"Gav, you have to wake up, or else Mom is coming in here to drag you out of that bed." A voice pierced through her brain, but she was too stubborn to listen as she ignored him.
She was dreaming again. A wonderful dream that she did not want to end. And this pesky boy was interrupting her from finishing it. She grabbed a pillow beside her and pulled it over her head.
She still wondered whether her dream had happened or was a figment of her imagination. That isolated incident remained a puzzle until now, even if it happened more than two years ago.
"I tried." His brother's resigned voice echoed in the room. "I'm leaving you to the mercy of Mom." He finally left with a warning. But as usual, she did not pay heed.
He gave up, walked out of her room, and ran downstairs, satisfied that he had done what he had to do. It was not his fault if she was as stubborn as an ox.
"Jax, where is your sister?" Julianne looked at him from the pot of coffee she was pouring into the mugs.
Not again, she thought, feeling frustrated with her daughter after seeing the expression on his face. Her daughter would soon become an adult, and she still had not changed. She had to learn that she was not their baby anymore.
"I'm sorry, Mom. But she would not listen to me." He told his mother as he sat on the kitchen counter to eat breakfast.
If Gav did not come down on time, he would have no other option but to leave her behind. He could not afford to be anything but perfect today. He was not going to be late on his first day at work.
Usually, he would take Gav first to school before going about his business. But not today if she was stubbornly late. He concentrated on his food and continued to review his new job descriptions and responsibilities.
"You have to make Gav listen to you. You are older than her. You have to show her how to be responsible." Julianne started nagging at his son, but he remained silent, knowing he would never win, even if he made some excuses.
Not that he did not try to impart his wisdom to his younger sister, but she was just too hard-headed to listen to him. She always had this philosophy of hers.
Presently, she was just young and childish at times. But he knew someday, Gav would come to her senses. Just like him when she finally reached maturity.
"What is the fuss all about?" Simon asked his son as he saw his wife rush to the stairs.
But somehow, he believed he might already have a picture of what it was all about, seeing that Gav was still not present at the breakfast table.
"Gav," Jax said without elaborating more. They were already familiar with this scene during the morning when it had come to their princess.
But nobody minded except Julianne since they all loved and adored their youngest member of the Sinclair family. It was probably why she always got away with her terrible habits.
Nevertheless, if Gav had some flaws, she made up with some of her admirable and lovable qualities.
The father and son continued to eat their breakfast as they waited for the next scene to unfold. In a few minutes, Gav would walk down the stairs like a toy doll with an automatic dial.
"Yes, Mom. I am moving as fast as I can." Gav's voice echoed around the walls.
Simon and Jax could hear her stamping her feet on the stairs, complaining to her mother.
Then her footsteps would resonate on the tiled floors as she moved towards the kitchen. They could also tell that Julianne was not far behind.
"What took you so long to wake up this time?" Her mom asked, curious about how her daughter smiled, seemingly enthusiastic about her day.
"I had a wonderful dream about him again. Well, I saw the man of my dreams." Gav started, giggling like it was the most exciting thing ever.
"He was such a gentleman. My savior." She continued dreamily, closing her eyes, savoring the last fleeting memories of the man who still had no name in her mind.
"So, what did he look like this time? Did you finally see his face?" Jax interjected, irritated to hear this same story over and over again.
"He is tall, a bit taller than you. He has a muscular body. He has a beautiful smile." Unfortunately, other than that, she could not remember any other features of his face.
Well, it was only natural for dreams to be vague. A fantasy that Gav could only imagine. But she doubted if she would see him again in the real world. But at least he was present in her dreams.
"Well, he might be taller and bigger. But at least I am real," Jax said, a bit sarcastically, not happy with her dreams.
He always liked Gav, maybe more than a sister. But he knew he could not take advantage of her. She was living with them because they were protecting her.
He had to pretend she was his sister to hide her from the people who might want to hurt her. They might have spared her life or missed the opportunity to kill her. But it did not mean that she was out of danger.
"Gav, stop daydreaming or dreaming, in general. Please, try to focus on the present. You are not a baby anymore. You have to learn about responsibility." Julianne spoke up as she placed a plate of food before her.
"Remember, you are turning twenty-one in a few days. You're not a teenager anymore." Simon finally intervened. "What about if we have a party?" He offered.
"Dad, I am not turning twelve. I am going to be twenty-one, just like you said." Gav quickly stood up from her seat and hugged her dad from behind. "Can I ask my friends to go out and have dinner instead?"
"And then, Kendra suggested we have a slumber party at her house." Gav quickly added before her father could even speak up.
"Please." She begged, using her droopy eyes and pouty lips, putting her two hands together and wrapping them around her father.
Kendra was her best friend, at least since she could remember. According to their parents, they had been friends since they were still in their diapers.
Kendra was the sister that she never had. And another daughter that her parents loved.
Her best friend's house was just a few blocks from their place. She knew that her parents would never mind if she slept at her friend's place, the same as her.
"I..." Simon was about to reason with her, but she started begging again. Then, he finally changed his mind. "Ok. But I want you girls to behave."
Simon looked at his wife for guidance if he was doing the right thing. Her nod confirmed they had done their best to take care of her, the only child of their best friends.
After Gav's parents died, Simon took her to keep her safe as he promised his friend. She had become the daughter they always wanted. They swore they would protect her with their lives.
But how would he protect her from her destiny? He pondered, remembering the curse of her existence. Would she be able to survive her fate already marked on her skin?