LACY

"You're a piece of shit, you know that?" Macy said as she straddled me on the bed, pinning me down. She was thin but she was also strong. She didn't have a black belt in karate for no reason. Her hands and feet could literally be classified as lethal weapons.

"Could you get off me?"

"No! Not until you tell me about mister tall, dark, and mysterious."

"There's nothing to tell Mace," I groaned, trying to wiggle out of her hold.

"Sure there isn't. You stayed the night there and didn't tell anyone."

"Because I didn't have a phone."

"That's no excuse, Lacy Black! Anyway, tell me what you both did! PLEASE!" she prolonged the please and fluttered her puppy dog eyes at me.

"Nothing special. We slept," I began, "But I took the bed and he took the floor."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, that's what happened. Now get off me!" I demanded.

She mumbled something under her breath before practically skipping over to my walk-in closet. Half the clothes contained in that closet weren't even mine. Macy was a shopaholic and whenever she bought something new she stored it in my closet before finding an appropriate time to take it home. She just couldn't say no to anything pink or shiny.

"So at least tell me his name," she called out from inside the closet.

I laid my head back onto my pillow and placed hands over my stomach, "Dylan. Dylan Reed." Just the mere mention of his name sent a weird sensation throughout my body. My stomach tangled in knots and goosebumps formed on my arms, leaving my hair to stand on end. A smile spread across my face. One that made the muscles of my cheeks sore because the smile refused to fade away.

I had just found out his name yesterday when his roommate came home. I was dead set on finding it out myself, wanting to play detective but my plans were now officially foiled.

"Dylan? Not a bad name," Macy said, kneeling on the threshold of the closet with crossed arms and legs. Her lips quirked into an amused smirk and her eyes glistened with interest.

"Yeah, but I prefer to call him Lucifer," I felt a slight blush creep up my neck.

"OH MY GOD! You're so totally blushing right now," she gushed, running and pouncing onto the bed like an animal that had been just released from its cage.

I grabbed a throw pillow and squashed it over my face to conceal my sudden embarrassment.

"I never thought I'd see the day that Lacy Black would embrace color in her life."

I removed the pillow slightly, "What are you on about?"

"Your face is beetroot red," she deadpanned.

I let out an exasperated sigh, "Whatever!"

"So does he have it as bad as you?" she asked, crossing her legs and placing her elbows on her knees whilst perching her face in the palms of her hands.

I shrugged and kept my intense gaze on one spot of my plain white ceiling.

Did he have it bad for me?

Did I really have it bad for him?

I wouldn't mind. He was mysterious and that intrigued me. He didn't treat me like some overly rich kid neither did he treat me like one of Malik's reject kids. Probably because he was one as well but he treated me like an ordinary human being and I appreciated that.

It's kind of harsh, now that I thought about it, to call all the kids Malik worked with 'rejects'. But in a way, that was exactly what we were. Everyone gave up on us, rejected us, cast us aside, and then Malik came along and every kid that had the pleasure of meeting that man changed their life around.

"I don't know what he thinks of me but I do know one thing for sure," I shifted my eyes from the ceiling to meet Macy's gaze.

"What's that?" her eyebrows furrowed.

"Father would hate him!"

"Uncle J hates everyone!" she rolled her eyes sarcastically, "Seriously though! Forget uncle J. I've never seen you this happy before."

"Easy for you to say. He isn't your father!"

"You're a twenty-three-year-old woman. When will you start acting like one, Lace?" her tone dripped with concern.

"I guess the day I leave this house."

"Oh hello. Then do it already. You could always come crash with me," she playfully punched me in the arm.

I shot her an unflattering look, "You snore louder than a cow giving birth, and don't get me started on the way you kick... "

"Oh shut your trap. You're just full of complaints."

Macy was the only friend I ever had. Yes, she was family but she was also my best friend. I didn't bother making new friends after I got out of my old group of friends. I didn't find the need to because I always had Macy. But sometimes I had to lie to Macy because once she started talking she let a lot of incriminating information out. She never exactly thought before she spoke and before she realized what she said, it's already hanging in the air.

