𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 // 𝗖.𝗙

𝖤 𝖯 𝖨 𝖢

SYLVIA WOKE UP, the smell of her favorite banana nut muffins hitting her nose as she stretched and got out of bed, she did her morning routine as last nights events replayed in her head.

She was already giving into Conrad. How pathetic was she? She was there for him and that was that. No more feelings were going to be involved, not again. She had her heart to protect.

When she made her way downstairs, she comes to a halt when she sees both Julia and Skye in the kitchen, Belly by the counter staring at them awkwardly. What a pleasant morning this was going to be.

"Morning." Skye greets the girl as she finally walks into the kitchen.

Sylvia gives her a small smile, she motions to the muffins that were laid out on the counter. "Can I have—."

"Those are for the open house." Julia interrupts her. "Good Morning."

"Seeing you doesn't make my morning good at all." Sylvia responds, a sarcastic smile on her face. Julia doesn't say anything, instead turns back around, cleaning up dishes that were in the sick. Sylvia was getting tired of her.

"Mmm." Jeremiah hums as he, Beau and Conrad walk into the house. All three of them wet, it was obvious they went out for a morning swim. "Did somebody get muff..."

They come to a halt next to Sylvia, who doesn't even glance their way. Skye looks at them with a small smile. "Hi Jeremiah."

"Hi."

"Conrad."

"Skye." Conrad looks to his younger brother. "You didn't tell me she was here, too."

"It's they. Not she." Skye corrects, looking down at the counter. "God, I guess it's been like a decade since I saw you guys. Um, how are you doing since your mom?"

"Is she serious?" Sylvia mumbles to Beau, who only stares at Skye, thinking exactly what his best friend was saying.

"It's been rough." Jeremiah answers.

"Rougher now, that our aunt's stealing our house." Conrad continues.

Julia stops washing the dishes to turn to them, staring at Conrad. "I'm not stealing the anything, Conrad. Like it or not, I get to choose what happens to this house and I choose to put it on the market."

"To get yourself some extra cash, huh?" Sylvia tilts her head at Julia, who ignores the girl, going to talk to the boys again.

"You boys should get on the road. Beat the traffic back to Boston."

"There's no chance." Conrad shakes his head. "We're staying for the open house."

"Uh, no, no, no." Julia denies. "I can't have a bunch of teenagers chasing everybody away. Call your father, because this isn't an Aunt Julia problem."

"Except it is." Conrad takes a step forward. "Because you are the problem."

Julia stares at him for a couple seconds, debating on what to say before she takes the rag she had over her shoulder and throws it on the counter before leaving. "I don't have time for this."

"Conrad." Belly breaks the silence. "She's still your family."

"Family doesn't mean much, when they try to take away the most important thing to us." Sylvia says as she walks around Belly, sitting on the counter. She could practically feel Conrad's eyes staring into her soul.

"This is hard for her, too." Skye leans forward against the counter, eyes still on her hands.

"Really?" Conrad scoffs. "Seems like she's doing this all pretty fucking easily."