Her Safe Haven

Chapter 1 - McHalen Siblings Love

Previously on Her Safe Haven: On the Autumn of ten years ago, a boy named Jonah who just moved into the neighbourhood defended Winter McHalen from bullies. He then acquainted himself with Winter's brothers, Caleb and Gray, and became friends with Winter and Gray who went to the same primary school as him.

(Spring, current time — 10 years and 9 months after "the incident")

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

She scowled and ran her hand through her desk, trying to stop the beeping.

Beep.

Beep.

Swearing to kill Caleb for setting up her alarm, she banged her hand against it before it went off with a long beeeep.

She stretched her arms and yawned, rubbing her eyes and glancing at the alarm clock. Six-thirty a.m. Who the hell woke up at six-thirty a.m.?!

Definitely not Winter McHalen.

Yes, she was the youngest sister of the "hot, sexy, most-masculine-guys-on-the-planet" McHalen brothers: Caleb and Gray.

No, she was not a morning person.

She switched on her yellow desk lamp and walked groggily towards the door, all the while inwardly muttering silent curses. As she reached up to open the door, someone from the outside beat her to it and she ended up bumping straight into his chest.

She rubbed her forehead and glared at amused eyes. 'Why did you set my alarm this early?' she demanded, waving her arms frantically as she asked the question with sign language.

He stared at her for a few seconds before his lips quirked into a smirk. "Morning sun is good for you, sis," he said, ruffling up his younger sister's hair, "and besides, today is your first day as sophomore and hence, school starts at seven."

Said sister's eyes widened in realisation before glancing around in panic.

"Relax. I've prepared your uniform. They're on your desk."

She blinked at him and huffed, folding her arms in front of her chest and pouted.

Caleb chuckled at his sister's antics and moved back, exiting the room. "Hurry and wash up. I'll see you downstairs in ten minutes."

'Gray?' she asked with her gestures, walking towards her desk.

"He's downstairs already. You're the last one to wake up."

She scratched the back of her head and smiled sheepishly at her brother, who smiled softly at her.

'Thanks, koko*.'

+++

Breakfast at the McHalen household was never a solemn affair.

Winter, even though at a disadvantage due to her lack of voice, always had no trouble communicating what was in her mind — especially if it was regarding her beloved twin brother.

'Morning, Cupcakes,' she had gestured as she sat on a chair opposite of him. She had known of Gray's "morning grumpiness" since they were children, and she had never ceased to utilise that mood to start an interesting morning debate.

"Hn," Gray grunted, glaring at her for the new (completely not suiting) nickname she had given him out of her own interest.

Seeing how her brother had taken the bait, she inwardly grinned. 'Did you have a good night's sleep, Cupcakes?'

He groaned. "Stop. Calling. Me. A dessert."

She pouted. 'Why? I like that nickname.'

"It's ridiculous," Gray answered curtly.

She shrugged, 'okay, Cupcakes.'

He glared. "Stop call—"

'Cupcakes.'

"I said—"

'Cupcakes.'

"But I—"

'Cupcakes.'

"No, you know what, I'm not looking at what you have to say anymore," he covered his eyes with his hands.

She threw a sandwich at him.

"Hey! I made that!"

Caleb sighed at the sound of his younger siblings' banter. 'Every morning...' he shook his head. 

It was the same episode everyday. Winter saying something to offend Gray, Gray — falling for it every single time — arguing something in return that would just thrill her to tease him more, and more often than not, the whole thing ended with a partial food fight or someone throwing her shoe at the other's face.

Sometimes he couldn't believe that those two were actually almost of legal age.

When he turned from the kitchen to look at the twins, Gray was holding the sandwich Winter had thrown. She tried to reach for the food, but he had caught her in a headlock, hence preventing her from taking back her rightful breakfast.

'Idiot! Give it back to me!'

"No. You threw it away and now it's mine."

'But I'm hungry!'

"Too bad."

"Okay, would you two quit it. I don't want any glass to break again because of your childish fight," Caleb cut in and walked towards them, giving them each a blue lunch box. "And for God's sake, Gray, let her eat."

Gray reluctantly complied and returned the bread with a glare.

She stuck her tongue out at him. 'See, Gray? Why can't you be more like Caleb?'

He stared at her incredulously. "Uh... Because he's seven years older and old people are boring?"

'He's not old, he's polite!'

He ignored the comment, "Hn."

She fumed at him. Seriously, this brother of hers can turn a dictionary with a GAZILLIONAIRE words inside it into a dictionary of maximum TEN words. He'll see, one day she'll make him talk like a train.

Caleb sighed again before resting his hands on both their heads. "Alright, stop that," he said, "we're gonna be late."

You see, this was one of the reasons why she had liked Caleb more than Gray: he was much gentler, a thousand times more mature and responsible, and he glared less.

But don't get her wrong, she loved Gray just as much.

But basically yeah, she hated his gut.

Caleb took out his car key and opened the front door, Gray trailing after him. Winter watched. She could hear the soft rumble of her brother's black Mercedes coming to life and quickly finished her food.

"Winter, let's go!" Gray yelled, and she caught a glimpse of him throwing their bags into the car.

Ah... McHalen siblings love... Wonderful, isn't it?

(*Koko: Chinese for "older brother". Winter, despite being born in the USA, had lived in China for a few years during her childhood before moving back to the States. Her family had picked up a few habits and Chinese phrases to use while living there.)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, that's enough for now. Back to studying! See y'all on the first week of December ;)