CHAPTER 1:
"So ... has anyone asked you yet?" asked Jen, my best friend, we were walking towards the school gate.
Her large, dark gray eyes looked at me suspiciously. Her golden hair was carelessly tied up to frame her face in a slightly messy way.
And yes, Jen was discussing Prom, her favorite topic for the past three weeks.
"Ah ... not yet?" I answered with a little hesitation, because I knew what she would say next.
"You turn down anyone who asks, right?" Her forehead furrowed in annoyance, "Cara, honey, you need a prom partner!"
"How about I go with you?" I replied with a sweet smile.
"I'm going with the Dane. And you can't be the third person in my relationship." her eyes narrowed as she looked at me.
"Then I'll go with Eric."
"Eric? Cara, please, why can't you find another boy? Eric's probably going out with his girlfriend anyway." Jenna blinked with laughter.
Eric and Jenna are my two closest friends in high school, even though our class is different from Eric, we always meet during recess or weekends.
Of course it's been just me and Eric lately, because Jen prefers going out with her boyfriend. And Eric is gay-FYI.
"Okay, that's for later." She continued impatiently. "Now for the dress and…"
"Cara?"
A familiar voice interrupted Jen's sentence. We both turned to the direction of the sound.
One meter behind me stood a tall man wearing a black shirt, jeans and jacket. He smiled broadly at us, his brown eyes beaming with a smile as well. Her dark brown hair, like mine, was left a bit messy.
My gaze shifted to the bouquet of white roses in her hand. "Alex?" I whispered in disbelief when I saw him standing in front of me, "What are you doing here?"
Alex is my only brother five years older than me. He graduated from college two years ago and started an apprenticeship at a property company out of town before later taking over Dad's business.
At first glance we may not look alike. The only thing Alex and I have in common is that our hair is brown which matches his eye color, while mine is a mix of green and a bit of blue.
Alex always said that my eyes are like an Angora cat. Exotic-aka weird.
"Nice to meet you too, Cara." Alex hugged me tightly and kissed the top of my head. "Hey, Jenna!"
Jen smiled shyly while waving her hand, before going out with Dane she had fallen deeply in love with my brother.
"Cara, I'll go first. Dane is waiting for me. Bye Alex!" She waved at us before turning around and walking away, occasionally glancing in our direction.
Alex waved his hand back.
"So?" I turned my attention to Alex after he let go of his hug. The smell of mint and the scent of roses wafted from him.
"Hmm?" he replied before we walked hand in hand out of the gate.
"You came home early and didn't tell me? Did Dad and Mum know?"
"Yes. I will not miss your birthday again, not this year." Alex handed me the bouquet of flowers he had brought.
I paused for a moment staring at the cluster of white rose petals wrapped in an ivory white bouquet.
"My birthday is still tomorrow, Al" I said with a smile, Alex hates it when I call him Al. He only answered by rolling his eyes as I held his bouquet of roses in my arms.
"So there's a party or something?" he asked as he walked towards his car, BMW, and new. I didn't know Dad bought him a new car.
"Just mum, Dad, Eric, Jen and now you" I answered while looking at his bouquet of flowers, "Thanks." I said sincerely.
"Anything for you Cara-bear." He answered with a big smile.
"Happy Birthday Cara!" Jen stood at my door with a big smile.
"Happy Birthday!" Eric trailed behind Jen. His slightly long black hair was neatly combed back. Two dimples were visible in his cheeks when he smiled.
"You didn't bring me a present?" I asked in a tone of feigned disappointment.
"Your gift is coming, Eric and I have prepared something for you." Jen and Eric alternately kissing me on the cheek.
"Sorry that I suddenly replaced it with lunch. Alex wants to invite me to dinner." I said while walking towards the dining room with the two of them.
"Ah, I wish I had a brother like Alex." Jen sighed enviously.
"I wish you had a brother like Alex-and he was gay." Eric's interjection had us laughing out loud.
Lunch today went great with Mum, Dad, Eric, Jenna minus Alex. He had little to do and had to skip lunch.
