The Beauty Within, When the Day Met the Night

Recap: ‘This really is it,’ I think to myself. ‘This is a new life and I have no idea what will happen.’ That thought may faze some, though I smile at that idea and then chose to head off to my plane to visit the land that I had so long ago left and thought I would never see again.

I climb out of the plane into the middle of a desert. To be honest, I don’t really remember much about Vegas and I certainly forgot how hot it can get! It’s sweltering out here and it feels as if my face will melt with all this make-up on. Before I head to my final destination, I decide to sort myself out, so I dust down the sand blown onto my skirt (I bought new clothes at the airport and changed into them to get rid of any trace of my old life, so that's why I don't have my jeans anymore) and then head in search of a bathroom. I finally find one and look at a mirror to see my eyeliner has smudged badly during my sleep. After all, it is much later in England than over here in Vegas. I repair my eyeliner with some more that I find at the bottom of my ‘magical’ bag that seems to store just about everything. Finally readjusting my slightly risen yellow skirt and pulling down my long black top, I decide that I look as good as it can get and choose to go home.

-30 minutes later-

The yellow cab pauses in front of a familiar house. Even though I have been so excited to return, now that I look at this building, I feel lost and vulnerable. What will happen if they don’t want me? What will happen if they hate me? I have no where else to go and little money after flying half way across the world. I slap my head thinking, ‘I haven’t even spoken to them for about a year. Why would they want me here?’

The driver coughs, as if trying to signal that he would like me to get my ass out of his cab and pay him his money. Deciding that he annoyed me, I slowly and painfully rummage around my ‘magical’ bag until I finally find some folded dollar notes and count enough (which I also do slowly) and then hand them over while the driver impatiently grunts. Normally this would make me laugh, but not now. Not today. Not when I have to decide where to go and what to do. Do I just go forward and knock and expect a hug or do I run off and find somewhere else to stay. I mean, Vegas is full of cheap hotels. ‘Erm…yeah I’ll do that,’ I think to myself and cowardly begin to turn around.

Suddenly I hear the front door of the house open and I freeze motionlessly. I don’t know what to do and even though I’m urging myself to run, I just physically can’t. I hear the door shut as I hear someone stroll out of it and down the path, heading in my direction. This person obviously then sees me because they stop just behind me.

“Erm…are you okay?” The boy asks as he notes my stiff posture. He sounds to be of a similar age to me and obviously is male.

I slowly turn to face him and smile. I already knew that it was not Spencer or Dad from his voice, so I feel safer now. This boy has black hair that is sweeping in the heat and he is slightly taller than me. He also is quite skinny though he does have a nice shape… “I’m fine thanks,” I say before even realising that I must sound out of place with such a British accent.

The guy looks slightly taken apart but then recovers. “Oh, so you’re not from around here are you then?” He looks at me suspiciously.

“Well…no.’ I chuckle to show how obvious the answer was. ‘I used to live in England.”

“Used to?” He questions and then sees that I do not reply, so he moves on. ‘Oh that’s cool. So erm…do you know Spencer then?” He asks and then points his thumb back to the house behind him. I knew that I definitely had the right house then. I nod slowly and suddenly this boy’s eyes widen. “W-wait…” he stutters, seemingly shocked. “Are you Spence’s sister? Erm…what’s her name…lives in England” he mumbles incoherently to himself.

I know that I have been found out, so I just sigh. “Angel.” I stick my hand out as the boy seems to realise who I am and smiles shyly.

“I’m Brendon,” he replies and we stand there shaking hands for a little too long until it gets awkward and we both pull apart. “So…I haven’t seen you visit here before. I thought you weren’t talking to your brother or father.” My eyes widen notably and as Brendon notes this again, he replies, “oh, I’m sorry to intrude. I have a big mouth so feel free to ignore me,” he smiles sweetly as I return his infectious grin.

“Well actually I-” I was cut off by the front door opening again. I freeze again as I also feel Brendon do the same. Out of the door emerges another boy who is slightly larger than Brendon, though he is of average weight. He has longish hair that slightly covers one eye and striking blue eyes. I already can recognise this boy, even if I haven’t seen a picture of him for at least five years. I can never forget his eyes or his walk or even his clothing style…I know who he is…Spencer Smith.

Spencer comes towards Brendon and I can sense that he was observing me through the look in his eye. He has not yet figured out that I am his sister, though that is possibly through my vast change over the years. He looks at me confusedly but still smiles and then turns to Brendon. “So who’s your new friend here,” he asks politely.

Brendon looks slightly amused and does not know what to say. I look at him, as if pleading not to say anything. I’m not ready for him to know who I am yet. Unfortunately, Brendon does not seem to share this view. “Man, don’t you even recognise your own sister?”

Spencer’s mouth drops as he looks at me in shock and freezes on the spot. He would never have ever expected his sister to appear here, in Vegas of all places, completely unannounced. Something was not right.