"So, birthday tomorrow. Do you have any idea what you want as a present?" He tried to initiate a conversation with her.
"Yes."
"Really, what?" He asked.
"To never live to see another one again." She answered bluntly.
He stopped and looked at her he looked unamused.
"Now, why the hell would you say that?" He demanded her answer.
"Because it's the truth, and the truth hurts." She shrugged.
"That's not the truth. That's nonsense."
"It is the truth. Like it or not, I said what I said."
"Look, I know that you haven't had the best experience at life these past years, but why would you wish death on yourself?" He tried to sound concerned.
"Everyone else does it. Why are you surprised I learned from the best?" He looked appalled then angry.
"Who is everyone?" She opened her mouth to say something but closed it.
"You can tell me I'll handle it and don't leave out any names because I'll find out, and when I do, you won't like the outcome." He assured her.
~~~~~~
"Is there a reason why out of all the boxes you only opened on and left the rest?" Ander asked her.
"I only needed that one at the moment. I'll open the others tomorrow."
"Why wait? Is it because we're in the room?"
"Yes and no. No, I don't want you to see it. And yes, because it's none of your business, although part of me couldn't care less." She shrugged.
"Jason." She said before realizing what she had done.
"Yes, Nella."
"That was a mistake it just slipped out." She clarified he hummed and nodded.
"So what is it?" He asked his hands in his pockets.
"Nothing, it's not important." She shook her head.
"I don't care if it's important. If it's from you, I'd like to hear. What is it?" He pressed.
"It's nothing. Forget it."
"Miki, please just tell me I won't stop until you do." He pleaded.
"You know my room is gonna be open while they work on fixing the bathroom. Can I store these boxes in your room it's only for until my bathroom is done, so you'll have your space back in no time at all. By tomorrow, it'll be gone." She rambled on fidgeting with her fingers looking down.
He smiled softly.
"Oh, now I feel like I'm intruding." She said, taking his silence as him being uncomfortable and unsure with it.
"Miki, you can do whatever you want what mine is yours. Even if yours isn't mine." He assured her sweetly.
"Just until tomorrow comes." She sighed.
"Even after then."
"Ok, come on, let's get this to your room so we can go have lunch." Elijah picked up a box.
"Alright, yall have fun. I'm gonna head out." Lucas said, and liam nodded in agreement.
"Both of you get back here." Ace commanded.
"Just for that little getaway, stunt. You're gonna move all of her stuff by yourself, and if I find out you didn't, you'll wish you were the one nailed to the cross instead of Jesus." Zade threatened. God, I forgot how scary our eldest brother could be.
Both the twins groaned.
"Did I just hear something?" He questioned rethorically.
"No, sir." They both said in union.
"Good. Now get to it."
"Oh, I don't need any help. I got this." She tried to refuse.
"You don't need it, but you'll accept it." Ryker declared.
"But that's stupid." She pouted, folding her hand.
"Why are you pouting? we're the ones doing the heavy lifting." Xander stated the obvious.
"And who's fault is that? Mine?" She asked sarcastically. She received a glare from the twins for that remark.
"Wait, she can walk around without shoes, but we can't?" Lucas noted.
Where in hells name did that come from? Does he have a fetish or something?
"Because her toes are well groomed, and yours aren't." Nathan interjected.
"Oh please, my toes look better than those little aliens." Liam denied the allegation.
"Is that why your toenails are green?" She remarked sarcastically.
To her suprise, a few of her brothers laughed well slightly chuckled was more like it.
"Wait, not that one. That's fragile." She rushed to take the package from Lucas, who rolled his eyes.
"What's in it?" Ryker asked, collecting it and handing it to her.
"Some new electronics." She answered.
"Can we see?"
She looked away, pondering whether or not to say yes.
"Sure." She reluctantly nodded.
She opened the box with the box cutter after removing the Styrofoam she pulled out a new computer, two tablets, and a pair of smart glasses.
They all looked at each other they were thinking the same thing.
"And I thought you said I spent a lot on nonsense." Lucas said.
"Why are you wasting your money on this?" Ace asked.
"Do you have a shopping addiction?" Ryker pushed further.
