It was Koi Maitland, all grown up.
And someone was behind him.
A tall man with dark hair, and tattoos crawling from his chin line down his neck, chest, and arms. As he moved to block the crowd, I saw the details on his handsome face. His ears were stretched, with black plugs in them. He had a dimple on his chin and eyes the color of rainwater.
Dennis Swayze. Swayze for short.
I looked around for the other Dennis. If these two were here he had to be trailing close behind, but my attention was stolen by a voice that made fear strike my entire being.
"Mija! You're alive!" The gates burst open, and Uncle Carlos came barreling through the crowd. Cameras clicked and flashed and people screamed over each other, each trying to get something exclusive. I stood, stiff as a board, as I tried to figure out what to do. Just yesterday, my life had been something completely different. I was with Johnny Blue, my oldest friend, and now, I was... home. But at what cost?
"Alright, clear the fuck out people while it's still your choice," Koi shouted. He put his hand on his belt, and everyone scrambled, scattering to their vans. Koi and Swayze stayed until it was only us remaining. I stepped toward them, only to get further away from Uncle Carlos, who was trying to hug me. My knees threatened to buckle. I couldn't do this.
"Holy shit, it's true." A voice came from the gates. I looked to see who else was coming to join us. Mattias.
He'd stayed long and lanky, growing even more so with age. His chestnut hair was also the same length it'd always been, hanging to his shoulders, shiny with lots of luscious volume. The only real difference since I’d seen my other half-brother last was that he'd finally grown facial hair, but it was patchy at best. He opened his arms and hurled himself at me, hugging me tightly. I didn't hug him back. He was only being nice because people were watching. He'd hoped I was dead. He sniffed and pulled back. "You, uh, might need a shower."
I held my tongue, not wanting to divulge more information than I needed to. I didn't want them to know anything about my life after I left. Uncle Carlos pushed past Mattias to get to me. He clutched my shoulders and squeezed, not allowing me to wiggle out of his grasp.
"Ignore him. You've been through so much. You have returned to us! We have missed you!”
My vision grew blurry, and the world started to spin. My knees buckled, but he held me up. I inhaled the cold air, trying to steady myself, but then he pulled me to his chest, and I couldn't take it anymore.
"Imissed you," he muttered as he sniffed my hair. I opened my mouth to scream, but instead, bile rolled up into my throat, and I vomited all over him, finally getting released.
Rule 6 - Domino
Always bargain for what you want.
The spraying of vomit caused mania. People were snapping their cameras and screaming. Uncle Carlos fled back to the house, and I was let free.
I felt careful hands on my shoulders and they led me up the drive.
"Let's get you a shower," Mattias said, gagging at the smell. Once we were inside, he dropped my shoulders. "We'll be down here, waiting."
I trudged upstairs, remembering the layout instantly. The Risky family estate was huge, and every bedroom had an attached bathroom. Going through the halls, I remembered it all so well and found my room just as I'd left it.
It was odd, stepping back in time. A housekeeper had kept up with the dusting, but it looked as if I was still living here as a twelve-year-old girl. I hated it with every fiber of my being. Closing my eyes, I went to my bathroom to get the vomit and feel of my uncle’s hands off my body.
Lolita, the same housekeeper from when I lived here, came in with clothes from Marisol's room, along with soap, shampoo, a razor, and deodorant. I thanked her and took my hot shower. I took my time, enjoying the luxury I hadn't had in years. Most ofthe time, I bathed in the sinks of public bathrooms or outdoors, in bodies of water. The people I kept in my company didn't care about how I smelled, or how long my leg hair was. However, I liked having smooth legs, underarms, and... other things. I liked feeling soft, smooth, and extra clean and while I was here, I might as well enjoy doing that. I took my time, shaving my overgrown hair and scrubbing my body. It felt fantastic.
Maybe returning home wasn't all bad. I liked having regular access to a razor and soap. Stepping back into my room, I recalled every reason I'd left originally, and fled, hurrying downstairs, dressed in my sister's clothes.
"Hey! I thought you'd drowned," Fabian teased as I walked into the living room. All three men were drinking various glasses of alcohol, even Mattias, who was the same age as me, nineteen. I avoided Uncle Carlos's eyes.
"The shower was nice," I admitted.
"You smell so much better," Mattias agreed. They all nodded eagerly. These men, I swore, could not survive what I had these last seven years.
"Well, why don't we call your sister now and see if Lolita has dinner done. I'm starving,” Uncle Carlos said, smiling brightly. His voice grated against my skin, and I forced myself not to react outwardly.
We followed him out, and when we started to sit down at the dining room table, he insisted I sit next to him. I refused. His jaw tightened, and his eyes hardened, but he remained silent. I sat in the farthest chair from him.
We were joined a moment later by Monica, my stepmother. I'd all but forgotten about her. She walked to Uncle Carlos, who stood. They exchanged a kiss, and my stomach rolled again.They were together now?Mattias saw my reaction and snickered.
"They got married a year after Dad died."
I reached for my water, my hand shaking as I brought it to my lips. Uncle Carlos had moved in to help after Dad died, and he apparently decided never to leave.
