Mariah's POV

The next day started off kind of slow but I knew there were things to do. I just had to find them. It was a lot easier to kill time back home than in the city. I hated the city, and the people didn't make it any better.

I decided to busy myself with cleaning up. I felt like I was at work again. Just cleaning to past the time. But I like cleaning. Its one of those things that brings peace. If only for a moment. I feel peaceful here. It was fun. Just starting over from the beginning. Building a new world. It was a little exciting.

Dina always made so much clutter around the house, but unlike her sister, she pitches in to help me clean. I guess she still feels sorry for me. I feel a lot better knowing she cares enough. She hates messes too. But unlike my mom, she doesn’t yell at me to pick it up.

I grabbed the damp rag out of the bucket and began wiping around the coffee table, careful not to miss a spot. I bent down to wipe the inside of the table and picked up the fallen unorganized magazines. I was annoyed a little that Dina reads the tabloids. Or rather not so much reads as looks at the pictures and gossip columns. Sometimes I check it out to but its mostly a huge waste of time. Takes a lot of brain cells away. When you're over the age of 20, 50,000 brain cells die anyway. Might as well waste them the au natural way than willingly. I placed the magazines where the piano books were. They were stuffed away but at least they weren't on the floor.

I picked up the bundle of books from the corner of the table and placed them in the cabinet next to all the other novels. I've been doing a lot of reading and I tend to leave a lot of books laying around the place. Sometimes I just leave it next to my night stand as I read myself to sleep. The best time to read is preferably at night. It helps me sleep better. As I drift off, I'm reminded of the pictures and words. Sometimes they feel so real I get distracted from the world around me. At times, it feels as if I'm in some kind of wonderland.

I've been a princess, a pirate, a wicca, a secret agent, and a theater star on Broadway. Dreams are the best way to recycle old thoughts to bring out new ideas. I don't think they mean anything like everyone says. But, who knows really? Anything could happen after the turn of the century. I forget that the 90s are capute. It seems like it was just yesterday.

The day was speeding up so far. I always found something to do. You make your own fun in Houston. Dina's dog was howling at me like she wanted to go outside. I think its a crime if someone in the south didn't own a hound. Maggie was only four and looked pretty tough but such a sweetheart. She could protect anyone. She reminds me of one of those dogs they give to special kids to cheer them up. I opened the screen door for her and closed it behind me.

The phone rang and I ran around toward the kitchen to pick it up, "Hello?"

"Honey, its me." Why can't she let me grow up?

"Yeah, hi."

"Come on, honey. I don't see you as much anymore."

"Why? You don't have anyone else to control there? I don't wanna talk to you right now."

I knew I should have checked Caller ID first. Fuck, I was distracted.

I heard her take a long sigh. What, she can dish the shit out but she can't take it?

"Please don't be difficult. When are you going to learn that you don't know everything yet for your age? Why won't you listen to me?"

How many times must I kill my brain over this horse shit? "I'll start listening when you let me make my own choices and mistakes. Its not your life here. I'm 23 now. Treat me like an adult for once."

"Honey, I know you're being difficult because of your illness. You have to remember to take your medicine everyday or it gets worse for you."

"Mom, you make me this way. Everyone thinks so because its true. Dina knows who you really are. You aren't going to control me anymore. Leave me the fuck alone you bitch!" I slammed the phone down on the receiver with a rage I didn't want to reveal.

God. Every time she calls I just wanna break things. Scream out loud and just vent. Because I know that no one hears me. Not even Dina. She's OK though. Better than that mess of a sister. I just want out of this craziness. I thought I was going to be fine until she calls pretending to be a mother. She's a piece a shit is what she is.

I needed to just get away or somewhere. Like drive somewhere. Like a bar or something. Oh yeah, great plan, a: get smashed and not remember yesterday with a splitting fucking headache, b: wake up with someone who won't give two shits about me or my name and probably won't remember it. Or c: have the time of my life and not care what anyone thinks along with a & b.

Did I really want to? Yeah, I've been here a long time. A few hours of drinking won't be so bad. As long as I can hold it.

I checked out what I had on now and did the ew face. I wasn't going to get any "on the houses" looking like this. I ran over to my room and shrugged. I never had anything that would give off the impression that I was a slut who was asking for it. But I know Dina did. She was kind of like her sister in that way. But she rarely wore that stuff. Especially now with her work scheduale.

I smiled, ran across to Dina's closet and opened it. I bite my lip and began my search. She had a lot of black things, you'd think there'd be a funeral every week. I know there had to be something skimpy here. But black could pass as sexy. I was looking in the front and so far all I saw were plain cocktail dresses from the 80s. Not a chance.

Then a saw something that just popped out from the rest. It was kind of stuffed in the back of the closet. I think she hasn't been in the back for a while.

"Hey, Mariah? Where are you?" I heard behind me and scurried out of the closet as quickly as I could.

