Andrew was the first to leave before everyone else soon followed him. It was around seven and I was called down for dinner which I ignored, instead, I got changed and put on my workout clothes. A little more hurt by Andrew's words than I would like to admit, I walked straight past everyone eating dinner and into my back garden. After, putting my earphones in I started doing laps around the whole garden going outside the courts just following the beat of the songs playing.

I used to run with my mom but when I wasn't I did it alone to clear my head and drift away. It was around my tenth lap, I soon saw everyone in front of my path blocking my way. So I simply turned around and started running in the other direction but soon my feet were no longer on the ground. Andrew had lifted me and thrown me off his shoulder.

"Someone who has barely eaten all day should not be running around like that," Andrew said nagging me.

"Please since when do you care about your mom's murderer," I said and my dad and Zuri gasped. Andrew roughly dropped me on the floor and I fell hard. "Shit!" I screamed looking at my ankle and Andrew immediately bent down to which I punched him in the jaw.

"That is for earlier," I punched him in again but this time in the belly. "That is for the time before that,". I used my other foot to slide and tackle him to the floor. "This is for accusing me of mom's death." Andrew looked ready to fight me, Kyle got in the middle and instead received a punch which I could tell hurt him, he was going to hit me.

"Listen to me Arya, no one blames you for Tasha's death," Recee said bending down and carrying me.

"Liar," I said as he carried me indoors and put me on the couch.

Nanny immediately wrapped up my sprain, "Don't go on it for a bit,"

"I get hurt from time to time at least it's not a sprain, I just won't run for a while though," I said trying to reassure her.

Zuri was attending to Andrew's bruised face, Nanny noticed me looking over, "Did you have to hit him?"

"No, but he had it long coming. And Kyle I almost felt sorry for him for him receiving a blow I should have then I remembered I've been meaning to punch him for a while. Honestly, while I'm at it might as well burn the house down." I said half-joking

"Arya stops it," Recee complained running his fingers through his hair.

We heard a knock at the door and Xavier went to answer it. "Who are you?"

"Ace." He replied and that's all I needed to hear. Happily, I jumped off the sofa and sprinted to him and jumped in his arms.

"Hey sis," He laughed as I refused to let go. "Get down," He laughed as he started walking inside.

I reluctantly got down, "Where are your bags?" I asked hoping he was staying.

"In the car, introduce me, Arya," He said looking around the room.

"Nanny meet my brother, Ace," I smiled happily.

"I know him he's Aline's brother he's grown up, nice to see you again Ace."

He smiled back "You too,"

"There are other people in the room, Arya," Lucas sighed and I rolled my eyes.

"That's..."I was interrupted.

"Lucas, " Ace said finishing my sentence, "We know each other."

"So you're Arya's brother," Xavier said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, "That Xavierr and his twin Kyle," 

"Yeah, and you look like you've been beaten up, Andrew man what happened," Ace asked upon seeing his face.

"Me, I did it," I shrugged.

"Why?" Ace asked.

"You trust me?" I asked looking at Ace.

"Yeah..." He said slowly, "Of course I do."

I then half-whispered. "Then trust my judgment."

Recee then introduced Zuri.

Ace said reassuringly to Andrew, "Arya doesn't take well to new people, especially people who she doesn't trust."

"I don't need a guide to my sister," Andrew spat.

Ace looked at his face, "Well your face says otherwise."

I looked at him holding in a laugh, "Ace please stop it."

"Why don't we move all your bags to the guest house," Zuri said politely and Reece agreed.

"No please, I will do it myself." Ace declined politely.

"Let me help you," I said walking towards the door.

"Your foot," Ace said reminding me.

"Not a sprain," I said looking at him.

"Well done glad you broke that habit," He laughed at me and I playfully rolled my eyes. He began walking towards the door and I followed him and sat in his car in the driver's seat.

"I'm done moving everything," He smiled lifting me from the car and into the house.

"I would rather you didn't lift me still recovering from the last person who did I said glaring at Andrew. Everyone was in the room watching the t.v. Zuri was on a reality t.v show and had just thrown a glass of water at someone and called them a bitch you know the classics, she looked beautiful as always.

"Recee and Zuri may I please go with Arya to collect my mom and sister from the airport?" He asked.

"Of course but I insist on the driver driving you two," Zuri smiled and he nodded.

"When are they arriving?" I asked him.

"2 am," He said and I nodded.

"So Ace why is Arya so violent?" Kyle asked.

"I wouldn't say she's violent she and Aline did boxing from a young age and only a little while back stopped being professionally trained."

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"They may have accidentally hurt their trainer," Ace shrugged and everyone looked at each other wide-eyed.

"Yes I may have temporally knocked him out but we stopped because it clashed with so much of our schedules," I said pinching Ace.

"Why are you guys asking me Arya loves telling that story?" Ace asked with a little laugh.

"Because she doesn't love talking to us," Kyle replied and the room fell silent.

Can you blame me

"How do I not know this?" Ace whispered offended.

"Because I wanted you to focus on school instead of me," I whispered back nervously.

"You lost the most important person to you, why shouldn't I focus on you dummy," He rolled his eyes, "It's the most annoying part of you, you're too selfless everyone comes before you. You've always been like this, I remember when you sprained your ankle at a football game halfway through and carried on because the team didn't have any subs,"

"Stop talking about me, not relevant here," I said harshly and Ace immediately stopped getting the message. "Sorry, wanna go outside," I said quietly but loud enough to be heard.

