Chapter 2

Xavier Black

As I drive down the street I cruse myself for not keeping better track of time. It takes me another three minutes before I pull up into my driveway and I rush inside, throwing my keys on the table by the door and rushing up the stairs into my bedroom. The files I bought from the office lands on my bed and my clothes on the floor as I make my way into my bathroom and finally the shower. I clean myself up and decide not to shave as I look at the time. After getting dressed in a suit I run a brush through my hair and rush down the stairs again.

"You look dashing." I groan as I spot Megan standing by the door. "Going somewhere?" She asks as I grab my keys from the table and give her an annoyed stare.

"Yes and you're in my way. I don't have time for this Megan." I say and push past her, leaving her standing there, probably shocked and reminding myself to get my keys back from her. I should have never given her a copy in the first place but she needed somewhere to escape to and I wanted to be nice and support her, now I regret it. I can't stand people showing up to my house uninvited and she's the master of that.

"Cutting it close there." My father says as I pull up to the house where my apparent future is waiting for me. I shrug and give him a small grin before picking Candice up and throwing her into the air, she giggles and squeals as I catch her again and put her back down on the ground. She's a little small for a twelve year old but she's smart as a whip.

"Xavier, I'm having another spelling bee at my school in a week. Are you going to come?" She asks with hope shining in her eyes. She knows I hate spelling bee's because their boring as fuck but I can't say no to her face so I tell her I'll be there and the smile that adorns her face makes it almost worth it to sit through that. Almost.

My mother gives me a thankful smile as I lean over to kiss her on the cheek and then my father is ushering us towards the door and ringing the bell. Gerald opens the door and my father pulls him into a hug like they haven't seen each other in a long time, I want to roll my eyes at them but my gaze lands on the whole reason we're here tonight, standing slightly behind Samara in their matching dressed and giving Candice a small smile. I notice how young she looks with her hair braided like that and when our eyes meet she gives me an awkward wave that I almost want to laugh at but I keep my face blank.

We're ushered into the house and Candice suckers a dress out of Samara, like she doesn't have enough lace and tool in her closet already. Diner is spent with Gerald asking about how the business is going, Mom and Samara talking about her new fashion line and Candice asking Skyler all kinds of questions that would annoy me but the girl answers my sister's questions like their the most important thing in the world to her.

"So, Skyler, do you have any plans for the fall?" My mother asks her and she gets an annoyed look in her eyes as she tell my mother she hasn't figured it out yet. I can tell she's more annoyed with herself that she can't answer the question how she wants to but she's going to be busy with other things come fall anyway so it's good that she's not planning to ship of to some university.

"I was thinking about dance but I'm not sure. I was asked to teach some classes at a dance studio for the summer and hopefully I'll figure it out by the end of it all." She says and I stare at Gerald who looks anything but happy with what she just said but I know he'll never deny her what she wants. He spoils the girl to no end and I'm kind of surprised she has a good head on her shoulders.

"Well, at least you have something to do while you're figuring everything out." My mother says and I want to roll my eyes at this. It's kind of sadistic of them to ask her about her future plans when they've been planning all her life but I guess it's good for her to feel like she has choices in this world.

"Why don't you study business?" My dad asks and the look of horror on her face makes me want to laugh.

"No, that's not something I enjoy. It would drive me crazy sitting in meetings all day and having to run everything and everyone around me, no. I don't find pleasure in being responsible for peoples pay checks." She says and I can tell my father is amused at her words. I don't think anyone has ever just told my father what they think but then again she doesn't know my father.

"Well, there's more to business than just sitting in meetings, running people and being responsible for pay checks." My father says and she nods.

"I know, there’s also paperwork and difficult clients and all that. I couldn't even keep a summer job at Starbucks so I don't think I'm a people person. I like kids, grown ups, not so much." She says and grins at Candice when she giggles at her words. I sometimes wonder how Candice and I are related because the girl couldn't be more different than I am but I guess it's because she still thinks everyone in the world is supposed to be good.

"You've worked summer jobs?" I ask the question before I can stop myself. For some reason I just can't picture her being the type of person that would serve people.

"Yeah, I worked at McDonalds, an Ice cream shop, Starbucks, the ice rink and I've even worked at a bowling ally. Like I said, I don't like dealing with grown ups. I got fired from like half my jobs because I called people out on being rude." She says and I stare at her in shock. I get the feeling that life with her can never be boring. "But I'm a good girl, or so I'm told." She adds and the table laughs while I just smile and shake my head.

"I like you." Candice says and Skyler looks at my sister like she just gave her the world on a silver platter.

"Well thank you Miss Candice. I like you too." She says and my sister beams.

"Hey, I'm having a spelling bee at my school in a week, do you want to come? Xavier is coming too, you can sit with him. He doesn't like to come to them because he thinks it's boring but we go out for ice cream after." She says and for a minute I think Skyler is going to say no but she surprises me in agreeing.

"I would love too." She says and I swear Skyler just became Candice's hero by the look in my sisters eyes. My mother and Samara gives me a knowing look while my dad and Gerald have amused looks in their eyes and I can't help but feel all this is going to go to shit when they tell Skyler why were really here tonight.