"No, I don't. I get sent stuff from company sometimes, and I had a backstage interview before a fashion show where I mentioned I needed to buy a new computer, and a few brands reached out to me, and they sent me a few things." She explained.
"I just didn't realize how much they'd actually send me."
"I'm definitely taking one of those." Lucas reached for a tablet, but his hand was removed from it by Nathan.
"Like hell you will." He remarked.
"She doesn't even need that much anyways she should share."
"Have you ever shared with her?" Zade took the words out of her mouth.
Lucas looked down.
"So what's in the others?" Elijah folded his arms, leaning against the doorway.
"That's for tomorrow, and they aren't the only ones." She muttered the last part.
"Wait, there's more." Elijah moved out of the doorway.
"Give them to the twins, let them take them to Jace's room." Zade nudged her gently.
"I can't there not her yet, but they'll be here tonight."
They nodded.
~~~~~~~
"So what do you want us to do for our birthday?" Jace asked after they'd all left.
"Well, mom and dad always plan a party for it."
"You mean Kevin and Miranda?" He asked she nodded.
"So you'll be with them?" She nodded again.
"When are you coming back?"
"Maybe the day after."
"Are you ok?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Though she didn't feel bad about going with her parents. She didn't like seeing others suffer even though in cases like this, they deserved much worse. Though she'd be lying if she said she hadn't wish them more suffering so they'd reap what they'd sown.
But still, this was her twin, her supposed other half.
"Yeah. I have to go. Bye." He got up leaving her alone.
She was finding it hard to care about anyone's feelings in this family.
~~~~~~~
Later that night, she was in her room staring at the ceiling when her bell rang. She got up to answer it. It was Jace.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"I thought you wouldn't want me to be near since you were angry. So I'm staying here tonight."
"You are not staying here tonight, and I wasn't angry. I was just a little disappointed."
"Come on." He reached out to take her hand.
"I think you should be alone with your thoughts if you're upset."
"You may think, but I know I need to be with you when I feel anything cause that's the only time I feel something." He
took her hand, leading her to his room.
"What mine is yours, remember." He said, sensing her hesitancy.
She nodded slowly.
"I thought you said you wanted to stay up and read."
"I do. I'm just not feeling well." He placed the back of his hand on her forehead.
"You're burning up."
"Yea, but my hands feel cold."
"And you're shaking. Are you still on um your you know?"
She nodded. "I'm sorry you have to go through this every month, especially on your special day." He gave her an apologetic look.
"It's ok it's not your fault."
"It is. You didn't have anyone with you to help guide you through it. I should have been better to you. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know I am sorry." He caressed her cheek.
"I wanna ask you something." He looked up at her.
"Why are you sorry? Why all of a sudden are you sorry? Is it guilt, or is it pity? If it is, I don't need it."
"Mika, I don't pity you it's just I don't want you to go. You don't know what it's like out there."
"And you do?" She folded her arms.
"I know it's cruel out there, and you're not meant to be in such a dangerous environment." He stated.
"But I'm meant to grow up in a neglectful and verbally abusive one?" She turned his own statement against him.
"Verbally abusive?" He looked confused.
"Yeah, it means a range of words or behaviors used to manipulate, intimidate, and maintain power and control over someone. Like insults, humiliation, intimidation, or silent treatment ever heard of it?" She explained.
"I know what it means." He said.
"Well, why did you ask?" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at him.
He took a deep breath.
"I know you may not believe it, but I am sorry for everything."
"Jason, your sorry is nice, but I want answers now, and apologies later."
"I can't give you what I don't have. But I can give you what I do, and that's a sincere apology and my constant reassurance that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you." He assured her not breaking eye contact.
He always avoided it when he was lying, so did this mean he was telling the truth?
She wondered.
"What do you want from me? Tell me and I'll do it for you."
"I just need some tea and painkillers."
"You need food too."
"No, just - " "Miki, please?" He pleaded with her.
"At least try."
She looked at him blankly.
"The important thing is that you're trying." He smiled.
"Your smile is really pretty." He looked shocked she said that out loud, and so did she.
"You think so?" She nodded hesitantly, answering his question.
"Then I should do it more often." And with that, he left.
Then she realized something. This is the first time they just talked without raising their voice.