Mum made my birthday cake herself, like all previous years. I looked at my parents with a big smile before blowing out the candles on my birthday cake.
Dad and Mum are 46 years old, but they still look 30 years old, and sometimes people think they are my brothers. And that kinda sucks.
Mum was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, her shoulder-length golden brown hair framing her face gracefully,and her light blue eyes always made me a little jealous of Mum's beauty.
While Dad is similar to Alex, he has brown eyes and dark brown hair. Dad is my hero. I remember when I was 7 years old, Dad used to take me out every week to buy all the candy I wanted, unbeknownst to Mum and Alex.
We call them secret missions, although after that I always have a stomach ache. I love them very much, they are the best parents.
After eating lunch and talking for a very long time, Jenna and Eric finally came home. I helped Mum clean up the leftover lunch.
"Cara, you already know where Alex will take you?" Mum asked as she stacked the clean plates.
"Not yet, Alex just told me to get ready. Normal dinner I guess."
Mum was silent for a moment, busy continuing her work. "Alex will live here again, in this city, he wants to buy his own apartment. According to him he is no longer fit to live with his own parents." Mum said with a laugh.
"He didn't tell me anything ... " I grumbled with a frown, usually I'm always the first to know.
Lately Alex has been calling me less often, I think because he is busy with his work.
"Oh yeah? Maybe he forgot. How about I help you get ready?" Mum asked, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Prepare for ... ?" I asked confused.
"Your dinner with Alex?"
"Mum, I'm just going to have dinner with Alex. He won't even mind if I'm just in some tattered pajamas." I said laughing then left Mum and headed for my room on the second floor.
I can faintly hear Mum grumbling to herself behind me.
After half an hour lying in bed waiting for Alex to pick me up, my cell phone vibrates next to me. I glanced at the clock on my desk that showed 6 pm.
"Alex?" I replied when I saw his name on the cellphone screen.
"Are you ready, Princess?"
"Ew, you sound gross." I replied with a laugh which was answered with a laugh too.
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. Don't forget to bring your jacket." he ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty." I replied with a smile to myself then disconnected.
After half an hour lying in bed waiting for Alex to pick me up, my cell phone vibrates next to me. I glanced at the clock on my desk that showed 6 pm.
Jen said I had an 'okay' face. My eyes are a clear bluish green, Mum and Dad always say I have a same color with Mum's great-grandmother.
I do have a slightly different face from Mum, Dad and Alex. The only thing that makes me look alike is that I have the same hair color as Dad and Alex.
Tonight I'm wearing a white t-shirt with the logo of The Strokes, Alex's favorite band which is now my favorite band, and black leggings.
I'm not wearing any make up because it's just dinner with Alex. Not a date.
I grabbed my black jacket that was on the bed and went downstairs. Dad, Mum and Alex were talking in the kitchen even though I couldn't hear what they were saying very clearly I frowned as they whispered loudly. 'Alex?" Say hello from behind. Alex turned around and smiled at me.
He wore a semi black suit with a white shirt and black pants, minus a tie. His usually messy hair was now neatly combed back, his brown eyes looking at me warmly.
I know my brother has the allure to make all the female species in this world fall in love with him. Sometimes I'm not immune either, although I hate it too.
It's disgusting and fun at the same time? Who knows.
"What is it?" he asked, still smiling with his annoyingly handsome face. I felt my cheeks heat up a little. "Cara, he's your brother!"
"Oh, so, um, I think I got the costume wrong?" I asked frowning slightly to hide my embarrassment after thinking about Alex.
"No, you look perfect. Mum, Dad, we're leaving now." Alex kissed Mum on the cheek as she said good-bye.
Mum rubbed her nose when she saw us both, she looked like she was going to ... cry?
'Mum? Are you all right?" I asked hesitantly.
"Looks like it's just a cold. Have fun, honey." Mum replied. Dad put his arm around Mum's waist and whispered something.
I threw my smile at both of them before following Alex to nis car.
Alex opened the door for me which made me look at him questioningly. He didn't usually act like this.
he answered me by raising one corner of his mouth upwards. My heart is pounding again, somehow I feel like this is like a date.