Julia

If I learned anything, our family wasn't normal. If they were a dryer, then sure. But they're not a dryer and abnormal in every sense of the word.

Let's see. You have Casp, who has a thing for Charlie, who's five years older than him. Jas has a crush on Dallas, who is nine years older than her. Jace is four years older than me. Not to mention the other billion family members with their age differences, except my parents, who are the same age. However, according to Mom, my dad acts like he's two half the time.

I lay on my couch staring at the ceiling while pondering everyone's age.

Jace chuckled while leaning over the back of the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Wondering why there's so many age differences with people in my family."

"Why?"

"It's one of life's many mysteries." I shrugged.

Jace walked around, lifted my legs, and sat down before placing them over his lap. "Jules, age is just a number when you become an adult. You can't help how old you are when you fall in love with someone."

I propped myself up on my forearms and looked at Jace. "True. But does age really matter if it's a huge gap?"

"I don't think so. Like we did, people fall in love when it's the right time for them. But we had time to get here."

"Did anyone tell you that you say the sweetest things?"

"Sometimes." Jace smiled at me.

I pushed myself into a seated position and grew serious. "What do you think will happen to Kent? Do you think he'll go to prison?"

"It depends on what happens in court. But he assaulted Charlie. No judge would go easy on someone for assault."

"I couldn't imagine letting a guy hit me. They would need to get through my family first."

"That's true. My dad told us about his childhood with the Harpers. He also told us about what he did and what his dad did to him and his brothers. My dad wasn't the nicest person when he was growing up."

"Really? Your dad seems so nice."

"Because my dad changed things about himself. The person he was had cost him everything. He had no one for a while except himself."

I knitted my brows in concern because Bradley was the sweetest guy I knew.

"Jules, my dad would do anything for people without asking for anything in return. He only wanted a family to love and for them to love him back. My mom, brothers, and I do. He's the first person we call whenever we have good news or need to talk. He never turns us away. We drove Odin up the wall in college because of the constant phone calls to my dad."

I couldn't help but giggle.

"But he always took our calls. It didn't matter what time or day it was."

"Your dad loves you, that's why."

"And so does yours. By the way, where are your parents?"

"Mom is working on a case, and Dad is finishing an electrical job."

"Where's Jas?"

We looked at each other before getting off the couch and running upstairs. When I opened Jas's door, she was lying on her bed and staring at her phone.

Jas looked up from her phone at us. "Is the house on fire?"

"No," I said.

"Then why did you burst into my room like it was?"

"Because you were quiet."

"And?" She raised her brow.

"We weren't sure what you were doing?"

"Apparently, I'm not doing anything, as you can see."

I folded my arms and walked toward her. "Why are you staying in your room? You're usually with the cousins."

"Have you met the cousins? They're usually getting into trouble. Did you want me to follow their example?"

"Well, no."

"Then be happy I'm not doing anything," Jas smirked.

My sister was something else.

*****
Jace

I love Jules, but she needs to relax about Jas. Jas has never given anyone a reason to worry. If anything, she stayed out of trouble, unlike Grace, Stella, Luna, and Lydia. Those girls were something else.

I lifted Jules off her feet and carried her out of Jas's room, shutting the door behind us. Then, I set her down on her feet.

"What was that for?" Jules asked with her arms folded across her chest.

"You need to give Jas a break. You're her older sister but can't always watch over her. Jas had a good head on her shoulders."

"I took my role as big sister seriously when Jas came around." Jules put her palm up to me.

"And I take my role as big brother seriously. But I can't keep Braydon and Dallas from making stupid decisions, which they will."

Jules lowered her hand and put them on her waist. "You don't have much faith in your brothers."

"I have faith in my brothers. But they always make stupid decisions." I shrugged with my hands on my waist.

Jules rolled her eyes as we headed downstairs to lounge on the couch. I didn't come over to watch Jules commandeer her big sister role. I wanted to spend time with her.

******
Julia

I entered the kitchen and grabbed snakes and two pops for Jace and me. He grabbed the pops while I carried the bag of chips into the living room. We sat on the couch and opened our pops and the bag of chips before turning on some random TV show. It's not like we pay much attention to it since we talk through it.

"Isn't your brothers' birthday coming up?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's next month. They're coming home for a few days to celebrate it with our parents."

"How does that work with their ball schedule?"

"They pick a weekend they're not playing. It works for them and our parents. Mom and Dad would never begrudge my brothers' dreams because it's their birthday."

"Isn't Charlie and her sisters' birthday coming up?"

"Their birthdays are in January. I'm sure Dallas and Braydon will celebrate Darby and Emerald's birthday. I'm not sure about Charlie, though."

"I'm sure we can figure out something for Charlie's birthday since she's single as a Pringle."

"You might not want to remind Charlie of her current status. Being single after a relationship ends. It's another reminder of your relationship not working out."

"I doubt Charlie will stay single once Casp turns eighteen. He's dying to make a move on Charlie."

"That's disturbing."

"Have you met Casp? Everything about him is disturbing."

Jace chuckled before popping a chip into his mouth.

*******
Caspiam

I started college and worked when I wasn't studying. My mom thought I was insane for taking so many classes while working, and my dad worried I was pushing myself too hard. But they didn't understand. If I doubled my class load, I wouldn't graduate early with my contractor's license.

Plus, I had plans to graduate in three years with Jules. She was studying public relations, wanting to salvage people's reputations. Yeah, good luck. Most people do stupid shit and get themselves into trouble.

I was working on my coursework when my bedroom door opened, and Dad popped his head inside.

"Were you planning to eat dinner?" He asked.

My stomach rumbled at his question.

My dad chuckled. "That answers my question."

I shook my head, exited my desk, and straightened my mess before leaving my room. We walked into the kitchen and joined Mom and the devil twins at the kitchen table. We passed dishes of food around and dished it onto our plates.

"Casp, are you sure you want to take so many classes?" Mom asked.

"If I want to graduate early, I need to push myself," I said before eating.

"No one says you need to push yourself. You're sixteen."

"And I'll be seventeen in February."

"Casp, your mom and I want you to reduce your class load next semester. We also need to discuss your OCD issue. I made an appointment with Jayden for you," my dad said.

I didn't argue with my dad because it wouldn't help. I've been dealing with my OCD for years. Jayden has helped me to control my compulsion, which can get extreme. My folks and Jayden explained that it stemmed from when I was an infant before I came to live with my parents. The people before my parents had abused and neglected me for two years. Everyone thought I was an infant when Kayden brought me to my parents. I wasn't.

Not you couldn't even tell I suffered neglect since I put on height and weight. I was the same height as my dad, at six feet one. My size throws people off. They think I'm older than I am. It's not my fault construction puts on muscle.

"Okay, I'll talk to Jayden when I see him," I told my parents.

Dad looked at Thor and Loki. "Principal Weston called us. Couldn't you wait a few weeks before causing trouble?"

"We wouldn't cause trouble if the hoe brigade would leave us alone," Thor said.

"Thor," Dad said.

"Thor isn't wrong. Trina and her hoes won't leave anyone with the last name Harper alone," Loki said.

"It doesn't help Banks starts his shit," Thor said.

"Watch your mouths. You're fourteen." Dad pointed his fork at my brothers. "Now, I don't want any more phone calls from the school for at least a few weeks. I'm trying to finish a build."

My brothers nodded in agreement. At least they were willing to give Dad a reprieve before they started their antics again. Mom enjoys watching Dad deal with my brothers and me. She said it was his punishment since she had to carry the twins. At least my parents care.