Chapter 1

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Alice's P.O.V

The LA sunshine beats down on the sand beneath me, warm on my skin. I pull my sunglasses over my eyes and close them gently knowing I won't be missed by Aunt Amy for at least another couple of hours. I bury my toes in the sand, relaxing. I hear the gentle rush of the timid waves that have no aggression in them in this lovely weather. People murmur happily around me. I begin planning out my week. We'll probably chill out here at least a couple of evenings and I know Kristen is supposed to be having a party on Friday. That should be fun. Maybe we could go shopping again on Wednesday. Mason ( my almost-but-not-quite boyfriend ) had bought me a cute new dress in Hollister last time and I needed new shoes to go with it.

"Alice!" A voice shouts, interrupting my thoughts. I sit up glaring in Jake's direction as he strides over towards me.
"What do you want?" I fold my arms over my tanned middle waiting for an explanation as to why he was interrupting my quiet. He rolls his eyes.
"Oh sorry princess. Did I interrupt your tanning?" He jeers.
"Mom says you have to come home. NOW!" He shouts, jogging off in the direction he had appeared. I pull myself up reluctantly. Jake is my cousin. I don't understand how I could be related to someone so pathetic but I am. I stroll towards the house, in no hurry to hear what Aunt Amy has to say. She doesn't really make me do much.

She pities me you see. She has raised me as her own because my parents are some losers who decided they didn't want me. Or something. So I can usually pull that card when she nags at me too much and it shuts her up. Jake doesn't buy it though. He despises me most of the time because apparently I manipulate his family. I don't.

I pull open the glass doors at the side of the kitchen and glance around for Aunt Amy. As I step inside I remove my sunglasses and flick my blonde waves off my shoulder, pouting as I fix my lip gloss.
Aunt Amy comes into the room looking anxious.
"Were you at the beach?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Big crowd?"
"Mmmm."
"You'll get burnt if you keep going out in those skimpy bikinis."
I just roll my eyes.

Aunt Amy, still on edge pulls one of the stools out and sits down beckoning for me to do the same.
I pull myself up on the kitchen counter instead.
Jake walks in and leans against the cooker, curious.
"So how are your plans looking for the summer?" Aunt Amy asks me quietly. She's not usually this awkward. I'd have broken her a long time ago if she was always so timid.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Beach, parties, beach parties, shopping, the usual."
She nods.
"Maybe it's time to try something new."

Jake scoffs.
"Yeah like maybe wear some clothes for once."
I grin in his direction.
"You're friends don't seem to mind." I retort. I see him grind his teeth.
"They can't stand you."
I laugh.
"Sure they can't." I smile rolling my eyes. They love me.

Aunt Amy interrupts before another argument breaks out between me and her son.
"How would you like a nice holiday, sweetheart?"
I beam at her.
"Oh my gosh perfect!"
Jake glares at me in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding!" He exclaims.
Aunt Amy holds up her index figure to hush him.
"I got a phone call from your parents! They want you home for the summer!"

I jump up.
"No way!" I shout.
"Yes way! You're going Alice!"
I kick the cupboard as Jake begins to laugh.
"Finally peace for the summer!" He grins dancing around before running out of the room.
"I refuse to go."
"You don't get a choice." She tells me, serious.
I shake my head.
"They can't just choose when they want me!"
She shakes her head at me.
"You know it wasn't like that! Your Gran told your mom she couldn't handle it. That it was too much stress and trust me she had to do the most difficult thing she's ever done when she gave you up."
I glare at her.
"So how come they could keep her?" Only recently had they decided to inform me that I do in fact have a twin sister. Yes I have lived most of my life oblivious to this fact.

She looks at me sadly.
"Listen it's not like that. They didn't choose one over the other! I told you! Your sister was sent to live with Miranda!" Miranda is my other aunt who lives in Ireland.
"And Miranda had her own baby a year later and couldn't manage both. Your parents had moved to Ireland and a year later your Gran decided to let them keep your sister for good instead of visiting. You on the other hand wouldn't leave. You liked it here and you didn't get to know your parents very well. You called me Moma way back then. So it was you who decided."

I stare at her.
"Well there must have been a reason!"
She shakes her head at me.
"The only reason was that you weren't around your parents enough for you to know them as your parents. "
I storm out of the room.
"I don't even care. I'm not going."
And I stomp upstairs.

*****
Two weeks later I'm sulking on a plane on my way to Ireland.

*NOTE: Hey everyone! If you're reading this we love you! Hope you enjoy our story and please leave a comment x I ( @CiaraLxox5 ) have just written this chapter and Laurine ( laurineslife__ ) will write the next x follow our twitters x

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