Who We Are

"Who's they?" Gianna questioned as she hobbled down the stairs in her princess pajamas, coming instantly as the smell of food woke her from her slumber. She was pointing to the two raven-haired boys who were clunked out in on our living room floor.

"Who are they," I corrected as I lifted her up onto the kitchen counter, "They're our neighbors," I answered her questioned, "Daddy let them stay here last night."

Gianna just nodded. "Oh," she murmured to herself minutes later, patting her stomach, "My tummy says she's hungry," Gianna told me, looking up to me and pointing to her exposed midsection.

I chuckled, "Did she now?" I asked as I lifted her up and set her in a chair at the table, placing a plate of scrambled eggs and cut up toaster waffles down in front of her.

"Yup!" Gianna said with a grin as she picked up her fork and stabbed at her plate blindly, catching a piece of waffle that was covered in syrup. I opened the fridge and pulled out the orange juice. I poured some into a purple cup and set it down in front of her, smiling as she grabbed it and gulped some of it down.

I looked to the stairs as the rest of my sisters made their way down the steps, each one looking at the boys in the living room with confused gazes. Gwen just rolled her eyes and grabbed a plate, filling it with food.

"What are the Radkes doing here?" Lisette questioned, her twelve year old confidence putting a false sense of curiosity in her voice.

I just waved my hand at her. "Go wake them," I told her, "We have school in an hour."

Lissy looked at me like I was crazy. "You do it!" she replied sharply, "I'm not doing it!"

"I'll do it!" Gianna shouted as she slipped out of her chair and scurried over to the sleeping boys, ignoring me as I tried to call her back.

The four of us watched with chuckles bubbling out of our lips she she kneeled down in front of Ronnie's face and tilted her head to the side like a lost puppy. "Hey Mister," she called, poking his cheek. "Mister!" she repeated, drawing out the word, "Wake up! You have to go to school!"

Obviously Riley was a lot lighter sleeper than Ronnie because the younger boy rolled over and peaked his brown eyes open, staring at Gigi with a confused look on his face. He reached over and pushed Ronnie roughly, causing Gianna to jump back with an alert look on her little round face.

"Ronnie man," Riley said groggily as he rubbed his eyes, "When did you have a kid?"

"What?" Ronnie replied, opening his own eyes slightly.

"That kid," Riley answered, closing his eyes again. "She yours?"

Ronnie turned his head in Gianna's direction and looked her over. She crouched down and blinked at him, her blue eyes fascinated. Then Ronnie turned to look back at his brother. "Nah, she doesn't look anything like me."

"Good," Riley grunted, "Because I don't remember you ever telling me about a child."

As if Ronnie woke up suddenly, he shot up into a sitting position and smacked his brother's arm. "What the fuck are you talking about man, I don't have a kid!"

Riley just grunted and closed his eyes. A small voice interrupted before he could answer. "Uh, Mister," Gigi said as she inched closer to Ronnie, "You're not allowed to say that word."

Ronnie just looked at Gianna blankly. My eyes grew wide and I rushed over to her. I picked her up into my arms and looked down at Ronnie and his brother. "Food's on the counter," I told him, "You have to be out of the house in an hour, that's when the busses come."

I turned and walked up the stairs with Gianna, ignoring her as she complained about not being done eating. I went into the bathroom and undressed her, sticking her in the tub before she could protest. I washed her up and conditioned her hair before wrapping her in a fluffy blue towel and carrying her into her room.

"What do you want to wear?"

She was dressed within 15 minutes later and in another five her hair and teeth were brushed. I sent her down stairs to finish her waffles as I went into my own room and pulled out clothes. I hurried into the bathroom and kicked Lissy out as she brushed her hair and teeth simultaneously. Once I was behind the shower curtain she came back in and spit her toothpaste into the sink.

I groaned as I realized she left the door open. As I washed my hair I heard someone enter the bathroom. I glanced out the curtain and saw Octavia standing there with a yellow toothbrush in hand. "Shut the door," I demanded.

A couple minutes later I heard the door creep open, close, and then open again. "Uh, Kat, the neighbor says he needs to use the bathroom," came Octavia's voice.

"Can't he wait?" I replied with a groan. I heard words being exchanged and then Octavia opened the bathroom door again.

"He says he really needs to go."

I groaned loudly and reached for my towel. I wrapped it around myself and grabbed my clothes. When I pulled the bathroom door open Ronnie was standing on the other side, a slight smirk on his lips as he glanced at my attire.

