Rule #1: Don't fall in love

Part 5

Walking into my apartment I hang my keys on the key hook by the door. My apartment isn't the most mature part about me that's for sure. I enjoy lots of color and some may call the Disney characters as ornaments a bit childish but its mine and I love it. My favorite part about my apartment are the floor to ceiling windows in the living room, strung across the curtain rod are hundreds of fairy lights and purple curtains. This is also where I have my workstation set up for when I have to work long hours, I mean I do have an office but it's not as bright and happy as this place. This is my oasis so I like to keep it fairly clean but it's definitely a place that you can tell is lived in. Not like those ridiculously perfect house you see on Instagram.

Getting out of the shower I run to my phone that's ringing for the fifth time, it's my mum. We usually do a family supper every Sunday, and as usual she's probably wanting me to pick up the dessert...she's just a bit predictable. "Heyyyy mum what's up?" "Hey chicken little would you mind grabbing a cake on your way over tonight?" BINGO, who called it!. "Yup I can, you know you don't have to call me every Sunday to ask me to bring dessert right, I kinda get that this is my thing to bring." "I know but if I don't remind you you'll forget" "Mum it was literally one time, one time I forgot the brownies and you'll never let me forget it". My mum lightly laughs at my remark "Ok ok, next Sunday I won't call you and if you prove that you can remember on your own I'll let you handle it from there. I have to get going love you see you in a bit". "Love you too mum bye". With that I hangup and walk to my walk in closet. I'd say I have a pretty diverse collection of clothes, shoes and accessories. In my line of work you can never let a client see you in the same outfit twice, mostly because it's seen as not making enough money which in turn means not having enough clients and then you guessed it not being good at your job. Since I'm not doing anything until later am oversized T-shirt and basketball shorts it is.

I laze around my apartment until 3:30 then decide I should make myself presentable, even though it's just a family dinner mum always wants us dressed well. Deciding on a red strapless maxi dress, I put on a bit of lipgloss and leave my perfect ringlets down. Grabbing my keys off the hook I pop my head outside to make sure Xavier isn't out there, I don't want to make an @ss out of myself in front of my landlord again. After a quick ride in the elevator down to the carpark I hop into my car, open then sunroof and decide on more mellow music for the ride.

Walking into my mums house I yell out "YOUR FAVORTIE IS HERE AND I BROUGHT YOUR FAVORITE CAKE". This is how I typically announce my presence in this house even though we all know my brother James is her favorite. Speaking of James he rounds the corner and snatches the cake from my hands, passing it to his wife. He picks me up in a giant hug and swings me around as usual. "Hey Mika, how does my baby sister get more and more beautiful every time I see her" James is all about boosting my ego. Growing up I was always a bit of the ugly duckling in comparison to my siblings so in my younger years I definitely needed the boost. James has a typical football players body, perfectly straight teeth, and grey eyes; he definitely favours my mums side in terms of facial features. High cheekbones, chiseled jaw, slender nose with a slight point and did I mention grey eyes, I've always been envious of them. "Hey ugly, you know you don't have to gas me up every time you see me right?" James smirks at me "Well that's what I'm here for Mika". I greet James' wife before we all walk into the kitchen to check on mum. I wouldn't say I hate James' wife Nadia but if she got hit by a bus I wouldn't cry. She's almost as perfect as James, looks wise anyway but then she's also the most condescending person I have ever met in my life, and one of the people that bullied me the most in high school although I would never tell James. He's happy with her and I know that married or not he would leave her in an instant if he found out how she treated me.

We all settle in at the dining room table with my mum at the head of it as usual, my mum has the most beautiful blue eyes, sandy blond hair that reaches her waist, flawless skin and a body that you would never guess carried 5 children. My brother Marco and his latest girlfriend are beside James and Nadia, KK and Jane are on my side of the table. We all dig in to the most mouth watering roast beef ever, mind you we either have this or baked spaghetti every Sunday. Although my mum has 5 kids she's never been much of a cook, she was always busy pursuing her career, come to think of it that's what my father loved most about her. Whenever he would talk about my mum and her work he would always get a twinkle in his eye. If you're wondering where my dad is, he's off somewhere in Germany building more of his empire. I would love to explain what he does but to be honest he does so many different things I have no idea what he would really be classified as. All I know is that between both my parents they're millionaires although you would never be able to tell as they raised us in the most humble of ways aka we had to work for everything we have, never handouts from them but we would receive the odd hand up.

After dinner we all crowd into the livingroom to watch a horror movie, mum says we're all a bunch of psychopaths as we rarely actually get scared, her on the other had is always screaming and covering her eyes. After the movie I decide to confess to my family how I've made a fool of myself with my landlord, most of us are pretty close and I just needed to get it off my chest. "Well if you weren't such an idiot you wouldn't have this problem would you" says KK, she's a b word, none of us like her but she's my sister so I have to love her. "Can't you ever be nice KK and then you wonder why none of us talk to you unless we're at Sunday dinner" replies James before I can get a single word in. "I'm just saying what all of us are thinking, Tam has always been like this. Always trying to prove how strong she is but in reality she's just weak and pathetic". "ENOUGH, can't we just have one family night where you guys get along. I raised all of you better than this." mum was heated and we all knew it. KK never apologizes so I wasn't expecting one but then Marco chimed in, mainly because he's the instigator "Well if KK wasn't so jealous of Tam we wouldn't have this problem every family night" he says with a shrug. If looooks could kill Marco would have been decapitated by KK. After what seemed like a never ending awkward silence mum decided she was tired and it was time for us to all go home since she had to work early. We all said our goodbyes kissing mum on the cheek. As I was walking out Marco walked with me "you know Tam, KK is actually jealous of you right. Like you understand that's why she's always been so quick to jump on you" I was astonished, I thought he was just joking earlier. KK has always been the most beautiful woman I've ever met, she was a model for crying out loud, how in the hell could she be jealous of me. As if reading my mind Marco replies "It's because you don't need validation from men to know how amazing and strong you are. All KK has is her looks you on the other hand baby sis have looks and brains". He pulled me into a tight hug, "just because of what KK has gone through though, doesn't mean YOU have to be alone forever" I slapped his chest and pulled away "I just don't have time to be in a relationship M, I'm not scared it's just not a priority right now" " I never said you were scared Tam, you said that part all on your own" with that he turned around and walked over to his car. Jerk.

Getting out of my car and into my apartments parkade, my mind was swarming with what M said to me, obviously I wasn't paying attention as I ran right into someones back. "Ahh dammit I'm so sorry" I say, looking up to see none other than Xavier. I didn't think I'd be seeing this gorgeous man any time soon. "It's ok Mika, obviously you were deep in thought, you have it written all over your face" "family bonding night, not sure if you know how those go" I laugh at my stupidity again. "I think you probably just had the same kind of family dinner as I did". Just as I was about to reply to Xavier, Katrina came running towards the elevator "So we meet again T, do you mind if I call you T? I know Xav calls you Mika but I think T is so cute". Hold on a second how does she know that he calls me Mika does he talk about me. Xavier smirks as he looks at my obviously confused face. "The answer is yes Mika and yes you just said that out loud" his devilish grin grows as my face turns from confusion to horror. "You wanna know what I'll take the stairs" I say as I run out of the elevator and to the stairwell. Looks like I'm getting in two workouts today.

A/N: hope you guys enjoy the latest update. Please comment and vote

-SJB