Appropriation 

"Shut the fuck up," I snapped at Mariana who began to groan way too loudly early in the morning. Bright light streamed through the blinds, making my head pound even more. She groaned again, and I gave her a light shove. What I didn't know was that she was on the edge of the bed, so I pushed her off.

"Ow!" Not even a minute later, a knock appeared on the door. "Come in," she groaned, trying to pick herself up from the ground.

"What did you do?" I heard James voice ring. I grabbed Mariana's pillow and shoved it on my face. My head was pounding.

"Shh! Take her and leave!" I tried to close my eyes, blocking out the sounds coming from Mariana as James helped her out of the room.

I think I got a couple of minutes of sleep in before another knock came. "Tesoro?" Immediately I knew it was my mom.

"Yes mama?" I lifted my head off the pillow turning my head slightly in her direction, seeing as that I was on my belly.

"It's time to get up." I groaned in protest.

"My head hurts."

"Well, the coffee is waiting. Come on now, wash up, we're all having breakfast together." She gave me no choice as she ripped off the blanket and opened my blinds, partially blinding me.

"You're a cruel, cruel woman!" I heard her laugh as she exited my room. What kind of mother was she?

After washing up, grimacing at my face which had smudged makeup all over, I managed to look somewhat presentable for breakfast. Mind you, I was still in my pyjamas, and there was still a bird's nest perched on my head.

The delicious scent of coffee wafted from the kitchen into the hallways. I sighed in relief. Coffee is just what I need.

"The sleeping beauty finally awakens."

"No, I think she's more like the Beast." I scowled at Enzo, taking a seat beside Shane, across from an empty chair.

"Where's Julian?" As I uttered those words, Julian emerged from the hallway, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

Thankfully I was one of those people who didn't end up puking the alcohol they consumed the night before. I just got massive headaches.

"I need coffee." I state. Papa passes over a steaming cup. "Thank you," I sighed, taking a careful sip, wincing when I still managed to burn to the top of my mouth.

I filled my plate up high with a bagel and cut up fruit, digging in, shoving fruit into my mouth with my pointer finger and thumb.

"Yeah, you're right Enzo, she's definitely the Beast." I ignored my twin. "I mean, the Beast didn't even use utensils, and look, exhibit A," he pointed at me.

"Shut up." I said with a mouthful of bagel.

"And look, she's talking with her mouth full."

"Leave your sister alone," mama demanded, smacking Shane with a spatula and throwing a rag at Enzo. I smiled at her. "If your sister wants to eat like a caveman, let her eat like a caveman." My smile dropped, glaring at her. Everyone at the table started to crack up, but I simply ignored them, digging into my food again.

The haters will hate.

"Are you guys going to tell us why you all went out last night with such short notice?" They stopped laughing, looking away from our dad's prying eyes.

"Can it wait until after breakfast?" Julian asked quietly.

"Very well."

The rest of the meal was quiet, only a few words of exchanged uttered between James and my dad.

I'm telling, they're the best of friends now. It also did make sense seeing as James worked for my dad in his company. Maybe that's why papa liked James the best, seeing as none of his children wanted to follow in his footsteps.

After the meal, my parents and Julian headed into the living room, leaving us in the dining room. While Shane and I cleared the table, Enzo packaged the extra fruits in containers, and James and Mariana loaded the dishwasher.

Even though we were a family with a majority of males, mama made sure that the kitchen duties, or any household duties for that matter did not just apply to Mariana and me, and I was very thankful.

"You sure you don't want an Advil?" Shane asked as I winced from the pounding in my head.

I denied. "You know how I feel about medication." I sipped on my second cup of coffee, which was warm at this point.

I headed upstairs after I had finished my task, placing the coffee on the side table, collapsing onto the bed. I checked my phone, quickly sitting up when I saw I received a text early this morning.

Depends, who's asking?

I took a deep breath, typing my reply.