I would have happily told Macy about Lucifer cooking dinner for me for the second time and I would have told her the truth about us sleeping in the same bed because that was all we did but I didn't want her blurting anything out to father.

I wanted to know what we were before I said anything to anyone. He confused me. This morning he left before I could wake up. He didn't even leave a note behind or anything. His roommate was also nowhere to be seen so I assumed they went to college and he was rushing so he forgot to leave a note. I may or may not have brought the shirt he let me wear home with me.

I couldn't help it. It had his musky scent combined with my sweet one. Whenever I missed him throughout the day I would inhale the scent from the shirt. Unfortunately, I seemed to always miss him.

He seemed so broken and so in need. The two nights we spent together he had nightmares that he didn't wake up from very easily. He must have had those every night for all I knew and that worried me. He never opened up. He never said a word. I knew he remembered what they were about but he refused to tell me and that killed me.

I desperately wanted to help him. I wanted to hold him and tell him that everything would be okay. But how could I do that when I didn't even know what bothered him?

I wouldn't call him secretive, although, every time my gaze met his I saw something cold in his eyes. He was guarded because he didn't know how to trust and for some reason I wanted him to trust me. I needed him to trust me.

I wanted to know him for him and not just what he wanted to show me or share with me. I was an open book for him and I didn't necessarily want him to be an open book as well. I just wanted him to allow me to read the first chapter of his story. Maybe if I was lucky he would let me read the second as well. Pretty soon I'd be fully immersed in the story of Dylan Reed and I would know everything about him. Maybe that way we would be more comfortable around each other.

~~~

Silence! Deafening silence!

All that could be heard was the clanging sound that our eating utensils made when it made contact with mother's expensive China.

The family, which consisted of my little twin brothers, mother, father, and I, sat around the oval-shaped, mahogany dinner table. It was something I remember doing from my childhood. Sitting around the dinner table like one big, happy family.

Well, that was the biggest joke thus far!

We always sat in silence. Even now that my brothers were here. Those eight-year-olds who could never seem to shut their yap kept it closed due to fear. Mother never said a word either. Out of all of us, mother was the one who was scared of father the most.

It was visible every time he barked his orders and she would quiver in her skin. The moment father opened his mouth, mother shrunk deeper into her shell for protection from whatever blow he was about to induce.

He never hurt her physically nor emotionally. He never called her names or reduced her into a pit of nothingness. But at the same time, he never gave her the time of day. He never showed her love. Not even with a simple gesture.

It left me to wonder how the hell the two of them even got married, to begin with. It wouldn't surprise me if father and mother just married each other because it was good for my grandfather's business. It would make sense why he felt pushing Brian on me was a good idea.

"Why did Macy go home so early? She should have stayed for dinner," mother said. Her voice was almost unheard.

"She didn't feel like sticking around for the fireworks," I sarcastically grinned while imagining a piece of pot roast chicken was father's face and stabbing my fork into it. A giggle bubbled out of my mouth bringing all attention to me.

"Are you okay Lacy?" mother asked, looking at me strangely.

"There's nothing wrong with a little bit of humor mother. Even if it is dark humor!"

Father grunted at that as if he were some kind of pig. I could see it now. Him as a pig roast with an apple stuck in that cynical mouth of his.

All these thoughts aren't good for you, my subconscious reminded me.

It's either I use those thoughts to entertain myself or I let these people drive me completely crazy.

Why don't you try being nice for a change?

I would but what fun with that be, I thought to myself.

I felt as if I had an angel and a demon on each of my shoulders and right now I was pretty certain that the angel was busy rolling its eyes at me while the demon was dancing for joy for it seemed to be winning this battle.

From the corner of my eye, I caught my brothers staring at me as if I've completely lost all the sense I had in me. I couldn't help the chuckle that trumpeted out of my mouth due to the look on both my brothers' faces.

"Caroline, is she drinking again?" father asked while dabbing the edges of his mouth with a napkin.

"And if I was, why would that bother you?"

Father's head snapped in my direction, offering me a scornful glare, "Look, young lady, you better get your act together before the wedding!" My father's voice was low but his words sure did pack a punch.

"Wait what!" I jolted up from my seat, "There is no wedding, or did you fail to see the son of a bitch slap me in front of a room full of your colleagues and friends."

"You egged him on!"

"That didn't mean he had to take the bait. He has no respect for anyone besides himself," I started to laugh maniacally, "He's a lot like you actually and I'd be damned if I end up with anyone who is anything like you!"

My fists connected with the table causing the cutlery to make a loud sound. I then turned on my heel and stomped off.

"Where do you think you're going?" father yelled.

I didn't respond. The moment I set foot into my room I searched for a suitcase to stuff all my necessary belongings in. I grabbed a few hangers that contained a few shirts of mine and stuffed a couple of pairs of jeans in the suitcase as well. Finally, I stuffed my toiletries in my suitcase and carried it downstairs.

"Lacy, dear, where are you going?" my mother asked distraughtly. Her bottom lip trembled and tears weld up in her eyes.

I wrapped my arms around her in a warm embrace. She was so much shorter than me and I was pretty short. Her tears soaked into my tank top, leaving a round watermark behind when she finally pulled away from me.

"Mother would you relax. I'll be just fine", I used the tips of my fingers to wipe her tears away, "I'm not a child anymore."

"You will always be my child," she whimpered.

A weak smile covered my face. I felt sorry for the woman who stood in front of me. She always did everything to make me happy but I couldn't do anything to at least put a decent smile on her face.

I realized, growing up, that she tended to evade certain things or discussions because she didn't want father to be harder on me than what he already was. I noticed and acknowledged what she did for me and what she still does for me but my mother was just too quiet for her own good and I wished she would finally do what made her happy.

I bent down and ruffled Dean's hair before softly punching Sean in the shoulder, "Be good you two," I shot them a wink and kissed both of them on the forehead.

The last person to say goodbye too was father. I stole a quick second to glance at him and noticed that he didn't even care that his only daughter and eldest child decided to leave the house due to his insolence. He was busy on his phone doing only God knows what.

My mother offered me an apologetic smile which I returned and then stepped out of the house, not looking back.

