aftershock

Ellie finally breathed easy once she turned on the hot water to the shower. She was home. Everything was quiet. Her nerves that were completely shot now calmed and she felt herself unwind under the steam of the shower.

She felt a bit woozy. She didn't know why. Nothing seemed normal, lately. But everything would be OK. She'd soap up, rinse and then relax. Or so she thought when she wrapped the big towel around her as she stepped out of the shower.

Lisa opened the bathroom door and stared at her. "Where have you been?"

"Where have you been?" Ellie snapped back. No sense starting a lie she couldn't get out of.

"I've been here, and Leia called late asking where you were. So I know you weren't with her." Lisa laid it all out like a big sister was suppose too which shocked Ellie, completely.

"Why do you care where I've been?" Ellie squinted being a little apprehensive with this whole sisterly thing. Her sister never acted like this.

"Ellie, I just expect more from you than this. You can't be doing things like that. You scared me. I called you so many times, and you didn't pick up." She crossed her arms and looked at Ellie as if she better not be trouble.

"I just fell asleep on somebody's couch, thats all there was to it." Ellie shook her head no, thinking that her sister would think she was sleeping around. She bit her bottom lip, looked at the ceiling, but thought of Kyle. Sleep came to mind. Now she felt she needed more of it.

"You'd tell me if you know-" Ellie could tell Lisa really didn't want to talk about guys with her or anything along that line.

"I'm fine." Ellie waited for her sister to leave, but she stood there in her tank and p.j.s.

"Look, I was wondering, if you could do this thing with me today," Lisa sighed as her chestnut hair fell in her face as she looked at her feet.

"What?" Ellie hugged herself in the towel.

"There is this guy I met on the Internet that I want to meet, but I can't do it alone. If you could just be there with me. I'd just feel better about it if I had more in numbers, you know."

"Sure, can I bring somebody along, though?" She did say more in numbers?

"Yeah, sure. That would be OK." Lisa nodded and left.

Ellie raked her fingers through her wet hair. Just when she thought the day would end in a Sunday sleep, it had just started.

She went to her room and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She looked for her cell, it was no where in sight. So she picked up the home phone and dialed Kyle.

Ellie: You doing anything?

Kyle: Nothing special. Hey, I got your cell right here.

Ellie: You want to go some place with my sister and me?

Kyle: I guess. You want your phone back?

Ellie: You can bring it over. Maybe we can have lunch or something while she's talking to this guy.

Kyle: A guy?

Ellie: Somebody she met over the Internet?

Kyle: She's hooking up with guys she's met over the Internet, now?

Ellie: I don't think she'd like the word hooking up.

Kyle: Whatever. I'll be over, shortly.

Ellie sighed when she got off the phone. Her hair was still wet and her eyes were red. But her sister wanted her to go with her, this was something new.