Hope in it's finest

Part 4

°Karina's POV°

Now that was weird. Why do I have that lady's facial features? Why does Killian look like that older looking guy? Maybe it's just all the stress for the race making me see things. I'll look into them later.

The group and I make our way to the traces. I can only hope that this will be a quick race... My prayers were answered. The race didn't take long, I won but I could tell that these people were not the best of the best here. Now I am sitting on the side of the tracks with the rest of the group while Kylie races, she really is one of the smartest people I know, I look to the side of me and the expression on Killian's face is just priceless. He likes her. Everyone in the group knows but somehow for a very intelligent person Kylie can be a tad too oblivious. The girl has no idea that she has my brother wrapped around her pinky finger. Ah, young love what a sick thing to throw in other's faces. I mean we get it your happy but that doesn't mean the rest of us are, what if that was my last straw? You would be my 13th reason. I guess I have no right to judge because I have never been in love so I don't know what it feels like to be captivated by someone.

In the middle of Jace's race I decided to take a break. He's probably going to win as well. Making my way to the now empry parking lot I take out my phone and check what's new on the internet. As I was getting to the good stuff I heard voices coming my way. Looking up I noticed a group of teens probably around my age coming out of the stadium. Three boys and one girl. The girl looks my way and smiles. I smile back not wanting to seem rude. Something I also notice is that they aren't the only ones that came outside. A group of what I can only assume to be jocks comes my way. Alright where is the fire exit!!! I hate socializing, why do they have to come my way, I mean seriously I didn't invite you so what do you want.

"Hey beautiful." Ohh lord please help me. "Hey did you hear me, I'm talking to you." This dumbass says. "Can I help you? And if not can you please remove yourself from my personal space." "Come on we just wanna be friends." he says trying to sound seductive? Does he hear himself. "I'm sorry but I'm not interested in being your friend." "Oh com-" "The girl said she doesn't want to be your friend, Ryan, give it a rest man." one of the stranger that were with the girl from earlier spoke. "Nobody asked you, Alec." and that is where I decided to remove myself from the scene. "Hey where are going, I'm still talking to you." the douche just had to grab my wrist. On instinct I turned towards him and punched him straight in face, hearing his nose crack on impact. "I told you I don't want to be your friend and then you go and touch me without my consent, you should be lucky I didn't break your hand." with that being said I went over to my car and leaned on it waiting for the group to come out once they are all finished with their races.

"Hey, you okay?" the girl that smiled at me earlier came and asked. "Yeah I'm fine, I just don't like being touched." "No I totally get it, it's uncomfortable being touched by a stranger." Yeah not to mention trauma from the past. "That's one hell of a punch you got there." the boy Alec comments. "A girl gotta protect herself in these parts of town." "Yeah I guess so, anyway my names Alec-" "So I've heard." "this is Roni my sister" he point to the girl smiling at me, "and these two, Ezra my sisters boyfriend and Noah." "Nice to meet you" they said politely. "You too, my names Karina." "that's a beautiful name" said Alec. "Why thank you I assume my mother picked it out for me because it is known for the fathers to have a bit of trouble spelling someone's name so if he chose it, it would probably be along the lines of Katerina." I finished my rambling. I have never been good with compliments. They laughed a little."Ohh I'm dead serious" Alec smiled at me "Of course you are." Why is he looking at me like that? I see the rest of his group looking at him in disbelief. "Well would you look at that, even cold-hearted people can smile." Ezra said with a dumbfound expression. "Ohh haha." Alec sarcastically replied.

They were about to start another conversation when my group walked out from where they were watching the race. Killian was almost immediately by my side. "Who are they? I told you not to talk to random strangers." "calm down brother I'm not a little kid anymore and besides their chilled." My brother let's out a longer that needed sigh. "Hi I'm Jace what's your name beautiful?" Jace came and pushed me out of the way by the head, taking Roni's hand in a shake. "First of never push me like that again and secondly she has a boyfriend you prick." Jace looked at Ezra who had a disapproving expression on his face. He quickly lets go of her hand and looks at me,"Fine I'll just keep flirting with the only girl who is worth my attention, Hey Jas." "Nice try, pretty boy." Jasmine replied. Jace looks away pouting. "I'm going to get myself some much needed ice-cream, Nico you wanna come?" "Sure."

"So Jace is an interesting character." Noah commented. "Yep, he actually really does like Jasmine but he doesn't know how to deal with feeling especially when he thinks she'll reject him." Kylie spoke for our part. "No he doesn't, you know him he just likes to make jokes." Jasmine said staring at Jace in the distance. "Sure whatever help you sleep at night." I said. "Ohh I should probably introduce you guys. Guys this is Roni, Alec, Noah and Ezra, Roni and Alec are siblings and Ezra is Roni's boyfriend and this is my friend group, my two twin brothers Killian and Kaiden, my friends Jasmine and Nico who are siblings and then Kylie and Jace." " Nice to meet you guys" Kaiden spoke. Wait Kaiden? But he's the quiet one, what is happening with this day. When I saw Kaiden looking at Noah I immediately knew why he was interacting with them. Aaww my babies finally spreading his wings. I just hope that he gets the courage to come out to the rest of the group. Of course I knew I'm an observer I see thing others don't necessarily see.

By now the parking lot started getting more crowded than before, as I look around I spot the woman from earlier looking at me with longing in het eyes. She saw me noticing her and decided to come up to me. "Hi, sorry I don't mean to intrude but can I maybe have a few minutes to talk to you." I wanted to say no but the desperation in her eyes reminded me of myself when I was at a really dark stage of my life. "Sure." "Thank you, come sit with me." She leads me to the now empty stadium, she takes a seat with me right beside her. "Do you mind if I tell you a story?" she askes, "Not at all." I answered. Then she started telling me the story.

"About 17 years ago I gave birth to triplets. One girl and two boys. You could see the exact moment my family fell in love with them. I mean it was impossible not to. A few days after the triplets and I returned home, we lost them. We went to do the nightly check-in with them when we found an empty room with a note inside stating that my sister took them out of pure jealousy. Ever since that day my family hasn't been the same. Leo hasn't had a proper conversation with someone in 16 years, Mason tries to bring light to the house but I know he lies awake at night with not a blink of sleep on his side, my husband blames himself and for a long period of time he would only sleep one night a week and it wouldn't even be a full night's sleep, I can't feel entirely whole until I know my children are save, the twins can only dream of their lost siblings. We search for them every day but it's like they just disappeared." By now she had tears in her eyes and I can't help but to feel bad. "Today when I saw you and your brothers it was like this light shining above my family" She caressed my cheek, "those eyes" she paused for a moment, "the same eyes I see in my dreams every night.". I froze. She had to be joking right? I can't be her lost child.

I felt like the world was growing smaller, I couldn't breathe, am I having a panic attack? I didn't know what to do so I did the only thing I could think of. I stood up and walk as quickly as possible to my brothers.