Chapter 1
Rachel's POV
"RACHEL IT'S TIME TO GET UP!"
My Mom screams.
I have been laying in bed thinking for the past twenty minutes. Thinking about how much my back and legs hurt.
Stupid fibromyalgia.
I ever so slowly get out of bed and put on my house shoes. I walk in the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee. I sit down on the couch where my heating pad is. My pain is so bad I have to sit on it all the time.
Again, stupid fibromyalgia.
"Hey Honey! How did you sleep?" Mom asks me.
"Great!"
"I have a surprise for you!" Mom smiles.
"What?"
"Your cousin Ethan is coming to live with us!"
What,
The,
Heck?!
I open the door and see him standing there. Ethan, My cousin. Who is coming to stay with me and my family. He has shaggy brown curly hair that covers his face, bright blue eyes, and freckles (like me). He is wearing an old red t-shirt, jeans, and Converse black shoes.
"Hi." I smile at him.
"Hey." He smiles back.
"Umm, my name is Ethan. I am your cousin. But you probably already knew that."
"Yeah, I did." I fake smile.
Wow, it is going to be rough him living with us.
"Come in. I will show you up to your room." I lead him down the hallway to guest room.
"Thank you Rachel for umm everything."
"You are welcome."
We both look and feel awkward.
"I will leave you to it."
"O-okay see you later."
I close the door, walk out, and sit on the couch where my heating pad is.
Ethan's POV
I plop down on the bed and stare at the ceiling before getting up and organizing my belongings. I gasp in pain as I bend down wrong. I lift up my shirt examining the large bruise. I hope this home feels like one, I think I then walk down the stairs to investigate my new living space.
I enter the living room where Rachel is sitting on the the heating pad drinking coffee, Mrs. Wilson on the love seat drinking coffee, Mr. Wilson on the computer, and Paige in her room.
"Hey Ethan!" Mom jumps up and hugs me.
"Hi Mrs. Wilson." I smile.
"Mrs. Wilson is my mother in law! Call me Mom."
"Okay, Mom." I smiles and everyone smiles.
"Sorry that I have to invade your home for a while but if you need help with anything I will try my hardest to help you with it." I tried not to flinch under her hug as my side throbbed and I put on an award-winning smile.
Rachel's POV
"It's no problem at all Ethan! We love having you!" Mom smiles and I smile to.
I am really unsure of how it be with Ethan living here. I am sure he will find out about me and my illnesses. But I will try not to worry about it and just go with the flow.
I can do that.
Right?
Ethan's POV
I look over at Rachel she looked like her Mom with her blond hair yet unlike her Mom she had her hair cut short. Freckles dotted her nose and her eyes were a deep brown.
I wanted to ask why she was laying on the heat pack but I was afraid too.
I just have to fit in and act normal no one needs to know how bad it was at home.
"I-I don't know how long my parents are going to leave me here... but until they ask me to come home I will try my best to fit into your home. Thank you again." I said trying to smile and look like I wasn't as nervous as I really was.
Rachel's POV
"No problem Ethan. Stay as long as you like." Mom smiles at him.
He looks nervous though. Maybe he doesn't want to be here at all. All I know is, we all have to make the best of this. Even if it's not what we want. We can do this.
Right?
Ethan's POV
I smile as Paige jumps up and gives me a tour around the house. She was a cute little kid so bubbly and happy.
"Here this is Fluffy our cat," she says holding up a grumpy calico cat.
"Hello Fluffy," I said patting his head. That cat lets out a growl and jumps out of the girl's small arms and goes back under the bed.
"I guess he doesn't like me," I said smiling sadly.
"Fluffy you get back here and apologize for your rude behavior!" Paige shouted trying to catch the feline.
I laughed a bit and told her that is was okay.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to pretend that I was okay.
Rachel's POV
I walk in on them and say: "This is our sweet cat, Little Bit. He is my baby."
I smile as I hold my fat black and white cat.
"You can pet him." I say to Ethan.
Ethan slowly and awkwardly comes to pet Little. Little meows at him and let him pet him. Then Little runs away.
"Well I will leave you guys alone." I leave the room and here Paige says: "Thank goodness she is gone, now back to the tour."
I just laugh at that. Oh Paige, my sweet and annoying little sister.
Ethan's POV
They had a very nice house and it was fun watching them goof off and be a family. They were so different from my family. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson didn't fight during the meal and the food was amazing. Paige was silly and quirky I guessed her age to be around eight or nine. Then there was Rachel she seemed to be a bit of a mystery. She didn't talk to me freely like the others did but she probably felt like I was a stranger in her house. Which I had to keep reminding myself that I was indeed a stranger and that what I had here wouldn't last forever.
Rachel's POV
The rest of the day went great! Dinner was good. It wasn't even awkward that Ethan was there. He seems really nice. But very shy. Maybe if he hangs around me long enough, I can bring him out of his shyness. I really do hope we become good friends.
I just hope he doesn't think I am freak because I don't do much because of my pain and I am always on my heating pad due to my pain. I see a special doctor soon so hopefully he can help me with my pain. Till then, I must suffer. Stupid fibromyalgia. I always feel really down when I hurt a lot. Stupid mental illnesses. Yeah I am totally a freak.
"Meow!" Little tells me I need to go to bed.
With that, I say goodnight to everyone, and finally get some rest.
***
Hey beautiful! And welcome to my new story! I am writing this story with UnknownAuthor707 so be sure to follow her cause she is super talented and amazing!❤️
Thank you so much for reading! I love you so much❤️