~~~

"I thought you said you will never use that car because Brian bought it for you?" Macy asked as she helped me unpack my suitcase.

"Yeah, but I didn't feel like taking a cab and it was just there. I decided to use it in the heat of the moment," I shrugged.

"I can't believe you took my advice."

"Yeah!" I breathed, "Thank God your parents have a guest room."

"You're welcome here any time dear," Aunt Coral said and uncle B followed her into the room.

Sometimes I wished my grandmother never named my aunt and mother similar names. It's not only strangers who got confused by it but also me. It didn't help that they were practically identical.

Growing up, people mixed Macy's and my name up as well. We didn't look alike but our names were so similar that people tended to mix it up.

There was only one way I knew I would remember the difference in my aunts and mother's name. My aunt's nickname was something you'd find in the sea while my mother's was something you sing. Coral and Carol!

"Hungry, girls?" Uncle B asked, drawing me out of my thoughts.

Everyone in the room nodded happily.

"Pizza then?"

"How about Chinese?" a sheepish grin spread across aunt Coral's face.

"I got you that last night," uncle B looked at her in disbelief.

"It's not my fault," aunt Coral said, bringing her hands up in mock surrender.

"I know, I know! What the baby wants, the baby gets!"

Macy and I exchanged glances before we both said in unison, "What!"

"Wait, hold up," Macy began as she took baby steps toward her mother, "What baby?"

Aunt Coral smiled, took Macy's hands in hers, and placed them on her belly where her womb rested with a now growing baby inside it.

"I thought you didn't want children after me?" Macy asked in disbelief. Bewilderment clear in her tone.

"We didn't. It kind of just happened."

Macy's jaw hung low. I strode over to her and her mother trying to stifle down my bubbling laughter.

"I'm happy for all three of you. Congratulations," I gushed before looking down at aunt Coral's belly and pointing my index finger at it, "Now you listen up little man or woman because you're going to want to heed my words. You should stay in there for as long as you possibly can because I don't think you will ever be ready for this eccentric family."

