chapter one • a matthews family morning

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Ivy Matthews

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Ivy Matthews

My mom always talks about how our names have great importance.

My older sister's name is Gracie Milan Matthews, she has my dead aunt's first name, and my mom's middle name is also hers.

Then there's my twin brother Jackson Grey Matthews, his first name is my dad's middle name and his middle name is the first half of my mom's maiden name.

There's also my baby sister Carolina James Matthews and since we adopted her a few years ago she already had her first name but when the adoption was finalized she wanted to make her old last name become her middle name.

Lastly, there's me,

"Ivy Jade Matthews!" My mom yells as I unlock the front door of our family's brownstone with Dylan trailing behind me.

Ivy Jade Matthews, my first name after my maternal grandmother, and my middle name after my paternal grandmother. I never got to meet my mom's mom because she died way before I was born but I love my dad's mom, every first weekend of every month we go to my dad's parent's house for brunch.

"Yeah, Mom?" I question, knowing full well why she's mad that Dylan and I are entering the house at 11:30 at night when we have school for tomorrow. We both cross the threshold into the kitchen, Dylan is a little more hesitant than me because she deals with my mom's rage less.

"Why the hell are you coming home at 11:30 at night on a Wednesday and why are you roping poor Dylan into it." She runs a hand through her long blonde hair and adds under her breath so quietly I can barely hear, "I do not want another phone call from her mother about her being out so late."

"you said it was fine earlier today when I told you we needed to go somewhere for a video shoot. The studio we needed to rent only had the 9-11 timeslot, and we took Gary. We made sure to be safe."

Gary is the bodyguard my siblings and I have shared since Gracie was in kindergarten. He mostly goes with Carolina to places now because she's still in elementary school but whenever I'm going somewhere after dark I make sure to take him with me so my parents don't have a heart attack.

"If I would have known you would be walking around on the streets at 11 at night I wouldn't have said yes. Also, you didn't send out a text when you were leaving here or when you were leaving the studio, I just don't want anything to happen to you, the city can be dangerous at night, especially for two pretty teenage girls."

"Mom, I grew up here. I know the city like the back of my hand. I know which streets and allies to avoid at what times. I was safe, I promise." I look over at her with my best puppy eyes and her shoulders relax slightly, a little agitation still visible on her frame.

Being my dad's practical twin works out in my favor sometimes. While Gracie has my mom's long blonde hair and my dad's blue eyes and Jackson has a mix between both my parent's hair colors and Mom's gray eyes, I have my dad's dark brown hair and his blue eyes. Mine are a little icier than his but they still work wonders in the "getting my mom off my back" department.

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