Altantis' POV (Ashton's younger sister)
"C'mon baby, you're going to have so much fun," I rolled my eyes at my Mom's words and let her do my hair which she had been braiding since twenty minutes ago. She and the rest of my aunties were a big fan of Disney and much to my disappointment, my hair had been a victim of their crime ever since God knows when.
"Mom, I told you I'm okay. I'd rather stay in my room and read," I bit my lower lip as I continue nibbling with my index finger while my eyes busied itself reading on the book in front of me.
"It's your sixteenth birthday chip. Don't spend your day inside your room,"
"Mom, I knew you guys miss your girls. All of us knew that" I laughed.
My mom was so persistent in throwing a birthday party for me when all of us - their children - knows the oldies use our birthdays as an excuse to get together.
Two months ago, uncle Sky used Y and Z's birthday to throw a huge party. What forty years olds do chicken fight in the garden when it wasn't even a party for them?
I swear to God sometimes I just wanna take a video and show the whole world how much of crackheads our parents were even at their age. Only Uncle Storm would sit on a shaded part of a garden and drink his wine while cheering. Still weird to see but seeing my dad having a chicken fight with Uncle Demo is even weirder.
Us younger generations are even much tamer than our parents.
Among all of my uncle's children, I'm closest to the Simons’. Latch and Marigold were crazy ass bitches but they are basically tamed if it's just us.
Marigold loves drawing caricatures and enjoys singing while her younger brother Latch dances like notes and rhythm are the only thing flowing within his veins. No surprise though considering how their parents are known to be golden and royal amongst their fans.
Marigold and I are of the same age though along with Irish, Uncle Demo's only child.
The youngest among us is Dimitri, aunt Irene's thirteen-year-old child with uncle Mono. But the kid was too addicted to studying, more or less a genius if you ask me.
After two hours of my parents being a busy body for a party that I wasn't even sure it was really for me, my eyes caught the first family who came in by the back entrance of our house.
"Lantis!" I heard Zammy screaming. She was carrying a big brown teddy bear I was sure wasn't for me coz I hate it and she knows that. My eyes squinted and always laughed when I saw my brother coming in alongside with Uncle Storm and aunt Cali.
I shake my head in amazement. Zammy was wearing a flower-patterned dress. I was sitting at the railing on the porch and watch as my brother took Zammy’s teddy bear probably to keep it first in his room until Zammy needs it.
It was a habit, their habit.
When I was younger, I'd get annoyed at how my own brother seemed to take care of Uncle Storm's daughter rather than me.
Way back then, I used to hate him too for always running towards my mother's best friend when my father was clearly getting jealous of their relationship. But when I got older, I realized it was just my brother's way of teasing our father. And Uncle Storm knows that. I heard them once.
And finally, I also realized that the love he has for me and the love he has for Zammy was different. Too bad Zammy was too oblivious with that fact. Everyone thinks that my brother is just looking out for her but with just one look in his eyes whenever he stares at her, only fools wouldn't notice.
"Little chip, how's your scalp holding? I was so sure Mom had a ready-made gown inside," he teased before leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the cheeks, Zammy now bouncing in front of me with a paper bag on her hands. I slap my brother's shoulder.
"You should have been there to back me up, you traitor," I rolled my eyes at him but hug my brother anyways.
"Lantis, I bought you a gift," Zammy giddily smiled and I laughed at how adorable she looked.
She had that gummy smile of Uncle Storm and that beautiful eyes of Aunt Cali. No wonder she got my brother at the palm of her hands.
Accepting her gift, I jumped down from being seated at the railing and gave her a hug. Judging from how she came in with my brother, I knew it's probably one of the books I was asking him about.
"Thanks for the gift Zam,"
"Happy Birthday!" she greeted and we both sat at the railing while my brother goes inside the house. Good thing our parents decided to have a simple picnic over the backyard so we can have barbeques.
"Where is the birthday girl? Uncle Demo in the house!" Zammy and I laughed when we heard how excited Uncle Demo is.
"Yah, Mono, what did you do with the plant pot outside my house?" I heard my father hissed.
"Oops,"
"I swear we need to make Mono pay for everything. Hey Z, do me a favor and give this to Lantis,"
Almost everyone was already inside and like always, my aunts and uncles would go and hangout first because that's just how they miss each other.
This isn't new anyways. One by one, SHADOW and WHISTLE's children were now all at the porch watching our parents getting silly like they were the young ones.
