• Ohio.


    “Jean Bean! We have company!” Jasmine’s voice sang up the main staircase. Jean Bean? That was a new one. I sighed and stared at my bedroom door. “5…4…3…2…1.”

    “Jeanie Stanton, get your bottom down those stairs immediately!” Jasmine’s voice growled as she opened my door, revealing her short bleached blonde hair, icy blue eyes and one-too-many coats of red lipstick. Her eye shadow just added to her circus clown look.

    “Wasn’t your hair brown yesterday?” I raised an eyebrow up at her.

    She gave me a nasty glare before closing her eyes and sighed impatiently, counting to 10 under her breath. She cleared her throat and looked at me with a sickly sweet smile. “I needed a change.” Never once did she open her jaw.

    “Alright, alright! I get the message, go downstairs.” I said smiled innocently at her, raising my hands in the air in mock surrender.

    “And change your outfit.” Jasmine stopped me before I could leave the room.

    “What’s wrong with my outfit?” I asked, looking down at my black and blue tutu.

    “You look trashy.” She insulted me. Hell, her voice is insulting.

    “I look trashy? Have you seen your hair?” I flicked a strand of her hair as I walked past her an skipped down the staircase to meet my parent’s new clients.

    My parents ran some huge company with their business partners, my two best friend’s parents. Sunnie’s Mother and Father and Daisy’s Mom since her dad left when we were 5. And they were always bringing over new clients for dinner or a picnic on the beach.

    I pranced into the dining room where my father sat at the head of the table with four others surrounding him. There was a man and a woman, both with brown hair, them man with blue eyes and the woman with green. Then there was a girl who looked to be 11 or 10 with brown hair and blue eyes, a spitting image of her father. Next to her sat a boy who seemed around my age who had brown hair that lay swept over his forehead and had stunning green eyes, like his mother. Not too shabby.

    “Ohio! There you are!” Mike, my adoptive father beckoned me over, motioning to the seat next to the boy.

    "Ohio?" I gave him a confused look, taking my seat at the table. Why was he calling my Ohio? They always called me Jean or Jeanie. The parents cast nervous glances at each other, judging me already.

    “Of course, Dear.” He smiled fakely, sending me a death glare when no one was looking. “Where’s your mother?”

    “Here! I’m here!” Jasmine came rushing in, all smiles and apologies. “Have we introduced Ohio to everyone yet, Michael?” She asked, sitting across from me.

    “Yeah, Mike, who are these people?” I smiled up at him. Jasmine kicked me under the table with her high heeled shoe and sent our visitors a goofy smile that said ‘isn’t-she-a-laugh?’

    “Oh! Why of course! Ohio, this is Mr. and Mrs. Aspin and their daughter Gloria and son, Dakota.” Oh, that’s why they called me Ohio, the boy had a state name too.

    “Your name is Ohio? Dakota! Her name is a state too!” The woman, Mrs. Aspin, gushed. The boy rolled his eyes.

    “Yes mother, I noticed.” He snapped.

    “I think it’s such a great coincidence! I’ve always loved the name Ohio, isn’t that right Michael?” Jasmine giggled and patted Mike’s hand.

    “I think they’re both great names.” He grinned at the two of us.

    “You both hated it a few minutes ago.” I muttered under my breath and I heard Dakota chuckle. He must of heard it.

    I looked up at him to see amusement dancing in his eyes. “Nice tutu.” He whispered as the grownups spoke business deals.

    I think this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship.