sand castles | f. vacker

05 A SMALL FEELING OF DEJA VU

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ACCORDING TO LINH, Tam was a complete loner. Sure, he used to be popular with the girls back at Foxfire, but he never really had a long-lasting relationship. Plus, most of the girls, all of whom Linh had met, never stood out. They never stood out enough for Tam to take let Linh get to know them, or for him to take them home to meet his parents, or for him to even bother hanging out with them like a normal boyfriend would. Although, Linh didn't really know what a regular boyfriend was like — the twins were younger back then, and she happened to be the most quiet girl in the whole universe.

But Exillium had taught her a few things, and ever since the twins met Joelle, Linh had learned much more, such as what was in style (Joelle's closet was full of fancy clothes) and a few new recipes (they were currently making a new dessert in Joelle's kitchen).

"Put the pan in the oven for ten minutes," Tam read, his eyes traveling across the words of Joelle's promised cookbook.

"Five minutes?" Linh frowned. "Is that long enough?"

"It's a new oven," Joelle said.

"New, new, new, new," Tam mocked her, shaking his head with each word.

"Silence, Tammy."

Linh laughed at the established nickname and put the pan into the oven as Tam had instructed. Her twin only rolled his eyes stuck out his tongue like a ten-year-old. On any other day, Linh knew he would have had a comeback, but she realized that Joelle had made a . . . special place in his mind. And that's what stood out about her.

"I just noticed," Joelle spoke, "that we all have elemental abilities."

"Maybe we're meant for each other," Linh said dreamily, leaning forward as her elbows supported her weight on the counter.

Tam rolled his eyes and stood to lean against the island, flipping through the pages of Joelle's thick cookbook. The said girl hopped up next to him, using the island as a chair to gaze over his shoulder.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Joelle stopped his page-flipping and placed her hand on the mouth-watering painting of fluff creams. "We have to make these next time."

"There's not going to be a next time if you guys keep picking flower fights with me."

Joelle turned her head to Linh, both grinning evilly and covered in the white baking ingredient, as was Tam, who had the worst of it.

"I'm going to take a shower," Linh announced. "Tell me when the food is ready?"

Tam gave her a nod as Joelle stared longingly at the fluff creams. Linh left with a knowing smirk on her face, which only her brother saw. Although she received an annoyed glare, she knew Tam like the back of her hand. He didn't like boring people. He didn't like fake people. He liked people who were exactly like him. In that case, she knew that Joelle was perfect. Outstanding. Hidden. Complex. At least, from what Linh had seen. Joelle could have been a completely different person before Exillium. She could have been quiet, shy, extremely stressed, maybe less snarky. Linh only hoped that their new friend could be another person Tam could care about. That Joelle could open his mind and make him a better person.

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"GIVE ME BACK my cookbook!" Joelle ordered, reaching out for it, but Tam only backed away. She was still sitting on the island counter, but she didn't want to get up — not even for her precious cookbook, which was now in the hands of Tam. It hadn't even been thirty seconds after Linh left to take a shower, and the two friends were once again in a cat fight. "Don't make me knock you over."