Beverly Hills, California
Trista Ashley Landis was leaning against a tree. She was reading a book when a silver car drove into her property. She put her book down and got on her feet and walked to the car that parked in front of the house. She lightly knocked on the driver side window and waited for the person to roll down the window.
�Excuse me but this is a private property. You should leave before I call the security guard.� she said crossing her arms at her chest and looked at the female driver.
The young lady was about to speak when the front door opened and Trista�s mother came in.
�Who is it honey?� she asked walking to the car.
�They were about to leave mother,� Trista replied as she looked at her mom.
Mrs. Landis looked over her daughters shoulder as the driver started the ignition.
�Maria! You�re finally here!� Mrs. Landis said who walked around her daughter and opened the cars door to hug Maria.
�I see your friends decided to come with you! Welcome to Beverly Hills guys!� she said after she kissed Maria�s cheeks.
�Who is SHE?� Trista asked not happy that her mother was nice to this girl.
�Trista! How dare you talk in that tone about your sister!� replied her mother.
�Excuse ME but she is NOT my sister! Look how she dresses! She probably found those clothes in the garbage,� she said walking away. �
Trista Ashley! You come right back here and apologise to Maria!� Mrs. Landis said sternly.
Trista was about to walk in the house when the door opened again and her father walked out looking from his daughter to his wife.
�What�s going on?� he asked his wife.
�Maria just arrived and Trista just insulted her twice,� Mrs. Landis replied as Maria and her friends got out of the car quietly.
�Is that true Trista?� Mr. Landis asked looking at his 27-year-old daughter.
�Well look at what that� that� bitch is��
Trista wasn�t able to finish what she was saying. Her father slapped her in the face as soon as he called Maria a bitch.
�Don�t you EVER call her that! Do you hear me? She is your sister if you like it or not and she is staying with us. If you are against it, move out of our home,� Mr. Landis said as he walked toward Maria.
He hugged her and placed a kiss on top of her head and whispered something into her ear. He then pulled away and smiled down at her. Maria smiled back at him as he went beside his wife.
�Mr. and Mrs. Landis, I would like you to meet my friends, Marialen, Trista, Brandon, Mandie and her boyfriend Brad,� Maria said as she pointed at her friends as she called their names.
Both adults shook the outstretched hands and welcomed them to their house and thanked them to come with their adopted daughter. All six friends followed the Landis family into the house to eat dinner.
They were waiting for the dessert and Mrs. Landis took that time to find out more about what Maria did in College and asked her a lot of questions and listened to the answers she gave her. She also asked what the rest of the group did.
They were done eating dessert and Maria got up from her seat taking her plates as her friends did the same and they walked into the kitchen and placed the dirty dishes on the counter. They walked out and Maria stretched as her friends grabbed their glasses and drank the remaining water.
�Mom, why did you tell me that you didn�t accept people with piercing on their bodies?� Trista asked smirking at Maria.
�Why are you asking this?� Mrs. Landis asked looking at her daughter suspiciously.
�Well, the adopted has her belly pierced,� Trista replied.
Both parents looked at Maria who felt uncomfortable under their stare.
�You have your belly pierced?� Mr. Landis asked.
�Um� Yeah,� she whispered her answer looking at her feet.
�Can I see it?� Mrs. Landis asked.
Maria walked around the table slowly and stood in front of her as she showed her stomach.
�It�s nice! When did you do it?� Mrs. Landis asked smiling up at Maria.
�Yesterday,� she replied.
�You did it yesterday for the fun of it?� Mr. Landis asked drinking his wine.
�Actually, it was my idea,� Marialen said walking around the table to stand beside her friend.
Trista snorted loudly and rolled her eye.
�What�s you problem?� Trista asked getting annoyed.
�Nothing,� Trista replied before taking a bite from her dessert.
�Well it doesn�t look like that,� Tracy said before she stormed out of the room as Brandon ran after her to calm her down.
�What crawled up her ass and died?� Trista asked looking in the direction that they left.
Mrs. Landis looked at Maria with her right eyebrow up.
�She has temper problems,� Marialen answered quietly.
�Oh okay,� Mrs. Landis nodded.
�So why did you pierce your belly Maria?� Mr. Landis asked again.
�We wanted to have something special that would remind us of College and all the special times we�ve spent together and Marialen offered it as well as getting a tattoo and we all agreed to do it.� Mandie answered.
�So you all have the same piercing and tattoo?� Mr. Landis asked liking the idea.
�Yes sir, they have the same and they have their tattoo at the same place,� Brad informed holding Mandie�s hand.
�What�s the tattoo?� Mrs. Landis asked.
�I�m a wore,� Trista mumbled under her breath.
�Trista Ashley Landis! Go to your room NOW!� Mr. Landis said angrily.
She got up from her place and walked toward the staircase.
�Oh and give me the keys to you car,� he said as he walked toward his daughter.
�DAD! Why are you treating me like a baby? I�m 27 for crying out loud!� Trista answered angrily.
�Well you are certainly not acting like a 27!� Trista yelled from the living room.
�No one asked YOUR opinion weirdo!� Trista screamed back at her.
�Come on guys, let�s go to the guesthouse and pack,� Brandon said walking out of the room with Mandie.
Maria sniffed slightly as Marialen placed her arm around her shoulder and they walked out of the room.