Pushing My Limits

The best Sundays are started with a shot of Jack.

I unscrewed the cap and leaned over the counter to peek up the stairs. All was clear, and I couldn't hear any movement coming from the upper level. I leaned back filled a shot glass with whiskey before placing it to my lips and swallowing it quickly. As the rush of liquid burned my throat, I poured another. Without giving my throat a chance to cool down, I took another.

After the fifth shot, the pain was unbearable, and I heard my father's footsteps echo through the wooden floors. I hastily placed the bottle back in the pantry and rinsed the glass before setting it in the dishwasher. I leaned over the sink and filled my mouth with water, swishing it around, before spitting it out.

As descended down the stairs, I poured coffee into a mug. I made it strong today, so the scent would overcome the Jack Daniels. He came around the island and kissed my cheek, "Good morning," He said, opening the refrigerator door.

"You're up early," I took another sip of my hot coffee. As hot as it was, it did not satisfy as much as the burn of the alcohol did.

"We have a lot to do today. Remember?" He asked and my mind drifted back to last week, then the week before, to try to remember what he had told me.

"Alexandria is coming home today. We need to go to the mall to find her a present, then we'll be at Zack's for the rest of the day," My dad explained, and the once happy feeling of my buzz faded away in an instant.

"She comes home today?" I asked, almost on shock.

"Well, her plane landed last night. The get together isn't until one," Dad poured himself a cup before turning to the pantry and fishing out Pop-Tarts, "Did you have fun with Michelle? I see you got tan," He nodded to my sun-kissed skin and I nodded.

"Yeah, it was fun," I told him, "I guess I should get ready then," I turned around to head up the stairs, and possibly commit suicide.

"Think of what you want to get Alex," He called as I descended up the stairs and I muttered a curse to myself.

Alexandria Baker was my worst nightmare. Not only was she an exact replica of me, she was much bitchier. There was no right time for Alex to chime in with her thoughts, she created the right moment. A simple conversation could turn into the ultimate burn in a split second.

Alex and I are the same age, born only months apart. I was January baby, and she was a May baby. We never went to school together, because she was always home schooled until her freshman year. Once she was fourteen, Zacky and Gena gave my fashionista cousin the permission to attend a modeling school in New York.

Just like Millie, I was always one step ahead of Alex. Although, she was much closer than my school-yard enemy. I had always been first in everyone's eyes, including my birthday. You know when someone is destined to win everything when they get award for being the first baby of the year, which is what the nurses gave me.

Alex never admits it, but she tries to outdo me. We had never gone farther than honor-roll GPAs and shiny trophies, until she requested that she be sent to modeling school. We had nearly the same body size, except she'll be especially jealous when she sees me again. All of these calories from drinking had just gone to my boobs, rather than my hips.

Knowing this, I grabbed a jersey-knit tank and threw it on with a wide belt and a pair of denim shorts. I slipped on my new Aldo sandals and grabbed an expensive purse before heading downstairs.

Dad didn't mention anything about my cleavage, which wasn't over-the-top to begin with, and started the car.

The mall was anything but exciting, but as we traveled from store to store, I had hope that Dad would just buy her a gift card and get it over with. I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment when I realized that he had bought more for me than she would ever get from us, "How about one of those purses?" He pointed to a store window.

The purse was green, Alex's most hated color, with orange trim. Zebra stripes decorated the straps and the actual bag was made of recycled seat belts, "It's perfect," I smiled and he grabbed his wallet.

As I walked into the Baker house I cringed. I could hear Alex laughing from the backyard. Dad and I walked towards the sliding glass door, being met with a pool and the smell of charcoal. We walked through the doors and soon everyone, besides Michelle, ran up to us.

"Kathrine, we haven't seen you since Christmas!" The girls cooed and wrapped me in enormous hugs, followed by Uncle Jimmy.

Uncle Jimmy, without a doubt, is my favorite uncle. Despite my mother's demands for Michelle and Brian to be my godparents, Dad had reasoned that since my middle name is 'Michelle', then Jimmy should be my godfather.

"How's my Kitty-Kat doing?" He asked and I laughed.