Yours truly :)

I anticipated for his reply for a few minutes, staring at the phone. I sighed giving up and dragged myself out of bed in desperate need of a warm shower.

After dressing in an off the shoulder top and skinny jeans, making my hair in a ponytail and adding a choker, I was set for the day.

"Hey, I need clothes," Mariana announced, walking into my room, opening my closet, rummaging through.

"Yeah sure, pick anything from the closet." I replied sarcastically. "No not that, it's my favourite." She held up another shirt. "That one has a hole." She held up a pair of jeans. "No, these fit me perfectly and I don't want you to stretch it out." I said, gesturing to her ass.

She threw her hands up in the air. "Then what can I wear?" I pushed her to the side and pulled out jean shorts that were way too big on me and a cute shirt.

"Here. Keep the shorts, but I want that shirt back."

"Okay thanks, I'm going in your shower."

"Go right ahead."

My phone beeped. I jumped up to my feet, anticipating a reply from him. Instead, it was from Amy. Immediately, I answered her text, and instead of a text reply, she facetimed me.

It felt nice seeing her face again.

"Hey!"

"Sup bitch." I put my phone on my dresser, pulling out a few makeup items.

"Where you going? You look nice." I snorted.

"Nowhere," I finished applying a thin layer of a light champagne coloured eyeshadow and mascara. "What did you do today? It's the evening, right?" She nodded.

"We went to the London Eye, not too shabby," she commented. I brushed on a little bit of highlight, finishing off with tinted chapstick.

"How's Taylor? Still pregnant?" Amy groaned.

"Like you wouldn't believe it. She literally stopped at every vendor to eat something. At this rate, she's going to give birth to twins. The actual baby, and then a food baby." I laughed, moving the pesky baby hairs out of my face.

"I heard that!" A faint voice calls out. Suddenly someone stole the phone from Amy, and I find myself looking into green orbs that belong to Taylor. Besides the fact that Taylor had brown hair, and Amy had blonde, they looked so similar, it was eerie. Amy snatched the phone back, putting the two of them in frame.

"I was just asking Amy how your pregnancy is going."

"Anytime now," she patted her stomach.

"You better send me tons of pics," I demanded.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she grinned. Her face lit up. "How would you like to be the baby's godmother? Seeing as Amy hates kids." The look on Amy's face was priceless.

"You better be kidding. I'll be the best godmother a child could have. I'll hire the best nanny money could buy, your child would be in the best hands."

"How nice of you," Taylor replied dryly.

My phone beeped signaling a text from a certain someone.

Does tomorrow work? I have work today.

"Who's that?" Amy wiggled her eyebrows as I picked up the phone. I blushed, hiding my face behind my hair, knowing she knew exactly who it was. I mean, I did keep her updated through texts.

"I'll call you later," I promised. She gave me one last wink before the call ended.

See you then!

I sighed, taking my hair out, and put it hair into a bun, pulling out a few strands to frame my face. My head was still hurting, and I didn't want to be bothered by braiding my hair. I finished off the look with a fake pair of fashionable gold rimmed glasses.

I headed downstairs, knowing Shane would be in the basement. Of course, there the four of them were, along with Mariana playing a game of Mario Kart. Julian and Mariana were the only ones not playing. James was on the ground, rested against the sofa, and Mariana sat between his legs, resting her head on his chest. At the moment it was the three boys playing.

Shane was up on his feet, an intense look on his face as he tried to maneuver around the banana. "Fuck!"

"I have game next, you can take the next one," Mariana informed as James yelled out in victory.

"You guys suck at this game!"

"Wait, what happened to the fourth remote?"

"This idiot over here got too excited and smashed the controller into the wall." Shane replied, slapping Enzo.

James turned to me, taking his eyes off the flat screen tv. "Stop appropriating glasses." I stuck my tongue out at him, readjusting the fake glasses on my face subconsciously after watching him do it to his.

