Juliana's POV



"Jenson." I call down the stairs of my house in response.

I feel like time has truly just turned into a fabrication. I swear just last night I was sitting at the fireplace, surrounded by my cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents.

Like it was just last night that we were having a sleepover. Tackling Elliot at the ice rink. Making chalk drawings with Justin.

The plane ride was practically nonexistent with how short it felt. I left 14:00 Italy time, and arrived at 6pm, New York time. Tell me that isn't freaky. Especially since the commute takes much longer than 4 hours.

Jenson is my second oldest brother. He's a teacher, meaning out of all my working siblings, he is the one who is normally home the earliest.

It explains why he's in such casual clothing already. Why his dark brown hair still soggy from his shower. The overpowering scent of his body wash mixed with cologne isn't one I'd thought I'd miss.

Yet as I was enveloped in it when he pulled me into his arms, a strange feeling of nostalgia washed over me.

"It's nice to have you back." He said, pulling away from me just as quickly.

"Yeah, definitely. I'm gonna go unpack." I said awkwardly.

Unpacking took no time at all, since literally everything was already clean. I'm assuming one of the worker's took my stuff and washed it before I left. As sweet as that was of them, it was quite annoying in the sense that I wanted to stay preoccupied.

So now I get to bide my time in my room. Twiddling my thumbs as I wait anxiously for the next event to happen.

That next event just so happened to be Gino.

I was okay with that. Gino just so happened to be my favorite brother. He and I had always been "two peas in a pod." He was just slightly older than Jamie and I, coming in at a whopping 17 years old.

He and Hunter were the same age, born in the same month even. Kind of like Justin, Jamie, and I. From what I've heard, they did that on purpose. Not Justin and I, but Hunter and Gino.

Our mother and Hunter's mom planned to have the two of them close together. Sort of like our mom also planned having Jensen the same year as Mackayla and Micelio. Though Aunt Teresa didn't know she was having twins at the time.

Justin and Jamie were a fun little surprise. While the moms didn't plan it, they found out that they were both pregnant at the same time when they both made plans to announce their pregnancies at one of the many family diners they used to have back then.

But I was the true surprise. It was kind of funny. At least, in the eyes of everyone who ever relayed the story to me. Apparently my mom and dad went to every ultrasound appointment, did every screening, and blood work, and monogram test that they were supposed to do down to the T. Like they had with every other baby. And still, the only one who they saw was Jamie. I had apparently been playing peek-a-boo for nine months, hiding behind my much larger sister until it was time for me to come out. Imagine my mother's surprise when instead of expelling her placenta, she's popping out a second baby.

Gino hugs me tight, not wasting a single second. He had barged into my room, as he so usually did, though this time instead of annoying me, he was hugging me.

"I've missed you." I whisper, and he mumbles something of the same response into my shoulder.

"You're going to be okay. Remember that." He says, lifting his head up and meeting my eyes. I swear, my heart shattered at the look in his eyes.

"I won't sugarcoat it, he is in an awful state right now. You being gone for so long has really put a toll on him. I think he's got someone with him tonight, but be prepared in case... I love you." Tears are in his eyes, but he refuses to cry. I'm not in a much better state, but tears won't fix anything right now.

Gino left, knowing the longer we were together the more dangerous it was. He liked to keep us isolated. He didn't like it when we got along, or worked together. It's just another way to control us, I'm sure.

Dinner came and went. I was trying to wait until everyone else had cleared out before I went downstairs. Besides, dinnertime here wasn't like at Uncle Stefano's house.

At Uncle Stefano's house we all sat down at the table and ate the same meal together. There were no electronics, just your family to keep you occupied.

In my house, dinner was either whatever you could find in the fridge, or something you made yourself.

We also didn't sit together at the table. I would be surprised if my other siblings even remembered what that invention was for.

We all typically ate at different times, and if by chance you do end up eating at the same time as someone else, then one person may sit at the bar, the other the table.

You might also opt to sit on the counter, eat standing up, or even just go back to your room before you were caught dead sitting at the table with another one of your siblings.

It was around 22:00 by the time I went downstairs. Well, 10 pm. That's going to be another adjustment.

I had gotten used to using what we New Yorkers called "military time". As was pretty standard in Italy. But that is a seemingly small adjustment.

I look at the food in the fridge with a groan. Why is food so disgusting, yet so craveable?

I snag a banana, knowing it's high in fiber, low in calories, and light on the stomach. I've put on a few pounds while being at Uncle Stefano's. My coach really won't appreciate that.

