Iliana let out a shaky breath as the cool metal flask graces her lips. She stares coldly at herself in the mirror, watching her glassy eyes stare back, disgusted at what she saw. Her throat aches from the pain of blinking the tears away, stop crying you stupid bitch, she snaps at herself as the tangy, acidic drink burns as it slides down so easily. She feels vomit threatening to rise at any given moment and almost thought of forcing it out if she actually had anything in her to hurl.

A knock on the door rips her away from her never ending thoughts, which she was going to ignore before the person spoke.

"Il, it's me, open up!" Her twin brother, or better known as her savior, speaks up, his deep voice sounds like angels singing. She's lost count how long it's been since she's seen him and he's the first person she wanted to see when she arrived.

"Coming!" Iliana quickly calls out before rushing to throw her flask in her purse and piece herself together.

Luke lights up as she swings the door open and a smile warms her face. She can't remember the last time she hasn't have to force one.

"There she is!" Luke engulfs her in a hug and she couldn't feel more safe to be back in her brother's arms. Luke is her guardian angel, always happy, always looking out for her, always a comfort to her.

"Lu Lu!" She laughs as he squeezes the breath out of her before letting her go. Luke smiles at the nickname he's grown to love, though when they were kids he hated it because he thought it made him sound like a small purse dog.

"You make it in fine?" He asks as he shuts the door behind him.

"Oh yeah, just got here a few minutes ago actually, you were the person I was going to see." Iliana muses.

Luke nods. "You okay? You seem tense, is something wrong?" His voice carries through the room, sending a chill through Iliana's regulated high temperatured body.

Her forehead crinkles slightly. Oh no, was her mask slipping?

"Anything I can help with?" Her brother shoots her the most reassuring smile, looking up cautiously from her couch he's already melted himself into. Well- okay, not literally, because he could most definitely do that and has actually, freshman year. He bought her the one she has now as an apology.

Iliana's chest aches, a million things weighing and pulling at once. But, she plasters a sickeningly sweet smile on her face and relaxes her shoulders as she straightens up and shakes it off. You have to brighten up for Luke, she scolds herself. Not that she has to force herself to around him, but her burdens were not his to carry nor stress about.

"I'm dine. I'm okay now that I'm back." She exhales, looking around the room- her room. Though it felt like visiting your childhood bedroom, an outsider trying to fit back in.

Luke nods, but doesn't seem 100% convinced.

And that's the thing about having a twin, they can always see right through you... Which is why Iliana could see the purple veins and bags underneath his eyes, even under the concealer she could tell he was wearing to hide it.

"Well, I know coming back here after being away for a while can be quite the adjustment. You can always talk to me." Luke tells her, very seriously. "I'm here for you, Il, always."

"I know." Iliana speaks softly, taking a seat next to him and resting her head on his shoulder. The room swirls with suffocation and uncertainty. "I was only gone for a year, it wasn't that long." She jokes, trying to convince herself that no time has passed and everything is exactly as it was.

But that's a lie.

A lot can happen in just a year.

Luke snorts. "Long enough for you to miss out on all of my victories." He holds his arms up to flex.

"Oh please." Iliana snorts. "Has the competition gone soft?" She smirks.

"Ah." Luke gasps, grabbing his chest. "You insult me, Illie. I'm just that good."

"Mhmmm." Iliana muses. She's glad at least nothing between them has changed. She could go five years without seeing Luke and still fall comfortably in place with him, that's how it's always been. Not that the twins have been apart for more than a mere few hours before she left.

Iliana nudges him. "Well, you know you can talk to me too, big brother." She looks him in the eye, letting him know it was okay to be vulnerable around her, that he didn't always have to be strong for her.

"Yeah. Yeah I know." Luke looks at her for a moment, like he was about to say something, when her phone goes off causing them both to jump slightly.

"Agh, sorry." Iliana races to turn off the irritating alarm that always makes her angry for no reason, but she can't seem wake up to anything else, so she deals with it. "That's my alarm for meeting with Brink." She sucks her teeth, bitterly looking at her screen as she reads the reminder. "I know you wanted to hang, I completely forgot-"

"Hey, no worries." Luke shrugs it off. "We'll catch up more later." He stands, then gives her a hand. "You coming to the welcome fight later?" He asks.

Iliana laughs, rolling her eyes. "It's just you showing off and winning every year."

"Yeah, but you missed it last year." Luke reminds her jokingly.

"Of course I'll be there, I haven't even got to see Andre or Cate yet!" She says excitedly. Texting and facetiming her brother and best friends can only carry a person so far when they're miles away from them. Luke turns to her. "But I'll mostly be there for you." She pushes him forward. "I swear."

"Yeah right. Cate has been talking about you coming home nonstop all week." Luke teases.

"Good, I'm stealing her back the moment I see her." She sticks her tongue out at him as she grabs her keys. "She's mine."

"Yeah, yeah. See you later." Luke laughs as they part ways and Iliana makes the dreadful path to Brink's office. The pit in her stomach is back and now she truly does feel bile making its way up her esophagus.

Here goes nothing.

𖤓 𖤓 𖤓

𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽 sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Hellooooo... Ahhh, it's finally here!!! I am so, so excited to finally publish this book & for y'all to finally get to read it, eekk!!

What do you think of our girl Iliana so far...?! Ugh her & Luke's relationship is so pure & sweet, I love them so much!!

Hope y'all enjoyed the kick off chapter and are ready for many more to come!! Please don't forget or be afraid to comment your thoughts, questions, and reactions!! Comments are so motivating for me to write!!

See you in the next part, episode 1 chapters are coming at ya next week so stay tuned <3

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Here's to 2024 & lots of Iliana & you know who ;)