I sat down beside Julian. He was curled up into the sofa, not saying a word. He had a solemn look on his face, not a hint of happiness, or any other emotion really. His face was blank. I took his hand in mine, something he'd always do to me. I simply held his hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"You look like you don't want to be here." I said softly.

"I forced him to sit here. I don't want him to do anything stupid like the stunt he pulled yesterday." I looked over to his hand, which still had a thick white gauze around it.

"Do you want ice cream?" No reply. I looked up at him, waiting for his answer. Instead, he was just staring at James and Mariana yelling at the TV, and at each other.

"You just have to send me the blue shell, don't you?!"

"It's not my fault you're first babe! Oh wait, now look who's first," James chuckled, surely with a smirk, finishing the second lap.

"Screw both of you," Enzo complained, still in 10th place. Shane was giving him tips, being the backseat driver.

"Yeah, sure." I almost missed Julian's reply, it so quiet, the opposite of the environment here. "I need to get away from him." I stood up with excitement.

"I heard that!"

"Let's go then," I pulled his hand.

"Right now?"

"Why not," I shrugged. "Come on, pass me your keys." He raised his eyebrows. "Let me drive for once." He patted down his jeans, finding the keys in his left pocket reluctantly tossing them to me.

"To the bat-mobile!" I cried.

"This," he gestured. "This is why I don't let you drive. I swear if you even create a small scratch-" he threatened.

"Yeah, yeah," I waved off. "Off with my head," I made the motion of passing my thumb along my neck. "I've heard it all before from thing three over there." I pointed to Shane who was high fiving Enzo.

"You guys coming?"

"Nope."

"We have to beat the love birds over there."

"Bring me back some!" The last one was Mariana.

"And me!" Enzo called. I snorted.

"You'll be lucky if I don't decide to eat some in the car ride back," I snickered.

The drive to the parlour didn't take too long, and I actually managed to put a smile on his face through my car karaoke skills.

"My ears are bleeding!" I playfully shoved him, getting in line.

After I had ordered my favourite order of three scoops of strawberry ice cream in a gigantic waffle cone, Julian with his cookie dough cup, we decided to sit outside, enjoying the sunshine.

"I don't remember the last time we hung out like this," I mentioned, chewing on a piece of frozen strawberry.

"You're right, it's been too long. Especially since med school has taken my life and my first born as well," he chuckled. "I just can't wait till I graduate so I can start residency."

"I'm so proud of you. I really am," I praised. "Who knew you had the guts to look through other people's guts," I laughed at my own joke. I was hilarious.

"Residency is going to be quite interesting, and-" he abruptly stopped.

"What is it?" I asked turning my head from nature's beauty.

"Emma and I applied to the same residency programs. Fuck." I snorted.

"Yeah, as if she'll get accepted to the best program. There's no way you'll be going to the same program." Julian laughed.

"Thanks kiddo." I glared at him.

"Just because I am the youngest in the family, does not mean you can call me kiddo."

"Whatever you say, kiddo," he said only provoking me.

I laughed, turning back towards the clearing, a smile on my lips when I saw a cute little toddler run on the grass. A step in the wrong direction caused him to fall onto his bottom, the smile wiping off my face. His mother was behind him, trying to soothe the child, wiping away his tears.

"We talked about children, we-" he stopped immediately.

"No," I shook my head ever so slightly. "Continue. What were you going to say?" I asked softly.

"We—" he sighed. "We used to always joke around, predicting the chances of having a pregnancy with more than one baby. The chances would have been really high," he paused. "Her mom had a twin."

"Imagine if Shane were to," I smiled slightly, dropping my head down, looking onto my lap. I blinked away the oncoming tears.

"And you will too," he promised. "When the time is right." He reached over, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

At this point, my ice cream was melting all over my hand and I wasn't in the mood to eat it anymore. "Can we go home now?"

"I'm sor—" I held my hand up, motioning him to stop.

"Don't be," I pleaded. "It makes me happy listening to your plans about the future." He nodded, getting up.

"Come on."

--

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