*NOT EDITED*

Chapter 28

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Have you ever tried waking up someone from the dead? Like a thousand-year-old mummy?

Yeah, well I did everyday in my life until I had to move to Alaska. And that person was Reece. Seriously, if you had gotten a marching band in her room, 5SOS singing by her bed, Emma squealing in her ear, and Damon jumping on her bed, she still won't wake up.

That's why I hate waking her up, but my family always left the responsibility to me.

"Reece . . . Reece . . . Reece!" I yelled in her ear, shaking her body roughly.

"Let me finish my dream," she said with a groan and blocked me out by stuffing the pillow on her face.

"Here, let me help in suffocating you," I offered.

"I'm good." She turned on her other side, giving me her back.

"Come on, Reece. What happened to making most of the week?" I kept on shaking her.

She didn't answer and I realized why when she started snoring again. I huffed and decided that it was time to stop playing nice.

I pulled her from her legs off the bed, making her fall on the ground with a thud. Yet, she still didn't wake up. I dragged her body on the floor to the bathroom with great difficulty and grunts until we reached the sink. I hooked my arms under her armpits, pulling her up to the sink before splashing cold water on her face. She furrowed her eyebrows and groaned, trying to break free from my grip but I kept firm.

Taking a spare toothbrush, I messily squeezed toothpaste on it, accidentally getting some of it on my hand, before sticking it in her mouth and brushing her teeth. I'm pretty sure she had woken up by now, but she still let me do all the work. That lazy bum.

"What, want me to make you pee as well?" I asked her with crossed arms after finishing her teeth and seating her on the toilet.

"I'm good from here," she said, holding her hands up.

I nodded and sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for her.

"Well? Aren't you going to leave?" she asked.

"No. I don't trust that you won't fall asleep again. It happened once, it can happen again."

She rolled her eyes but nevertheless took off her pants and did her business. This was not weird for both of us since we'd sometimes strip naked in front of each other—this was the norms.

After finishing up, we walked back downstairs to the kitchen to see Ryder waiting for us. He had promised to come and act as Reece's 'tourist guide'.

"Good morning," I chirped when we walked in. He was leaning on the counter and looking into his phone.

He smiled when he saw me. "Why hello there. What took you so long?"

"It wasn't me this time, it was Reece." She was standing behind me and I stepped aside so he can see her. He raised his eyebrows when he caught sight of her and I was sure that if we weren't dating, he would've asked her right then and now.

Reece had that affect on any guy that wasn't gay. Or any girl that wasn't straight, too. Her blonde hair always seemed to look shiny and soft and fell into delicate waves down her back. Her features were all stunningly beautiful and sharp—the big blue eyes, the celestial nose, the full curved lips, the high thick cheekbones, and the fair complexion.

Sometimes I'd feel like a troll standing next to her even though I inherited the same beautiful features from the biological mom that I've never met. The big brown eyes, chestnut brown hair, heart shaped face, perfect tan, high cheekbones, and a sharp jawline.

"That would be me." Reece waved her hands.

"Reece this is Ryder. Ryder, Reece," I introduced before taking a bite out of my apple and sitting on one of the chairs.

"I know. Now, how old are you, Ryder?" She narrowed her eyes at him and took a step forward.

"Reece," I said warningly.

"I'm turning 18 next week," replied Ryder.

"How many siblings do you have?"

"4."

"What's your full name?"

"Ryder Sanders Adams." He didn't hesitate before answering every question.

"Sports you play?"

"Soccer, basketball, football, and I used to swim."

"How many girls have you dated?"

"Too many to count."

"Well, he seems okay." Her serious face broke out into a friendly smile.

"Did you hear the part where I dated so many girls?" He asked confusedly.

"Yeah, you're honest. I like it."

He looked at me and I just shrugged in return.

"Is Damon coming with us?" Ryder asked.

Reece and I shared a look. He didn't come into our room yesterday at all and I was pretty sure he was still mad.

"The chances of him coming coming with us are very low," Reece said and he nodded understandingly.

We finished our breakfast, chattering every now and then, and Reece and I got back up my room to quickly change into something presentable. This time, I really did mean it when I said quickly because we wanted to spend as much time in the city when the sun was still high up.

I put on a band shirt, worn out jeans, a jacket since it's always cold here, and a pair of Adidas whereas Reece wore a crop top, high-wasted jeans, and a cardigan.

We walked outside the house to see Ryder waiting for us by my car.

