I know I’ve been slacking on #FlashFictionFriday, but I do have a good reason!

I’ve been working on my novella! It’s titled What I Wouldn’t Do: Where it Started and it’s about the beginning of three sister’s lives as they navigate careers, friends, family, and of course, love.

If you’re a paid subscriber, you’re going to get the completed version for free once it’s completed, but for everyone else…

Here’s a tiny snippet that’s completely out of context. If you want a chance to read the full thing, you know what to do!

Happy reading!

~~~~~

Having lived in the same house her entire life, save for college, this would be the biggest move of her life. That meant that she not only had to pack to leave on the plane, but Val had to put her entire life into a storage box until she was able to get her own apartment. Even though she would always have a place at home, something about this felt uncomfortably final, like the end of the longest chapter in her life so far. Her only relief was the fact that she’d have her older sister, Olivia, to rely on.

“Alright you two, let’s go.”

Both of them looked up to see the sister in question. Even in the dark, her flawless deep brown skin seemed to glow as if it were coming from within. Valarie wondered for a moment what it was going to be like living with her on a daily basis. Of the three of them, Olivia had to be the neatest and the quietest person in their family. She and Erica often wondered if she was actually manufactured in a lab instead of being born.

Erica reached up towards Olivia.

“Hewp, I just a baby.”

Olivia rolled her eyes and reached down, pulling her up without disturbing the art. Valarie smiled widely and reached up expecting the same.

“Pwease!” she begged.

Olivia slowly shook her head and did the same for her.

“What are you two going to do when you’re not together anymore?”

Valarie and Erica looked at one another.

Erica then turned back to Olivia with a smile.

“We’ll just facetime and bug the shit out of you. Won’t we Val?”

Valarie turned to Olivia and put her arm around Erica’s shoulders.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Olivia looked back and forth between the both of them for a long beat. 

“You sure about that?” She asked, one eyebrow raised. 

Val and Erica looked at one another once more before turning back to Olivia and nodding enthusiastically.

Olivia took a small step towards them nodding back slowly. She then looked down, took a deep breath, and looked back up.

“Okay.”

With that, she pushed them down onto their snow angels, ruining them.

Val couldn’t help but laugh hysterically. They could never resist the chance to rile Olivia up. No matter what the consequences were.

As snow got caught in her coat collar, her laughter turned into squeals as the cold snow melted rapidly on her tawny skin.

“Come on.” Olivia offered, reaching down to pull them both back up.

Both Val and Erica immediately took a hand. Before Olivia had time to react, she found herself being yanked down in the snow face first.

“You little shitheads!” she screamed, spitting snow out of her mouth.

The girls screamed and began running towards their parents who watched in amused silence at the scene that played out before them.

“Don’t bring all that over here now. “ Their father Theo warned, the warm, resonant crackle of his voice carrying a hint of the laughter he was failing to mask.

The chase and joyous squeals continued around their parents who stood together waiting for the inevitable to happen.

“Seriously, girls, be careful please!” Deirdra added in a more concerned tone.

“Don’t worry Mom, I won’t hurt them too badly.” Olivia threatened.

Val stuck her tongue out at her sister, continuing to stay out of arm’s reach.

She leaned on one side of her parents watching Olivia. After a beat, Olivia lunged for her causing Val to quickly go the other way which forced her into a hard impact with Erica, putting them both down in the snow.

Olivia cackled at them. “Serves you both right.”