"Maya, please come downstairs," the voice of her mother drew the nine year old from inside her head. With a sigh she put down the book she was reading.
"Coming," Maya Hejis called back. Jumping up off her bed, she smoothed her t-shirt and grabbed her phone. Descending the carpeted stairs, she saw her mom and dad standing near the door in their fancy clothes. Her mother held her one year old brother in her arms as she bottle fed him. "Now, you know your dad and I have to attend a company meeting tonight in the city. I know you want to come," she added before Maya could speak. "But it just isn't that kind of party."
"Right, I'd just get in the way," Maya huffed, turning her head.
"Now Maya, you know you'd just be bored out of your mind. Not to mention there's no buffet," he smiled. "Like the little surprise I left for you in the fridge."
"Least there's that," Maya allowed her dad to see a tiny smile.
"Besides, here you'll have someone you LIKE to hang out with," Mrs. Hejis opened the door to reveal a teenage girl with back length blond hair and wearing a Star Trek t-shirt and Levis.
"Ashley!" Maya dashed forward and wrapped her arms around the girl's waist.
"Good to see you too squirt," Ashley hugged back before grabbing the tip of Maya's braid and tickling her nose until she sneezed. "Gotcha."
"You girls have fun now," Ashley's mother said as she handed over her son to Ashley after burping him. "Like always, our numbers are on the fridge, and dinner money in the drawer if Maya gets through the fridge again."
"That happened once!" Maya snorted.
"Just have some fun together and look after your brother Maya," her mother added.
"Got it," Maya and Ashley said together, prompting another round of giggles.
Once the door shut Ashley took Kaleb, who was already nearly asleep, and placed him inside the Pack and Play next to the sofa. "So, you wanna see my latest invention?" She asked with a knowing grin.
"You made a lightsaber right? Like you said last time," Maya asked. Ashley brought a different invention every time she babysat, and even if most of them were at most cool light shows they were one of the few exciting things in her life outside of YouTube videos.
"Nah, I couldn't find the right power supply for my allowance money. BUT, I did make this!" She smiled as she took off her backpack and pulled out a shimmering crystal connected to a bunch of wires and metal supports. "I bought this crystal off Ebay, it came from an meteorite," she declared as she set it on the table.
"What does it do?" Maya asked.
"Well, it can charge stuff super fast, and I think it can make its own power. If I can get it working better, it could be like a 24/7 solar panel."
"Coooool," Maya replied, reaching out to touch the device.
"Wait, don't touch that part!" Ashley said, reaching out to grab Ashley's hand. Before she could, an arc of purple energy surged out and connected with Ashley's hand.
"Ouch!" Maya pulled her hand back. A tiny red mark popped up on her palm, but it tingled instead of burned.
"Are you ok?!" Ashley kneeled down and inspected Maya's wound.
"I'm fine, it doesn't even hurt. I'm sorry if I broke your invention," Maya hung her head.
"No, it seems fine," Ashley glanced at her device, which seemed unharmed. "But please, just ask next time ok?"
"I will, promise," Maya nodded. Her hand still tingled, and the feeling was slowly moving up her arm. "I'm hungry," she said, heading for the fridge as...
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