Married Into The Mafia *Undergoing Re-editing*

Birthday Memories

--Cooper--

I grunted in surprise as my foot slipped from a ledge and sent my whole figure wobbling for balance. Shit, that was close.

"Cooper!" I craned my head around to see my sister hugging on tightly to her favourite bunny soft toy whilst frowning up at my actions. I chuckled awkwardly but with a friendly smile. I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to her since I got back, so technically I hadn't talked to her in person for around a year.

"Oh, hey, Bri-"

"What are you doing?!" She demanded with grumpy face. She's gotten quite the attitude over the year Jake and I were away. Hmmm...Jake... I wonder if she still has a crush on Jake... She used to blush and cling onto him as much as she could and threw a tantrum when he talked to another girl. And, she'd gush over how cool and handsome he was right in front of my face whenever he wasn't around. I'd tell her that she doesn't need to chase after a guy like Jake when she already had a cool and handsome older brother like me but she'd just shoot me a look of disgust whenever I did.

I laughed nervously, trying to find a normal, believable reason as to why I was climbing the side of the house, but couldn't think of any. I shrugged. "I've decided to take up rock climbing!" She's just a little kid. She'll believe that, wont' sh-

"Isn't that Jacinda's room you're climbing up to?" I bit my lip and averted my eyes. Crap, when the hell did she get so deductive? Her face scrunched up in disappointment as if she was questioning how we were related. "Are you trying to peep on Jacinda?" I gulped and laughed awkwardly.

"N-No! You've got it wrong. I just really feel like rock clim-"

"You pervert, Cooper!" I shook at her accusation, shaking my balance at the volume of her voice. "I'm telling mummy and daddy! Pervert!" My eyes bulged and I stuttered over my words frantically.

"No! Wait, Bri! It's not what it looks like! Don't tell mum and-"

The window above me slammed open and I caught a glimpse of the edges of Eloise's face popping out the window before my arms automatically let go in fright and sent me plummeting two floors into a tree. I yelped out in pain after crashing through multiple branches before managing to catch my fall on a thicker one. Fuck, that hurt like a bitch! My body exploded with agony, but I shut my mouth and silently suffered when I heard a familiar voice call out from above me.

"Hey, is someone out here?" Her voice helped distract me from the pain radiating across my limbs. Being careful to hide under the tree's cover, I peeked up at her. She hadn't changed a lot since the last time I had seen her properly at school, but her expression seemed tired, yet restless at the same time. I could tell that she'd been through a lot.

But then that means that she should be fine when I finally reveal myself to her, right?

I smiled mischievously to myself at the thought of revealing myself. I had been planning it ever since Jake told me that he might be able to get her over to England. And, now he'd finally done it! And, she was finally here! Eloise was finally here with me again!

She looked around for a little more before sighing and shutting the window.

I had put a lot of planning into how exactly I'd surprise her. And, I think I've got it. Tomorrow our house would be throwing a party. My twenty-first. What better time to surprise Eloise than then?

Although, I had almost screwed up this great plan of mine twice already. I didn't know that Eloise was coming yesterday – she was a day earlier than what Jake had told me. He was probably trying to fuck with me again. Luckily, I decided to skip dinner, otherwise, I would've walked right into her and ruined everything. And, she walked in on me after I had taken a shower. A second later and she would've seen my face!