She Who Belongs to Nikolai

Chapter Twenty

[Unedited]

T W E N T Y

The Laracuena siblings sat across from each other, two on each side. The oldest sat with the youngest and the two middle children sat across from them with smiles on their faces. December had grazed their city and the temperatures had started to fall, while the three brothers had on their long sweaters, the youngest Elaina was bundled from head to toe with her brothers scarves that she could barely see them.

"On the 24rd we all go back home." Elijah said.

"Ah...." Elaina trailed.

"What?" Ethan raised a brow staring at her.

"On the 24th I have a dinner to attend with Nikolai..." She blushed, "But after that I'll be heading straight over though." She rushed out, "But this will also be my first time meeting his family and I'm really scared."

"Deep breathes, Iniya." Evan chuckled passing her a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

"I'm just nervous." She sighed taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"If they don't like you, we still like you." Evan teased, she glared at him huffing slightly.

"Shut it, you idiot." Ethan scolded, "If they don't like you, they don't deserve you. None of them." Elaina leaned against his arm hugging him tightly.

"Elijah aren't you going to say anything?" Evan nudged their brother whose face was buried in his phone.

"Oh sorry, what?" He questioned placing his phone inside his pocket.

"Eli..." Elaina raised a brow along with Ethan and Evan who all stared at him questioningly.

Elijah sighed as he laid his head on the table groaning. The two brothers stared at him questioningly while Elaina reached out poking the top of his head. She wanted to know if her brother was alright, what was happening with him.

"Eli.." She whined, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He mumbled.

"Come on, we need to talk about our Christmas this year." Evan groaned, "We're all going back home together, and we haven't gotten each other any presents, I mean what are you guys buying me?" He questioned glaring at them.

"Nothing now, you greedy pig." Elijah glared raising his head.

"Come on!" Evan glared back at him, "I've worked really hard to be your brother I deserve some presents. Nice ones."

"I'll give you a snow globe." Ethan smiled.

"You give me that every year," Evan complained.

Elaina shrugged her shoulders leaning back into the chair as she took yet another sip of her hot chocolate drink.

"I like snow globes." Elaina smiled, "Am I getting another one this year?" Ethan shook his head chuckling.

"I've given you every possible snow globe there is since your 5th birthday." Ethan laughed, "I'll get you something different this year." He smiled patting her head.

"I thought we were pulling this year?" Elijah questioned.

"My dear brother, you were so deep in your phone you didn't hear?" Evan teased raising a brow, Elijah glared at him elbowing his gut. "Ugh what the fu.." Elijah covered his mouth shaking his head.

"We aren't pulling this year," Ethan laughed lightly, "We'll go all out." Each sibling had a smirk on their face. Their parents had always resorted to pulling names after the siblings tried to one-up each other with each present they got each other. And this year their father had given them permission to go all out and no doubt they were going to try to one-up each other.