Lil Sis

[Faige Harrison]

Maddi sat outside the headmasters office, swinging her legs off the side of a bench that was just a bit too high. Her arms cradled a brand new hot pink trapper keeper as she watched the students mill around between classes. Her mother appeared in the doorway, smiling down at her. "Well, this is it sweetie. Are you sure you're going to be alright here?"

The girl stood, smoothing her skirt out with her hands as her gold bracelets lightly jingeled against one another. "Yeah, Faige is supposed to meet me here after she gets outta English." she said, eyes moving once again to the unfamiliar passing students. She turned and pointed, green hair bobbing through the throng. "There she is!"

"Hey Aunt Gale." Faige said as she approached, though her attention stayed mostly on her cousin.

"Faige Darling!" Darling... so overused. The teenager flicked her eyes up to her Aunt. "You'd look so much better in a skirt you know. Where's the one I bought you when you started?" Ugh, just like mom.

"It's in my room. I fly, yeah? Flying with a skirt on is not such a good idea." Faige huffed. "C'mon Maddi. Did somebody show you around yet or..."

"A little bit, but if you got the time I'd like some -insider- information." Maddi grinned her infectious grin, pushing a wispy strand of blonde behind her ear.

"Okay... See ya Aunt Gale. We still going to the ballet this weekend?" Faige looked once again to her Aunt, who was nodding as she spoke.

"Oh yes of course! Please... wear something uhm... suitable! I'll be just a call away if you need me and please stay out of trouble Maddi and please take good care of her Faige..." she began to ramble.

Maddi walked over to her mother and gave her a hug. "It'll be okay mom. You only live a few blocks away remember? It's closer than Morningwood Prep was!" She stepped back, walking over to stand beside Faige.

Nodding at her cousin, Faige reached over and took her by the wrist to slowly lead her away from the office. "Moms, huh?" she said, giving a dramatic eye roll.

"She does this -every time- I go to a new school, she'll be fine." Maddi giggled. "So uh... are there cheerleaders here?"

"Yeah you gotta talk to Peyton about that. I'm totally not in with them." Faige let go of her cousin's wrist, re-situating her backback over one shoulder (the cool way). "I guess you wanna go to the gym first?"

"Okay, we can do that. What kinda sports are there?" Maddi straightened her back, holding her trapper keeper against her chest with both arms again.

"Swim team, I'm on that, then there's cheer and football... also white water rafting." Faige said, straight faced.

"White water... what?"

"I'm kidding. This is the swimming pool". Faige gestured as they passed, taking a lingering look at the doorway. "Wonder if Brodi's in. We can come back later and throw rocks in the pool till he comes out."

"Who's Brodi?" Maddi's voice had a teasing quality about it "Your boooooyfriend?"

"No." Faige snorted "Just I a guy I--"

"Just a guy you liiiiike!" Her voice was becoming more mocking and -annoying- with every word.

"Shut up! It's not like that." Anyway here's the gym." Faige cleared her throat, trying to fight the blush that was threatening to rise to her cheeks. "The jocks hang out here, you'd totally fit right in."

"In all seriousness..." Maddi said, her voice losing that annoying littler-sisterish quality. "Are there lots of cute guys here?"

"Yeah but most of 'em have girlfriends." They walked out into the basketball court and Faige turned to face her cousin. "There's still a couple that don't. Take a while to check things out okay? Don't be all "I gotta have a boyfriend!" cuz that's just dumb."

"Oh yeah totally." Maddi agreed, nodding her head. "You're totally not a jock, where do you hang out?"

"In the stadium or the pool mostly. The stadium's where my little group of friends hangs out. I doubt any of 'em are there now but we can go take a look if you want." she said, starting to walk off the court.

"Okay, they showed me the library and the dorms and stuff so we can just hang out there and wait for some of your friends if you want."

Faige visibly cringed at that, Roach... "Uhh... no I got class and you probably should go meet your homeroom teacher." As the stadium came into view she gestured to it. "Voila. Stadium. Okay lets go the bell's gonna ring soon!" she said in a hurried manner, taking Maddi by the shoulder firmly and turning around.

"But I wanna meet some of your friends." she half whined.

"No you don't. Come on this way.... " Faige shook her head, looking over her shoulder at the stadium once before hurrying her cousin along.