"I was sure you wouldn't leave her back in Arizona," Reece said with a laugh.

"You know me so well," I said, patting my baby lovingly.

"You call Ash's car a 'her'? Is everyone like this in Arizona?" Ryder asked incredulously.

"No. It's only us. That's why everyone calls us the twisted sisters."

"From Grey's Anatomy," I said popping a smile.

He just shook his head and opened the passenger seat door.

"Uhh, what are you doing?" Reece asked.

"Getting in the car?"

"No, you're not. I'm getting in the passenger seat."

"But I'm her boyfriend!"

"And I'm her best friend!" she argued back.

"Well, let's see who she chooses." Ryder crossed his arms and turned to me with an expectant face. Reece did the same thing.

"Please leave me out of this," I said with a groan.

"No, you have to choose," Reece said persistently.

I sighed and thought over it carefully. Why dod I always end up in these situations?

"Can we flip a-"

"No," they said simultaneously.

"Fine, I choose Reece," I said after a while.

"What?" Ryder asked with a frown.

"I haven't seen her in a very long while and I'm genuinely scared of her." I raised my hands in defense.

Reece did her own little victory dance before getting into the car. Ryder walked up to me and leaned dangerously close to my ear. He traced his hands up my arm, making me shiver and I closed my eyes.

"I'll get you back when we're done today. Then, we'll see who you're scared of." His breath tickled my ear and I caught sight of a smirk on his face. He gave me one last kiss on my neck before leaving and getting into the car.

I stood frozen there with my feet rooted to the ground, still feeling his soft lips on my neck. What did I get myself into?

Reece honked the horn twice making me jump and snap out of my thoughts. I walked back to the car and got in, starting the engine.

"Were you talking to yourself back there?" Ryder asked teasingly.

I glared at him from the rear-view mirror and decided not to answer him.

"So, where are we going first?" I asked once I realized that I had to talk to him for directions.

"Let's go to the seaport. The boardwalk has plenty of cafés, restaurants, and shops."

I nodded and drove along to his directions. It was at the far end of the town, but it was worth it.

The screeching of seagulls filled the air along with the familiar salty scent that I've always loved. Ryder was right; after the wooden boardwalk, lots of shops and cafés were shown together. There was even a bookshop that I was sure to visit before we leave and a couple of food trucks as well.

Lots of families and couples were walking on the boardwalk, taking pictures or eating ice cream even though it was still very cold at the end of December. There was still a week left for this year before it turned to 2017. It was incredible how fast this crappy year passed by, and I really hoped that the next would be better.

"Please tell me you got your camera," I said, turning to Reece.

"Of course, I did. Come on, let's give the camera to someone so they can snap a picture of us," she said excitedly.

Ryder grabbed the camera and asked a family that was passing by to take the picture. The mother of what looked like 2 young boys nodded eagerly with a big warm smile and took the camera.

I stood in between of Reece and Ryder, Reece on my right and Ryder on my left.

"The sun is in my eyes." Reece groaned, cover her eyes with her hand. "Ryder, can we switch."

"No can do, doll face," he said before putting on a smile and facing the camera.

Reece crossed her arms with a frown. "But I have to look good."

"No, you don't. You can just look the same."

"Guys, can the poor woman just take the-"

"Are you saying that I always look bad?" Reece asked with a gasp, reaching her arm in front of me to hit him.

"Ow, ow—stop!" He yielded his hands in front of him to stop the hits she was giving.

"You guys are just adorable. I wish my children would end up like you. Three cute teenager siblings," the woman said and handed back the camera. She seemed to have given up on trying to take a proper picture, and I didn't blame her.

"Oh, we're not-" we all tried to say simultaneously but the family just waved and left.

"So much for taking a picture," I said with a frown.

We waited for the camera to load the picture and print it which took twenty-four seconds. Once it came out, Reece shook it to make the color pop up and the picture clearer.

"It's not that bad, actually," Ryder said.

Looking at it closely, I agreed. I looked extremely irritated with a frown as Ryder and Reece were clawing at each other with me in the middle, but I found the picture really funny and cute. We really did look like three siblings arguing, but that was just as real as it could get.

It was perfect with its own imperfections.

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Author's Note:

Hey, guys! So here's a long chapter since I didn't update yesterday (sorry for that). I have decided that I will update everyday but Thursday because that's a very busy day for me.

I promised you guys that I'd reveal my age if you guessed and I am . . . *dramatic drumroll* . . . 16! Nothing special there lmao.

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