Arianna
"Are you my twin?"
Angelina stiffened and her smile vanished. She had a blank expression and her eyes showed pain and guilt.
Guilt?
She averted her eyes and looked straight at nothing in particular.
"No.", she answered in a tone, I couldn't recognize.
"But Theo said we are of the same age. So shouldn't you be my twin?", I asked.
Theo wouldn't lie about her age, I'm sure. Then if we are of the same age, she should be my twin, right?
"I'm not your twin.", she replied in the same tone.
She is not my twin? Then were we born in the same year, but with some months gap?
"Then were you bo-", I was rudely cut off in the middle of my question.
"Angel, Ace is calling you.", it was Ash, standing at the door, with a blank expression.
Angelina looked at him and smiled, but this time, her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"I'll come. I'm speaking to Anna right now.", she replied.
Anna?
Oh! That's me!
She gave me a nickname too. So does that mean I can call her angel too?
"Ace is in a hurry, angel.", Ash's voice broke me out of my thoughts.
"Oh! I'll go see him then.", saying so, she turned towards me and gave an apologetic smile,
"Excuse me, Anna. I'll have to go. We'll continue our conversation later. It was nice talking to you."
I smiled and said, "It was nice talking to you too.".
She then walked out of the room. But, Ash was still standing at the door. I just looked at the floor and decided it would be better to leave the room. So I took a step towards the door, but Ash's words halted me.
"Stay away from Angelina."
I looked up at him shocked. He had a cold expression, causing chills to run down my spine. He is not as scary as Vince, but he can scare people too, if chooses to.
"W-Why?", I questioned.
Why should I stay away from her? She is my sister. I have a right to know her. Why does he not want me to talk to one of the only two people who are nice to me?
"Because I said so.", he told with the same cold expression and firm tone.
"S-She's m-my sister.", I said.
"I hope you will do as I say.", his tone held a warning that I clearly could hear.
After that, he stood straight and walked away with hands in his pockets.
Why does he not want me to talk to her? Did he not like me? Does he think I'm weird, just like how the whole school did? But Theo was nice to me. He even told that I will come to like Angelina. And just as he said, I like her. She is easy to talk to and friendly.
Should I listen to him? Should I stop talking to her?
I clearly heard the warning in his tone. He already looks scary and I don't want to provoke him by disobeying. I don't want him to hate me and eventually start bullying me. I don't want to go through all that again.
But Angelina looked like a good person. I thought we could be good friends and probably sisters someday. But seems like I don't have such luck. Just like always.
Sigh.
As I was in my thoughts, Sofia's voice broke me out of my trance.
"Miss, you are being called for dinner.", she smiled and looked slightly confused.
"O-Okay.", I replied.
I realized I am still in Angelina's room and understood Sofia's confusion. Maybe she thought I'm sneaking. So to clear her confusion, I said,
"I was talking to Angelina, then, she went to meet Ace.".
Sofia smiled, "Oh! That's great. I hope you are getting along well. She's such a lovely person.".
She is. But I can no longer talk to her. I don't want to get bullied or abused again. I sighed and followed Sofia to the dining room.
There was a guard at the door and he opened it after giving a nod to Sofia and a slight bow to me.
Why is he giving be a bow?
I walked into the dining room and saw Angelina talking to Ace and Dylan discussing something with Ash. They looked normal. They looked like a unit. Like a family.
Will I ever be one among them? Will I ever share a good bond with my siblings?
Will I ever have a family?
"Take a seat, Arianna.", Vince's voice came from behind me. I jumped a little, startled.
By now, everyone's looking at me. I didn't know where to sit. Today, in the morning, everything got so tense in the room. I don't want that to happen again. So I decided to sit leaving a chair, beside Ash, who happens to sit beside Theo. At least that's how they sat in the morning.
So, I was going towards the table, but just then, Theo walked in.
"Hey guys!", Angelina greeted with a smile.
"Hey, angel.", Theo returned her smile, but Vince just sat on his chair, not acknowledging her greeting. Her smile fell a little, but she composed quickly.
"Aria, come sit here.", Theo said pointing to the chair next to Vince, on the left. He himself sat beside the chair, he pointed out for me. Dylan scoffed and sat beside Angelina, who in turn sat next to Vince, on his right. Vince sat at the head of the table. Ace sat beside Dylan and Ash sat beside Theo.
I slowly walked towards the table and sat next to Vince. Sofia served us dinner and everyone started eating. When we were half way through the dinner, Vince cleared his throat, indicating he needed to say something.
"Arianna, I've completed all the paper work at your old school and shifted you to the school, Dylan, the twins and Lina are attending. You will be attending the same school as them. The school starts from Monday. Your uniform will arrive tomorrow.", he said in his usual emotionless voice.
"O-Okay", I stuttered.
"Why does she have to go to the same school? Why can't she attend some other one?", Dylan asked, sounding a little annoyed.
"Come on, Dyl. It's going to be great. Why will she attend another school? I'm sure we'll have a great time at school!", Angelina said with an enthusiastic smile.
Dylan just scoffed at that. Ace had a blank expression and Ash looked at me in a way that reminded me of his warning. I gulped and looked away. Theo put an encouraging hand on my shoulder.
"She'll be attending the same school and while at school, she's your responsibility, Dylan, Ace and Ash.", Vince said.
"Do I make myself clear", Vince asked in a tone, daring them to defy him.
"Yes", Dylan and the twins said at the same time.
"As for you, Arianna, you better not break the rules.", Vince said in a firm tone.
"Y-Yes.", I replied.
I just wish school goes smooth!
*****************************************************************************
So, here is the next chapter.
How was the chapter?
What are your views on Arianna?
What are your views on Angelina?
What is your opinion on the brothers?
How do you think Ash's warning is going to affect the growing bond between Angel and Aria?
Please vote, comment and follow.
Yours lovingly,
Author.