'Dude, my sister...', chapter 1

"Billie Joe, she's going to be late. Come on." Mom called up the stairs as I heaved myself out of bed.

"I don't care." I mumbled. Pulling on a clean pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, I climbed out of the window and dropped onto the roof of the decking below. Sliding down the wooden beam I walked round to the front of the house.
"Billie J... oh there you are." Mom looked surprised as if it were the first time I'd done that.

"Get some shoes on and we'll head off." I made towards the open front door as mom turned away with the last of Marcy's luggage. I counted to five and then slammed the door. I watched as mom staggered to the back of the car and heaved the overflowing bag into the trunk. I sauntered edgily over to the car and slumped down in the backseat.

"Seat belts on." Mom sighed as she slid into her worn seat and turned on the gas. I reached over to the other side of the car and clicked the vacant seatbelt closed. I stared hard at the back of Marcy's head as we drove to the train station. 'Her stupid hair looks really stupid', I thought to myself. She opened a small compact mirror and re-did her lipstick. Turning the mirror at an angle, she spotted me scowling at her.

"Billie Joe don't, you just make me feel bad."
'That's the idea.' I thought again, but didn't say a word. She rolled her eyes and clicked the mirror closed. I smirked slightly and wriggled further down in my seat.
"Which way now?" mom asked as her eyes flicked over the road signs.
"Err left." Marcy directed. I peered out of the window as the huge station rolled into view. Mom pulled the car into an empty spot and Marcy hopped out hopefully. I reluctantly opened my door and watched people bustling in and out of the station.
"Give me a hand Billie." Mom's muffled voice drifted from behind three bags of clothes.

'Why can't she?' my mind asked. After a few seconds of watching Marcy inspect her nails I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a smaller bag from the trunk. Dragging it over to where mom was standing, I plonked it at her feet. Mom looked down at the bag and then my bare, shoeless toes. She opened her mouth to lecture but said nothing as Marcy appeared beside us. Mom's attention was directed.

"So you have your pre-booked passes?" she asked. Marcy searched her hand bag and proceeded to pull out a train pass.
"Yup." She answered, not looking up at mom.
"Ok so now we... ?"
"We just wait." Marcy finished as if mom was stupid. I looked up to Marcy and watched as she slipped the pass into the front pocket of her bag. She caught my eye and smiled weakly. I creased my mouth and looked down,
"Jeeze Billie, come on. You can't expect me to live with you all my life."
'You're freakin' sixteen Marcy.' I yelled inside my head. On the outside I just shrugged. Marcy rolled her eyes again and leant forward to look at the arrival time for her train. Just as she did so a flat voice came over the intercom, announcing the arrival of the seven- twenty train at platform two.

"Whoa, well this is me." she said, sounding a little less confident about leaving. A train rounded the corner and steamed towards the platform. Mom tugged my sister over for a humongous hug, you know those mom hugs, and then helped her bung all her bags on the now halted train.

"I'm gunna miss you Marcy." Mom cooed, looking all wide eyed and teary.
"Me too." Marcy got that watery eyed thing that girls get and stuffed the last of her bags on to the train.

"You be good now, ok?" a few tears fell from mom's eyes. Marcy nodded. I knew that if she said anything she would have cried. I clenched my mouth shut as Marcy turned to me. I refused to look at her as she bent down slightly.

"I'll miss you Kid." Her voice was croaky with tears as she wrapped her arms around me. I held back for a few more seconds. I was angry that she was leaving. I didn't want to hug her when she wanted to leave. She sighed sadly at my stiff arms and was about to unwrap me and walk away when I threw my hands around her neck. She gasped slightly but tightened her arms again.

"Please don't leave Marcy." I whispered into her ear. She didn't answer. All she did was strengthen her grip on me for a split second and then let go. I didn't understand how she could do it so easily. She just let go. My arms were ripped from her as she pulled away and stepped on the train. Mom came up behind me and squeezed my shoulder. I ignored her. Marcy had a tear stained face as the train blew its whistle and began to chug slowly from the station. The last of my siblings disappeared. It was like at Dad's funeral or when my other brothers and sisters left. Mom cried. Marcy cried. Every one else cried. I didn't.


The consistent tapping gnawed away at my brain.
"Seriously Mike, do you have to do that?" I asked loudly as I finally flipped. Mike stopped rapping his fingers on the desk and looked at me sheepishly.
"Sorry, but you hadn't said anything in fifteen minutes." He did have a point. I sighed. I was sprawled over my bed, head buried in my pillow and feet hanging off the sides.

"I know you're frustrated right now, but yelling at me isn't gunna improve anything. Just relax, it'll all be ok." Mike reassured me from across the room. I lifted my head slightly.

"You really think so?" I questioned, using a fake soft voice.
"Yes I really do, I mean come on don't you wanna see your mom happy?"
"God you talk some crap Mikey." I retorted, being difficult but knowing he was right. He grumbled and stood up.

"I'm only trying to be a good friend, but since that always fails I'm gunna go for plan B." he said slowly. I'd lifted my head again by this time and was looking at him expectantly.

"Get your arse down there and meet Whatshisface. Stop being such a freakin' baby!" His voice bellowed and I swear my hair was blown back from my face by the force of his blow.

"Billie Joe stop shouting, Bradley will be here soon. You promised!" mom yelled from downstairs. Mike smirked and looked at me wisely. I shook my head and heaved myself from my bed. Mike followed me downstairs as I slumped into the kitchen.

