A World Apart

Thanks for the reviews! More kitties for you now! This is a two chapter post (Chapters 8 & 9)

Chapter 8


Monday morning I was woke up from my quiet slumber at about seven o'clock.

"Rave! Get up! We gotta go to school!" Rhea yelled from outside the door.

I groaned into my pillow and rolled over onto my stomach, rolling into a tight ball. Just what I need this early in the morning - excitement about school.

"Come onnnnn!" He sang and I heard his footsteps approaching my bed.

I shook my head and buried my face into the soft pillow.

"Gotta get up, Rave. You don't have much time to get ready," He said.

Suddenly I felt my bed dip and hands pulling my tail.

"What the hell-"

I rolled over to see my brother leaning over the bed with my tail firmly gripped between his hands. Rhea was already dressed to impress with a flowing violet peasant shirt and khakis. He pulled again on my tail and I tried to knock him away with my arm.

"Get up and I'll let go," He offered.

When he pulled again, I got angry and jumped up, tackling him to the hard floor beneath us.

"Owe!" He wined when I heard his head hit the floor," Jesus. Can't take a little teasing?"

"When it's seven o'clock in the morning and you're pulling on my tail I can't!" I growled.

I rolled off him, shook my head, and went into the bathroom across the hall. He finally had left me alone. I went to my closet attached to the bathroom and stood inside, staring at the clothes. What was I supposed to wear? What would look right? I wanted to fit in whether I'd admit it or not. I heard a soft knock at my door.

"What do you want now?" I asked irritated.

There was a brief pause, “It's Ren."

I sighed, “Come in."

He walked in a second later, still in boxers and shirtless, “What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know," I replied, looking back towards the clothes.

Ren walked a few feet closer and stared at the clothes hanging from the hangers on a rod attached to the wall, “Wow. Robin wasn't kidding when he said you two did some heavy duty shopping. Well, you do have quite a selection. It shouldn't be too hard."

"I just want to look...normal."

"This is nice," Ren said, pulling out a navy blue peasant shirt that was casual and not too decorated," You should wear this and maybe jeans or something."

I smiled a little," Are you my fashion advisor, now?"

"No," He said all too seriously," That's what Robin's for."

I chuckled a bit, knowing it was all too true. However, I did opt for the clothes Ren had picked out, hoping I wouldn't look too freakish. They're probably going to be wondering about us the way it is. We don't need to attract any more attention.

I dressed in the same dark blue shirt Ren picked out and a pair of sandblasted jeans and went downstairs to the first floor. I opened the refrigerator and stared at its contents - milk and fish- any type you could imagine. I found some of my strawberry smoothie from last night and sat down on the bar. Robin came down a few minutes later.

I could have just laughed at the way he was dressed. A pair of dark red suede pants which hugged his waist, but flared out at the bottom of his feet. The shirt he wore was bright orange and had flowers decorated across the back in yellow stitching. Brightly colored sequins lined the collar and made the shirt look too flashy for school.

"Skipping school and going clubbing, Robin?" I asked casually.

He frowned and looked at me, pulling on the hem of his shirt “ Do I look that bad? I'll go change. I just wanted to make a good first impression. I'll be right back-"

"I'm just kidding! Sit down!" I instructed and pulled out the chair next to me.

He faltered a moment before finally sitting down next to me. I poured him some of the smoothie into a cup and he gratefully accepted. I could hear Rhea's voice from all the way upstairs. He came pounding down the stairs not too much later and balanced on the bottom step.

"Aw, look, it's Robby and Ravey together. Never thought I'd ever see this sight. See how being here in Kingsdale changes you?" He asked giddily before approaching us.

He sauntered around the kitchen, opened up a jar of peaches and poured them into a brand new container of cottage cheese. He sat down across from me and dipped a fork into a peach, letting the juices spread around the white cheese. He noticed Robin staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Cottage cheese?" Rhea asked, tipping the container towards our little brother.

"Ewe," Robin replied, scrunching up his nose," You have no manners."

He only shrugged," Do you know what Ren's doing upstairs? He's still trying to figure out what to wear. You two are so alike."

Robin ignored the comment," Do you know if we're all going to the same classes?"

"I don't think we even have schedules yet. We're supposed to pick them up in the office before school. That's why we need to leave early," Rhea answered and looked at me," Did you send the paperwork in for your electives?"

I looked back and fourth between my two brothers," What are you talking about?"

"You still haven't read those papers Dad gave you last week? You had to sign up for electives and send the papers into school. You'll probably get stuck in classes you don't want now," Robin said.

We all turned at the same time as Ren made his appearance into the kitchen. He stared at the three of us before stating, “We all look like a bunch of hippies straight from the 60's."

He too, was wearing a peasant shirt, which buttoned half way down the front. He had the top open part ways and various shades of green decorated the shirt. He wore jeans like me, but they were darker and a vintage style which were boot cut.

"That's the style I was going for, Baby Brother. Did I achieve it?" Rhea said, standing up and turning around quickly.

"Don't call me that!" Ren said quickly and the entire room laughed because Ren was the youngest of the twins by only a few minutes," And yes, you did achieve it quite well."

"We should get going," Robin said nervously, checking his silver watch," We should go soon, or we're going to be late!"

"I don't think we'll be late, Robby. Am I supposed to bring a backpack...or maybe I'll bring my green messenger bag!" Ren said, grabbing a granola bar from the cabinet and hurrying back up the stairs.

"Well, I'm going to go tell mom that we're leaving. Did you know that Dad had an interview this morning at the hospital to be their newest doctor? He left really early. I'm sure he'll get it, though!" Rhea said, getting up from the table and dumping the left over cottage cheese in the trash.

Mom came back into the room after Rhea said we were leaving," You guys are leaving so soon? I've got to say goodbye, then don't I? You know where you're going, right? Don't get lost, please!"

She pulled Ren and Robin in a hug first and gave them both a kiss on the forehead. Then she rounded up Rhea and he gave her a hug and a kiss.

"Raven. Come here," She instructed.

I approached her slowly," Take care of your little brothers, all right?"

"I will."

"Okay, goodbye. Have fun. Don't be too nervous, oh, and make friends!" She said, giving me one last hug before pushing the four of us out the door.