"She hasn't eaten, yet." Zuri suddenly said out of the blue. She had just snitched on me, better Ace than Aunty Maye.

"I just never have an appetite these days. I'll start eating more." I said as convincingly as possible before looking into his eyes.

"We don't lie to each other," He muttered but I heard it. "Let's go eat something, even noodles," He said taking my hand.

We ate noodles it was a struggle for me but I ate. Soon Reece and Zuri went to bed so it was only the boys downstairs they were watching a movie and Fabian invited us to too. Ace agreed his aura had changed he was mad at me and I could feel it.

"I never wanted you to know how I felt because the truth was killing me I didn't want to burden you one death is better than two," That was the only line I had heard from the movie I had been in my thoughts the whole time.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to Ace.

"It's okay, "Ace replied knowing exactly what I meant before hugging me. I did tend to deal with things alone something I loved and hated about myself.

"It's time to go get them," I said looking at my phone it was nearly 1 am.

"Want us to come?" Lucas asked and I frowned at him.

"No," I replied standing up.

"Why?" Andrew asked and I balled my fists before releasing them.

"Because you guys didn't bother to pick me up, makes no sense you want to pick up my best friend," I replied coldly.

After grabbing a coat Ace and I left and were inside a limo being driven.

"Now tell me why you can't stand them?" He asked. I explained everything that had been said and done since I arrived not leaving out my involvement because I did start it hypothetically but they did by not bothering to pick me up which was a clear message.

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"Bitchhhh!" Aline yelled running towards me and I ran to her ignoring my foot and the looks people in the airport were giving me.

"I missed you!" We both said at the same time before laughing.

"Aunty Maye," I said hugging her tight when she caught up to Aline.

"How are you baby," She smiled.

"Better you guys are here," I held Aline's hand and she squeezed it.

"Acey, "She squealed surprised and excited jumping onto him before Aunty Maye engulfed them both into a hug.

On the drive home, I told them about the funeral situation they had no idea either. Then I started ranting about how life had been going."I'm going to punch Andrew when I see him."  Aline stated.

"Sis you might want to see what Arya did to him first, if you punch him too he won't recover, "Ace laughed.

We soon arrived and when we did I helped Aline carry her bags to my room she was meant to stay in the guest house but that wasn't happening we were sharing my room. When we walked into the house Aline scoffed, "So you guys are the ones giving my twin hell, listen try anything when I'm around and you will have hell and back."

I smiled, Aline had never been confronting however she had always been protective, "I love you," I said hugging her she then began laughing.

"You did that," She said looking at Andrew. "Well, now I don't have to,"

"You and Arya grew so much Aline," Lucas smiled.

"Well, we couldn't stay small forever imagine if we could've I would've stayed 7, "Aline said looking at me.

"I agree 7 was our number," I laughed before hugging her again.

"You keep hugging me it's kind of scary, I am always the clingy one," She smiled hugging me back.

"Well not seeing you every day has been hell, you not being here has been too much I don't know how I survive. So I'm using every second,"

"You will make me cry Arie," She said letting go. "Now, which one of the two is Kyle and whose Xavier,"

"Why?" Xavier asked.

"That's Xavier for sure got it," She smiled confidently.

"How did you know?" Kyle asked surprised.

"Kyle is the slightly nicer twin," She replied looking at me and I nodded. "Like me, "She said making us both laugh slightly.

"You guys are one day apart so you aren't twins," Andrew said trying to correct us.

Aline and I looked at each other and smirked, we both knew where this was going.

1 2 3 

 "Says who?" We both asked crossing our arms.

1 2 3

"Boy mind your business, then we will too." Aline and I said at the same time oozing with attitude. The boys looked surprised and slightly amused.  We had made it up years ago and said it whenever we were told that by people, it always took people by surprise. We both let out a laugh finding their surprise hilarious.

"Let's eat breakfast," Aline said softly

"I only ate about...

"We are gonna end up waking up so late let's just eat I was in charge of your eating and I had you eating three meals every day and you come here and one every three days I will sort it out if it's the last thing I do."

"Should I cook you my famous pancakes," She said excitedly and I jumped excitedly before calming down.

"Yes," I smiled brightly. We put Aline's bags in my room containing her clothes and skincare.

We came down and Aline cooked me her pancakes and it was like what life used to be. We sat at the dining table and had some pancakes with fruit and I found myself tearing up.

"Arya they aren't that good," She said surprised.

"I missed you so much doing this reminded me of our sleepovers and happy times I'm genuinely happy and it's been a while since I felt like this I think that's why I'm crying." I smiled and Aline cupped my cheeks.

"My job is to make you happy glad I live up to the expectation," She smiled before kissing my cheek making me laugh.

"You are going to have to leave," I said sadly.

"Maybe but don't think about it I'm here for a while so don't think like that okay, get out of your head." She said standing up and putting cream on my face.

"Are you 7?" I laughed and she simply just shook her head.

"You are the biggest overthinker I'm going to keep you out of your head," She smiled.

"You always did," I smiled back whipping the cream and putting it on her face.

"Who is seven now?" She asked and I simply just laughed.

With Aline it was always so easy, she brought out the best in me.

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Thank you for reading, please vote and comment your opinions -Lbxx