My Ex's Stepsister

2

So.. here's how it all started..

Before leaving her apartment, Bo had heard a news reporter saying, "We've got massive rain being reported around the east region, and the wind seems to gust over thirty to forty miles per hour. The visibility seems to be extremely poor. As per our report, as we speak, over forty people are confirmed dead, and fifteen people are severely injured in road accidents caused due to minimal to no visibility. Remarking on this, people are suggested to stay indoors for the next twenty-four hours. If you are already driving on the roads, please be careful. We would suggest you please take shelter and avoid traveling anywhere in vehicles."

The images that were being shown along with the news looked alarming and concerning. She wished for the safety of the people who had already left their houses to go for work, and that they would return back home quickly. It was a relief that the news that was showing on the television was not of where she was right now, However, the sky did look a bit cloudy, but that did not dimish the sun rays from peeking through those clouds. Since it did not look much concerning, Bo shrugged it off and hurried out to reach her workplace.

"Who would have imagined that the day that started as bright and sunny would suddenly turn into a dark rainy day?" Bo overheard two people talking to each other. But, she barely paid heed to it or gave any deep thought. She was too much in hurry to care for teh cloud and what color it looked at the moment.

It was indeed looking pleasant, bright, and sunny in the morning when she had left her apartment that she shared with Em. Even though the sun's rays were piercing her clothes and burning her skin, Bo always preferred bright daylight instead of the darkness of the night. The reason being, unwanted memories attached to it.

Sweat was dripping off her forehead all the way down, which no doubt was a little uncomfortable. But she wasn't making a fuss about it.

The little pitter-patter of the raindrops on the windowpane that started soon after she entered the departmental store where she worked, seemed very relaxing.

Her glassy pale skin thanked mother nature, but the soft drizzles felt soothing to even her soul.

However, unbeknown to everyone, the swelteringly hot day was soon about to turn into thunderstorms.

Shortly after it started drizzling, it quickly turned into a heavy shower. People drenched in wet clothes were seeking shelter everywhere, waiting for the heavy downpour to stop.

Bo and three of her colleagues were stuck with her duty of doing the inventory check today. It took a little more than just a few hours for them to complete the task in hand, and as soon as she was done, Bo found several people huddled together inside the store. She looked around and found it surely had started raining heavily while she was inside the inventory room.

Just as the newsreader had said, the wind continued to blow so violently, there was not much visibility after a certain distance. She was afraid it wouldn't be long before a storm would hit them as well. Wherever Bo's eyes trailed, all she found was rainwater drowning everything in her vicinity. And if she is not wrong, the weather was about to get worse.

She had misjusged the situation in the morning, that it won't effect side of the town. Now, that she had an idea about what they were expecting, she immediately calculated in her mind that, if she and her colleagues were stuck there, they would have enough stock to survive a day, maybe even two or three days. However, if people start arriving to take shelter, the inventory wouldn't suffice.

Bo instictively knew she had to talk to her senior right away, but more importantly report this unexpectedly fast appoaching issue to her boss, so he could find a way to either get the stocks refilled or stop these people from taking refuge in their store, before it is too late for them to control the situation in hand.

Echo Burns was also at the same departmental store where Bo worked. She had been to this place before, but today she was here against her will.

"Argh!" Echo groaned. For nearly ten days, she had been dawdling to come to this store or to go out shopping altogether.

To start with, she hated spending long hours in between countless people, buying mundane things. Waiting in a long queue to get her shopping bag that contained minimal items checked out. In addition to that, ever since her girlfriend, the only one who meant something to her in this entire world, had broken up with her, all she wanted to do was cry-sob-weep- eat, and go back to sleep. Then repeat the same the next day.

True, it's been a month since the break-up of their three weeks relationship. But, damn! It still hurts so much. There was no way she was ever gonna be over her - EVER. And to add to her ordeal, now she was stuck with countless people in this boring departmental store, the same thing she had dreaded would happen. Damn! her stupid luck.

