"Use your precious moments
To live life fully every single
Second of every single day."

-Marcia Wieder
______________________

Pls comment as it makes my day!

"MERRY FREAKING CHRISTMAS!" Samuel and I shouted at the same time. Christian screamed like a girl before falling off the bed.

"What the fuck was that for?" Christian mumbled.

"It's Christmas brother so get your ugly ass up from the floor and get ready. If we don't see you in 15 minutes then no cookies for you," Samuel said. That woke Christian up. He got up and ran to the bathroom making Samuel and I cackled and high five each other.

"Did you record it?" I whispered.

"Yeah," Samuel grinned.

"Now onto our next victim," we said at the same time before glaring at each other.

"Stop copying me." We said at the same time again.

"No, you stop copying me." We stayed silent for a good two seconds after that.

"Okay, that's enough. let's focus on our next victim," I said.

"Yeah, you are right. We probably should."

We had already done this to Christian, Alex, and Sandro. So, now our next victim for Nick the idiot.

He was practically adopted by my dad as a kid, so he got his own room. Sometimes I feel like he is Kingston's real blood brother though he is not. But he is all of our non-related brother.

We both headed to his room to see him sleeping like a star fish with his mouth open, a bit of drool coming out as he snored softly.

Eww.

Samuel slowly put the phone on the table where Nick's view was clear as day. We both grinned mischievously as he started to play record.

With synchronized precision, we both, on the edge of the bed so we could give him space to fall off, shouted, "MERRY CHRISTMAS NICHOLAS!"

Nick, startled, also let out a high-pitched scream before tumbling off his bed. Rubbing his eyes, he glared at us from the floor. "What the heck, guys? Can't I sleep in peace on Christmas morning?"

Samuel responded with a sly grin, "It's Christmas, Nicky Nick! Time to embrace the holiday spirit. Now, get up, or there will be consequences."

"Don't call me Nicky Nick dumbass," He mumbled, getting back on the bed, turning his head around, and trying to go back to sleep. Samuel and I looked at each other before sighing.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Samuel whispered.

"Yeah, I am."

3...2...1...

We both simultaneously jumped on him making him scream again.

"Get off of me you big knuckleheads," Nick shouted but his voice came off muffled as we squished him.

"Only if you promise to come back down and not go back to sleep," Samuel said.

"I promise!"

We let go before running and grabbing Samuel's phone at the same time as Nick attempted to catch us as we have let go.

"Good job!" Samuel and I said simultaneously before high fiving each other and heading downstairs for breakfast.

Today, my cousins, aunts, uncles, and our grandparents have come so today all of us siblings would play games while the adults would play their games, then we would play come together before eating dinner on the couch and watching Christmas movies.

So, after breakfast, all my siblings and I went to the game room.

"So what game are we playing today?" I asked, sitting down beside Troy who was eating an apple.

I swear, this is guy is never not hungry.

"Let's see what games we have," Alexander mumbled, looking through the big shelf of board and card games. From the couch I could see, Monopoly, Game of Life, Poker cards, UNO, Smart Ass, Twisters, and way more games.

"How about playing UNO and the loser gets a dare from the winner?" Romeo suggested.

"That sounds rough. I'm in," Rocco said, nodding his head.

"Good idea," Alexander said, grabbing the UNO cards from the shelve.

"Well let the game begin," Nick announced dramaticly.

This dramatic idiot.

***

"Why the fuck are assaulting me with two +4s River? I thought we were twins," Rocco said, glaring at River who just shrugged and gave him an annoying smirk.

"I think you forgot that we are triplets Rocco, not twins. Can't believe you forgot me," Romeo grumbled, putting a skip, skipping Finley.

Rocco seemed really offended. "I did not forget you. That was a low blow for you Romeo."

"Hey! How dare you! I am on UNO bro," Finley angrily said,

"Sorry not sorry bro. I had no other yellow cards," Romeo said.

"You should not have said that," Alessio spoke, shaking his head, and putting a yellow reverse down. "Now he would try purposely give you a yellow.

"I agree," Atlas agreed with his twins Thomas put his card before Marcus did.

"Where the fuck are both of your cards?" Alessio asked, pointing at Atlas and me making both of us simultaneously roll our eyes at his stupidity.

"Let me explain to the last braincell you own dumbass Rocco Coco. Along with Weston, Troy, Preston, and Christina, we finished playing because there is a thing called UNO where you have one card left, and an UNO game where you have no cards left. Besides, I won the game," Atlas said, saying the last part smugly.

"Stop calling me Rocco Coco you asshole."

"My name is Christin, not Christina. Get that in the two braincells that you have. No wonder why you and Alessio and twins," Christin said, narrowing his eyes into a glare at his cousin brother who didn't even seem bothered.

Now, Finley's turn came again.

Finley gave an evil cackle making Romeo look at him with fear in his eyes and glancing at the two cards in his hands that were remaining.

"I plead mercy! I plead mercy!" He cried out.

I swear half of my brothers should go to drama class instead. They will succeed to be more successful than they currently are.

"No can-do sir."

Finley put the colour changing wheel down and said, "Colour changes to... yellow! And UNO GAME"

So, we don't follow exactly what the pack of cards says. In my family, we are allowed to put action cards till the end.

"I am going to kill you," Romeo said, grabbing the rules.

You see, another rule is picking the cards until you get the card that is allowed to be out on top.