"Mike dear, Bradley's going to be here soon, would you mind just going out for a few hours? I really want this to be just family today. Showing him the whole shooting match in one go might scare him off." Mom uttered nicely.
"Sure Ollie, I think mom wants me home soon anyway." Mike smiled politely and shot a 'Please behave' look towards me.

"I've already got a mother thanks Mikey." I shoved him playfully and opened the door for him.
"I'm just trying to be a... "
"Good friend, I know jeeze," Mike laughed,
"Good luck BJ." He waved behind him as he sauntered down the street and out of sight. I closed the door smiling. Mike was a great friend and one I intended to keep for a long time.

"You know Billie Joe it wouldn't kill you to better appreciate friends like Mike." My dear old mother piped up as I hoisted myself onto the kitchen counter.
"You know mother it wouldn't kill you to just drop the wedding thing, like now." I imitated her motherly tone and pointed my finger at her.
"Keep going the way you are and you'll become a problem child."
"Me?" I acted taken aback and hurt by her words. She chuckled slightly as I tutted,
"I, my dear am already a problem child." She nodded,
"Hmm, yes but please don't be a problem for Bradley today. He's only met you once and the last time he did you painted his car." I grinned madly.
"And his shoes." I added; a far away look in my eyes as I recalled the unfortunate incident. Well it was only really unfortunate for him.

Mom turned away from me and grabbed a few dirty mugs, placed them in the sink and twisted on the taps.
"You know, I think he's bringing his kid along today." She threw at me. I stopped grinning and stared at her in shock.
"Kid, you didn't say anything about a bloody kid." I said slowly, now completely shocked. She rubbed a dry tea-towel over the now clean mugs and began placing them in the overhead cupboard.
"Well I didn't know how you'd take it so I thought I'd just add it casually into conversation." She explained hopefully.
"Well I don't know about you but painting cars and future step-dads kids aren't exactly connected."

"They are when it's the step-dad's car." She neatly closed the doors of the cupboard and turned to face me wittily. I groaned,
"How old is it? I won't be pooing every where and screaming at half past four in the morning will it?" I jumped from the counter and grabbed her arms in my fingers desperately.
"Well I don't really know, he only mentioned him or her a few times."
"What! You're marrying a guy in two weeks and you don't even know about his freakin' kids?" I practically yelled. She frowned, somehow managing to stay calm despite the pre-teen manic shouting in her face and pulling his hair out.
"Oh calm down, you don't even know the child... "
"Neither do you!"
"You might even find out you get along."
"I didn't get on with my own siblings, let alone some freak's kid with a half green car and a beard."

"Dear, kids don't have beards."
"I'm talking about Bradley mom!" she pursed her lips,
"Ok, just please stop shouting." She held up her hands and widened her eyes. I sighed and heaved my shoulders.

"Alright, so what's its name?" she frowned in thought,
"Um, I think its Alice or Adam." She scratched her neck as she tried to recall the name of my future step-brother or sister. Just as she was about to speak again we heard the engine of a car pull up and switch off outside. Mom exhaled and a huge smile spread across her face. Mike was right, it was nice to see her happy. I just wish she could be happy and a bit smarter. She hung the towel neatly over one of the chairs situated around the table and tugged me along behind her on the way to the door.


"Is the spare room tidy?" she asked.
"Yeah and, wait. Where's the kid gunna stay?"
"In the spare room."
"But isn't Bradley gunna stay in?
"No." I creased my face in disgust when I realized where Bradley would be staying,
"Err, that's gro... " her hand covered my mouth,
"Please Billie, I'm asking you as a mother and a friend to for god's sakes try and be normal, nice and...well normal. Please?" I looked into her eyes and decided that, yes for my mom, I could try.

"Ok, for you." I said meaningfully. Her face softened and she looked like she was going to say something soppy so I saved myself,
"But you're not my friend." I grinned again as she slapped the back of my head and opened the door before I could trip her over. My eyes glanced upon a gleaming sports car with no roof. My first expression was 'wow' and then my eyes settled on the dark spot where the green paint had once been. I laughed in my head but kept a straight face. Bradley's head popped out from behind the raised trunk door as he hauled bags out. He smiled warmly at my mom and didn't acknowledge that I was there. He closed the trunk and walked over to my mom, hugging her and lifting her off her feet slightly. How could she stand that beard so close to her face? I frowned inwardly; I didn't like watching other men with mom, it felt weird.

"Hey Billie, how are you?" he asked, bending down like I was a child. I was pretty small for my age but that's not the point.

"Hello." I said loudly and clearly, like Bradley was a few meters away. Mom pinched me. I grinned manically and watched as he began to look uncomfortable. He then stood up and mumbled something to mom about Alice or Adam. Well that's what I heard. I glanced over to the car and squinted, trying to see through the windows, but the suns glare made that very hard.

Eventually mom and Bradley stopped babbling and dear old step-daddy jogged back over to the car. I watched as he opened the door and the kid stepped out. I froze. I couldn't move for I was too stunned. It had just hit me. There was actually another kid coming to live with us and there was nothing I could do about it. Bradley and the kid walked up to us nervously.

"Billie Joe," Bradley started as I continued staring, "This is Ami-lee."
I was not concentrating on anything, including my mouth. So, naturally, I said the first thing that came to mind, "Hey, Kid."