home

/həʊm/

noun

the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a household or family.

Not according to me. Home is not a place; it's a feeling. It's the smell of mom's warm, freshly-baked buttery cookies; it's the sound of dad's old songs playing in the phonograph that you've heard one too many times; it's looking at the familiar surroundings and spotting something new yet old every time you see them; it's the feeling of warmth that spreads throughout your body when you hug the people you love. It's the love that bubbles inside you as happiness when you see your loved ones.

That giddiness is what I was feeling as I walked inside my house. I was instantly greeted by my elder brother Willy wrapping me in a bone-crushing hug, knocking the breath out of my lungs.

"too- tight," I choked out with a grin on my face that had decided to take permanent residence there.

"I don't care," He shrugged, also grinning, but let me go anyway.

"Dad's in the kitchen, and mom's out to get groceries," He informed me while I placed my bags in one corner of the entryway, and we then started walking to the kitchen.

When we were almost there, I nudged his arm with my shoulder, holding back a laugh as I placed a single finger on my lips, asking him to be quiet.

He caught on to what I was thinking, and we tiptoed into the kitchen.

"HEY DAD!" We hollered at the top of our lungs when we reached right behind daddy dearest, making him jump in fright.

He regained himself in a second and sighed, "Always,"

"Come here," Dad extended his arms to hug me, with a three-mile wide smile etched on his face. But I am pretty sure I mirrored the expression as I pulled my old man in a hug.

Happiness erupted in my chest like a volcano that bursts after years of dormancy as I embraced the warmth spreading through me.

"Get unpacked. I've cooked your favourite," Dad said, pushing me out of the kitchen.

"Really?" I perked up, similar to what a dog does when you come back after a long day.

"Yeah, porridge," He cackled while I stood there, giving him a -_- look.

"Not funny, dad," I grumbled and grabbed my bags.

~A few hours later~

"GIVE THOSE BACK TO ME!" I yelled as I ran after Willy, who had some of my childhood pictures in his hands.

"NOT BEFORE I SEND THEM TO YOUR FRIENDS," He cackled.

"NOOOOOOOOO" I sped up.

"Stop it, boys," My mom laughed.

"He's sending my embarrassing pictures to my friends," I complained, jumping over the sofa after him.

"Stop crying, you big whiny baby," He teased.

" I. AM. NOT. CRYING." I said through gritted teeth.

"Whatever you say, bro," He laughed and ran into the kitchen.

"Just give them back to me. Is it really that hard?"

"You know what? Let's make a deal; I won't send these pictures to all of your friends," He raised an eyebrow while standing behind the kitchen island.

"Any,"

"What?"

"You won't send them to any of my friends,"

He paused for a moment and then said, "Fine, but I get the remaining of your cookies,"

"Fine," I sighed.

Idiot buttface!

A few hours later, we were all sitting in the living room around the coffee table playing Cluedo.

"For the last time, Lorca, THE VICTIM COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT!" Willy yelled at me.

"Look at the evidence! Are you blind?" I countered.

"That's it. I'm done. Let's play charades," Dad interfered, putting an end to our quarrel.

"Okay," Willy said, stuffing his face with my last cookie.

"Oh, look at that! They're gone," He continued talking.

"They're gone," I mocked him in a high pitched tone.

"Let's start the game," Mom said.

A few minutes in, and Willy and I, were destroying mum and dad.

"Lorca, go get me a glass of water, please," Willy requested, pulling out his phone from his pyjama.

I sighed and started my very long walk to the kitchen.

Okay, maybe it wasn't that long, but hey, I'm a lazy person.

When I reached the kitchen, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

'Argenta Silva has tagged you in their post'

It was Cupcake's pictoflaunt.

It had my embarrassing childhood pictures.

The worst ones.

What. The. Fuck?!

"WILLY!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"Yes, brother?" He smiled smugly, standing at the kitchen entrance, leaning against the doorframe.

"You said you won't send them to any of my friends," I fumed.

