Chapter 4
1077 Words
Adeline marched out of the exam hall like someone ready to set the entire building on fire
. Papers under her arm, hair slightly scattered, lips pressed into a thin line — she looked like a beautiful, furious old woman.
“What exactly are they writing, for God’s sake!?” she snapped, stomping her foot on the tiled ground. “Is that an exam or psychological warfare?!”
“Addie!”
Kate and Alexander’s voices rang through the crowd as they spotted her. They sprinted toward her with matching panic and relief.
Kate hugged her first. “How was it, babe?”
Adeline inhaled deeply, eyes half-closed. “It was fine, my love… I scaled through. Barely. But I’m alive.”
Alexander stood beside them with his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t saying anything because he knew better — any wrong comment would drag him into a long emotional rant from Adeline, and he wasn’t ready for that.
“Let’s go home,” Kate said, rubbing Adeline’s shoulders. “You look like your spirit is halfway out of your body.”
“It is,” Adeline muttered. “I left it on question seventeen.”
They all laughed, the tension finally melting a little as they walked out of the school premises.
ADELINE’S HOME
Grandma Nelly opened the door before they even knocked.
“Young ladies and gentleman!” she announced proudly. “I have prepared your favorite dish. And Kate I already told your mum that you will be sleeping here tonight.”
Kate immediately threw her arms around her. “Granny, you’re so sweet. I love you.”
Nelly smiled and tapped her cheek. “Go and change, jare. You children smell like exam sweat.”
“Thank you, sweet grandma!” Adeline and Alexander chorused dramatically, grinning like overfed puppies.
Nelly shook her head. “I don’t know how twins can be this identical in behavior. Same mouth, same drama, same trouble. No difference.”
The twins only smiled wider.
A few minutes later, the food was set on the table.
And chaos immediately followed.
“Hey! Hey! Don’t touch the side dish!” Adeline shouted as she snatched the plate closer to herself. “Granny made it specifically for me. Alexander, hands off! I mean it!”
Alexander rolled his eyes. “You’re shouting like somebody stole your destiny. Granny—tell her it’s for me. Your favorite son.” He widened his eyes, giving Nelly his famous puppy-eye trick.
It worked for everyone.
Except Nelly.
Kate, leaning on the chair, decided to add fuel to the fire. “Granny gave it to me actually. She said I deserve it because I’m the only mature one here.”
Adeline turned slowly. “…Kate. Don’t try me today.”
Kate smirked. “I’m just saying..”
Nelly snatched the side dish from Adeline.
“Enough!”
Adeline gasped dramatically like she had been betrayed by her own bloodline.
Nelly shared the dish evenly between the three of them ignoring their grumbles then walked away like a queen who just restored peace in her kingdom.
Adeline, still foaming, shoved a spoon of food into her mouth.
“She’s crazy,” Alexander whispered to Kate.
“I heard that!” Adeline shouted with her mouth full.
And just like that, the house returned to its usual blend of noise, laughter, and familiar madness.
ISAAC’S HOME
Isaac reached his house much faster than he expected. His head throbbed painfully the kind of headache that comes from stress, hunger, and life problems mixed together.
He stepped inside quietly. The house smelled like expensive perfume and cigarette smoke. Typical.
As he walked past his mother’s room, he heard sounds.
Soft moans. A voice that wasn’t hers. A man’s chuckle.
He froze for one second.
Then sighed.
He didn’t bother checking. He already knew.
Becky — his mother, was probably with one of her “friends.”
Or as he called them in his head: the men she used to fill the emptiness in her life.
He went straight to his room, dropped his bag on the floor, and sat on the edge of the bed. His fingers tightened around the bedsheet.
He wasn’t angry.
Not shocked.
Not even bothered.
Just… tired.
This was normal.
Too normal.
He lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
His mind drifted back to the exam hall.
He had written well. Very well. But the headache… the hunger… the chaos at home… they all made everything feel too heavy.
A knock sounded on his door.
“Issy?” A male voice called.
Isaac closed his eyes in frustration. “Not today,” he muttered.
The door opened anyway.
A tall man walked in — shirt halfway buttoned, belt loose, face sweaty. One of Becky’s rotating “lovers.”
“I didn’t know you were home,” the man said, shifting awkwardly.
Isaac didn’t respond.
The man cleared his throat. “Your mum is… busy. So maybe go get dinner outside, yeah?”
Isaac sat up slowly. His eyes were dark with exhaustion. “Get out.”
The man blinked. “What?”
“I said. Get. Out.”
The man raised his hands. “Alright, alright. No need to be rude.”
He left quickly.
Isaac exhaled shakily and raked his fingers through his hair.
He hated this house.
He hated the noise.
He hated the men.
He hated that his mother barely noticed the stress he carried.
His phone buzzed.
A message from the guys.
Brian:
Heyyy, You good?
Isaac stared at the message for a long moment.
A small part of him loosened.
He typed back:
Isaac:
I’m home. A headache won’t kill me . How are you?
Almost instantly:
Louis:
Should I send you three, hot and sexy babes to help ease your throbbing head.
A faint smile touched his lips.
motherfucker" he texted back
Maybe today wasn’t entirely terrible.
He lay back on the bed again, letting his eyes close.
He needed rest.
He needed peace.
He needed something different from the life he was born into.
And deep down, Isaac felt it —
everything was about to change soon.
In ways none of them were ready for.
Louis:
Me trying to be kind, well, if you need them, text me
Brian:
Louis it's until you get your d**k broken before you'll change I know that.
Isaac:
😂😂,that will be less painful, it better get burned😂
- Writer
