Chapter 12

Isabella took another look at her ears and looked away, hoping she couldn't see her amusement. She reminded Isabella of an elf.
Stephaney laughed.
"What're you laughing at?" she asked him pointedly.
He shrugged his shoulders.
She shook her head and ignored him. "I'm Isabella," she said, extending her hand in the girl's direction.
"Do you want to share?" She looked at Stephaney. "She smells awfully good."
Subjectively, Peter had said.
"You should ask Peter," Stephaney said with a glint in her eye.
Her eyes clouded with fear, and then she looked at her hand for a full minute, probably inwardly considering, before taking it with a firm shake. "I'm Nicole ... But please call me Keri."
She nodded and looked at the boy. He frowned, his deadly features flushed. "Phyllis." He spoke with a slight, forgotten Western accent. Somehow he reminded Isabella of a statue and barely moved his lips as he spoke.
She ran her hands over her face and sighed. "Don't tell me you're Peter's brother."
"I'm the youngest." He said, his features unmoving.
Stephaney slapped him on the back of the head and said disapprovingly. "She told you not to tell her, and you say you're the brains of the family."
Phyllis shook her head and led Nicole to the door opposite the kitchen entrance.
She turned her gaze to Stephaney. "He doesn't talk much, does he?"
"Unfortunately, he does." He breathed, "Can you imagine how peaceful my nights would be?"
She smiled at him and stared at the perfectly polished marble floor.
"What's she doing here, Phyllis?" Said a very sweet voice.
She looked around and caught sight of a very small figure at the window, leaning casually against the frame and blowing on her freshly painted yellow nails. Her brown hair stood out beautifully against the ivory of her skin.
"Arlene," Phyllis said boredly. "She's my ..."
"Don't you dare say that, Phyllis." She disengaged herself from the wall and threw her hands in the air as she spoke. "Why her, huh?" This time there was anger in her voice.
"Hey, I'm here, aren't I?" said Nicole. "If you've a problem...."
Arlene took deliberate steps at Nicole's side, like a predator approaching its prey. "Isn't it obvious?"
"Have you ever heard of open space, human?" Nicole pushed her away. Actually, she was much braver than the little deer Isabella thought she was.
Stephaney nudged Isabella from the side. She looked at him, and he pointed to the chairs he'd brought in. "Come sit down, this will be entertaining."
She sat down carefully, without taking her eyes off the two girls who were now staring at each other. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing at Arlene.
"I think that's our sister," said Phyllis, who was now standing next to me with one arm draped heavily over her shoulder.
She was grateful that he understood what she was asking. "Why are they fighting?"
Stephaney grinned. "She's got a crush on Phyllis."
Confused, she asked. "That's sick."
"She was adopted." Said Phyllis. "Even though we loved her like a sister, she didn't think of us as her brothers."
Isabella nodded in understanding. She looked at Arlene just in time to see her hand fly hard against Nicole's cheek. The force of the impact caused Nicole to stagger back a few steps and her cheeks immediately turned pink. She gulped, obviously trying to calm her animal.
She squinted her eyes, threw her body forward and swung her fist, which crashed into Arlene's nose. A second later, Arlene was sniffling and blood was flowing. She put a hand on her bleeding nose, looked at it, growled through clenched teeth, trying to keep her dignity, and clenched her fist until her knuckles turned white.
"That's it!" Her words were accompanied by a fist that Peter stopped just in time as it almost landed between Nicole's eyes.
"Stop it, Arlene." He said in a bored voice. "You can argue all you want, but please, not in front of her." Peter tapped his chin in her direction.
Arlene shook her head in disinterest and looked at Phyllis. "You've to make up your mind."
"What?" asked Phyllis in amazement. "I can't do that. You're my sister."
"Just do it, man," Stephaney said, doing little to hide his disappointment, the reason for which Isabella didn't exactly know, but she bet it was because the argument was over.
"I'm sorry, Arlene, but ...," he shook his head, leaving the sentence unfinished. "Nicole, let's go."
They disappeared through the door and Arlene sank to her knees, looking distraught.
"There goes your snack," Stephaney said, standing up. "I'll just have to make it myself."
"She's your cook," Isabella said, pointing accusingly at the girl who was curled up on the floor crying. She wanted to take her in her arms and rock her tears away. But she was afraid.
"Yes," he said. "That's her."
Peter beckoned Isabella to him. She smiled when she saw him. He smelled fresh of lemon soap and men's shampoo. He wore khaki pants, a blue sweatshirt and a white cap.

When he held Isabella safely in his arms, he said. "Stephaney, I thought I could entrust her to you?"
Stephaney looked up from the glass of lemonade he was holding. "What're you talking about?"
"Within an hour, she witnessed a brawl. I thought you told me to leave because you didn't want me to distract you." He shook his head. "You never do anything right."
Stephaney laughed, "Whatever makes you happy, man."
He hugged Isabella tighter. "I'd say I was disappointed in you, but that would be a lie."
"That's what big brothers are for." Stephaney walked around the table and handed Isabella a tray. "Here."
"Thank you." she said, putting the weight on her right hand. "I'm sure I'll enjoy this."
He nodded, took Arlene in his arms, and disappeared through the same door as the others.
"Come, I'll show you my room." said Peter a moment later.
Isabella nodded and followed him at a nervous pace. His room was a rich black, with clothes neatly folded on the edge of the bed, papers covering the desk, and a local station playing on TV.
"Today is one of the few days when it's dirty. It's usually very clean on Sundays."
She was speechless. His room was spotless, with white bedding. If he thought his room was dirty, wait until he saw mine. "Wow."
"Please sit down." He pointed to the bed.
Isabella ate in a comfortable silence. He stood by the door, stroking his chin thoughtfully. She'd to resist the urge to read his mind. It seemed he appreciated it.
"That was really delicious," she said after a second of hesitation. She didn't really want to disturb him, but she also knew the limits of her self-control.
"Too bad you didn't share." He smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes.
"No way, you live with Stephaney, you get to have that every day."
He walked over to the bed. He walked as gracefully as one of those models you see in slow motion in commercials. Like some kind of king. He took the tray from her hands and set it on his desk.
Isabella scrambled to the headboard and leaned against it. He was lying next to Isabella and had his head on her lap.
"It's like he only did that because you're here. Before he does anything for me, I'll be dying." He paused and looked at Isabella seriously. "You skipped school today."
She backed away under his intense gaze. "I'm the principal's daughter, she can get away with anything," she said only in her dreams.
He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. She watched him closely. He looked even more beautiful than the last time she'd seen him. He sighed against her lips, and she closed her eyes, concentrating on the pleasure his teasing breath was giving her. She rested her forehead against his, enjoying the magical feeling that coursed through her as soon as they touched.
Isabella woke up to the sound of Leslie's voice. He was singing at the top of his lungs. she whimpered. This has to be the worst day," she said in her head.
She got out of bed and did her morning routine.
She went into the kitchen and sat down as far away from everyone else as possible. Sue was standing at the stove flipping a pancake. Looking into her eyes, she saw hope rise in them, but it quickly disappeared when she raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"I'm done now." She said, placing the last pancake on the bowl with the others. "It's such a beautiful morning."
She sat down next to Inez and took his hand in hers. She looked professional in her black suit and twelve-inch stilettos. Maybe the kids at school would take her more seriously if she came to work in that outfit.