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Nearly 200 reads! Thank you so, so much! Because of this and one of my friends asking for an update, you get two chapters today... Enjoy!

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Sienna (oldest sister):

Vanessa:

Emily:

Clara:

Ivy:

And you've already seen Mia and Avery, so on with the chapter!

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A V E R Y
'Could you pass the salt, please, Emily?'

'Yeah, sure.'

I cringed internally - I'd had my fair share of awkward family dinners in the past, believe me, but this was on another level. The pinpointed headache I had didnt exactly make matters easier. Deciding to break the silence, I spoke up, 'This lasagne is really nice, Martha.' Martha looked up and grinned, 'Thanks, sweetie.'

When our parents had disappeared, it was kind of hard to adjust into a life without them - with Damien and Martha. Not that they weren't nice people, they were, but it meant that Mia and Ivy didn't get to know any parents apart from them. And that hurt - that they wouldn't remember our Mum's beautiful smile, our Dad's booming laughter.

Pressing my lips in a tight line, I looked down at my plate again. The food in my mouth turned to cardboard, and I had to swallow forcefully to get it down, or I'd end up puking it out.

Emily looked up, as if sensing my moods, 'You OK?' she mouthed, hidden behind her hair. I dipped my chin slightly, and she stared for a second before returning to her food, but I had the feeling that she knew what I was thinking - and felt the same way.

Seated next to Martha, Vanessa huffed and put her cutlery down. 'That's enough, god dammit. Can we discuss what the hell has been going on?'

At her outburst, we slowly looked up, all of us, even the little ones. Damien scratched his head, 'Vanessa is right, girls. Why are you mad at each other?' Nobody spoke for a second, then Sienna's voice cut the quiet, her voice raw. 'Avery is always out, doing her job, and without you two, this family is falling apart.' She whispered the last part, Damien glancing at his wife, paling. She nodded, clapping her hands once. 'Clear the table, girls. Then back here for a family meeting.'

Mia and Ivy rose first, solemn-faced, scuttling into the kitchen with their plates. It had been a rule that no matter what happened, a family meeting meant all of us. So even the girls. Emily went next, followed by the rest of us. Damien leaned back in his chair, and I lingered by the door. 'Don't say anything,' he mouthed, 'I'll handle it.' I nodded and walked out.

We loaded the dishes in silence, the only sound being the click of the dishwasher and the rinsing of plates. I bit my lip. What was going to happen? Is Sienna found out about my job, I'd be dead... And everyone else would be the collateral damage. 

I would not let that happen.

As if hearing my thoughts, Ivy patted my thigh, smiling up at me, 'It's OK, Avey.' She whispered, 'Me and Mia still love you, 'kay? Don't be sad.' With that, she ran to Mia, probably to report back. I suppressed a smile; it probably wasn't the best thing to do in light of recent events.

Martha gripped my hands where they were shaking on the counter top. 'We'll deal with it.' Her eyes held an unspoken promise. I'll protect you. I'll keep your secrets.

A tear slipped out, and her hand flashed out to wipe it before the others could see. 'You are strong, Avery. Your mother would be proud.' I closed my eyes, relishing those words. My mother.

Walking back to the table, I sat down again, hands clenched in my lap. I cleared my throat, and eight pairs of eyes were trained on me. I cleared my throat again, 'So...'

Sienna needed no other invitation. 'We're not working.' She murmured softly, 'We may be blood-related, but something has changed between us.' She was right, and each one of us knew it.

Vanessa nodded, 'Si's right. We're sisters. We should be talking to each other all the time, supporting one another.' She broke off, looking down. 'We don't need to keep secrets. Because we will love each other regardless.' I loosed a breath, the knot in my throat making it hard to breathe. I will not cry.

Clara raised an eyebrow at Vanessa. 'You have a point... But what are we going to do about it?' She was only 15, but the girl was wise as hell.

I blinked my tears away. 'We're going to talk to each other. We're going to laugh again. We're going to rebuild whatever has been destroyed... Because I can't lose any of you.' A choked sob came out of me and I heaved a breath, looking Sienna directly in the eye. 'I'm sorry I did this. But it's been so hard, without-'

I didn't have to finish before she nodded, reaching over to squeeze my hand. She was about to reply, when another voice cut in.

'I don't remember Mum or Dad.' It was Mia that spoke, her blue eyes peering up at us earnestly. 'I don't remember what they looked like. But all I know, is that...' She scrunched her face up in concentration, causing Damien and Martha, who had been silent this whole time, to chuckle. 'All I know is that they wouldn't want you guys to fight. They would want us to love each other and be happy. Because that's what parents do, right?' Mia looked so upset by the thought of us fighting, that I stood up and scooped her into my arms, stroking her hair. 

She was so damn smart for a kid of her age. I couldn't be any more prouder.

'We had the best parents, baby,' I murmured, and she blinked, tears dribbling down her chin. 'They loved you. So much.'

'And they're not here anymore,' I addressed everyone at that, turning around with my sister in my arms. 'But we have two amazing parents right here, right now. We need to trust each other. For the sake of this family, we have to.' 

Both Damien and Martha looked like they were holding tears in, eyes shining.

I saw my sisters nodding out of the corner of my eye as I strode out of the room, Mia clinging to me like a little monkey.

'Hey Avey? Can you sing me Momma's song?' Mia asked, peering up at me earnestly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded, laying her down and settling beside her, my hands tucked under my chin.

There was a time, I used to look into my father's eyes,

In a happy home, I was a king I had a golden throne,

Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall,

I hear the sounds from the places where I was born,

Up on the hill across the blue lake,

That's where I had my first heart break,

I still remember how it all changed,

My father said,

Don't you worry, don't you worry child,

See heaven's got a plan for you,

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

And as I covered Mia with her blanket, I thought of Mason. I was sure, now, that he was the one who had taken the fake papers from us that night.

It was him in the diner, too, with the bruised face and lost eyes.

And though my first port of call was always Maddie, a part of me wished I could talk to him, ask him why he looked so broken and lost that day in the diner. I had no idea why. But that part soon switched off, my eyes drifting shut.

***

M A S O N

I couldn't get her out of my head.

That girl. Avery, whose last name I didn't even know, the girl who danced with me like her life depended on it...

Those bright eyes and beautiful lips and her face-

God, her face.

She was beautiful - dangerously so.

A part of me was roaring, yelling, telling me to put those walls back up, that she was no good; she was literally my enemy.

Or she was supposed to be, anyway.

And I had a feeling, that though I didn't want to get involved with her, one day I just wouldn't be able to stay away.

***

Heyyyy loves! Tensions are high in the Green house, it seems. Read on!

Comment, VOTE and share before you go! 

-M

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