saccharine.

My twin and I are all packed up for our trip to London, England. We've been planning this trip for what seem like forever! and now...it was finally happening. this will finally be a chance for our family to be together in one place. "Paris did you pack extra panties?" my twin sister London shouted. "yeah!" I said from across the hall of our house. I always pack extras of everything. My family even nicknamed me mom 2.o. because I was so careful about anything. My mom suddenly burst into my room. "sweet bean, I need to talk to you and your sister." her voice seemed serious, and her brown eyes looked clouded. I got a worried feeling in the pit of my stomach. are we not able to go? is dad not coming? is mom not coming? the thoughts raced around in my head as London gave me a worried look as well. Mom pointed to the red velvet couch, and London and I sat down at the same time. "do you guys remember Mrs. Davis?" we both nodded our head. Mrs. Davis was an old friend of our mom, who's son usually hanged around London and I. "well...she gotten into a very bad car accident. her husband contacted me yesterday and told me everything." "is she alright?" I asked. "yes Paris, she is, but will be going though surgery. the doctors do not know if she will survive through it though, since she has cancer." yes Mrs. Davis announced about her having cancer last time they were over. London and I always tired to cheer up her son Ezra, who was emotional at the time. I felt kind of sad for Mrs. Davis and Ezra, this must be hard for them. "but what does this have to do with us? are we going to visit her?" London asked, her voice sounding sour. I bump her elbow. "no, her son will be joining us on our trip." I sat up. "what?" "yes, Tom told me Ezra is taking this very hard, and would like to get him away from the chaos. you know Ezra is a very...sensitive boy." I hated the way mom talked so calm about this new information. this is not okay! the last time I saw Ezra he...rejected me. I will not be getting into all the details about it, but it was a very painful year for me. "mom can't he go to one of his...guy friends?" I said with pleading eyes. I do not want to be stuck on a plane for hours with this boy. he was my moral enemy. but mom-instead of giving me an understanding face- she gave me a scary black mom face that could easily end all of crime. "Paris destiny Ibrahim." she said using her thick Nigerian accent. "I did not raise you to ignore the calls of help did I?" "no ma'am." I said looking at the ground. "then I do not want you acting like a hooligan. your father is picking him up and we will be welcoming Ezra with open arms, understand you two?" "yes mama." London and I said at the same time. but I could hear the controlled laughter in London's voice. "good. now go finishing packing up."

After an hour of waiting for dad to get home, his car finally pulled up. And London just finish making sure the guest room was cleaned up for Ezra. Mom forced her to do so since we won't be leaving until early tomorrow morning. We sat on the couch, looking as proper as any family should be. The door unlocked and dad stepped through the door first, then followed Ezra. he looked handsome and uncomfortable at the same time. I bit my lip hard until it bleed. "Ezra." mom said getting up, and I felt betrayed. "how have you been?" Ezra didn't even looked at her or said anything. dad whispered something in her ear and mom's face changed. "how about...London and Paris give you a tour of the room you'll be staying in tonight." of course his face lights up at that. mom smiled at him, but then turn with a glare a t us. "let's go girls." London got up before me, taking his suitcase. "come on." she said giving him a smile. I got up and followed them through the hallway. London started to talk to him. "I am sorry about what happen to you mom." she said. what a great way to start a convocation Lonnie. "hmmm." was all Ezra could get out, but London kept on talking. "aren't you excited though? we're going to the big apple!" "girl that's new York." I said. "Oh." in the Corner of my eye I saw Ezra glance at me. I felt stupid to have blush, his just a guy I use to have a crush on. finally we were a the guest room. a small room, able to fit a king size bed, a desk, and tv. the walls were painted a whitish cream color. with snowflake curtains. our grandma usually stayed in the this room. we had to repaint this whole room cause her eyes couldn't take the intensity of the old colors. "let us know if you need anything. we're here for you." London said, and I could see Ezra get a little teary eyed. But he turned so quickly I couldn't tell. Why did I feel a bad for the way I acted earlier? he must feel really depressed right now. "yeah we're here for ya' bud." I said cringing at how fake I sounded when I was serious. but Ezra looked at me with a pleased look in his eyes. Again I blushed. this needs to stop. I thought. then we stepped out to let him be alone. "gosh this was suppose to be a family trip." London said, anger in her voice. "yeah...but I feel bad for him, his mom could...die." "yeah, I pity him as well but like...our family hasn't been together as one for a while, your to busy focused on school, mom's doing law school and dad's busy being a doctor. this was our time Paris." I understood what she meant, our parents did promise to this was going to be a "just us" type of trip. but now it's "just us and Ezra." "well...we're still going at least." I said trying to cheer up the vibe. "huh, why are you now accepting this? you were being a bit toxic earlier." "well I am trying to be positive." I said giving her jazz hands. she grinned and said. "you can sit next to him on the plane ride." I felt my heart explode. "what?! no! I-I can't." but London ignored me.