"Just fine, Jimbo," I grinned and released from our hug.

When I turned around, Alex was standing there. Her teeth had been whitened and eyebrows were thinned. Her hair no longer had layers and was a lighter shade than her brown hair, "Hi, Kat!" She pulled me in a hug and I had noticed all the weight she's lost. I wasn't jealous though, because with the weight loss, so were her chest and butt.

"Hey! How was New York? You have to tell me all about it!"

We were always like this when our parents were around. Despite our quarrels when we were young, we learned that things worked out best when the adults thought we loved each other.

After a plate of food was shoved at me, I sat down between Dad and Michelle, ready to listen to a list of experiences that Alex went through.

"The modeling was amazing. I have a few shoots coming up at the end of the month," She batted her eyelashes and smiled.

"How was the city? Did you find everything okay?" Leana asked and everyone turned their attention to Alex to answer.

"At first it was tough, but you get used to it. You just hop in a cab and tell them where you want to go, and they just take you."

For an hour after that, Alex continued to talk and share her stories with us. I helped myself and my father to seconds, earning a disapproving look from my model cousin. She had only half a hamburger, a full salad with light dressing, and a diet Coke.

I walked into the room and Chris reached back and grabbed my wrist to guide me through the darkness. His hand ran along the wall and soon the lights were on. A body occupied the first bed, it's breathing slow and steady. I recognized it to be Elliot, passed out.

Chris opened the mini refrigerator and grabbed two glass bottles of Starbuck's mochas, "You want a soda too?" He asked and I shrugged. Laughing, he reached out and grabbed a diet Coke and added it to my stash.

"So, you've decided to pay a visit?" A voice asked from behind me and I saw Chris roll his eyes.

"Ignore him, Kathrine. I'll walk you to your room," Chris led me out of the room, but Elliot had jumped up and grabbed me by the shoulder.

"Aw, leaving so soon? Don't you want to hang with us for a while?" He put a hand to my cheek, but it was slapped away by Chris.

"Stop fucking around, Ell," Chris grabbed my wrist softly and led me out of the room, walking me down the hall to my door. I pulled out my room key and opened the door, "I'm really sorry about him. He'll leave you alone, I promise," He seemed sure of that, so I trusted him.

"Thanks," I said softly and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Tomorrow, after the show, we're having a small get together at the venue. It's a little place in the woods. You should come. Leave the books for a while and have fun," He smiled and I looked past him towards his hotel room door, "Don't worry about him. He won't bother you," He rubbed my shoulder before turning around and heading back to his room.

"You've gained some weight, Kat," Alex informed me of my new body as we cleaned the backyard.

"You've lost some... Including your boobs," I replied, bending down to pick up a popped balloon. She scoffed at my comment, and out of the corner of my eye I could see her peer down her shirt.

"Well, Jared doesn't seem to mind it," She smirked and looked up.

"The gay guy you met on Broadway and 42nd?" I asked and she glared.

"No," She paused, "That's Liam... But anyways, Adam is a fellow model. We've seem to hit it off. He's from Australia and he's going to fly down over the summer to see me," She bragged and I laughed.

"He's an Australian model?" I asked and she vividly nodded.

"And he's a singer and dancer," She added.

"He's gay," I turned to her, smirking at her scowl.

"There's no bonding with you is there, Kathrine?" She steamed.

"Bonding is not shared between a bragging model and a careless singer," I told her and this time she was the one to smirk.

"What singer? I heard you dropped that, along with your grades and dignity."

"Hey, at least I'm still in school," I paused, "Why did you drop out of modeling school? You're parents were paying close to a million dollars for you to go there, and you just drop?" It hadn't made any sense to me. I'm sure if Dad had sent me to a school for singing and acting, things would have turned out differently.

"I've had my reasons," She stuck her nose in the air and placed four beer bottles in the trash.

"I'd love to hear what it is this time," I rolled my eyes. I turned to her and her mouth was agape, eyes sad and she almost looked like she wanted to cry. As quick as I saw the look, her emotion changed and she was on fire again.

"Yeah, you would like to know," She turned around and marched into the house, closing the sliding door behind her.

Now I was really curious.