Loving the Quarterback

*Bonus Chapter 8*

Misha's POV

I wake up at five thirty every morning so that I can take the dogs out.

We have three, shared by all my siblings, but I'm the one who takes care of them because I enjoy it the most. I also enjoy math and science. So logically I will be a veterinarian. That's what I'll study in college, and that's what I'll do for my profession.

I know that. I know that's what I want to be and that I would really enjoy it.

But then I look at my siblings, my athletic siblings, and feel inferior.

My oldest brother who plays basketball, my other brother who plays hockey, the other who takes after our dad and plays football. Even my twin sister (who isn't technically my twin) does competitive cheer and runs track for our school.

It's not that the athletic gene skipped me, I'm a good swimmer. My mom says I'm excellent and my dad says I could go pro, but it's hard for me to...interact with people. Swimming is a team sport and I could never...

I try to keep to a routine because it helps me. I wake up at five thirty, walk the dogs and then feed them. By then everyone is up and eating breakfast.

I wash my hands in the sink. The past two nights I've been preparing myself for this morning. I prepared for the tension because of what happened Friday night with my brother and my dad. My brother doesn't think chess is a sport and I guess he's correct. It isn't technically one. But he got really upset because our parents are missing some of his football game to come to my chess tournament on Thursday.

I can understand why he's upset, but no one's really talked since then. Maybe because I haven't really come out of my room. But the thought of it was just making me anxious. So I stayed in my room and Emilia, my twin (who isn't really my twin) brought me food. Our rooms are joined by a bathroom, so we're never really that far from each other.

"Misha?"

I turn around at the sound of my moms voice as I dry my hands. 

"Did you want toast and eggs or a muffin?" she asks softly.

I don't have the stomach for food, not when it's filled with uneasiness. It makes me queasy and I have to go to school and prepare myself for that social interaction. I normally don't have to feel uneasy about the social interactions at home and it makes me even more uneasy. 

"Hey, aren't swim tryouts today?" my oldest brother, Will who plays basketball, asks.

"Oh yeah!" my twin sister (who isn't really my twin), Emilia perks up. 

My mom was pregnant with her for a month and a half before I was conceived. It's rare, but my fetus was hidden by hers so when my mom gave birth it was a nice surprise that I was there. I was underdeveloped but I got lucky. My mom says dad was supposed to get a vasectomy but kept putting it off because she was pregnant and didn't think there was a rush. That's why I'm here even though my mom says it was fate. 

That's why Emilia and I aren't really twins, even though we were born on the same day four minutes a part.

My dad looks up, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. I didn't try out last year. I told him I might my sophomore year which is now.

"I'll have a muffin" I answer my mom from earlier. She gives me a soft smile and wraps a blueberry muffin in a napkin knowing that I won't eat it right now. I love my mom. I really love her.

"Mish?" Mila says my name and I look over at her. "Maybe just bring your swim stuff. In case you decide to try out"

"It's no pressure" my brother, Asher who players hockey, says. "There's always next year too"