"I didn't," He smiled innocently.

"Cupcake just posted them on her account,"

"I didn't send those to your friend; I sent them to mine," He explained, like an evil mastermind, "You see, Lorca, your Cupcake, is my friend too. I think she likes me more than you, actually. Oh! It's her. She's calling me,"

"God, I hate you,"

He picked the call and switched it to video.

"Look at his face!" Willy laughed while I stood there with my eyes narrowed and lips pressed in a thin frown.

A few seconds later, I heard the melodious laughter of my Cupcake on the phone.

DO NOT SOFTEN UP!

DO NOT SOFTEN UP!

DO NOT SOFTEN UP!

DO NOT SOFTEN UP!

"Hey, Lory!" She said.

"I hate you," I shot and walked out into the living room.

This resulted in Willy and Cupcake erupting in a peal of laughter.

Willy followed me and sat next to me on the sofa.

"Hello, Mrs Armstrong!" Cupcake greeted mum.

"Argenta, how many times do I have to tell you?" Mum smiled.

"Sorry, Sara," Cupcake returned the smile with her own beautiful one.

"Hey, champ!" Dad joined us on the sofa.

As a result, Willy was sitting in the middle, with the phone in his hand, and mom and dad sat on either side of him. Me? I was squished in the corner. Not, like anyone cared or anything.

"Hey, Alan!" Argenta said through the phone, the same time I got up from the sofa to sit on the couch.

"What did you two do that made Lorca so grumpy?" Dad asked.

Ahh! At least someone's on my team. Thanks, dad.

"We posted his some pics on pictoflaunt,"

"Ooooooh, that's a good one. I have been trying to get back at Lorca for all the jumpscares he gives me. Thanks, kiddo," Dad chuckled.

Unbelievable

UNBELIEVABLE

"Dad! I thought you were on my team!" I frowned and glared at him.

"Of course, I'm on your team!" He stopped and turned to look at the phone, "What you did was very bad, champ. Never do it again," He said sternly.

"Thanks," I huffed.

As if this is going to stop them.

Then he made a cup with his hand to cover his mouth and whispered, "I was just kidding, keep up the good work,"

"I am not a kid anymore, dad," I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the couch.

"Wish you were," He chuckled and got up.

"We're going to sleep, you kids carry on," Mom said, "Bye, Argenta,"

They exchanged goodnights and left, so Willy and I were the only ones left in the living room.

"We should do things like these more often," Willy chuckled as he talked with his friend.

"I hate you both," I grumbled.

"Don't be mad, pretty face," Cupcake cooed.

"I don't even want to talk to you right now," I said, ran up to my room and purposefully shut the door with all my strength.

I had just plopped on my bed when a brown paper bag caught my attention.

The bag Ivan gave me.

I grabbed it and tore it open to reveal a CD.

I inserted it on my laptop and waited in anticipation as it started playing.

"Hey, Lorca,"

I froze.

It was Ardene.

Ivan had got me a recording from Ardene.

Before I could stop it, a tear ran down my left cheek, burning my skin as it flowed.

"I miss you a lot," Her voice cracked, "I'm so proud of you."

I love you, Ardene

"Ivan told me about Gladys and a little friend-crush-leader thing?" She smiled a bit, acting innocent, but the smug smile gave it away.

"Ivan just can't keep anything to himself," I whispered and chuckled despite myself.

"Yeah, I know. Ivan just can't keep anything to himself. The guy has a legit problem," She chuckled in the video.

"Hey! I do not. I'm good at keeping secrets!" Ivan's voice yelled in the background.

"Sure you are, babe," Ardene's face showing no indication that she believed him, "The day I left you all was the worst day of my life. It broke me. I was there at my funeral, you know. I don't think I've ever cried that much. I love you, Lorc-"

"Ahem ahem," Ivan cleared his throat.

