now that I'm without your kisses,
I'll be needing stitches.
- Stitches, Shawn Mendes
~*~
"Catherine? Can you help me set the table, please?"
I looked up from my homework to meet my mothers eyes. Seeing the look of frustration in them, I immediately set my work aside and stood up. "Sure."
"Here," she said, handing me a few wet plates and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You know the drill."
"Mom, the twins are coming home, not the president." I rolled my eyes but proceeded to place the plates carefully on the table.
Just as I was about to set the last plate down, it slipped out my grasp and fell on the ground, shattering into a million pieces. The clanking sound could probably be heard even a million miles away.
My heart almost stopped beating for a second in shock, or I was probably just being dramatic. I hastily moved away from the broken pieces and turned to my mom with pleading eyes.
Her eyes were glowing with soft rage and her face was as cold as ice. She tucked another loose strand of hair behind her and straightened her posture. "Clean it up," she ordered me, pointing to the broomstick in the corner.
Just as I was about to reach for it, however, the doorbell rang.
"It's them!" I squealed, a bright glow illuminating my face as I turned to my mother. "The twins are here!"
"They're here, indeed," my mother whispered. moving towards the door. Before she was out if my sight, I could swear I saw a few tears slip down her cheeks.
Letting go of the twins was the hardest thing my mother ever had to do. University in London had been the twins' dream ever since the were younger but for my mother, it was her worst nightmare.
The last person she'd sent off to London didn't come back.
Burying these deep thoughts inside my brain, I put on a smile and rushed to the door, eager to greet the twins.
As soon as I was in sight of them, I stopped. From a distance, it was hard to tell them apart. Their deep-brown eyes glinted with the same passion by which it'd been glinting since the beginning of time. Their dark brown hair were tied in ponytails which were as alike as two symmetrical halves of a square.
When they finally spotted me, their lips stretched into synchronized heartwarming smiles.
"Cath," Brianna, the older twin exclaimed, walking forward and hugging me tight. Brett, the other twin, followed suit. I wrapped my arms around both of them and smiled unconsciously.
"It's good to see you both again," I said, pulling back, a genuine smile still on my lips. My entire system felt relaxed after a long time, all the stress having left my body.
I'd missed my stepsisters a lot.
"You've grown," Brianna said, scanning her eyes across my body.
"How old are you now? Fourteen?" Brett asked, her eyes twinkling with humor.
"I'm sixteen, guys, and you've been away for a year, not a hundred. So don't pretend like you've had amnesia." I placed my hands on my hips, raising an eyebrow at them.
Brianna opened her mouth to speak but the sound of the doorbell cut her off.
I slowly walked forward and pushed the door open, peeping outside.
I was greeted by the tall, grinning form of Jason.
"You've invited Jace for dinner too, I see," Brett commented. "Good to see you, Jace."
"You too," he said, grinning at them. "It's been a while."
Jace and I went way back; we practically grew up together. In the process, our families became good friends as well and hence, they treated Jace like they were related by blood.
"I'm hungry!" I groaned, interrupting the others' conversation. "Can we eat, please?"
"Yeah, let's eat," Jace said, walking towards the kitchen.
Then, the rest of us followed suit.
• • • • •
The broken pieces of the plates were left untouched on the floor.
I opened my mouth to utter a word of caution when I heard the sound of something heavy falling on the ground accompanied by a loud, painful groan.
My eyes widened of its own accord as I turned around, dreading the worst.
My mom was deep in conversation with the twins, having missed the last few seconds of the happenings in my side of the room.
Sweat beads formed on the base of my forehead as I gazed st the horrendous sight in front of me. Jace was lying down on the floor. his left hand covered in a pool of blood. Drops of blood dotted his wrist, trailing down his arm.
In his other hand, he was clutching a broken chunk of the plate, the edges searing into his palm.
But I hadn't seen the worst yet.
My eyes trailed up to his face, a gasp escaping my mouth at what I saw there. Jace's deep-blue eyes were filled with pain, pain deeper than anything I'd seem before. His mouth was set in a thin line and he was chewing his bottom lip to keep him from screaming. He looked close to tears; a condition in which I hasn't seen him in for a long time.
"Help -- Me -- Up," he croaked out, his voice cracking from the effort.
My heart pained to see him I'm this condition; hurt, vulnerable and in wretched agony.
I took one last look at him, my eyes filled with my sincerest sympathy. Only then did I rush to the other side of the living room, my heart thumping in anxiety.
I tapped my mom's back and pointed at Jace, not saying a word.
Her eyes bulged out of her head, her forehead creasing in slight fear. Without a moment of hesitation, she grabbed Brianna by her hand an pulled her to poor Jace.
"What's happen -- " She stopped the second she saw Jace, her face set in firm determination. "I'll handle this," she said, her voice etched with confidence.
She nodded to Brett who nodded back and followed her to the other side of the room. Brett took out a first aid box from the cabinet and began working on Jace. Brianna joined her with the bandages, soon after.
From a distance, I couldn't see Jace's face but I imagined that the pain he was going through wasn't easy to bear.
"How did it happen?" My mom whispered to me, her voice soft.
"The . . . broken pieces of the plate I dropped." My voice shook slightly as I spoke, hit with a sudden realization. "Shouldn't he be taken to the hospital?"
"Your sisters are a wonder with healing tools," my mom answered. "They'll fix him up."
"Yeah," I said, more myself than anyone else. "They'll fix him up."
• • • • • • • • • •
Well, that's the next chapter. I wanted to introduce you to the twins, hope that came out alright.
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See y'all later!
