I go back to bed early in the morning and immediately fall asleep. I am jolted awake by the sounds of my parents getting ready for work at around five in the morning.
I sit confused for a moment, hazily remember having a puzzling dream, but I can only remember one thing with startling clarity: I was in some small room, standing in front of an unfamiliar bed, staring down at a very unusual feather, a feather about as long as from my shoulder to my fingertips that was half white and half black, separated by the vein in the middle and looking sharp enough to cut, strangely, but soft. The white part was very pure and glowed with an otherworldly light, and the black part, though darker, was just as pure and glowed with the same otherworldly light but as if it was made of shadows. Tied to the base of a feather was a simple note and written on it was one word: soon.
I brush off the dream as I usually have strange nightmares of otherworldly creatures and foreign places. This dream was not a completely unwanted distraction from my regular dreams.
I faintly hear the sounds of a small breakfast being made downstairs. Dad has some kind of business meeting with the mayor and mom has to run out of town for quite a bit of work as she is both a businesswoman and a neurosurgeon. I feel remarkably well rested despite my lack of sleep, so I quickly stand up and do some stretches before opening the curtains and stepping out onto by balcony.
The sunlight feels warm against my skin and I breathe in deeply, savoring the moment. The air smells like the fragrant roses outside, I can hear birds chirping and singing their songs, and even though my eyes are closed I can see the brightness of the sunlight behind my eyelids. My mouth tastes faintly like mint from my toothpaste, and I feel a slight breeze play across my skin with warmth from the sunrise.
The start of the day feels so peaceful, but I know everything can only go downhill or stay the same from here. With my luck, it'll go downhill pretty quickly.
After one last mournful moment, I finally go back inside and turn away from the windows, walking into my closet. I put away my extravagant jewelry before choosing a simple polished platinum ring with Raji engraved in the back and plain sterling silver hoop earrings with black diamonds. I keep my necklace on and take my hair out of the crown I slept in.
I comb through it for fifteen minutes, harshly dragging one of my sturdiest combs from my scalp to my knee-length hair. My hair is two handfuls thick and it goes down to my knees, flowing and soft, and my arm gets a little weary afterward from all the tangles in my long curly hair. I push the hair back, feeling that it is finally silky as usual, and braid it loosely before wrapping the braid into a bun.
I grab my phone and look at the last text Belle sent me, asking me to wear normal clothing.
I groan, Belle seems adamant today. Usually she never asks me something so unusual. Oh well, what harm will it do? I mean, technically I am going to senior year since I am out of junior year, so I'm not breaking any promises, and it will only be me and Belle. Besides, now that I don't have to hide myself anymore, I need to build up my confidence.
I look at my section of swimwear. Some of it is for my swimming practice, some of it is just bikinis that I have just in case. Just in case for what, I have no idea. I look at the middle of the rack and find a white one-piece bikini. It has one shoulder strap and wraps around my chest before having the left side of my stomach open and the right side covered. Then it wraps on the bottom like a bikini bottom. It isn't as revealing as a two-piece, but it isn't as sturdy as my swimming practice gear, so it'll do.
I take that and my towel before taking my shower and putting the swimwear on, which hugs my body just enough, but not so tightly that it is like a second skin. It doesn't seem right to be wearing swimwear when not swimming or at the beach, so I decide to put a sundress on top.
As I head back to my closet, I hear the garage faintly closing and cars driving away. I look around at my dresses and find one of my favorite summer ones: a yellow midi dress that wraps at the front chest and has a knot in the back. It has spaghetti straps and doesn't reveal too much of my chest. The top hugs my cleavage and the bottom flows out at the waist, where it travels until my mid-calves. After putting it on, I undo my hair and let it out, all the way to my knees, in silky loose ringlets and waves. It tickles my skin through the open back of my dress, but I ignore it. Already I can see my hair glowing and showing all its colors from the sunlight coming through my windows.
I wear matching sandals and grab one of those large semi-floppy sun hats with a thin black ribbon tied around the base. I grab my keys and phone and put them into a small clutch embroidered with diamonds on the edges. Lastly, I grab my designer sunglasses, as a bonus to make me feel more badass.
I text Belle to come over to the house to pick me up. Then I remember. Caspian is going to be driving us, like every year. I mentally smack my forehead before trying to calm down. He usually never sticks around; he only drops us off and picks us up. If he does stick around anyway, I don't really have to worry about anything since he's like a brother. I feel a notification from my phone.
Belle: Okay, we'll be there in ten
I breathe deeply to get rid of my mini panic attack and quickly wake up Varun. He gets up and looks at me oddly when he sees my wardrobe.
