"Are you sure they won't ask for our IDs here?"
"Yes, I've gotten alcohol plenty of times. Well, it was always the same guy working there. As long as it's him, then no problem."
"Fine..."
Two young women were whispering while approaching the convenience store.
'This is pretty far from home, no one should know me or Mom...' The young woman's thought trailed off as she noticed who was working the counter.
"Damn," Her friend cursed under her breath. "It's not the usual guy."
The employee behind the counter raised an eyebrow. "Fiona?"
"Tyler?" She walked closer awkwardly. "W-What are you doing here?" Fiona asked, hoping that he wouldn't notice what they were here for.
"I work here," Tyler answered plainly. "What about you?"
"J-Just here for some groceries." Fiona stuttered.
"You know him?" Her friend whispered. "Who is he?"
"Why do you care?" Fiona shook her head. "Amy, let's just leave before-"
"Here to buy alcohol?" Tyler asked.
Fiona's face instantly turned red.
"No, we were-"
"Exactly." Her friend nodded and quickly ran to the counter.
'What the hell?! She's going to get me in trouble!!'
"How do you know my friend Fiona?" Amy asked.
"We're family, kind of." Tyler nodded.
"I can see that you got all the good genes in the family." She mused, leaning on the counter.
Unlike how John had leaned on the counter, Amy did it in a way that was... Endearing instead of annoying. Mostly because she was hot, and wasn't a bitch, unlike John.
"Thanks, but we're step-siblings, so she really had no chance to get the good family genes."
"Hahaha, poor Fiona had no chance, huh?" Amy laughed out loud. "Well," She turned towards Fiona. "You should have introduced us sooner, I didn't know you had a hot brother."
"Whatever..." Fiona muttered while looking away.
"So, Tyler." Amy brought her hands together as if to pray. "Can we please, please, please get some beer?"
"Hm... I don't know... Pffft... I'm really not supposed to."
"Can't you be bad for a bit?" Amy begged. "Just for a tiny little bit?" She tugged on Fiona's shirt. "Come on, ask nicely too! He's your brother!"
"I'm not asking. I'm not even drinking." Fiona lied. "It's just Amy who wants to drink."
"Afraid I'll tell your Mom, huh?" Tyler sighed. "You're right to be. Let me call her right now." He grabbed his phone right away.
"Wait, no!" Fiona suddenly shouted. "Please don't! I'll never hear the end of it!"
"Come on, Tyler! You're not gonna do your stepsis like that, are you? What if you get stuck one day and she's the only one around to help you?"
Tyler and Fiona turned towards Amy at once and stared with narrow eyes.
"Well, I guess you did bring me groceries earlier today." Tyler muttered as he put down his phone.
Fiona sighed in relief as if that phone had been a deadly weapon.
"She got you groceries before, so you can get us groceries now, right?" Amy asked as she tilted her head with a grin.
Amy's appearance was particular, to say the least. She easily stood out with her goth clothing style and makeup.
Amy was particularly slim and pale, making her the perfect goth girl.
'Though her personality is a bit too bubbly to pull off the goth properly. Hm... I guess linking style to personality is kind of close-minded.' Tyler sighed while scratching his head. "What are your plans for the beer?"
"Drinking at my place!" Amy answered at once while pointing at herself. "My parents are out for the night."
"Anyone else coming over?"
"No one!"
'Why is he acting like some kind of big brother...?' Fiona asked herself.
"Fine," Tyler scratched his neck. "What do you like?"
***
"Hehe!" Amy was all smiles as they left the convenience store, full bag in hand. "Your brother is pretty cool. Tall and handsome too."
"I don't know..." Fiona shrugged. "He's usually pretty gloomy and stuff."
"Really? Doesn't seem like the type." Amy scratched her cheek. "By the way, why is your brother working at a convenience store?"
"Step-brother." Fiona corrected.
"So?" Amy waited for an answer. "You're going to college after summer vacation, right?"
"Yeah."
"Is he saving up to pay for college?"
"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure he's not going." Fiona muttered.
"Why not? I remember you saying that your step-dad was loaded. He wouldn't pay for his step-daughter but not for his own son, would he?"
Fiona stared for a moment.
"That's impossible." She chuckled. "No one would do that."
"Oh!" Amy's eyes brightened. "Maybe he's doing the manly thing!"
"The manly thing?"
"Yes! You know, not wanting to rely on daddy anymore. He wants to be totally independent right away!"
"Oh... Yeah, I guess that's possible." Fiona nodded. 'Still, I remember him being gloomy and quiet... I guess this is the first time I've seen him with my Mom or his Dad around.'
"Damn..." Amy clicked her tongue.
"What is it?" Fiona asked with a worried voice.
"I should have asked him to join us. It's not every day that you get to meet someone tall and handsome. Wait, is he single?"
"Single...?" Fiona thought for a moment. "Maybe?"
The light instantly died in Amy's eyes.
"You're absolutely useless." Amy sighed
"..."
***
Tyler let out the heaviest sigh.
'She really looks just like her mother.'
For a moment, Tyler had felt his heart rate jump immensely, thinking that Sofia had come to visit him at work.
He raised an eyebrow, hearing some noise coming from outside the store.
"What's happening...?"