"I love you, Lory. What's up with that? Ivan hasn't told me the reason, but he begged me to use it. He says you don't hate it anymore. In fact, you quote-unquote love it,"

That little-

"Anyway, I love you, bro. And Willy and mom and dad too. Do me a favour and get them presents on my behalf too. And if you listen to that God awful song after seeing this, I will never make another video like this. Merry Christmas and happy new year, and I'm going to come back soon," She blew a kiss at the camera, and the video stopped.

The 'god awful' song? Two of us. I listened to it on repeat for a few weeks after Ardene was gone, along with rager teenager.

Songs helped me.

So guess what? Putting on my earphones, I played two of us.

I lowered my tear-strained face until it touched the soft pillow and hugged my laptop.

I miss you, Ardene. I wish you were here.

I don't remember for how long, but I drifted off to sleep and woke up when I heard a loud knock on my door.

"Open up, Lorca!" Willy's voice reached my ears.

I wiped my face with the sleeves of my hoodie and smiled a few times to go back to normal.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"LORY!" A small voice shrieked.

Ellie!

I snapped my head towards the voice and almost fell off balance when the little girl jumped into my arms.

"Hey there, bud," I said as I caught her and ruffled her hair, "How are you here?"

"Argenta said she wanted to say sorry to you cos you were mad at her,"

"Where is she?" I asked Willy.

"Mom was in the kitchen when they came, so she's greeting her," Willy answered.

"Such a goody-two-shoes," I chuckled.

"What does that mean?" The little girl in my arms asked innocently.

"It's another name for your sister," I said simply and snickered internally.

"Heyy, pretty face," Cupcake said as she walked up the stairs.

"Ellie, please tell your sister I'm not talking to her,"

"He's saying-"

"I heard him, Ellie,"

"Ellie, please also tell her to not cut off my angel," I pinched Ellie's nose.

"So, you're just not talking to me?" Cupcake said as she walked closer to me.

I turned the other way cause God knows I'd forgive her the second I looked at her.

"And here I was," She walked closer still, so she was only a foot behind me.

"Thinking that I could," She brought her mouth close to my ear so I could feel her hot breath tickle me and whispered, "make it up to you,"

Do not think anything inappropriate, Lory. You have a kid in your arms.

"Ellie, please tell your sister I'm not interested,"

With that, I walked downstairs with Ellie still in my arms and her tiny hands wrapped around my neck.

"What do you want to watch?" I asked her when we reached the living room.

"Iron Man!" He shrieked happily.

"Okay," I chuckled at her excitement, "Which one?"

"Three,"

"I'll go put it on," I said as I placed her on the sofa and put a blanket over her.

I grabbed the TV remote and turned on the mic.

"Play, Iron Man 3,"

As soon as the movie started, Willy and Cupcake walked in with devilish smiles on their faces.

What are they planning?

They walked closer to the sofa and sat with us.

Cupcake sat next to me, and Willy sat next to Ellie.

Too close

Too close

Proximity alert

With her that close to me, I felt like the air around me had become thicker and hotter. Accompanied by some occasional lighting, and apparently some cold too, because I'm pretty sure that's the only cause why I would get goosebumps.

"I'm sorry," She whispered.

You're forgiven

"I don't care,"

"Well, then, I guess I'd have to take back the embarrassing pictures that I brought to show you," She sighed deliberately.

"You what?"

"Stop talking, you two! Ellie and I are watching something," Willy snapped.

"Let's go and get some popcorn," I suggested, and when Cupcake nodded, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up with me.

"Don't get too naughty," Willy chuckled when we left, making mine and Cupcake's cheeks go crimson.

"Let's just go and see those pictures," I smirked.

Author's note:

Hey, everyone! I'm so extremely sorry for the late update. I don't know exactly why, but I just couldn't finish writing this one.

Anyway, Happy new year!

Tell me our new year's resolutions in the comments?

Mine is working out for an hour, six days a week. 

Ha! Like that's going to happen, but I'll try.

So adios, amigos! See you Friday.