"Belle told me to wear this," I explain, and he slowly yawns, stretching like a cat, before ushering me out of his room.
I walk downstairs and grab an apple and finish it in a record time of two minutes. After that I have some milk and walk outside, in the garden. I smile at my roses, which are doing particularly well, and I fling some breadcrumbs to the little birds from the container in the corner.
The tallest rose is one of my favorite personal selections, a beautiful sunset rose with flowers the size of my face that start out a brilliant red, then mix with orange, become lighter with yellow, turn a light pink, then a pure white as they finally enter the last stage of growth before withering away.
Another one of my favorites is one of my selections imported from India, a medium-sized rosebush with flowers that are not red, nor completely purple, but a magenta or wine color.
One of our award-winning roses is the last rose in the row and is one of mom's favorites; a tiny bush with less buds than the others but with some of the most magnificent and detailed flowers. The flowers are about the size of the center of my palm and are a deep, vibrant yellow.
The weather is very unpredictable in this town, like how yesterday it was rainy for half the day even though it's summer, but today the climate is perfect; a sunny day with a blue sky and a few fluffy white clouds and a slight breeze to temper the heat from the sun.
I make a few quick rounds around the rest of the garden and backyard before hearing a loud honking from the front of the house. Belle and Caspian are most likely here, in the driveway.
I text Belle to "hold her horses", and hear another bout of honking, making me smirk and cringe at the same time. I text Varun, who's most likely still showering, that I am leaving and make my way to the front of the house.
I see Caspian at the wheel of Belle's dark gray Jeep Wrangler while Belle sits in the back. As the two are deep in conversation, I take a moment to observe the two siblings. Caspian wears a loose plain black t-shirt and what look like navy swimming shorts. He has Ray-Bans on and wears a frown and a scowl simultaneously. Belle is wearing a baby blue two-piece bikini with her hair in a messy bun, and a little bit of lipstick and a small unzipped jacket that covers down to her thighs. She looks a little weary but excited. I pull the summer hat down to cover the front of my face and my sunglasses also cover the top half of my face.
Caspian notices me and gets out of the Jeep, obviously tense. His sharp green eyes try to cut through me, as if he doesn't know who I am.
"Who are you? Where's Vivienne?" I keep a small smirk on my lips and see him purse his lips in annoyance, staring at my lips. Belle finally gets out of the Jeep and squints at me. She grabs her phone and her fingers fly across the screen. I feel the vibration from my phone and grab it.
Belle: Who's the really hot girl in front of your house?
Belle looks at my phone, confused. I mentally smack my forehead (how many times am I going to do that today?).
Me: It's me, you dumb ass
Belle starts laughing, the sound loud and messy, far from her small and cute self. Caspian looks between me and her, trying to figure out why my smirk became even bigger and why Belle is laughing like there's no tomorrow. She moves toward me and gives me a small hug before dragging me to the jeep. I let out a laugh and she looks at me, shocked and amused.
"Hey, I didn't know you have dimples!" She exclaims, playfully offended, "And look at your hair, it's so pretty!"
"Wait, Belle," Caspian starts, confused, "Who's this? Aren't we here to pick up Vivienne?"
Both of us let out small giggles, and I finally remove my sunglasses. He still looks confused.
"This is Vivienne, jackass!" I stop laughing and stand up straight with an expressionless face.
"Oh," Caspian awkwardly scratches the back of his head, "How come you look...different?"
"Oh my god, Caspian, this is how I normally look," I begin, sarcasm and amusement coloring my tone, "I didn't wear multiple clothes just for fun, you know," I give him a glare, warning him not to ask. He looks like he has more to say, but then he gets into the driver's seat of the Jeep, while Belle and I sit in the back.
"Vee, I know that you made an effort with the dress, but I did ask you to wear swimwear," Belle, says with a small disappointed sigh. Caspian starts the jeep and backs out of the driveway, and as I meet his eyes in the rear-view mirror I see how smug he is from his eyes. He doesn't think I had the guts to wear proper swimwear. I give him a smirk.
"Also, Vee, you don't mind if Caspian comes with us to the beach house, right? There's some things all three of us have to discuss," Belle elbows me, and I know she wants to confront her brother. I nod, and she thanks me while Caspian looks nervous.
Belle can't seem to keep her mouth shut the entire ride, while I don't feel like speaking. Faint radio music plays from the speakers.
I don't say anything; I simply look outside the window. After about fifteen minutes, the scenery changes from oak and pine trees and buildings to ocean and beach. We are almost to the beach house.