I begin peeling the banana on my way upstairs. I need to ask Jameson when I'll be going back to figure skating. With any luck, it'll be long enough for me to drop a couple of pounds.

It was weird, having a set time that you had to eat. Especially with what you're eating being watched and monitored.

It's not like food was being forced down my throat at Uncle Stefano's place. I did get more than one disapproving glance that led me to sitting my behind right back down and eating past the point of comfort.

I gasp when I bump into something, barely moving my banana to the side in time to avoid it being squashed.

Looking up, I stare straight into the dull eyes of my oldest brother, Jameson.

"Juliana. You didn't come see me when you got back." He spoke calmly. Collected, as always.

"I didn't know I was supposed to. I'm sorry. I didn't know if you were even home yet." I stammered, my nerves suddenly being reduced to a pile of mush.

"It's fine. It's nice to see you again. I hope your time away gave you some time to self-reflect." I was nodding before I even knew how he was going to finish the sentence.

"Yes. Of course it did. It was definitely something different, being away from home." Different in deed. My voice cracked on the word "home" and he just stared at me.

Creepy much?

"Well, you best be getting to bed. You'll need to leave by 4:30 if you want to get to the rink on time." He commented and my eyes widened.

"I'm going back tomorrow?" I repeated, shocked. He sent a glare my way, and I shut my mouth, smiling guiltily when I remembered he hates repetition.

"Sorry. I'll be on my way." I said awkwardly skirting around him.

I tense when he catches my arm, turning me to face him.

"I missed you, Juliana." He looked deep into my eyes and a small shiver went up my spine. I ignore it, smiling tightly.

"Same to you." I nod in agreement, grateful when he lets go of me, allowing me to run upstairs towards the fabricated safety of my room.

I'm dying.

That's the only reasonable explanation for what I'm feeling right now. I'm either dying, or already in bloody hell.

Bending over, I try to catch my breath. The pain in my lungs is insufferable, my chest is heavy, my eyes have little black fuzzy dots that have been staying around so long I've contemplated naming them.

"Twelve minutes Juliana, then your giving me 10 suicides." My coach yelled from inside the rink.

I groaned under my breath, resting my head on the bench behind me. Right now I was sitting on the ground right outside the rink.

They had benches against the wall for skaters, and then upstairs there was a viewing area with actual bleachers. That was more for competitions though.

Typically, parents were discouraged from coming to practices. Something about 'distracting' the students. Works for me though, I don't have parents.

I honestly really regret not being better at keeping up with my regimen while I was in Italy. An entire month of doing nothing was really kicking my ass. I mean, I was in a mini-coma and locked in my room for two days, but I could have done better.

My head swims and I take another sip of water. I'm having a lot of trouble catching my breath, and my heart is going wild. Today has been nothing but conditioning. Sure, I did a few things with Roco, my new partner, but it was mainly conditioning and flexibility training.

Roco left about an hour ago. We had an hour and a half double, and when he left I had another hour's worth of private training. Not to mention that there's a training camp starting in three days.

My schedule in the summer gets really messed up. My brothers try to keep me out of the house so my day is packed from dawn to dusk with activities.

I have figure skating, multiple dance classes, and English tutoring everyday. Well, not tutoring, thankfully. That's only twice a week.

"Times up, Juliana, get your ass in here." Coach Reese snaps at me.

I use the bench to pull myself up, walking on shaky legs back to the ice.

"Don't be dramatic, it's not my fault you slacked off." She huffed, looking me up and down, annoyed. "On the wall."

I hate fucking suicides. Maybe they're called that because they make people suicidal.

I skate over to the far wall, pressing my hand against it.

The way this works is you have to skate all the way to the first blue line, around the halfway point, then skate back and touch the wall.

Then you skate to the second blue line just past the halfway point, then come back and touch the wall.

And finally, you skate to the opposite wall and back.

That is equal to one suicide. And god forbid your skate doesn't make it all the way past the line, or you didn't sufficiently touch the wall... she would make you start over, even if you were on your last one.

"Go." She yelled, pressing her timer.

Oh, and did I mention you had to do it in under 30 seconds or it didn't count?

"I'm sorry!" I laughed, adjusting my computer screen. Right now I was on a call with Zeke and Micelo.

"It was so annoying." Elliot complained from the background.

"We were getting notifications all day being like 'Juliana's blood pressure dropped.' 'Juliana's heart rate is at dangerous speeds.' 'Juliana's this, Juliana's that'" Angelo teased and I covered my face with my hands.

