunt it.

Derek turned when the door opened and looked at the youngest Hurst son. With his riot of curls and bright blue eyes, Percy was dashing and debonair. He had this air about him that let anyone know they were in good company. He was such an easy- going person it was hard not to like him.

At the moment, he didn't seem to like Derek.

"What do you want, Stark?" Percy asked.

"Is Tophyr home?" Derek asked.

"Who wants to know?"

"I do. I saw her yesterday at Starbucks."

Percy looked down at his hands. He held two Starbucks coffee cups. "Is that what those are for? If I tell you where she is, you give her your peace offering?" Derek nodded. Percy licked his teeth in thought. He stepped back and let the other man over the threshold. "She's in our room on the balcony. Knock before you go in. I don't know if she has her headphones in."

"Thanks."

"Hey." Derek stopped halfway up the stairs. "You hurt my sister, I'll rip you to shreds."

"Warning heeded."

"Good." Percy watched him up the stairs then turned away. "Toph, please don't

rip him a new one."

Tophyr looked out over her view of Central Park. This time of year was beautiful and she loved to paint this scenery. It changed every year so it was a new painting every year. Her colors were always correct. It just flowed through her, just like her writing did.

She leaned back in her chair and just looked over everything. This was her favorite place in the house. She could watch animals, people and the traffic without anyone thinking she was weird. There was this little squirrel that always came to the rail looking for food. He was there now eating his heart out of acorns.

She watched him as the music playing in her ears took her to a beautiful place in her mind. There she was who she wanted to be. In this world, she was completely invisible except by her family and friends. It was totally sad but she was used to it.

Someone placed a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. She jerked the ear buds from her ears as she turned. A scowl crossed her face as Derek held his hands up in defense.

"How did you…Percy." She jumped up and went to her bedroom door. "Percy! Remind me to kill you later!"

"Okay. Can it be after my test tomorrow?" she heard him call back very distractedly.

With a groan she turned and pointed in the hallway. "Get out."

"Hang on. Don't you want to know why I'm here?" Derek asked.

"Not really. Get out."

He held up the coffee. "I brought a peace offering." He smiled when she reached for it. That smile turned into a shocked gasp after she threw it in his face. "What was that for?"

She got behind him and started pushing him towards the door. "For thinking you can come in here, bring me coffee and think that I will forgive you for flaunting other girls in front of me."

"Flaunting other women? I didn't do that."

Tophyr nodded her head. "Yeah, you did. At the gala. I was coming to talk to you when you flat out kissed a red head."

"She was my date. I had no idea you were coming. If I had I wouldn't have asked anyone."

"I'm part of the upper class society if you haven't noticed. I'm always invited,

although I rarely attend."

He turned around. "And why's that?"

Tophyr's face went red. "I don't care what you're trying to do, but I don't want you in my room. Get out." She shoved hard and managed to get him out the door. With as much dignity as she could muster, she slammed the door in his face.

Derek stared at the door for a moment. In the last two weeks he had gotten to know some pretty interesting things about Tophyr Hurst. She was an artist if any of the paintings in the house said anything. She was wickedly bright. He could tell that when he looked in her eyes. And, she was scared of him. He didn't know her very well but he was determined to get her to have a decent conversation with him.

Percy looked up and laughed. "Well, that went well."

"What can I do to get in her good graces?" Derek asked.

"FYI: she likes to walk through the park in the late afternoons and listen to Celtic music in the old Irish pubs."

"Why are you helping me?"

"You're the first one who has shown keen interest in my sister and meant it. You keep coming back after she throws you out. I can respect that."

Derek nodded and walked out the door. He had one Hurst man's respect. Now he just needed the other three.