The Twin Brothers

She stared at the picture that he stole from Enzo. Until now, no one notice it. Why is she curious about this picture when this old man is nothing to her? Liana sits up and puts away that picture on the desk. Her phone rang making her startled.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sweetie.” Her mother spokes.

“Oh, hey mum. I miss you, mum.” She whines a little bit.

“Me too, sweetie.” Her mother mocks her. “Anyway, want to come to have dinner tonight? Ivan and Jes also are there. Also with Chase.” She chuckles when says the cat’s name.

“Sure. When, mum?”

“Around 7 pm?”

Liana checks the time and she still has time. Besides, she has to buy some groceries for her house. “Okay, mum. I will come.”

“Okay, sweetie. See you tonight!!” Her mother hangs up after that.

She takes her coat and her stuff. One problem is, that her groceries will be a lot. Without thinking, she decides to call Ivan for help since she doesn’t have a license or know how to drive.

“Hey, sweet little sister!! Thank goodness you call!!” He yells.

“Why? Does something happen?”

“No. Not really. Just finish my meeting and I have nothing to do. I have been tortured with bored.” Ivan asks while boringly spinning his pen.

Liana chuckles. “I wanted some help from you. If… If you are not busy though.” She fiddled with her fingers.

“I told you I have been tortured with bored. Of course, I’m not. What help can I help? Wait. That sounds so wrong.” He mumbles the last words. “Anyway, what is it?”

________________

She hand him the ketchup while Ivan took it with groans. “You know I’m not a fan of buying groceries.” He whines.

“The reason why I didn’t tell you,” Liana said.

“You said we will play with puzzles but here we are. I have been lying to my sister.” He rolls his eyes.

Liana didn’t say anything but just chuckled. She knows how hateful Ivan is about buying groceries activity. He tries his best to avoid this activity no matter what. Well, here he is. Wearing a suit, pushing the cart. “Are you coming for dinner tonight?”

“Yes.” She answers.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“You do know we have another guest, right?” Ivan spokes with seriousness tone. Whenever he uses that tone, it means, something is not good coming.

Guest?

Her mother didn’t say anything about the guest. Or did she forgets?

“Guest? Who?” Liana frowns.

“Ah, shit.” He cursed under his breath. “I thought mom already told you. Tailor’s family join us tonight.” Ivan spilled it out.

When heard that name, she stiff. Hearing that name, she rather live with crazy people than those two. There’s nothing good coming out of their mouth when it comes to Darliana. Just because she was adopted, they treat her like trash. Their parent always tries to tell Darliana that, those two just joking but in the reality, they are not.

Ivan and Jessica know it. See it. Their mother’s sister’s family are not good people.

“W–Why mom… didn’t tell me?” Her hand shook, holding her sweater.

“Maybe she wants you to come so she decides to keep it quiet.” Ivan rubbed her back. “Don’t worry, little sis. I and Jes are there for you.” He kissed her top head. Being the adopted one is not good. People just thought you stranger.

Her breath becomes unstable. But Ivan couldn’t hear her smartwatch beeping. He furrows his eyebrows and grabs her wrist only to see nothing. “Where is your smartwatch, Liana?” He firmly asks.

The scene where Alex broke it, made her breath hitched. “I–I broke it.”

Ivan narrows his eyes on her, “Hm. You sound unsure.”

“I’m telling the truth. I accidentally broke it while I’m working.” She gives him a reassuring smile.

Even if it did not satisfying, he just sighs and nods.

She closes the door with the groceries bag full in her hands. She stands beside Ivan’s car door. He rolls the window down with a concerned look, “Are you sure you can come tonight? You know I can give any reasons to mom for you.”

“I can. Besides, I miss mom and dad. Maybe if I… didn’t focus on them too much, I get through the night.” Liana smiles.

He sighs. “Fine. One more thing. I can pick you up if you want.”

“No thanks.”

“Geez. You always reject people’s offers.” Ivan pouts before rolling his window up. His sister waves at him and stands there until his car couldn’t be seen.

With a huff, she drags herself with a heavy groceries bag to her apartment. Her mind wanders off to aunt Tailor’s family. How they will reach her? It has been so long and the last time they met, they just give hateful comments to her. Like, she doesn’t know what she did. Liana knows she adopted the reasons why she move out.

Even if Ivan’s family give her the love she wants, she still couldn’t feel… accepted. As if, she was still a stranger. She knows, she’s the one who thinks like this.

‘Ignore people thought’

Liana smiled when remembered what those twins told her. When the elevator opens the door, she straight to her apartment. But before her keys touch the lock, her movements stop.

It does not lock.

Her heart beating so fast. Who could be inside her apartment? No one knows where she lives except for Ivan and Jes. She slowly put down her groceries bag and her shaky hands touch the knob. The door opened by itself making her stumble back.

