Bella's POV
The last vestiges of the day's stress melted away with the cascade of hot water. Humming along to the muffled sounds of the twins Amber and Hunter arguing over who got the last slice of pizza downstairs, I lathered in my favorite lavender-scented shampoo, letting the steam work its magic on my tired muscles. A perfect end to a day filled with soccer practice pick-ups, spilled Gatorades and the never-ending negotiation of bedtime.
Just as I reached for the conditioner, a jolt of something unexpected shot through the spray. Instead of the usual cascade of warm water, a vibrant blue liquid erupted from the showerhead, coating my skin in an icy shock. My surprised shriek echoed through the bathroom as I fumbled for the handle, shutting off the assault.
Dripping and bewildered, I peered at my reflection in the fogged-up mirror. My entire body was a canvas of cerulean streaks, glitter clinging to every damp surface like a wayward disco ball. A strangled laugh escaped my lips. There was only one person who could be behind this, my ever so slightly sadistic little sister, Ashlynn.
Memories flooded back – glitter bombs strategically placed in gym lockers, whoopee cushions strategically placed on car seats (courtesy of yours truly, of course, in a moment of sibling retaliation). This, however, was a whole new level.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I belted out the first thing that came to mind, "I wanna be shiny, I'm so shiny, I got shiney Hiney!" in my best rendition of SpongeBob SquarePants. A muffled giggle filtered through the door, confirming my suspicions.
Throwing open the bathroom door, I marched towards my room, the trail of blue and silver glitter marking my path like a deranged mermaid. There, I found the culprit sprawled on my bed, a mischievous glint in her eyes and a half-used bag of blue glitter clutched in her hand.
"Ashlynn!" I mock-growled, my voice laced with amusement rather than anger.
"Well, well, well," she drawled, feigning innocence. "If it isn't the world's most gloriously sparkly vampire."
Olivia, ever the mediator, piped up from her room next door to mine building a precarious tower out of various shades of pink Legos. "Maybe Auntie Ash can be sparkly too, Mommy!"
The image of Edward, my ever-so-stoic vampire husband, covered in glitter was enough to send me into another fit of giggles. Ashlynn, sensing her advantage, made a dash for the door.
"Not so fast, little miss glitter bomb!" I chased after her, the image of a sparkly, grumpy Edward fueling my laughter. We tore through the house, leaving a trail of blue shimmer in our wake, the echoes of our laughter filling the air.
Just as I lunged for her, she ducked behind Edward, who had just walked in, a bewildered expression on his face.
"What in the world...?" he began, then stopped short, his lips twitching at the sight of his wife, covered head to toe in blue paint and glitter, a towel wrapped precariously around her, and a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Ashlynn, peeking out from behind him, couldn't hold back any longer and burst into a fit of giggles. Edward, unable to resist the infectious laughter, threw his head back and howled.
The stress of the day, the negotiations, the spilled Gatorade – it all melted away in that shared moment of pure, unadulterated joy. In the end, maybe a little blue glitter was just what we all needed.
Later, after a scrubbing session that left the bathroom looking like a Jackson Pollock painting, we collapsed on the couch, exhausted but exhilarated. Ashlynn, sporting a strategic dusting of glitter and paint herself (courtesy of a playful swipe of my towel), snuggled between Edward and me.
YOU ARE READING
Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2
General FictionBook 2 - 1 year after book one A story by two real world "sisters" just trying to make the best of a bad situation by escaping their reality and creating a new one.
