ANIMA

20. Golden

Tomas

Wow. Talk about family secrets. I thought my family didn’t have any secrets but I have just been proven wrong.

Kenzie is my twin sister Mack and I didn’t even recognize her.

When I first ran into her at the stables I felt inexplicably drawn to her. But I didn’t not think too much of it.

Sometimes you meet people and you instantly just click, like you have never not known each other. That’s how it was with Trent and Aiden too.

Sitting next to Kenzie in the backseat as dad drives, I wonder what is going in her head. She has had so many revelations today.

“Why do you want to see mom? Not that you shouldn’t want to see her. I just thought you would have more questions for Mrs. King or even dad.” I say.

“She’s blameless in this. I was the result of her husband cheating on her yet she didn’t hold that against me. Growing up she didn’t play favorites with us, she treated me with the same love and care she showed you. So much so that not once did I feel like I wasn’t hers biologically.” Kenzie says.

I remember the same thing, mom and dad loved us and doted on us equally. I guess that’s how we were able to fully believe we were twins.

We don’t look alike, we both share dad’s dimpled smile and expressive brown eyes though Kenzie’s are a lighter brown. So is her skin but so is mom’s so I never thought twice about that.

A few hours later just as the sun is setting we see the sign that proclaims Welcome to Haven. It has only been a couple of weeks yet everything looks different yet the same somehow.

Dad must have told mom we were coming, she stands up from the chair she was sitting when she sees the car approach.

Dad and I get out of the car and hang back as we watch Kenzie tentatively approach mom. Mom of course is having none of that, she walks up to Kenzie and envelopes her in a hug, both of them devolving into sobs.

In the time it took us to get here, mom seems to have prepared a feast in honor of Mack’s return. She cooked all her favorites plus some staples.

We catch up on the last ten years. By the time we head to bed it feels like Mack never left.

We will have to head back to school in a few hours so I am spending my time just lazing around, enjoying being in my room again.

Kenzie is spending her time with mom and dad, answering all the questions they have about how she grew up and what her favorites are now whether it be food, hobbies, classes, music and movies. I got the impression the Kings don’t really care to know this stuff about her so I am glad she gets this with our parents.

I wish I could slow down time so we can stay longer but I can’t so we say our goodbyes instead.

“I miss you guys already” mom says drawing us both into a bone-crushing hug.

“We will miss you too once you stop squeezing the literal life out us mom” I say.

“We know you love it” dad says joining in.

Despite our protesting they drive us back. So we give them a tour of our dorms and the school grounds. As expected mom is fascinated by the stables and the lake while dad is awestruck by the architecture, especially the library.

Unfortunately none of our friends are on campus so we don’t get to introduce them to mom’s disappointment.

“What about Trent, is he around?” dad asks.

“Not sure, we don’t really keep in touch”

“Oh you guys used to be so close. I thought now that you are at the same school you would hang out all the time like you used to.” mom says.

“I guess we grew out of that phase.”

After the tour is over, Kenzie and I send them off and spend the rest of the day in the library and then Kenzie shows me some of her building designs. I am no expert but they look amazing. Dad will be happy to know one of us inherited his love of architecture.

As has become habit these days, Mason, Aiden and I are having breakfast at Rina’s, a café near campus. All our phones go off, we sigh because at this point we know it is most probably ANIMA. Without even discussing it we all decide to leave it until we are done with our food, so we continue eating.

Mason is first to finish eating and checks his phone. All the color drains out of his face and he looks like his breakfast might make a reappearance.

“What does it say this time?” Aiden says but he is so focused on his last waffle he doesn’t notice the look on Mason’s face.

His question unfreezes Mason who gets up so fast his chair falls over drawing everyone’s attention to our table. He pays them no attention, blindly stumbling out of the café.

Both Aiden and I check our phones to see what has him so rattled.

“Golden boy Mason Ahn involved in DUI? Are any of us actually surprised? The only surprise is that daddy dearest didn’t bury this one deep enough. – ANIMA”

Shit.

We quickly pay for our breakfast and follow Mason thinking he is probably just getting some air outside. But he is not outside or anywhere nearby and his phone is off when we try calling.

He might have headed back to campus so we head there as well. Knocks at his room go unanswered so Aiden uses his spare card key to let us in, he is not there.

We check the sports center, the library and the kitchen but we don’t find him. The bell rings so we head to class hoping to run into him in class.

It’s already the third class of the day and I still haven’t run into Mason neither have Aiden, Kenzie and Ava.

“It’s only been a year but your standard in who you befriend has dropped drastically. You even befriend actual criminals now. Honestly I am not sure I should hold you to our deal of being friends again” Trent says with a chuckle.

In the madness that has been these couple of days I had actually forgotten that I sit next to this clown in this class.

After noticing the glare on my face he says, “Just kidding man. You used to know how to take a joke.”

“And you used to know how to tell one.”

“I can’t believe you. You are treating me, your best friend, like this because of one of them. Do you think they actually care about you? I am your only real friend here Tomas, remember that.”

I don’t have the time to point out that he hasn’t been a real friend for over a year. I tune him out and think of where Mason could have disappeared to.

By the end of the school day Mason still hasn’t shown up but I now have an idea of where he might be. I tell Aiden and we head over.

The house still looks the same as it did the weekend we spent here. But now instead of anticipation I am overcome with nerves.We ring the doorbell but no one comes to the door. After trying a couple more time with the same outcome, we use the spare key and let ourselves in.

We find Mason passed out on the kitchen floor.

✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️

A/N

That was a lot 😅

Let me know your thoughts 📝

📌 Don't forget to vote!

- Oli 💌