Chasing Dreams

Chapter 1

Reyhan
"Let's go Reyhan," my brother wakes me from my subconscious state.

"I miss him so much Isaac," tears brimming down my eyes as I play with the petals I placed on his grave. It's been two years he left us fighting cancer.

"Ray, I am not going anyway. I am going to win this like I win Isaac in Xbox," he said hugging me tightly and lighting up the mood.

"I know Ray, we all do, come on sis, you have to be strong. Let's get going." I give him a weak smile and glance at my papa's grave for the last time before leaving.

We left the cemetery and Isaac drives us to Hot N Cold diner for a hot chocolate. It's the famous and oldest diner here in Hazel Town. The owner of the diner, Sally and Dean, who are in their 70's, welcome us with their warm hugs.

Residing in a small town, families knew each other very well. "The usual my sweeties?" Sally beams at us.

"Yes please. And don't forget the extra cream." I wink bringing out a laugh from her.
We take our regular booth at the end of the diner near the window where we always have the beautiful view of Hazel Town's busyness.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Isaac starts a conversation as we patiently wait for our drinks.

I remain quiet for a moment before replying him. "I am excited that it's my final year of high school, but I am terrified of starting college away from Hazel Town."

I have always wanted to go to Baseton School of Arts and Design. It's a dream I had always shared with my papa. A dream of pursuing arts after I finish schooling. Baseton is a 3 hour drive from Hazel Town and thinking about staying there away from my family always brings a shudder.

"It's only a 3 hour drive Ray, you can always come home on weekends and we can have our terrace ritual," my brother chimes in.

Isaac and Inanna are twins and are going to enter their 10th grade tomorrow. I still can't digest how beautiful young teens they have grown up to. Isaac reminds of me papa with his hazelnut hair color and his ocean blue eyes, where as Inanna is my mum's and mine carbon copy with her coffee brown mid length hair and dimples.

"Here you go sweeties." Sally places our mugs giving us her lovely smile and wandering off to her husband. I watch Dean kissing her tenderly on her forehead and she smiles dreamily at him. Their story always makes me want to find my soulmate faster.

"... ouch!" Isaac yelps as he burns his tongue by taking a gulp of his drink. I laugh as he always burns his tongue. I remember papa always mocked him. "It's hot chocolate Isaac, but I believe that you don't have the common sense to figure it out." He would always sulk back in pain and annoyance.

I repeat the exact same words which makes him stop and look up to me. He makes a face while taking another sip cautiously. We finish our drinks, pay and bid our goodbyes to Sally and Dean before heading back home.

"Mum, we are home," Isaac and I both yell in unison.

"In the kitchen," she yells back at us. We both laugh and stroll our way to the kitchen finding my mom preparing dinner.

"It's already evening. Time flies like a metro," Isaac says laughing at his own joke, making my mum chuckle as well.

"What a horrendous humor you have Isaac." I say making him rolls his eyes at me.

"Hey guys," my little munchkin comes from behind hugging me.

"How was your visit?" She asks referring to the cemetery.
"Good." I reply holding her hand which is hanging around my shoulder. She gives me a smile and starts to lay the table. We all help each other and sit down to have our dinner.

"Mum, it's delicious." Isaac moans while having his mouth full.

"Stop talking with your mouth full Isaac," my mum laughs and scolds him.

"I have set the terrace. We will have our hot chocolate upstairs," Inanna says sipping on her water.

"Thanks twin." Isaac and I smile at her. Terrace ritual has always been a top priority for us siblings. Unlike other siblings, our relationship is unbreakable. Every weekend, we sit on the terrace. We have decorated it with a mat, a lot of throw pillows and fairy lights. Hot chocolate and weekly gossips are always the nights I look forward with them.

"Are you all ready for tomorrow?" Mum asks us.

"Yes mama," we reply to her in childish tone making her laugh. She watches us with love and admiration and I know she has wandered off in her thoughts. Again.

"Mum," I shake her hand while Isaac and Inanna lays off the table.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask her while she entwines our fingers.

"I was thinking about your papa. He must be so proud of you all right now. You are entering your final year of high school. Isaac and Inanna are going to start their 10th grade and just watching you siblings love each other so dearly," she speaks with teary eyes.

"Oh mama," I hug her tightly whispering I love you in her ear.

"I know papa must be sitting with Allah right now, sipping on his Sprite saying; you see those people, you big man! They are my family and I love them." I tell her to lighten the mood and sigh when she laughs wholeheartedly and wipes off her eyes.

"Come on, off you guys go," my mum shoos us away from kitchen. My mother, Victoria Hearst, is obsessed with her kitchen and it's hygiene. She is content after cleaning it by herself. Papa would always make fun of her saying, "Victoria honey, you have left a spot there." And my mother would just growl at him. I laugh at that memory before joining my siblings.

We reach at the terrace with our hot chocolate mugs and sit down. I sigh in content when the night breeze touches my face.

Inanna starts her story about what she has planned for this year while Isaac mocks her. I watch them in pure adoration. I wonder how life would be if papa was here. How he would be cheering me on my graduation and watch me enter my dream college.

"Oh really? Ray, Ray!" Isaac shakes me. I blink twice before adjusting myself and returning back to earth.

"I was asking Inanna about what has she planned for our dear Shawn?" Isaac jokes.

Ah, Shawn Raymond. My sister's crush and childhood best friend. Shawn is my mother's best friend's son and twins and Shawn, both share the same birthday.
It's very obvious that they both like each other but they are 'just best friends' as they like to say it. I laugh to myself thinking that my 16 year old sister has a guy who likes her and, being 18, is still single. It's not that I am complaining, I am thankful for every blessing I have been bestowed in my life. It's amusing to watch my sister all flustered up when we tease her with Shawn.

After exchanging few stories, we wind up at 11.52pm and call it a night. We wash the mugs, hug each other and bid goodnight before going to our rooms.

I check my phone as I lay on my bed and reply to the dozen of texts of my best friend, Natalie. I think about my day and all the positive things, say a gratitude as my parents have always taught us since childhood to always be happy at the end of the day, whatever may come, and fall asleep with a smile on my face.