She hated everyone who looked at her with pity. It's her life, so what if it's shitty? It's still her life, and only she gets to decide how she would want to spend it. Nobody had the bloody right to decide how she must live.

When it started to rain heavily, Echo was desperate to get out of the store as soon as possible. She wasn't very keen to be stuck with these random judgemental people. But.. her effed up luck wasn't in her favor at all. As if it was something new to her.

While Echo was trying to arrange the list of items that she wanted to buy, and put them in her bucket, then bolt out of that place, she noticed that other people were coming in to take shelter.

For a moment there, she groaned out in her mind, "Leave it. Let's just get the hell out of here, before this place gets cramped, more than it already is."

Before she could start to walk away from the aisle she was currently standing at, Echo noticed people trying to fill up their trolleys with more items than one could carry, and thats when a realization hit her.

If she left without buying anything, she would have nothing in stock at home and would have to starve tonight. Moreover, if people rob or steal away these essential things and walk out of that door today, the stock in the store will be out by the time she comes back to shop again. Moreover, how can anybody be sure that the rain will stop tonight and everything will be up and running by tomorrow?

In that case, she would have to starve for days together and that was not something she could survive. Echo gradually started to fill up her bucket once again, and that's when she heard the announcement.

"Attention, everyone! We will be closing the store for the day, so you have only ten minutes to get your items checked out. Post which, the main door will be closed until the weather permits."

It was the same mysterious grey eyed girl. The eyes that can be easily mistaken as green. The girl whom Echo had noticed many times, whenever she visited this store. That girl worked in this store, but Echo always felt like the girl was almost an illusion-- as she was barely visible on the floor.

That girl was not someone who would easily blend in into the crowd, at least for Echo. Because whenever Echo came to shop, that girl would flash the most inviting smile at her. Ok! Maybe that was an exaggeration.. because she smiled brightly at everyone. But, for some stupid reason, Echo found that smile making her heart race. Even when she was dating Andy, the ex who broke Echo's heart a month ago.

Echo preferred to visit this place, alone. But, sometimes she would come here with Andy as well, but Echo would steal a glance at this girl quite more often than necessary. Echo found herself fascinated by this mysterious gray eyed girl with the most heart tingling smile.

Her girlfriend, Andy, might have caught her doing that too.. but Echo would lie through her teeth and get away with it.

Echo never found the courage to approach the girl and find out her name. Because as odd as it sounds, Echo dared not to go near her, it made her quiver with excitement, and at the same time the anticipation of being close to her. Furthermore, that girl would either be surrounded by a lot of people, or the next moment, that girl would go completely missing from the floor altogether.

Somebody yelled at that girl, "How can you expect us to leave in ten minutes? Can't you see there are so many people?"

That girl smiled kindly, "Sir, the weather looks threatening, and our neighborhood is already on the verge of getting drowned in the water. We are taking safety precautions."

Another man shouted, "What if we are unable to leave in ten? Or what if we don't leave by then?"

She smiled once again, "We are here to assist you, sir. After the ten minute deadline, if you are unable to leave, then you will have to stay right here until the sky is clear. But, I'm sure you have your family to run back to."

Then she yelled at her co-workers, "C'mon, hurry up guys. We don't have much time. These people would want to leave this place as soon as possible, so they can get back home safely. Quit dawdling!"

All this time, that girl smiled kindly and answered every question thrown at her very politely, but as soon as she got off that megaphone speaker, she smirked secretly.

Even if nobody else did, Echo noticed that smirk on her face. Because her eyes were all the time on her pretty luscious lips.

'Ahem! Excuse that.' Echo mumbled to herself.

Echo built up all her courage to move forward. One year of shadowing was enough, and she needed to know her.. name at the least.

She had already been single for a month and had wasted her time feeling sorry for herself over the end of her three weeks relationship.

"Hey!.." Echo playfully drawled as she approached that girl. But her eyes were trained on the girl's pants, that perfectly moulded that tight arse. Echo's heart was beating hard against the rib cage, and she had to force herself to look up at the girl's captivating eyes. "What was that?" Echo managed to ask without stuttering with words that would show her nervousness.

