An Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter 1

Cecilia pov
With my last branded clothing packed in, I was done. Hearing the grunts and rummaging throughout the apartment, I made a guess that Julia and Lucas, my siblings that mother and father adored more than myself, were not done packing yet.

Despite my assumption, I called out to them, "Julia! Lucas! Are you guys done packing yet?"

In return were their classic annoyed groans as a reply to my question.

"I'll head down first then," I announced before leaving the apartment to meet up with our parents who were already down in the residential parking lot.

The main door to our apartment automatically closed behind me as I left.

It was summer, every kid's favourite time of the school year due to its long break. Not mine though, I dreaded summer.

It meant my parent's chance to put me through more extra classes. Although... I lingered on that thought, this time around, it could be a bit different. We were headed to aunt Sofia's place, a town called Crystal Springville in a suburban area.

I pulled my suitcases along the short hallway to the elevator. Once I arrived at the parking floor, I walked towards one of our family's many parked cars. A stern tone alarmed my ears to quickly perk up.

It was my father asking, "Where's Julia and Lucas?"

"Still packing their suitcases," I replied nonchalantly, not expressing much.

It wasn't that I could not use any expressions. Somewhere along the lines, I just grew to be more nonchalant with them. Subtly, without realising it had become a habit.

Mother let out a tired sigh, "Honey, can you go check on them. We'll miss our flight if they don't hurry up."

"Sure," father sweetly smiled, "Uh darlin'? The keycard to our apartment?"

She also sweetly smiled back at him while handing him the keycard.

As they exchanged their conversation, in the midst of it, I had already put my suitcase in the back of the car and entered the backseat. Few seconds later, mother entered to sit in the passenger seat.

The air in the car felt somewhat formal while the two of us waited. Abruptly, loud quarrelling was heard from a distance. It was Julia and Lucas.

"Alright! Stop it you two! Cecilia scoot over, let Julia and Lucas in," father said as he got in the driver's seat.

I scooted in to the window side, Lucas sat next to me and then Julia got in. A good half an hour later, we found ourselves stuck in traffic. The city and its traffic never seem to leave each other huh?

"For fuck's sake..." Julia muttered under her breath. And just like that the flint has been stroke, igniting a flicker to the atmosphere in the car.

The soft mutter was loud enough for our mother to hear as she raised her voice at her. "Julia Williams," she sternly let out, "Mind your language young missy."

"HA!" Lucas had a smug expression plastered to his face, "Jackass."

"Lucas Williams, you too young man," father gave a sharp look to Lucas through the rear-view mirror, "Mind your language."

I rolled my eyes internally at Lucas, who's the jackass now?

He crossed his arms with furrowed eyebrows for a few seconds before going back on his phone, playing games on it.

"Why the town for this summer?" I ask, breaking the silence. Or maybe possibly striking the flint again to create a spark into the somewhat tense atmosphere.