"Eccentric huh?" aunt Coral said with a roll of her eyes.

"It's the only decent word I could find."

With that, uncle B left the room and aunt Coral followed suit to order us some food. Although I ate before I arrived here I was still practically starving. You have no idea how much energy being a rebellious kid takes. I could probably eat an entire pizza myself.

I guess me not eating half my supper also contributed to why I was so hungry. I was too busy playing with my food and picturing it as father's face. I still find it funny even now.

I would never really want to stab my father. I mean, I faint at the sight of my own blood, that's the level of weak I am. But he pushed me to my boiling point as if I was some kind of kettle and for some reason every time he fished a fight with me I couldn't help but catch the bait.

I completed my unpacking and neatened the room out. I even found a place to stash my suitcase. Let me give you a hint where all teenagers stash their belongings! UNDER THEIR BED!

I slid into a pair of black silk pajamas that hugged my waist making me look thinner than I actually was. It was hard work being a curvy woman. When I finally turned to speak to Macy I realized she was still standing in the position she was left in a good ten minutes ago.

I stood in front of Macy and waved my hand slowly in front of her face. She didn't blink, there was no sign of her breathing either. She just stood there, still, with a blank expression on her face.

The thought of slapping her back to reality crossed my mind but I didn't see that ending too well for me. She seemed to be paralyzed by shock, staring into an endless hole of nothingness.

I didn't think the information about her mother being pregnant would affect her that bad. To be honest, I expected her to be over the moon considering that she had been the only child from her parents which made them a bit too protective over her.

I placed my hands on each of her shoulders and shook her violently trying to remove her from her somewhat possessed state.

"She...my mother...she's," Macy stammered as her arm slowly rose and she pointed at the doorway.

"Yeah, she's pregnant Mace! What's the big deal?" I rhetorically asked, rolling my eyes.

Her eyebrows furrowed and forehead crinkled. Her lips stiffened into a straight line and a sick expression took the place of the blank one she had just seconds ago. She started making gagging noises before turning to me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, hitting Macy lightly over the head.

She scrunched her nose, brought her hand up to the spot I hit, and rubbed it, "Don't you get it?"

"Get what?" I pinched the bridge of my nose with my forefinger and thumb.

"She's pregnant! My parents still..." she trailed off, giving me a disgusted look, "You know!"

A hysterical laugh bubbled out of me, "So what? I bet you will still be doing that at their age."

She playfully shoved me causing me to topple on the bed. I rolled across the bed holding my stomach while I let the laughter take full control of me to the point where tears began to brim my eyelids. My stomach muscles cramped from laughing so much and my cheeks pained from the irremovable smile that plastered my face.

"It's not that funny!" she huffed in annoyance.

"No, no it is! How is it that that's the first thing which came to your mind?"

"Any normal person would think that," she countered.

"Not exactly."

"I just find it really gross, that's all."

"Can we stop talking about your parents' sex life?" I asked, perching myself up on my elbows, "Are you excited about being a big sister?"

"Duh! I'm keeping my little brother or sister far away from you though."

"Can't wait to be a bad influence on the kid," the corner of my lips quirked up.

She shot me a dry glare that would probably drain all the color of a clown's face.

Macy and I discussed what she would do when her baby brother or sister would finally arrive. I told her all about my time with Sean and Dean. The good, the bad, and even the worst. More often than not, Macy was always with us so she experienced firsthand how intrusive and annoying younger siblings can be. But she also had the privilege to both see the love they had in them and the innocence they portrayed.

The relationship siblings have can never be broken. It could be bent or twisted but never broken and that's what made it so special. Siblings could fight and argue one second and be completely loving the next. That was the kind of bond siblings had.

Aunt Coral had called for us the moment the food arrived. When Macy and I arrived downstairs we found both Chinese and pizza on the coffee table in the lounge.

"I thought it would be nice to watch a movie and stuff our faces with food," aunt Coral said excitedly.

Together, we all settled down in front of the television. Uncle B chose a movie and we all sat happy and content.

Remember to hulk smash that star at the bottom of the screen my lovelies!