"One day, I'm going to stop attending these get-together disguised as a birthday party. I swear I can't stand seeing dad dancing like weird sushi with my Mom," Y hissed but the look on his face shows he's happy to see his parents having fun.
"Happy Birthday Lantis. Here's your gift. Mom bought it for you," I accepted Z's gift and gave him a high-five.
It is true that our parents use this time to do this get-together, us younger ones does the same too. We basically all grew up together. We all look out for each other as a family. Because that's what we are.
"Oh God, Dimitri, look at your Dad dancing," Latch laughed and Marigold hit him on the shoulder.
"Uncle Raze and Mono is at it again battling who's better at dancing," Irish laughed.
"How many years has it been?" Irish asked. All of us, their kids, knew how our parents made an impact to the idol world. Funny though, not one of us decided to be an idol.
"Tri, what are you reading?" I asked, the gifts they've given me were already in my room courtesy of my brother.
"Hippie," he answered not even bothering to look at my direction. This brat.
"Coelho?" I turned around and saw Xander coming in, his hands hidden on his pants pocket, his serious expression calming me down a little. Behind him was his little sister Louise.
"Hey Lou," Zammy jumped and run towards the little girl for a hug.
"Hi Lou," I smiled at her. Louise is very introvert so we make extra efforts to make her feel at ease whenever we are together.
She smiled and gave us girls a peck on the cheeks. She's the same age as Y and Z.
Xander sat beside me and I gave him a nod.
He is uncle Raze's eldest son and we share the same interest - reading books.
He looked at me and I opened my palm towards him, "Where's my gift?" I teased and he raised his eyebrows. He's literally the younger version of uncle Raze, only with a longer hair.
"You never ask for gifts, Lan," he snickered and I grimaced. As always, he's the snob one. Whenever he goes in our house, we'd stay in my room reading. My Dad made a mini library inside my room and in the middle had a few bean bags lying so I can read there.
Xander often goes and visit coz we both like silence. We don't talk, just read. Sometimes Mom would check on us and bring us snacks.
"Hey, I forgot something in your room. Can I get it?" he asked and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Sure, lemme go with you. My brother probably trashed my room already so..." we turned and went inside the house to go inside my room.
He had always been on my room. But I was never inside his. I don't usually go out anyways.
"What did you left?" I asked as I walk through the stairs.
"Just something,"
Once I open the door, I made a mental note to do a little revenge on my brother for leaving all the gifts scattered around the floor.
"Sorry for the mess, this is Ashie's fault", I grimaced before moving forward and arranging everything. I let him find what he needed.
I was too busy cleaning up I didn't even notice where he went.
"Found it,"
I turned around and my brows furrowed when I saw him pick up a small box beside the bean bag he usually uses.
I moved forward and squinted my eyes a little.
"What's that?" I asked and I watch as he opened the box. My mouth hangs wide open when I realize what it was - a necklace with a letter "A" pendant.
"Oooh, you bought a necklace?" I asked. His real name is Alexander. But I never saw him wear any jewelry except his rings.
My eyes shined at the sight of the pendant. It looked simple and the size was just right. I kinda wished though that it was mine.
Our eyes met and he shake his head out of annoyance.
He doesn't like it when I ask too much question.
"Sorry, I was just curious," I pouted and his brows furrowed even more.
"I wasn't getting annoyed. I was genuinely curious how the frick you thought this was for me,"
"What?" I asked confused.
I was caught off-guard when he gently grabbed my shoulder and turned me so now my back is facing him.
Slowly, my eyes widened as I realized how he was putting in the necklace on me.
"This is yours, silly. Happy Birthday, My Atlantis," somehow, my cheeks suddenly blushed at his words and my heart almost stopped functioning when I felt his hands wrapped around me from behind.
What the-
My body stood frozen and I felt his chin resting on my shoulder.
He's hugging me. The-freaking-snob-Xander is fucking hugging me. The man who rarely shows emotions except with his mom. He doesn't even pay attention to his father's dad jokes.
"I know it's your birthday and I want to share a secret with you..." he whispered and I felt like my cheeks are burning.
What is he doing?
"What?" I asked. I can feel his cheeks touching mine.
"I like you, Atlantis," he stated. He dropped them words like it was nothing when I felt like my whole system would crash any second.
As if what he said wasn't enough he suddenly tilted his head and gave me a quick kiss on my cheek.
Holy...