I wrap my arms around my leg that I have up in the chair with me.

"Well I have the app now, so it won't bug you tomorrow."

"What were you even doing? Those stupid notifications have been going all through the afternoon and night." Elliot complained, coming back onto the screen with a bag of chips.

"Uh, a lot." I laughed, grabbing my phone and texting Gino to let him know he could come to my room.

"Oh no shit. Care to elaborate?" Massimo now came into view.

"How many of you are there? You're popping up like clowns." Zeke took whatever he was using to FaceTime me and turned it around the living room to show me everyone.

I heard someone mumble, asking if I just called them clowns. I was also met with a chorus of "Hi Juliana" and waves. Just about everyone seemed to be in the room, excluding my grandparents and Mickayla.

Hunted and Angelo were on the floor sitting on beanbag chairs, playing a racing game on the tv.

Uncle Stefano and Uncle Lorenzo were sitting together on the couch, ogling something on his phone.

Aunt Stephanie was holding a passed out little Justin in her arms. Aunt Teresa just sat there, arms and legs crossed, looking like she hated the world.

So, I obviously hadn't missed much.

"Why are all of you still awake?" I asked, looking at my clock. It was nearing 9 o'clock, so it was practically 03:00 over there.

"We were waiting to talk to you." Micelo said and Zeke smacked him in the back of the head.

Micelo rubbed the back of his head, glaring at him and mouthing 'what?'

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't need to do that." My lips turned down and Zeke glared at Micelo.

"It's fine, the boys didn't want to stop playing anyway. Call it sleepover 2.0" Zeke said, and I nodded, still feeling guilty that I was cutting into their sleep.

"Gotta say, much less stressful without you almost dying on me." Massimo called and I flipped him off even though he couldn't see me.

"She flipped you off." Micelo relayed in a sing-song voice.

"Snitch!" I gasped, and suddenly the screen was being jostled around. Like someone was trying to grab it and someone else wouldn't let them.

Just as that happened, my door slammed open, and in walked my favorite thing.

"Food's here." Gino called, holding up two containers.

"Gimme." I demanded, holding my hands out for my chipotle.

"Nu-u-u. These are mine. Go buy your own." He said, holding the containers to his chest and plopping down on my bed.

I wasted no time leaping from my desk chair and tackling him, which in retrospect wasn't a smart idea seeing as he had food in his hands, and he was on my bed.

But Gino was smart, he expected my attack.

He grabbed me, the containers nowhere to be seen, and flipped so that he could body slam me into the bed.

I pushed my knee into his ribs, shoving him off my bed and into the floor. From there I fell on top of him, and he yelped, groaning dramatically.

"Alright. Alright. The one labeled extra guacamole is yours." He groaned and I sat up, keeping him pinned, with a gasp.

"You didn't." I gave him a look of death, hovering my hand right over his chest.

His eyes widened when he realized what I was going to do.

"No, no! I should have, but I didn't! It's marked extra cheese." He panicked, knowing I had his hands trapped.

I glared at him, reaching down and twisting his nipple anyway.

He let out a girlish scream, throwing me, like legit yeeting me a good six or seven inches across the floor.

I snort, kicking him, which he retaliates harder. I get up, grabbing my precious bowl with a smile.

"Come here, my pretty." I cackle.

"You look like a creep." I heard Hunter's voice and automatically flipped my middle finger in his direction.

Wait, Hunter isn't here.

I looked up from my prize, confused, and realized that my computer was still on and they had a clear view of what had just taken place.

I'm assuming Hunter's game ended cause now he and Elijah were also on the screen. Zeke was laughing his ass off.

He sounds like a dying chimpanzee when he laughs.

"Ooh, who you talking to? Your boyfriend?" Gino teased, suddenly perking up. I sat back down at the desk with a disgusted look on my face.

"I'm not dating our cousin, dumbass." I sneer as I fold my legs up in my chair. Hunter lets out an offended scoff.

"Why'd you say it like that? I'd be a great boyfriend."

"I've seen you at mealtimes." I comment, giving a mock shiver. Hunter glares at me while Gino stares into the screen over my shoulder.

"Who's who?" He asks me and I groan.

"Take it." I say around my bite of glorious food. I grab my laptop and shove it at him. He takes it, again flopping down on my bed.

"Stop, you're gonna get it dirty." I whine, and Gino sticks his tongue out at me, wiping his disgusting bare feet all over my covers.

And I'm the immature one?