The next morning, everyone woke up at five in the morning getting last minute things and packing up the family car. It was hard getting ready with another boy. (who isn't your father); in the house. like I was braiding my hair into jumbo box braids, using the leftover black hair extensions I had. When Ezra walked by the bathroom. He suddenly stopped and watched me. My face felt hot, but I pretended he wasn't there. but then after few seconds of watching me, I couldn't take it. "yes?" I said feeling salty. he shook his head, as if breaking a trance. "sorry, I thought you looked pretty cool braiding you hair like that." "why thank you, but you have to get ready." "I am ready." I looked at him up and down. he wore black jogging pants and a gray hoodie. I bit my lips. "are you sure?" I asked trying to hint his outfit was trash. "yeah...I am" he gave me a cold stare as he walked away. what did I say? I felt upset at him, I did nothing to him, I am inviting him to my home. At least act like your glad for it. After we all got dress we loaded the car, after a few minutes of mom and dad arguing on who drive, they came up with a solation. mom would drive to San Antonio international airport, and dad would drive to the hotel we would be staying at in London. the drive felt awkward at first with Ezra with us. he sat between me and London. but after a while we all got to talking and feeling giggly. even Ezra smiled once or twice. his leg would sometimes touch my own and I felt a strange tug in my stomach. did he do that on purpose? I couldn't help thinking that every time his leg touched my own. at the airport we unloaded and then we found our spot, dad checked us in, then we went through the airport security checkpoint. London got her BBQ ribs taken away from her before she could pass. then we got lost finding our gate, but luckily Ezra found it. we waited for what seem like forever. all of us teenagers were on our phones, why mom and dad chatted about...our schedule. after an hour we loaded the plane, mom, dad, and London sat three seats back from Ezra and I. and I felt so pissed at London for stealing the seat I called. but I was mostly nervous to sit next to Ezra. he was my old childhood crush for heaven's sake! weren't you listening?! and worse of all, I might be rekindling old feelings at thought I got over. cruse you London Ibrahim! the captain let everyone know that the plane will be talking off in one minute. I felt Ezra tense up beside me. "what is wrong?" I asked. "I-uh-have a fear of flying." I choked on air. "What?!" I said a bit to loudly, making the lesbian couple behind us turn their heads to us. I gave them apologetic look. "now you tell me? when did this fear happen? you were perfectly find when we visited the grand canon." I whispered angrily. "well things change over the past year if you hadn't notice." he shot back, anger in his eyes as well. suddenly the plane started to move. I saw him sink into his seat. his eyes were sealed shut. I bit my lips and sighed, I grabbed his hand and quietly sung "je te laisserai des mots" by Patrick Watson, with my eyes close. when I open them again we were off the ground and Ezra was looking at me with his eyes a smile on his face. "What?" I asked my face feeling hot. "that was actually good. oh, and cute, thanks." did he just call me cute? I was so confuse now. why is he -no-why has he been flirting with me? when he rejected me as well? I will not let him win this..."battle." he can keep going all he wants but I will not descend to his trickery.