Ink & Lust (On HIATUS)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four ~ Camaraderie

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I smiled, shoved my phone back into my shorts, and started humming "Blue Flower" by Lia, a song I picked from a Korean film I watched recently, as I delved into my bag for my keys, eager to reunite with my siblings. After a moment of rummaging, I found the key, letting out a sigh of relief. It occurred to me that, no matter where I went, my 'home' key was always tucked away in my bag. As the door swung open, I was met with the sight of my little sister, Selenne (with a double 'n' – a name choice that always puzzled me), sporting a wide grin that showcased her braces. I couldn't help but smile back, albeit slightly surprised. At fifteen, I expected her teeth to be more aligned by now. Nevertheless, she looked adorable with those braces.

I laughed as Selenne's excitement filled the air as she drew me into a tight hug and squealed. "Hey there, Sel! Missed you guys."

Her smile widened,  "We missed you more, Ava!" Selenne grabbed my hand, releasing me from her cute, death hug, and darted inside. "Sienna! Ava's home! Blake! Come down you Bozo!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing through the house, with me following closely behind. They were all so happy to see me, even the gateman said he missed me too. Was that how much impact my move created?

Sienna, Selenne's identical twin sister, emerged from the living room, mirroring her sister's wide grin. Unlike Selenne, Sienna had a perfect white set of teeth. "Ava! Finally!" She rushed over, enveloping me in a tight hug. Not again...

"I can't breathe," I say, laughing

"You're back. We've got so much catching up to do!"

I often pondered how my mom managed the challenges of being a double twin mom — Blake and me, and Selenne and Sienna and my only guess was, Knowing Mom, she probably didn't want to be tethered at home birthing four kids with a two-year age gap. As for my sisters, Mom likely didn't want a double 'n' in only Sienna's name, so she threw in a random 'n' for Selenne. It was weird but adorable. Sometimes I secretly hope I'll one day have multiple children.

"It's good to be home, guys," I said, releasing myself from the hug. "How's everything been around here?"

"You know, the usual" Selenne rolled her eyes. She wasn't much of a talkative like her twin sister but she had an attitude. Not my intention, but I sometimes find myself calling her the devil's pawn.

Blake descended the stairs with that classic smirk on his face. "Look who decided to grace us with her presence," he teased.

"Hey, Blake," I greeted, playfully rolling my eyes. "Miss me?"

He chuckled. "You wish. We just met last week, remember? You came to my workplace and ordered enough for an entire solar system."

"My food preferences are off-limits to you, asshole" I retorted, a hint of amusement in my tone.

"Language dummy" he smirked, playfully teasing. "So, what's the occasion?" I roll my eyes at his nonchalance.

"Just felt like dropping by," I replied casually and added "And I missed you all, well except Blake," I said, embracing my girls in another hug "The twins are just so adorable"

Sienna clapped her hands in excitement. "We missed you too, Ava!"

Selenne joined in, echoing her sister's enthusiasm. "Yeah, we were wondering when you'd come home again."

"And ruin your peaceful existence?" Blake chimed in, earning an exaggerated eye roll from me.

"Exactly," I replied with mock seriousness, smirking at Blake. "I thought I'd grace you all with my chaotic presence."