The buildings pasted by through my window, a cold gray blur compared to the trees, colors and warmth of Atlanta. The ride was slow thanks to the never-ending traffic of New York, I took in everything some things familiar, others not so much, like the Sarahs a restaurant place my siblings and I spend hours at or the new boutique I have never before seen. 

Eventually we arrived at the house. my old house, the one filled and haunted with memories of Layla and my brothers. It was an elegant thing, covered in an undeniable shade of blue and stood on resting greek like pillars. It looked like a dream but to me it was a life sentence. 

It held new memories I noticed, a little bike turned on the lawn that's says a little boy lives there. I heard about him, from my mom, Benett is the product of my father and my step mothers love, of course I've never met either of them.

"Alright, Home sweet, Home" my father says while exiting the home.

"yeah Home, sweet home" I mumble under my breath before exiting.

 My legs shook walking up the steps, like they're trying to tell me, to stop to fly back, to live with anyone else but I don't allow them.

This is for my Mom and Maddy and Axel, This is for mom and Maddy and Axel. 

We enter the house at first it is suspiciously quite until a loud yell interrupts it, "HEY MOM! WERES MY BASKETBALL SHORTS!!" 

A voice that doesn't sound like my mom and can only be from Gwen the Step mom yells back, "I DON'T KNOW, DID YOU LEAVE THEM WITH YOUR UNDERWEAR!?" 

"MOM!" the voice yells back after chuckles fly around the walls. 

Suddenly my fathers voice is among them, "BOYS! YOUR SISTER IS HOME" 

A dead silence fills the air.

Then thundering footsteps race down the stairs sounding a lot like a herd of Buffalo then the boys I remembered or maybe it was exactly like I remember I hasn't been around long enough to remember. 

The first boy emerges followed closely by the others, shuffling in a line like their in the army and the commander barking orders. A slender women with red fiery hair shimmies down the steps followed by a small smily boy with messy brown-red hair.

"I'm sure you remember Sam" father says pointing to my eldest brother, still wearing sharp brown hair like he did in high school, still the same tired look he wore from working jobs, playing baseball and having a high GPA. He gives me a hopeful smile, that makes my chest hurt.

"and Mason", Mason wasn't the lanky, awkward boy I remembered, in his place was a muscular, tall teenager full of anger and hate. His brown hair wasn't neat like Sam's it was messy and hateful like his eyes, which were aimed at me. I felt my throat swallow spit as he glared at me with fury I deserved. 

"and Carter" Carter..... Carter was complicated, he was my twin and I could feel the lack of resentment he held for me, the still smiling boy seem to only gain mischievous by the years. He wore the same blonde hair I have, the same brown eyes as me. 

Before I could open my mouth to speak he had me in a hold. I tensed and shifted my way out, "umm yeah not a hug person sorry." 

I saw disappointment bloom in his eyes, then his eyes shifted down to my nose and his eye brows rose. 

"you got a bull ring?" 

"and this is Gwen, your step mom and Ben" my father changing the subject so fast my siblings looked dizzy, staring at my nose to our father then back to my nose.

"Its lovely to meet you"

"Well, thank you darlin" I say my twangy southern accent coming out, picked up from the years gone. 

the boys twist their far somewhere in amusement and annoyance.  

The little boy giggles as he runs up to me throwing his arms around my legs.

 "I like your accent" he says looking up at me. 

I smile, "Thank you kindly, pumpkin"