And looks like it was not Romeo's lucky day today.

"Finally," Romeo sighed after picking his 13th card from the deck before he glared harshly at Finley who seemed unbothered. "I hate you."

Finley smiled sweetly. "I love you too brother."

Troy snickered. "Sucks to suck loser."

Romeo glared at him. "Sucks to be related to you."

Troy glared at him before saying, "Tom, help."

Romeo made a mock small pouty face. "Aww looks like little Twoy is going to run to his big bwother like the wittle shit he is."

Thomas made a disgusted face, turning to Troy. "Firstly, ew Troy. Don't ever call me Tom ever again if you want to live to see the next day and Romeo, continue what you were doing because indeed he acts like a little shit."

Eli, Marcus, and Weston snorted as Samuel, Alessandro and I chuckled while Troy was busy glaring at him.

Romeo snickered. "Looks like the youngest didn't get his fucking youngest privilege. Sucks to suck brother."

"How dare you use my own words against me you asshole!" Troy said.

You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?

Sorry not sorry, I couldn't help it.

"I did dare and in fact I did use it," Romeo continued. Troy was rolling up his sleeves, about to fight him but Marcus intervened before anything could happen.

"Finish the game. You two imbeciles."

"Aw, man. He ruined the fun. Such a killjoy he is," Nick grumbled but shut up when he caught Marcus's glare at him.

***

Troy lost the game. And Atlas had won the game. Yes, it was a surprise that Romeo didn't manage to lose the game with the amount of cards he had as compared to the others.

But that's beside the point.

Atlas giving a dare to Troy.

Troy receives a dare from Atlas.

Oof this is going to be tough.

"Sucks to suck loser," Romeo, Rocco, and River simultaneously said making Troy glare at all of them very harshly, anger filling his nostrils.

"What a bunch of assholes you are," Troy spat out, but the triplets only rolled their eyes, pocking their tongues out simultaneously,

Real mature.

"I dare you..." Atlas started with a huge grin, silencing everyone. "To eat my chicken alfredo for dinner in the evening. I made it especially for you whether I won or not I was going to make you eat it, you know, since you are the youngest and all."

Oh, that doesn't sound too bad. Right?

Apparently, it did because the minute Atlas uttered those words, his entire face paled like a ghost while Alexander, Alessandro, Alessio, and Samuel, all gave him a 'good luck.'

Even Marcus, Thomas, Nick, and Preston seemed scared for Troy's life. Weston off all people shook his head, knowing what was going to happen.

While this was happening, Atlas seemed oblivious to everything as he told Nick to bring the plate into the microwave oven. Nick left with an apologetic and sympathetic expression towards Troy before leaving.

Okay, maybe it is bad.

A few minutes later, Nick came back with a hot plate of Chicken Alfredo on a plate. By the looks of it from far, it didn't look half-bad.

The keyword? From far.

If looked closely, you could see some of the chicken needs around 15 minutes of cooking and the alfredo sauce... did not look like alfredo sauce to put it in simple words.

Atlas needs to go to a cooking class right this instant because he sucks at one of the main survival skills.

Troy hesitantly took a bite before spitting it out. "Are you trying to fucking kill me? It tastes like shit dude!"

Atlas smiled. "So you know what shit tastes like? Did you try your own shit? If you did, then it is bad. Come at the right time to try mine!"

I slapped my hand against my forehead.

This boy.

"That's not what I mind!" Troy exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Wait a minute!" Alessio interrupted. "How do you know what Troy's shit tastes like?

***

"Thank you so much, Ari!" Thomas said, looking at the glasses in amazement. Those were the same glasses that he wanted since three weeks ago.

I grinned. "No problem!"

Right now, all of us are done with our games and we are doing Secret Santa. Everyone had already opened all their gifts and now it was time to watch movies.

So, we left the room and went to the living room. I couldn't help but look in awe as I glanced around the room. Decorations were put everywhere with a medium size Christmas tree on the corner but heavily spotlighted. Then in the middle of all the couches, there was a big table with homemade Pizzas and cookies.

We all sat down with a plate of food in our hands. Preston took the remote and went to Netflix.

"So, what movie are we watching today?" he asked, flicking through the variety of movies.

"How about the Grinch?" I asked.

Everyone agreed to the movie, so Preston turned on the movie while Alessandro went to close the light down before sitting beside me. I slightly smiled as I watched the movie.

This was the first Christmas in a while which I genuinely enjoyed.

Mom and I always used to celebrate Christmas, but I was never in the spirit, so it wasn't as enjoyable. Mom's biggest secret from me ended up being something that made me lighter than I did before.

If only I knew.

Word Count: 1970 Words

Publish Date: 18.12.2023

A/N: I am soo sorry. I was going to update on Friday but I wasn't able to finish the chapter on time because I had gone back to India a few days back and was really jet lagged so I updated now.

Btw, the UNO rules are inspired by the rules my family and I go by. Some of the lines from the scene were inspired by the lines from my brother like the 'Why are u assaulting me with +4s?' (he actually said that). I didn't know what game the siblings in this book would play until that faithful day when I dragged my brother's ass to play UNO with me.

Anyways, what do you think Ari means with the line 'If only I knew?'

Any theories about that line?

You will only find out in the next book. heeehee.

Anyways, did u like this chapter?

Happy birthday to anyone reading this!

Hope you have a nice day and stay safe!

Jas.