“Baby?” Enzo standing there with dry blood on his head and his clothes full of dirt as if they rolling on the ground.

“E–Enzo?” She looks at her with horror. But not about him, afraid it was someone else.

“Oh baby, I’m sorry.” He immediately brings her into his arms. “I make you scared, aren’t I? Shh, it’s okay. It’s just me. I’m sorry, baby.” His hands rubbed her back to calm her down.

“What’s going on? Is it, peanut?” Adam appeared behind Enzo. “Oh, it was you!!” He squealed in excitement. That’s when it hit her. Adam knows where she lives but how does he know which apartment she is in. “Now, let’s get in. I will bring your stuff in. Felix!! Help me!!” He yells.

Enzo feels bad for scaring this little girl. He ushers her to her couch but he felt her stop. “Baby, what’s wrong?” He bends to her height. Liana didn’t say anything but her eyes just looked at Leo who resting on her couch with a bandage on his stomach.

“W–What happ–happened!?” She rushes to him.

“I’m fine, little one. Just… a small wound.” Leo smiles at her.

Small wound!? He was practically almost wrapped in a bandage. Her gaze moves toward Enzo and he seems fine but she didn’t miss the blood on his lips and head. What happened? It makes her hurt seeing her two best friends in pain like this.

“Hey, little one. Don’t cry. We’re fine, see?” Leo wipes her tears that she didn’t realize she shed. He looks at his brother and he also has a worried expression. It just made her cry more. “Little one, what’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?” He asks again, bringing her to his lap.

Enzo sits beside them, “Baby, talk to us please.” He pleaded.

Adam who saw it remembers something. He walks away.

“Y–You… h-h-hurt…” She cried, trying her best wipes her tears with the back of her hands.

“Oh, my baby. We just got into… um… some fight. We’re fine.” Enzo brushes her hair back and tucks her hair behind her ears.

“W–Why Mr. L–Leonardo… w-w-wrapped in–in band–bandage? I’m–I’m a–afraid y-you got…” She couldn’t stop her sobbing making her hard to talk. The two guys rubbed her back and her arms to calm her down.

“Shh. Calm down. little one. If I hurt, I wouldn’t be here, holding you on my lap. Didn’t I?” He tickles her side. Liana giggles even with tears wetting her chubby cheeks. “That’s it. My favorite smile. Such a good baby aren’t you? So good. Now, control your breath for us.”

Liana takes a deep breath and lets it out. Enzo’s touch on her back helps her. His hands wipes her tears and Leo gave her comforting words. Adam comes to the living room holding bunbun in his hand.

“I’m sorry peanut for barge in your room but I just want to find bunbun for you,” Adam said as he gave it to her. The girl gladly took it and bring it to her chest. “Now, how about I cook us dinner?” He claps his hand.

“I–I ha–have dinner w–with my–my f–family,” Liana said. But she immediately said, “B–But… you–you can u–us any–thing t–there.”

Adam grins and rushes to the kitchen not after pulling Felix with him. “Why do I have to come also!?” He whines.

“Little baby, don’t you want to change your clothes? You said you have dinner with your family.” Enzo said, not stopping brushing her hair back.

She seems hesitant to do so, after seeing the condition of these two twins. Honestly, she really don’t want to come since her aunt was going to be there also, and it was not a good thing. She rather staying here with them.

“W–Wait. How did… y–you got–got i–into–”

“Adam told us where your apartment is. We ask the receptionist and he told us your apartment number. Leo bleeding too much and your apartment is the near one so we come here.” He explains. “We’re sorry for barge in like that, little baby. Believe us. We didn’t mean it.” He sighs. As much as they want to wait for her but Leonardo bleeding too much. It will be worse.

“I–It’s fine. Y–you are m-my f-f-friend after all.” She grins.

Ouch.

The word friend hurt them.

Adam and Felix who heard just burst into laughter in the kitchen. How much the twins want it to be more than a friend. But they don’t want to push this little girl. They want her to be more comfortable with them.

“Go get ready, love. You will be going to be late.” Leo smiles at her. But turn into a frown when saw her discomfort face. Before he could ask, she already stood up.

“O–Okay.” Liana went to her room before putting the bunbun on Leo’s lap.

He looks down at the bunny, sliding his long sexy finger on the bunny ears. “Have you told Mat about the rat?”

“No. We will go tomorrow. You coming?” Enzo rests his body on the couch.

“Of course. How about Liana’s background?” He asks again.

His twin sighs. “I got nothing. I only got she got adopted at this one orphanage by the owner itself.”

Leo couldn’t help but feels weird. How can someone get no background? No family traces or anything. Something is wrong with that girl and he didn’t know what it is.

“There’s only one thing we can do.” Enzo spokes. He looks at him with curiosity. “We go there and meet her foster mother.”