***Chapter One***

I had an amazing mind of my own that is one thing everyone else says. One other thing you should know about me is that I pretty much enjoy my freedom. It is one thing that I craved so much. In fact, the freedom I sought and had was not something common like leaving your parents at 18 or anything that resembles it. It was my mind, I had something that a lot of girls my age would have wanted too. It was unpredictability, ruling my own world yet not so carefree, believing in myself and being spontaneous. I loved to try new things but you would never classify me as adventurous. I was me and more than anything...I loved me.

I am Rorie Smith, two years older than my brother Simon who just turned 20 two days ago alongside me. We were both birthday mates, March 15th, except it was different years. My dad passed away a couple of years ago, leaving my three siblings and I with my mum. Jane and Denver are the twins, with only five seconds between themselves. It didn't matter who came first because Denver always liked to play the older brother role. One thing we all had in common was the thirst for freedom. We reunite three times every year once a birthday is about to be held .

I had seen the "BEYOND THE LIGHT" movie last month, and was still thrilled by that "BLACKBIRD" music. I am black but what captured me the most about the song was the freedom it made me feel. It blasted through my headset and I was singing along on the top of my voice " I'm free at last..what is life?..other than a cage to me." Jane came inside and said something to me which I didn't quite hear because of my music, so I paused it.

"What are you saying?" I asked her as I paused it. I was a hoarder, but only for musics. I don't mind the race or type...I kept it as long as I enjoyed it. While Jane and I had a lot in common physically, like our heights, eye colour ,hair texture and shoe size, we also had a lot difference like our body size. I was slimmer and usually dyed my hair its normal jet black or oxblood. Jane could do any colour on her hair. Obviously she was a bit more razz than me.

"Mum wants you to help her get milk and cleaning detergents from the store" she said tucking her phone into her pocket and flopped down on my bed. She chewed her gum like a whore.

"Yeah?...what about you?..Its not like you are busy anyway." I told her rolling my eyes and un paused my song. She said something again but I didn't hear because I had already blocked my ears with the headset. She began to tickle me. Okay...I hated that. Don't tickle me...EVER, I could pee on myself. If you had seen me peeing on myself you might think I'm either diabetic, or mentally I'll. But that was it...the tickling. I quickly stood up and went to answer my mum. Yes, I'd rather go for an errand than sit still for you to tickle me. She took my headset immediately and connected her phone. That was Jane for you, she enjoyed sharing my things with me. Its not like I don't do the same, I base more on her clothes and shoes.

I went into the living room and saw Denver holding Simons head under his arm.

"You have to admit it, Si" he said with a hint of laughter lacing his voice.

"Even when its a lie?..you're crazy Pooh" he replied laughing.

Denver has always been Pooh to us. It was when he and Jane were six. He loved to watch "Winnie the Pooh" more than any other thing. He was even in possession of one gigantic pooh bear that he'd sleep with and ask about when we returned from school, so, daddy started to call him pooh and we all learnt to call him exactly that. At 24, Denver never got tired of the name or let me rephrase it he did get tired of it but he lets us still call him pooh. You just can't do it in front of his friends or when he's angry. It depended on the source of the anger for me anyways...I'd call him pooh if he annoyed me and I retaliate in a way that makes him sprout bean stalks on his head, metaphorically speaking.

"What's going on?" I asked laughing.

Denver and Simon looked up at me at the same time.

"You could start by telling Pooh that he'd crazy for me. "Simon responded immediately.

"You're not walking on safe waters Si, and you know that. Rorie is a girl too...I could ask her you know." he said smiling smugly and wiggling his eyebrows at him.

"Oh please, it doesn't matter what she says the main thing is that I can't admit what I don't feel." he said finally wriggling himself out of Denver's hold.

Okay, this was interesting.

"I'll ask you then Rorie" Denver said sitting upright.

"I'm open to your questions" I said smiling and took a seat. I caught Simon give in a desperated sigh. So I smiled more.

" Simon here says he does not and I repeat, does not" he said gesturing an in quotation marks with his fingers while looking at Simon then back at me. "have any feelings for May. I actually caught him stalking her on Facebook. He was also at the balcony this morning looking into her window."

"Well, I think he's free to crush on a million girls if he wants. May is a pretty girl too and quite curvy. I don't blame Simon if he's falling for her."

"I love you, Rorie. "Simon said dropping his phone on the couch beside him.

"Why wouldn't you?, she's fighting for you. Tell her to get herself a man and she'll look at you like you are a hideous piece." he said standing and laughing.

"Do me a favour and stick your butt in your honeycomb, Pooh." I told him.

"It hurts to still be a virgin at..say 20?" he said pretending like he was calculating my age.

"At least, I didn't get dumped by my crush" I retorted. Okay, Denver was somehow managing to go under my skin. I wasn't about to let him either. Plus I wasn't even a virgin. I didn't do boyfriends but I did flings..duh. I wasn't about to tell the whole house I was not a virgin either, Jane knew so..telling the guys was just odd. I don't pry into their sexual lives, so I was justified.

I walked into my mum's room. She was hanging her clothes in the wardrobe. I sat on her bed.

"Jane says u want milk and cleaning detergents". I said.

"Uhmm yeah, I'll also need a box of chocolate."she said as she took out money from her purse. My mum was a chocolate addict. She loved it. I was also into it like her, but it had the same seat with sweets in my life. She handed me the money and I left her room. The walk to the store was not much but the sun made it annoying. I walked into the store and made my way into the beverages section. I almost bumped into one of the shelves as my eyes collided with saphirre blue ones. This guy is fucking hot. That was the first thing that came into my mind. I mean he was so fucking and beautifully hot.