Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
                     (Eva's POV)       
 "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Eva Happpppppppyyyy Birthdayyyyyy too YOUUUUUU". My brothers sang, loud and off key I might add. Yes, I'm finally 20. One more year and I'll be old enough to buy my first legal drink!

          As I look up from my bed, I see Nate holding an Ice cream cake, Danny with 18 regular turquoise balloons, and two very big balloons that are in the shape of the number 20. While, Alex is recording. This is my family. I smile the biggest smile I have because the only downside to this is Dads not here, again. 
           
               "Hahaha thanks guys! So where are my presents!?"  
              
                The guys all looked at each other and I already knew, they forgot. 
  
               "Uhhhhh well, you see what had happened was...." Alex said elbowing his twin Danny. 
         
              "Oi that hurt! But, oh! Uhhhh we were going to pick it up and this big tree fell from the sky and uhhhhh.." 
                          
             Alex jumped in 
     "We swerved! And hit a cat! So we took the cat the doctors! And the cat was just in soooo much pain Eva! So we went to go buy medicine and stuff..." 
          
             This time Nate spoke ... 
      "The idiots forgot to pick up your present. Which is why I had it delivered." 
                          
               I looked at him as he leaned against the door frame and smirked. 

            I love my brothers so much but they can be such idiots at times. So I did what I always do when I want to get them back. I pretended I was disappointed in them. 

               So I stood up, shook my head at them, while wagging my finger at them and said "I thought you were my favorites. How could you forget? Am I that unimportant that you could forget about me? I just thought....  *sniffs* we were family." 
                 
                I turn around and put my head in my hands to give it a little more "poor me" affect. Next thing I know I'm being crushed by four arms saying 
             
              "We love you!! We're so sorrrrrry! Please Eva, don't cry!!!" I turn my head to look at Nate who's smiling and shaking his head because he knows what I'm doing. I just wink at him and turn to back to the twins. 
"GUYS! Can't breathe" they let go. 
                          
           Danny looks at me with the saddest eyes and says "Eve (pronounced E-Vee) we're really sorry we" Alex jumps in "promise to never forget! We just wanted ice cream" and they both look down. Dammit. They know. 
                          
         "Idiots. I thought I had you." I cross my arms and roll my eyes.  They both start laughing and sling their arms over me. 
                          
        "No really though, we are sorry. Right Danny?"  Danny looks at us "hmmm what? Oh yea, he's sorry. I'm not. That was some good ice cream." He sprints to the door before I can hit him. Like I said, Idiots. Haha 

             I blow out my candles, take the balloons, and connect the video camera to my computer so I can download the video later. This has been the routine ever since I was 10. Before then, we had nanny's waking us up. But, soon we didn't need them anymore. 

             The boys leave to get ready for school, and work. While I have a day off, and class was cancelled, I sit in my room eating my delicious Oreo ice cream cake. My eyes wonder around my room but land on the one and only photo. We each have a copy of our own, but mines is the original. It's my dad, my mom, laughing and kissing while the boys and I are covered in mud. Nate was 9 at the time. Danny and Alex were 7 and I was 5. That summer is when mom was killed. We don't know how, or why. Dad just came home, packed up all our things and we moved from New York City to a Small town called "Green Bay". It wasn't until I was 10, the twins were 12, and Nate was 14 that he told us mom died. He never really went into detail. Dad was always one for secrets. 

              Shaking my head of all thoughts I decided to go for a run. Knowing Nate would want to go with me, I decide to tell him to go get change. 
                          
         As I'm walking up to his room I smell this cologne. And it doesn't take a genius to know who that belongs to. Dad. I can't believe he's home. Although I love my dad he's always been a strict person. Only speak when spoken to. Knock before entering a room. Respect those who are above you. Never ask questions, just obey. Failure to do so will result in punishment. Since we always listen, we've never been punished. Last but not least, Never go anywhere alone. I've never understood that but, I never questioned it either. 
                          
         I can feel my heart beating as his smell gets stronger. But it's not leading to Nates room, it's leading to the study. I wipe my hands on my pj's, pat my curly hair down, fix my shirt, and make sure my breath smells ok. I clear my throat and knock three times. 
"You may enter Evangeline." My dad spoke. I never knew how he knew it was me, but again... I never questioned him on it. 
                          
          I peek inside to see where they are at when I go falling face first at my fathers tone.  
            
             "I am your father Evangeline not some stranger. Next time enter like the young lady you are. And please, look presentable. What if I had colleagues over?" He tsk at me. 
                          
              I groaned as Nate walked over and helped me up. I gave him a short nod telling me I'm fine. Which, he returned. I cleared my throat again "Dad, I wasn't expecting you to come home." I say with a straight face. It's weird, he radiates this power of authority so we never really smile, laugh or play around him. It's strictly business.  
   
           "Yes, well. I decided to come say Happy Birthday and to give you this." He pulls out a box with a letter attached to it. I smile while taking the gift. 
                          
           "It was your mothers. I found no use for it so I thought you would want it." He said while looking through papers. 

           I open it and it's a heart shaped necklace with a turquoise diamond on it. 
          "I love it. Thank you dad!" I half screamed.  

            "Please, Evangeline I'm right here. Do not scream. But you are welcome. Happy birthday. Now, if you don't mind I came to talk to Nathaniel. We have some business to discuss." 
                          
           And just like that he wasn't my father but a man who rarely visited. I gave him a short nod and turned to Nate, 
                          
         "I was going to go for a run and wanted to know if you'd like to accompany me. But I see you are rather busy, another time."   
         
       Before I can take two steps my father was grabbing my arm and turned me around.  
                          
            "You will take Daniel or Alexander with you. You are not to be left alone. Am I understood Evangeline?" I bowed my head in defeat. 
                          
         "Yes father" I said barely above a whisper. 
          
          We all have really good hearing so I knew he heard me. 

            "Very well. You are dismissed." And with that I turned and left. I swallowed the golf ball sized lump in my throat and got dressed. Before I went down stairs, I passed by the game room and saw the twins fighting over who had the best car. Idiots.
                          
           "Guys?" Nothing "Guys!" Well, might as well. "Dads here" and with that they stopped dead in their tracks. They both got up from the floor and instead of being the 22 year olds with short black curly hair, and grey playful eyes, they were the 6ft tall, body building dudes, who stood confidently and now, terrifying even to me. They had a blank expression, and crossed arms. 

          "Where" they both said. 
                          
         "Study with Nate. But he said to go running with me, because you know the rules" I said with crossed arms. 
                          
           "Never go anywhere alone." Again they both said.  
                          
        "Alright give us 2 minutes to change we'll meet you outside." 
                          
         With that they both headed to their rooms stiff as a tree. Dad always seems to change us. 
                          
           I'm thankful we live in a secluded area by the woods. We can literally do anything and everything. This is my personal Serenity.