'Excuse my straying eyes.' she mumbled, scolding herself inwardly.

"What?" that girl replied, her polite voice and kind smile was generously bestowed upon Echo.

Echo acted cool in front of her, "I saw you smirking just now." But, her heart was making it uncomfortable for her to breathe normally.

That girl must be absolutely fabulous at her job because she calmly denied it, "Absolutely not, ma'am."

She blinked her eyes. It felt like everything went in slow motion. "Echo.." she introduced herself. Well! The first step to 'get to know you' starts by introducing yourself.

"Huh?" The girl looked confused. At that moment, she must have assumed that maybe her voice had echoed over something.

Echo stretched her hands out towards the girl, "My name.. It's Echo. Please don't call me ma'am." She knew her name was unusual, and it confuses people when she only says, 'Echo.'

Like seriously, what kind of sane set of parents would name the child "Echo?" she cussed inwardly every time she is in such a situation.

"Oh!" The girl exclaimed, now smiling sheepishly. "I'm.. Bo." She shook her hand as she introduced herself to Echo. Her hand was as soft as her soft and polite smile that she shared with everyone.

Echo chuckled inwardly, 'welcome another extra-ordinary name.' as she mumbled to herself.

"OK.. BO.. tell me, what was the smirk about. Trust me, I won't tell anyone." Echo insisted on knowing.

"Sorry, ma'am, I have to go. Please hurry up with your shopping. We're closing in..." Bo checked her watch. "Five minutes," and cleverly excused herself.

"Five minutes? Damn! I'm staying right here, girl. Who have I got to get back to anyway," Echo thought out loud and smirked to herself.

And, as she had decided, Echo stayed back at the store. Exactly after ten minutes, the gates were shut closed, and people were creating disruption, obviously feeling distressed about getting stuck there.

'Lazy people. How can you not listen to such an exceptionally beautiful girl, with such an extraordinary name, telling you to hurry up and get the F outta here?' Echo mumbled out loud to herself.

"You were saying?" Somebody overheard what Echo had just said to herself. But, apparently, she was loud enough for the person behind her to hear.

Echo turned around, "What?" The boy introduced himself, "I'm Boston." he smiled. Of course, it wasn't anywhere near to the heart-racing smile of Bo, but polite enough, Echo thought.

"A co-worker of that girl?" He pointed his finger towards Bo. "..with an extraordinary name." he teasingly whispered and perched his eyebrows, but the smirk that tug on his lips were making Echo feel concious as if she had done something wrong.

Boston smirked at Echo, "You took a long time just to show up and ask for her name. And here, I nearly thought you gave up."

"Whatever the heck that means?" Echo shrugged him off.

"You know we have eyes, right? We can see things.." Boston narrowed his eyes. "And, I saw those eyes of yours, wandering over to my friend," He looked like he was trying hard not to roll with laughter, "And I have a feeling that you don't live anywhere nearby. You always come just once a month for the last six or maybe seven months. And if I'm not wrong, it was just to gawk at her." Boston sniggered this time. "And.. of course, to buy things that you were least interested in buying," he quickly added.

Echo was shocked that somebody had actually noticed her doing that. "I wasn't stalking her or anything?" she asserted. "I know.. six months is too long and too short for stalking anyway." Boston snorted. Then he further added, "Just so you know. Bo usually keeps to herself and does not talk to anyone. I'll be damned if you get her to talk to you."

"Is that a challenge?" Echo confirmed and smirked at Boston. "Uh-huh.. Not exactly." Boston shook his head, "I'll be glad if she opens up to somebody." he shrugged and left. Leaving behind excitement of the challenge as well as countless question about WHAT Boston meant by what he said and WHY was Bo a loner. Judging by the smile Bo bestowed upon everyone, made her look like she is used to making friends with everyone.

Echo turned to look at the direction where Bo was. Well!! Just as Echo had thought, Bo was good at her work. She confidently and swiftly handled the trouble-creating people and calmed them down and made them stay back.

'As if they had an option anyway,' Echo rolled her eyes and scoffed.