I observe the house. It is similar to the house, but smaller in size, with only two floors and most of the rest of the property taken up with sand and beach. Palm trees line the sides of the driveway and tropical flowers hang in baskets from the roof over the porch. I unlock the door and we all go inside.
"Have I ever let you down?" I say, before lifting up the hem of my dress and pulling it off to reveal the swimwear underneath. When I put the dress away, Belle takes me off guard by letting out a squeal and hugging me. When I meet Caspian's eyes behind her, I take pride in the fact that he looks a little less smug and his face is flushed.
Belle takes off her jacket and I replace my hat while Caspian takes off his shirt and I avert my eyes while he seems to want to look anywhere but at me, but I shrug it off. We leave our clothes in the guest room of the house and exit the back door to go into the sand.
"So, Vivi, how do you have a six pack? I've always wanted a six pack! How do you get a six- "I put a hand over Belle's mouth.
"I swear, Belle, if I hear 'six-pack' one more time, I'm going to punch something- or someone,"
"Fine," she grumbles, "But can I see your abs again? Please?" I sigh before giving in. I turn towards her so she can see my muscled and toned stomach through the open section of the white one-piece. I lazily trail a finger down them,
"Belle, look 1...2...3...4...I have four abs on each side, not three, meaning- "
"You have eight abs?" I hear Caspian blurt out incredulously, his cheeks redder than mine.
"Yep," I steadily reply, "I'm not sure why that's exactly surprising, though. Sure, I hid myself, but what do you guys think I do with all my spare time?" They both look away, a little ashamed.
I have to admit, though Caspian isn't as muscled as me, he isn't bad on the eyes. He has broad shoulders and leanly muscled arms and legs. He doesn't really have abs, but he does have a toned stomach, taught with muscle. Belle is the opposite, she is lean and slim but has many feminine curves, giving her the appearance of something soft and completely female.
"Well. Vivienne, I don't believe you actually have eight abs," Caspian claims. Belle stares at him, glaring, but a spark of curiosity in her eyes. I hold myself straight, my spine feeling like an iron rod. I am only two inches shorter than him, so I manage to look him in the eye.
"Really? Is that what you believe?" I turn to Belle. "Belle I give you permission to feel my stomach and tell this brother of yours if all my hard work is real or not," I seethe, the anger and indignation coming from my voice in some places.
Belle hesitantly runs her hand over my stomach. No makeup or evidence of plastic or surgery is present as she takes away her hand.
"Cass, these muscles don't lie," she smirks, both of us united in our victory. Caspian turns away, stretching, and scowling. He also may be grumbling at the fact Belle called him a nickname he despises.
"Well, fine, but if all that's done with, let's go have some fun!" He exclaims, and all of us walk outside through the side door. We line up to race to the area with beach chairs and umbrellas. My parents had someone yesterday set up everything, including multiple coolers filled with drinks and snacks.
"Ready...Set...Go!" We take off, and I leave both Belle and her brother in the dust. I reach the coolers and pop open a bottle of lemonade and fill it with a little ice. I grab some sunscreen from a table and take it with me to a beach chair with an ocean-blue umbrella and chair.
Caspian finally makes it, his breathing slightly irregular, and moments later Belle is here. They both take some drinks before sitting on the chair on both sides of me. Belle sits to my right while Caspian sits to my left, both of them with a chilled coke in their hands.
I put on my sunglasses and put my hair into a loose twist before tucking it under my summer hat.
"Hey, B, can you put some of the sunscreen on my back, and after I'll do yours?" I say, handing Belle the sunscreen. She nods and squirts some of it into her hands before rubbing it into my back, while I do the rest of my body. We switch and do the same thing.
"What about me?" Caspian whines, and Belle lets out a giggle.
"I'm not touching my brother, Vee, you gotta do it," Belle says, making me sigh.
"I am not touching anyone of the male species who is not related to me," I explain in a cold tone, pulling away from both of them.
"So, my own sister and my friend are going to leave me into the sun to burn to a crisp? Why! The pain, the agony!" Caspian dramatically cries out, reaching for me. I mutter curses under my breath before grabbing the tube of sunscreen.
"Turn around, and don't move," I say in a no-nonsense voice.
"Yes ma'am," He turns around and I rub together some of the lotion in my palms before rubbing it into his skin. An almost imperceptible shiver goes down his back.
"What, are my hands that cold?" I tease, holding back a laugh. I can see Caspian's skin become flushed again, as he turns his face the other way.
I finish applying the sunscreen and get up, pulling Belle with me. Caspian follows us moments later to the volleyball net. I grab a ball from the trunk, and we start playing one-on-one matches, with the other one of us the referee.