Jay's POV
The moment I stepped through the front door, a wave of familiarity hit me. The scent of my house—warm, faintly of vanilla and freshly polished floors—felt like a hug I didn't know I needed.
"Jay! You're home!" Aunt Gemma shouted from the living room, waving frantically.
I grinned, dropping my bag near the door.
"Finally!" I said. "Home sweet chaos."
My mom, Jeana, was lounging on the sofa, scrolling through her tablet. "How was school today, princess?" she asked casually.
I rolled my eyes. "Same as always. 3-E didn't disappoint."
Gemma laughed. "You sound thrilled."
"I am thrilled," I said dramatically, "but mostly because it's over."
As I made my way toward the kitchen, I noticed my older brother, Aries, sitting at the study desk in the corner. His laptop open, papers scattered, deep in work mode.
Perfect. Target acquired.
I tiptoed toward him, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
"Hey, Mr. Serious," I whispered.
He didn't look up. I repeated, louder: "HEY, MR. HOROSCOPE!"
He finally looked up, one eyebrow raised. "Jay… you know I'm busy."
"Oh, you're done for the day?" I teased, sliding a small sticky note on his laptop that read: "Chaos Approaching: Beware!"
Aries groaned. "Jay…"
"Come on! You've been working all day. Time for a break!" I plopped myself onto the chair beside him, swinging my legs.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible."
I laughed, grabbing a pen from his desk and drawing a tiny crown on his sticky note. "King of Horoscopes, that's you now."
"Stop it." He sighed, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
From the kitchen, I could hear my mom humming, my dad moving around upstairs, and Aunt Gemma's quiet giggles at my antics.
"Jay, you're making a mess," Aries muttered, though his eyes were twinkling.
"Am I? Or am I just adding some fun?" I said, spinning in his chair.
He reached over and flicked my arm. "Fun for you. Stress for me."
I leaned closer, whispering dramatically, "Oh come on, brother. You need some chaos in your life. You're too serious!"
He groaned again, rubbing his temples. I could almost hear him thinking: Why did she come back early ?
But I wasn't done. Not even close.
I grabbed his pencil holder and pretended it was a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Aries' Comedy Hour!"
"Jay—"
"Tonight only! Special guest: The Overworked Brother!" I waved the pencil toward him like a wand.
He groaned so loud I could barely hear myself.
At that moment, my mom walked over with a plate of snacks. "Jay, stop tormenting him. Here. Eat."
I grabbed a cookie and waved it at Aries. "Truce?"
He shook his head, but I could tell he was secretly enjoying it.
Gemma clapped her hands. "Jay, you should really take this show on the road. You're hilarious."
I took a bow dramatically. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Literally. I live here."
Aries sighed, finally closing his laptop. "Fine. You win today."
I grinned victoriously. "Victory is mine! And now… we celebrate chaos!"
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of laughter, teasing, and small pranks. I even managed to "accidentally" squirt a bit of juice on Aries' papers, which he dramatically pretended to faint over.
By the time the evening rolled around, the house was a mess, but the energy was alive, vibrant, and unmistakably… home.
I leaned back on the sofa, tired but happy. Chaos conquered.
And . Well… 3-E is the cause of my stubborness .
End of Chapter 33📖✨