Ego's Trap | ✔

25 | The Campbells

☆☆☆ Chapter 25 ☆☆☆

The Campbells

I couldn't help but be a little nervous. Okay, not just a little nervous (I felt like shitting myself). I did my best to not show it, but it was so damn hard, and it only got worse when one of the teens spotted me and grinned so widely my heart raced── I assumed that she was Hilery from her outfit. I didn't have to squint to know her yellow knee-length dress had a giant orange pouch right on its waist line that was designed to look like the beak of a duck, and two black dots rested right above the pouch to resemble the eyes of said animal. Without a single doubt, that teen-child was Hilery, and she ran towards me after Daniel finished his brief greetings.

"You must be Ane! Hello!" Hilery squealed after reaching me, helping herself to a hug I didn't ask for. She was surprisingly tall, like leagues taller than my very own sister, and Teresa already makes me feel like a dwarf without trying! Seeing how small I was near her, I managed to notice the even smaller pair of earrings she wore when I looked up at her. Its reddish gems were shaped into hearts, and they were just so cute! I made a mental note of making the earrings be the main subject of my planned small talk, but once her emerald-green eyes met mine I was completely smitten and no longer felt like small talk was necessary. She was the most adorable creature alive, especially with those innocent golden pigtails of hers. I'm sure I could get along with her without having to do anything. "You're so very pretty!" God, such blunt flattery! I squeezed her in return, confirming my identity with her. "I'm Hilery, sixteen and counting! How about you big sis?" I never thought someone would call me big sis! I felt my soul elevate to levels of bliss I didn't know were possible.

I couldn't help but grin. "You're so cute!" I cooed, but then I felt it: a glare.

I didn't have to look around much to know where it was coming from. Standing out like a punk in a banquet hall, a girl with a face exactly like Hilery's but with a dirty sneer instead, had her eyes glued onto me with no intention to blink much. The first few things I noticed 'bout her were the excessive amount of eyeliner, the dark nose ring right in between her nostrils, and her plum-colored lipstick. The most obvious difference from her twin though was the hair── dyed to blossom pink, it barely touched the tip of her ears. She didn't look half bad, it was just her attitude that really pissed me off.

"Yup, that's Jade," Hilery said, smacking her lips. "She always goes on and on about how much she hates me. It's scary sometimes."

"I won't let her hurt you here," I told Hilery, clenching my fists. I let go of her hug, ready to scold Jade 'bout her nasty attitude, but someone grabbed me by the shoulder. When I turned I almost had a heart attack. How the heck did I forget 'bout their existence?

"You can talk to my children later, Ane." A spotless woman who didn't look a day older than forty stood before me. A woman with glorious wavy locks that I could no longer claim to be Daniel's or Hilery's 'cuz it all came from her, just as tall as Hilery if not an inch more. She kissed me on the cheek before I could properly respond. Looking at her closely, I noticed bits and pieces of Daniel's features somewhere in between her delicate nose and hooded eyes. Right below one of those eyes she was blessed with a beauty mark, and the slight wrinkles resting by the ends of them accentuated it. I wouldn't be surprised if Daniel's mother was a model or at least related in some way to one. Maybe if I dare to ask she would boast 'bout it. "I am Fiona Isabel Campbell-Escobar Suarez. You can call me Fiona. It is a pleasure to finally meet you kiddo." She turned to the older man beside her, Mr. Campbell, Sr. "This is my husband, Jordan. Jordan Campbell."

Though Jordan was kinda stodgy, he gave off an odd feeling of comfort. He was incredibly short, like at least a head and a half shorter than his wife, but I don't think it stopped him from anything. Behind his weird thick glasses, he had soft, droopy eyelids paired with the charming emerald-greens that I'll never get used to. Countless waves of wrinkles lived on his face, aside from the thousand freckles. What he had left of his fine white hair was brittle and threatening to fall off his scalp, but he was otherwise lively. His whole attention was on me.