Always loved you

o n e

I wake up to the sound of my ringtone blaring loud into my ears and I groan as I wonder who would be calling me at this ungodly time in the morning.

After I try ignoring it for another 3 minutes hoping the caller would eventually get it and leave me alone, I grudgingly answer it, the time on the screen showing 7:30 am.

"WHAT!" I snapped at the person on the other line.

"Ooft, good morning to you too sunshine," an overly chirpy voice replies.

"Mom? What do you want?! Why do you have to call me at this early hour of the day?" I ask angrily.

I honestly have sleeping issues. If I was allowed, I'd sleep all day if I could. Hell, if mom wasn't such a bother about having healthy habits, I'd sleep all week, all month, all year.

"Easy there tiger, I was just calling to let you know that my shifts going to be running a bit late today so I won't be there for lunch. I've left some money on the counter for you and your brother to buy food okay?" She replies calmly.

"Oh, okay that's fine mom and don't worry I'll make sure to feed Izzy you can count on me. Don't be home too late okay," I said trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice, slightly a bit more awake now.

Mom having noticed it replied, "Aw baby, I know you can take care of him and yourself I trust you. And I'm sorry I won't be home earlier either but you know I can't really do anything about it..."

She was right, being a dedicated surgeon was hard work and I knew that when it came to her work, she gave it her all. But I knew she absolutely loved her job, she'd always be coming home and telling us stories of her patients and surgeries and what not. And she's part of the reason I wanted to become a surgeon too and pursue medicine.

Eventually, after lazing around for a minute or too going through my phone and responding to some texts, I jump out of bed and head across the hall to my big brothers room to wake him up.

Without bothering to knock, I entered his ridiculously clean room (crazy right?) and fell on top of his lying figure. He didn't jerk. Not one bit. It was like he was a dead log!

"IZZY! IZZY! IZZY! IZZY!" I said repeated for a full minute in my most annoying voice.

Nope. No reaction. So did the next best thing that came to my mind.

"Oh hey Lyla! Girl where have you been the past few days?" I say in a fake surprised voice, loud enough my brother could hear.

He suddenly jumped up and out of bed pushing me off him and on to the ground in the process, "Ow jerk!"

"Lyla? Lyla where? What's she doing here?" he asked in a panicked started looking around to see where my best friend was, with still half asleep eyes.

I stared at him in awe for a few before bursting into laughter on the ground. Izzy started at me in confusion before realizing what had just happened and began to glare at me.

"Argh nice one bunny, you know I hate you right?" he asked walking back to his bed, still slightly embarrassed by the stunt I pulled on him to get him to wake up.

"Awww Izzy, we both know no one could hate me now. I'm just too sweet and nice."

"Pfft, yeah right," he said chuckling, but he knew I was right. "Mom call you yet?"

"Yeah, late shift again. She can't make it to lunch so she left us money to buy food," I answered.

"Awe too bad...." he frowns but the a slight smile tugs at his lip and I know what he's thinking. "So little sis, what do you think about pizza for breakfast?"

"Read my mind big bro, let's order!" I said with a smirk on my face.

After our not so healthy breakfast, I cleaned up while Izzy got ready for his basketball practice. My brother's a senior this year and is on the Lakewood basketball team along with my other best friend Zion and his ugly twin brother Zayn. Not to brag but Izzy's pretty good at the game, not to mention he's captain, so obviously he gotta keep his game going strong.

When you see the two of us together, no one would guess that we're brother and sister, most people still don't believe that we are. I don't blame them, and it's only fair since Izzy and I look nothing alike, me with the tan slightly brown skin and Asian features and him with the all whitish tan skin and dark brown hair.

Though he may be a year older, my mom adopted him when I was three. He was actually the son of one of my mother's best friends who had died along with her husband in a car crash. And having no other living relatives willing to look after him, my mom didn't think twice and took him in. Honestly, the best gift she has given me is Izzy, and I couldn't imagine life without him.

It wasn't all fun and games though. I remember, he was just 4 and a half when he moved in with us. And getting used to life in a different household and environment, especially a part Indian culture, was difficult for him you know. But 13 years later and life cannot be better for the both of us. He truly is a good big brother, blood or no blood, I would always love him.

Just as I i finishing off drying the dishes, Izzy came down in his jersey and gym back searching for his car keys.

"Ookay I'm off kiddo," he said as he kissed my forehead.

"Play safe child."

"Yes mom, oh and what are you going to do for the rest of the day?" He inquired while filling up his bottle.

I smirked while replying, "Oh didn't I tell you I'm heading to Lyla's? Where hanging out and then we're going over to Zion's to watch a movie."

At the mention of my best friend, my brother checks turn a light shade of pink hinting.

Gosh he has always been crushing so badly on her since the day they met. Couldn't he just man up already and ask her out?

"Oh-uh nice, y-yeah have fun at L-Lyla's, tell her I said hi," he said awkwardly.

I chuckled at his embarrassment, "Yeah nah bro, really just grow a pair and confess your feelings to her already. I know home girl likes you back, and plus you too always have those love eyes going around whenever you're near each other and it honestly makes me sick."

At this revelation, my brother's eyes widen, "Yeah nah sis, not today. Any who gotta run, catch you latter bunny," he said as he rushed out the door.

I sighed a long disappointing sigh as I watched him leave. Young love I think shaking my head in amusement, heading up stairs to get ready.