My Only Exception

Chapter One

Amelia, on the other hand was everything I resented in this life. She was unmistakably beautiful, she had one blue and one brown eye; something everybody always drooled over. She had the looks and the smarts, being the ultimate golden child.

Everybody loved, Amelia.

Before, my thoughts could turn against me and become intrusive, I was yanked back to reality when a tug emitted from the hem of my sweatshirt. Peering down through my heavy lashes I scooped up the grinning child in a second.

Casen erupted into a pit of laughter as I threw the 6 year old over my shoulder and began tickling him as I ran around in circles.

Running away from the adults and into the family room, I mock slammed him onto the couch, making a tickling motion with my hands. "You awoke the tickle monster! Here she comes!"

"No!" He screamed loudly as he leaped off the couch, taking off towards the way we came in.

"Mommy! Save me from the tickle monster!" He tucked his head deep between our mom's legs, giggling as I feigned innocence. "Wherever, could he have gone!" I claimed to myself in a deeper voice than normal, attempting to sound like the Cookie Monster off of Sesame Street.

He giggled, loudly as he jumped out from behind mom's legs claiming, "Here I am, here I am!"

"Ahhh!" I yelled, as I ran through the adults that were all watching amused. I grabbed the child and began tickling him as he laughed loudly, I made a feign snacking noise as I blew raspberries onto his now exposed stomach.

I was panting once I placed him back on the ground, catching my breath with my hands on my knees. "Jeez, kid. You're getting heavy these days." He protested with a head shake and a stomp causing me to laugh lightly.

"Lincoln, are you excited to go back to school." My face dropped and I gave my grandfather the 'cmon now, look.' He only chuckled as he pulled me into his side again. "Awe, it won't be so bad!"

I rolled my eyes, "You're only saying that because you haven't been to school in centuries, old man." He pushed me away teasingly as he scoffed causing me to laugh with a shake my head. My father's laugh boomed, always encouraging me as he reached out for a fist bump.

Knocking our knuckles together grandpa only shook his head at us. "No, I'm not ready, especially because I hate the idea of starting over by myself." Before, anyone could reply mom spoke up.

"Well, not entirely alone." Her statement was vague with a ghost of a smile spread across her full lips. I looked at her questionably, but before I could reply a knock sounded on the door and soon I could hear the yelling from where we stood near the kitchen, the new guest letting themself in.

Heavy footsteps sounded as the floor shook gently, as the grown man came running in, charging as fast as he could to my father. "Ace!" I watched as the grown man engulfed his whole body around my father, the two nearly crashing to the ground with the collision.

My dad groaned as he pushed his best friend off of him as we all watched amused, nan and mom laughing lightly with a head shake. He pouted as he straightened his shirt and huffed, soon meeting eyes with me. "Linky link!" He screamed and I pretended to be petrified, throwing grandpa in front of me as a shield.

"No, no, no!" I chanted as he cooed for me. "Awe, cmon you didn't miss your favorite Uncle?" I scoffed as I swatted his hands from behind Grandpa, who protested weakly. "Favorite Uncle?" I questioned as I now directed my conversation to my grinning parents, "I don't see Uncle Tyler anywhere around here do y'all?" I feigned innocence and confusion as I glanced mockingly around the kitchen.

"I see you've inherited your mother's wit." I chuckled as he pushed through my human barricade and crumpled me into his hug, tossing me up. I laughed as I protested for him to put me down. Finally, setting me down it was my turn to straighten out my shirt with my hands.

"Where's, Belle?" It was my mother who spoke and before he could answer her breathy reply came, "Leaving her and his daughter alone just to come reunite his stupid ass bromance." Peering around Uncle Jake, I took in my beautiful Auntie Belle.

My eyes bulged as I looked beside her and made eye contact with the so very familiar pale blue eyes I have missed everyday for the past 3 summers now. "Aria!" I screamed at the same time she screamed "Lincoln!"

We rushed to each other, folding into one another once we were close enough, we laughed lightly together as my eyes pricked. We pulled back and I took in her glossy eyes as she did mine. "I've missed you." She mumbled, causing me to agree.

"Alright, you've had your reunion, let me see my niece." I chuckled as I shifted towards my Auntie, her arms wrapped tightly around me as we hugged. She pulled back and held the sides of my face, grinning at me. "Look, how beautiful you are!" I only smiled lightly back at her, refusing to let my thoughts bring me down today.

"Okay!" Aria butted in, effectively cutting off all the adults while reaching for my hand "-Lincoln and I are going to be catching up!" With her hand still engulfed in mine, she pulled us towards the main hall.

My parents laughs faded quickly as Aria basically ripped my arm off, tugging me with her like I was her doll. She wrapped her entire arms around my one, squeezing me tightly. We giggled for no reason, the thought of us being together again caused a bubbly feeling to settle into my stomach.

With this newfound feeling of actual happiness, I took it and ran.

Almost quite literally- for it was me now dragging Aria by our interlocked hands to my bedroom.