𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮
¹⁰ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ ⁱ ʰᵃᵗᵉ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘ

The warm glow of the living room lamp cast a cozy light over the space as Elena curled up on the couch, a blanket draped over her legs.

Her twin brother, Aaron, was sprawled out beside her, one arm thrown over the armrest, his attention half on his phone and half on the screen.

"Okay, I still don't get why we're watching this," Aaron muttered as the opening credits of 10 Things I Hate About You rolled. "We could've gone with something cool, like Die Hard or—"

"Aaron," Elena interrupted, giving him a playful glare. "It's movie night. My pick. And I'm in the mood for a rom-com, so suck it up."

Soli, their mom, walked in with a bowl of popcorn. "Elena's got good taste, Aaron. This one's a classic."

"It's about time someone around here appreciates my brilliance," Elena said, flipping her hair dramatically.

Shon, their dad, followed behind her with drinks in hand. "I'm not complaining. I want to sleep In my bed tonight "

Aaron groaned, stuffing his phone in his pocket. "Fine, but if there's too much kissing, I'm walking out."

Elena laughed, nudging him with her elbow. "Don't act like you don't secretly love this movie."

The family settled in as the movie began, the usual banter filling the room. When the iconic bleacher serenade scene came on, Elena clutched her blanket, sighing dramatically. "This is cinema. I want this level of romance in my life."

Aaron snorted, glancing at her. "Oh, please. Mason would probably do that for you if you asked."

Elena froze for a moment, shooting him a sharp look. "What are you talking about?"

Soli's ears perked up, and she grinned as she turned to Elena. "Mason? Isn't he one of your best friends? I mean, I know you played love interests in Black Phone. Did I miss something?"

"Mom, no," Elena groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "There's nothing to miss."

Aaron smirked, leaning back with his arms crossed. "Nothing, huh? You two are always texting, though."

Shon chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Well, Mason sounds like a solid guy. If you ever did date, I'd approve."

"Dad!" Elena exclaimed, pulling the blanket over her head. "Stop. You're all insane."

Soli laughed, patting Elena's leg through the blanket. "Relax, sweetheart. We're just teasing. But for the record, Mason is adorable."

Aaron laughed along, enjoying Elena's embarrassment a little too much. "Adorable. That's a good word for him."

Elena groaned from under the blanket, muttering, "I'm moving out."

"Not until you finish this movie," Shon said, a teasing grin on his face.

Despite the teasing, the rest of the night passed in a comfortable rhythm. By the time the credits rolled, Elena had managed to recover, though she knew the teasing about Mason wouldn't end anytime soon.

— ETERNAL SUNSHINE —