I acted like I was fixing stuff until she came in. I was "folding" her sweaters that were on the floor when she stepped in front of me.

I put everything away, and tried to act like I wasn't out of breath, "Hey, what's going on?"

She raised her eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest, "What are you doing?"

I smiled, "Oh, heh, I got bored and decided to clean up a little bit. What's up?"

She gave me the eye but continued, "OK, well, I'm going out for the night. Just wanna let you know that someone's going to come tonight, but I won't be here to let them inside the house. Can do you do me a favor and stick around for while? I'll be out until 11pm tonight."

Well, this one's hard: no hangover, no STDs, being coherent and clear for the night. "Uh, sure, alright. Do you know who it is?"

She waved the question off, "Just a family friend. Sort of a surprise. Don't worry, its not your mom or anything."

I sighed and placed my weight on my foot. "What's the big deal? Why won't you tell me?"

Dina shockingly gave me a hug. I hugged back a little confused. She pulled back and revealed a thin smile.

"Don't worry. Can you do me this one favor and I won't ask you for anything else in a long time? I can't promise forever, that's dangerous." She giggled.

I joined her and jammed my hands into my jean pockets. "OK, I surely hope for the love of everything that is holy that its not her."

She chucked my chin a little, "It's not. She and your father are at the Chasezs now. So it can't be her. I thought I told you that."

"When is whoever is coming going be here?" That sounded so weird as I said it.

"Around 9pm or so." Dina checked her watch, "Oh, I have about ten minutes left. I gotta go get ready."

Dina turned to her closet and immediately pulled out an outfit she'd laid out. I gestured to the ensemble. "That's really pretty."

I backed up out the way to give her some space. "Thanks honey. I'll be finished in a minute."

She went to the bathroom to go change and literally came out within 30 seconds. She was usually like this when she's running late anywhere. Kind of like her sister. Though, she's more on time than her sister.

Its amazing, when she emerged, she looked like a model in no time. I wondered what was really going on.

She ran over to the dresser and slipped on a necklace. She didn't really use so much accessories. She kind of reminded of a European Princess, only missing the crown as the cherry on top. Like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. She was missing that white bonnet.

I was so into these thoughts I didn't feel her kiss me on the cheek or see her wave bye to me. I caught up to her as she came close to the door, opening it so it was ajar.

She turned around, "See you later tonight. Remember what I said, OK?"

I rolled my eyes agreeing. I kind of just wanted her to leave so I could see who the hell's coming over. She left and closed the door.

OK, I'm not going to lie here, I was fucking nervous. I checked the clock over on the microwave. Damn. I had 2 minutes looks like. Unless this was fast. I remember I set this one on time with the cable box so its right on the dot. I stomped my foot and starting biting my unbitten nails. Damn, I kept these unbitten for at least 3 months now.

I heard Dina's car pull of out the garage and speed out with a screech of the tires as the doppler effect ceased.

Damn, this suspense was a little unsettling. What could she be hiding? I plopped onto the gray cushy loveseat and tried to calm down.

Two knocks on the door buzzed my senses. I looked at it and felt afraid.

Should I get up?

Josh's POV

I looked around the house. I was so sure of this and I couldn't back out now. I have to confront my demons. Not that she was a demon. Ugh, I can't settle this now. I just have to be brave.

I knocked again. Not giving up. She doesn't know its me and that's a good thing. Does she remember anything? Does she remember us?

"Hold on, one second." She spoke.

She's real. I started sweating a little. She still doesn't know its me. Oh god. Oh god.

It was as if everything was slowed down as she opened the door. This is such a familiar movie. I gaped a little but closed my mouth to make sure I wasn't drooling.

She was... I couldn't say how I felt at that moment. I said the first thing I thought of.

"Hey." Shit, way to go asshole. Way to make a great impression with a grumble.

She licked her lips looking slightly confused. I would be too but I knew why I was here. A year was too long, too tiring. I was on a mission. I took the first step and promised myself I'm not fucking around this time.

Mariah's eyes narrowed on me and than she started laughing a little. "This is a joke. Dina said someone she knew was coming here."

I nodded, "Yeah, that was me. She must have kept it a secret because I just rushed here from LAX."

She held up her hand , "Why? Now? What are you doing here?"

I licked my lips, trying to get the words out, "I've been doing a lot of thinking. More thinking than anything."

"That's why you came here Josh? To tell me you were thinking? Well, news flash, I was done thinking last year."

I stepped closer to her, "You don't mean that. I was the one who fucked it up. I handled it badly. I get it now. I here and I can't let you go."

She looked at me for a long time before she said something. I couldn't tell anything by the look in her eyes. I was so scared she could say no and this was going to get harder than anything else.

She looked down and her eyes trailed up to meet mine, "I don't know why I'm doing this, but try not ruin everything by being an asshole."

She left the door open. I stepped in and closed the door behind me. I prayed for a miracle and remembered to breathe.