"Nice towel," he chuckled, looking me over.

I replied, "Eyes up here," and darted past him and into my bedroom. Gwen was on the other side, dressed with a toothbrush in her mouth. "Octavia brought it to me," she said, clearing up any confusion I had. I nodded and slipped into the small closet so that I could pull my clothes on.

When I emerged I pulled on socks and shoes and went downstairs. Gianna was sitting at the kitchen table, banging her shoe-clad feet against the legs of the wooden table. "Stop," I told her as I walked past and picked her plate up, tossing it in the sink where Gwen was standing, finishing up brushing her teeth.

I looked into the living room and noticed Riley folding up the blankets and setting them on the couch. "Thanks," I told him as I wandered in there and grabbed them, stuffing them into the closet under the stairs.

"No problem," he replied with a shrug as he handed me the last one.

A horn sounded from outside and I pulled open the front door, waving my hand out as a way of telling the bus driver to hold on a minute. "Lisette!" I shouted up the steps, "Lets go!"

The sound of feet clambering from above sounded and then Lisette and Octavia came running down the stairs and out the door, Lissy calling out "Bye" as she hopped onto her bus. I handed Gianna her little backpack before grabbing my own and ushering her out of the door. Gwendolyn led Gianna down the end of the driveway as I waited with Riley for Ronnie to appear.

When he did I ushered both of them out of the door and locked it behind us. I waved to Gianna and Octavia as they got onto their bus. It drove away as I walked down the driveway, Ronnie and Riley following behind me.

"Lets go," I told Gwendolyn, offering an awkward smile. Gwen nodded and walked beside me, ignoring Ronnie and Riley as they scuffed along behind us.

When Ronnie and I got into first hour, he was way quieter than usual, barely acknowledging Vanna, just with a flick of his wrist as she scuttled over to him at the beginning of class. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head as class passed, or maybe I knew he was staring at me because of when the teacher had me pass out papers and his gaze followed me around the room, making me feel uncomfortable and out of place.

When the bell rang I gathered my things quickly and shuffled out of the room, trying to get away from Ronnie quickly. I went into the bathroom and dropped my bag onto the floor by the little table in there. I smiled at a girl who was in there as she washed her hands. I heard the door being pushed open roughly and I glanced back. I was in shock as Ronnie rushed in.

"Get out," he said to the girl, causing her eyes to grow wide as she grabbed her bag from the little table.

"Ronnie what are you-" I turned to the girl, "I'm sorry!" I called as she rushed out of the bathroom, glancing back over her shoulder nervously. Ronnie reached out and slammed the bathroom door shut.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, loudly.

"You better not tell anyone!" he growled ignoring my question completely.

I knew what he was talking about automatically. "I won't," I claimed, running my fingers through my blonde hair, "Why would I?"

Ronnie shook out his hands nervously. "I don't know but you better not," he replied.

"I said I won't," I growled back, "Now get out of here!"

Ronnie glanced to the door and then back to me. "Why aren't you telling anyone?" he asked quickly. When I looked up to him with confusion in my eyes, I could see something sad swirling in his.

I stopped short and stared at him. "Why does it matter? I'm not saying anything so you should just get out of here and pretend it never happened."

"What never happened?" a voice came from the door.

Ronnie whipped around and Monica Manning was standing there, her hands on her hips and a pointed look on her slim face. There were dark circles of eyeliner around her eyes as well as blended green eyeshadow and sparkles that matched the color of her low-cut shirt.

"None of your fucking business," Ronnie spat, shoving past her, causing her jaw to drop and her gaze to shift to one of disbelief.

Then Monica turned back to me with a glare on my eyes. "That's Vanna's boyfriend, you know," she sneered, "Stay away from him."

I held my hands up in defense. "She can have him."

I heard her scoff and I glanced back at her. She spoke with venom in her voice, "Oh," she growled, "Even the cutest boy in school isn't good enough for you, is he?" she said, obviously asking a rhetorical question before she continued, "Well Vanna doesn't care where Ronnie comes from. Everyone wants him and she's got him." With that Monica turned on her heel and strode out of the bathroom.

I finished up and hurried off to class, not wanting to be late. I sat through my next class thinking aimlessly about what I might of just gotten myself into. I knew that Monica would be telling Vanna Aaron about what she saw in the bathroom, Ronnie and I together, but I wasn't sure if Vanna would brush it off or go into destroy mode, destined to ruin my life just because Ronnie and I had a strained conversation in the privacy of the girls bathroom.