01
I RETCHED AGAIN as Mom rubbed my back soothingly. Dad stood in the doorway, a concerned look in his eyes as he spoke to someone on the phone, eyebrows furrowed.
"Lucas is on his way with the medicine, buddy. Just hang tight," he sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.
Lucas was my second oldest brother.
Fuck, he shouldn't have to do stuff for me. Not after what I'd done to him.
I swallowed the guilt, standing up and going over to the sink so I could brush my teeth for the millionth time. I had begun to hate the taste of mint over the past two weeks I'd been sick. I refused to believe it was because of what happened with Coach Hannah. No. I wasn't that sensitive. I couldn't be that sensitive. It was probably the stress of exams.
I was okay. I'll be okay.
"Sorry, Mom," I whispered hoarsely as she sat next to me on the bed. She was missing her seasonal clothing launch because of me. I bet the patients weren't too happy with dad right now since he'd been cancelling a ton of appointments.
Before Mom could reply, Ethan came in through the door with the twins. Ethan was my oldest brother who had come back from college for Christmas with Lucas. The twins, Elijah and Isaiah were a year older than me.
"How is princess Emile? Feeling better, baby bro?" Eli cooed in my ear, making my lips twitch as Mom smacked him on the back of his head.
"Ow, woman. First, you drop me as a baby and now this? Someone direct me to social services!"
Isaiah rolled his eyes before giving me a minuscule smile. He was my favourite these days - not too overbearing like Ethan and not too annoying like his twin.
And well, I could never compare him to Lucas. The way Lucas treated me was all my fault.
"Mom, they're here now. You can go. Dad you as well. Please," I pleaded. I was already wasting so much of their time.
Mom started shaking her head but Isaiah spoke up.
"Mom, we're here. If the fever comes back we'll call immediately. We promise."
"You guys promise?" Dad repeated, giving us a stern look.
We nodded and Eli pushed them out, making shooing motions which got him another whack.
He came back with a snicker before stopping to look at me. I squirmed, looking away from his observant eyes.
"This is the perfect time to put a wig on him, you guys." I snapped my eyes back to Eli, rolling my eyes.
Up until I was six, they used to dress me up as a girl. Mom stopped after she had me and came to terms with the fact that she won't have a girl to spoil. My parents were so sure it would be a girl the fourth time that they bought everything pink. I was seven when I got the chance to wear something blue.
"Eli, stop." Isaiah scolded his twin as Ethan shook his head before going back to playing Mario Kart.
"I'm serious," Eli insisted, "even girls at school are jealous of how pretty he is. Which, by the way, is kind of annoying, Emile. Can you just fuck off so they have a chance to appreciate my beauty as well?"
"What beauty?" Lucas asked dryly from the door, coming in with two more people behind him.
Dylan trailed behind him with probably the only person who I had ever had a crush on.
You still do.
Shut the fuck up, brain.
"Emile, I heard you were sick." Even her voice was sweet.
Rose Winters was an angel. The only girl whom I didn't get annoyed by. God, how can someone be so stunning?
Mom always says how your perception of a person indicates whether you find them beautiful or not. But that's not the case here. No. Rose Winters was beautiful inside and out.
And I longed to see a smile on her face that didn't show the pain in her eyes.
"Hi," I breathed, sitting up with a giant smile. "It's the weather change, Rose. I'll be fine in a day or two."
"That's what you've been saying for the past two weeks, dude." Dylan shook his head at me before going over to sit next to Ethan so he could play as well.
So much for being my best friend. I guess he knew I preferred to talk to Rose anyway.
"I brought you Christmas pudding um," she suddenly looked hesitant, taking a small step back and pressing the glass Tupperware to her, "but it's okay if you're sick-"
"Oh, no." I was shaking my head before she could finish her sentence. Getting out of bed, I hurriedly put on my slippers before going over to where she was standing.
"Let's go downstairs so I can eat this before Eli decides to be a pig."
Eli snorted from behind me.
"Leave some for us as well, Emile."
I hadn't been downstairs in two weeks so the giant Christmas tree and all the decor took me by surprise.
"You guys didn't put the star on the tree yet?" Rose asked curiously, handing me the warm Tupperware.
I shook my head with a smile.
"I always put the star so they're waiting for me," I replied, taking out a spoon before digging in. I refrained from moaning, choosing to close my eyes instead.
Fuck. I could have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"Who made this?" I asked.
Rose gave me a small smile, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
Fuck. She was so cute.
"Um, I did. Dad is, uh, busy and we haven't had the chance to go ornament shopping yet so the house was not very festive..." She trailed off for a bit, a faraway look in her eyes. "This was my sister's recipe." She suddenly blurted out.
I put my spoon down to give her my attention.
"She loved adding chocolate to everything and I just couldn't eat-" she broke off, pressing her hands to her eyes before giving an embarrassed laugh.
Isla Winters. Rose Winters' sister. I remembered my mom and dad going to her funeral. That's when I had met Rose.
I had never seen such painful bruises on someone's face before. Even the tips of her fingers were blue.
And I had never seen a child cry as much as Rose.
It was the ugliest day of my life so I couldn't even imagine what Rose went through - knowing her sister was gone forever because her parents forced her into a marriage based on false assumptions.
I scooted closer pulling her to my chest as she trembled slightly.
"I got a 528." She murmured, making my eyes widen.
"MCAT?!" I squeezed her gently, grinning when she nodded.
Rose was hell-bent on becoming a doctor. She wanted to become what her sister didn't get the chance to.
"She would've been so proud. If Isaac let her live, she would have been so proud of me. We'd get pancakes..." There was a haunted look in her eyes, making my smile disappear.
I couldn't hear that bastard's name. He was worse than scum.
I pressed a kiss to her temple as she stared ahead, a glazed look in her eyes.
"Let's go put the star on the tree, okay? You'll have to do it this year because I might fall and break a leg. Eli would waste no time putting a wig and dress on me..."
Rose smiled before a small laugh escaped her lips.
"Eli would do what?"
I sighed playfully, dragging her to the living room.
"Let me tell you of the pink horrors I have faced in this house..."
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note: Isla Winters is from my story: Monster & Man.