RYNA HAYES

Ryna stormed down the stairs two at a time, her heartbeat pounding louder with every step. She gripped the wooden banister so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“Why would you go into my room and take my stuff without asking?” she shouted.

Adam looked up lazily from the couch, a video game controller dangling loosely in his hands. The TV flashed bright colors across his face, but he barely blinked.

“I didn’t touch your stuff.”

Ryna let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You are such a liar.” Her voice cracked, a mix of anger and humiliation bubbling inside her chest. “You went through my room, stole my diary, and brought it to school!”

Adam immediately sat up straighter. “I said I didn’t.”

“Oh my God, Adam!” Ryna yelled, throwing her hands into the air dramatically. “Everybody knows now!”

Adam stood so fast the controller nearly slipped from his hands. “I didn’t even—”

“You liar!” she screamed.

Before she could stop herself, Ryna lunged at him.

“Whoa!” Adam yelped, darting around the kitchen island so quickly he almost crashed into a chair.

“Mom!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Ryna’s trying to kill me!”

Their mother appeared from the hallway holding a basket full of freshly folded laundry against her hip. One look at the chaos in front of her and exhaustion washed over her face.

“What is going on now?” she asked sharply.

Ryna pointed an accusing finger at Adam, breathing hard. “This idiot ruined my life. He stole my diary and took it to school. Now everyone knows I have a crush on Ski.”

Her mother blinked twice. “He did what?”

“That’s not even true!” Adam argued quickly, moving behind their mom like she was some kind of human shield.

“Wait.” Mom held up a hand, already looking confused. “Who’s Ski?”

Ryna groaned loudly and dragged both hands down her face. “That is not the point.”

“Apparently it is now,” her mother replied, raising an eyebrow. “Who’s Ski?”

Ryna crossed her arms tightly over her chest, suddenly wishing the floor would just swallow her whole. Heat crawled into her cheeks.

“He’s a guy in my school,” she muttered.

“And?”

“And he’s…” She hesitated, feeling Adam’s smug stare from across the room. “He’s really cute, okay? He plays basketball, he’s nice, and—whatever.”

A slow smile spread across her mother’s face.

“Oh, so my daughter has a crush.”

“Mom,” Ryna whined instantly. “Don’t make it weird.”

“You are sixteen years old.”

“Exactly!” Ryna shot back. “I’m not a child anymore.”

From the corner, Adam snorted.

“You literally cried yesterday because Starbucks got your order wrong.”

Ryna gasped in offense before grabbing a throw pillow off the couch and launching it straight at his face.

“Shut up, Adam!”

Adam burst out laughing as the pillow smacked him in the head and fell to the floor.

Their mother sighed deeply, shaking her head as she tried not to laugh herself.

“This family is going to stress me into an early grave.”

“I don’t want you dating until you’re eighteen, Ryna,” her mother said firmly, setting the laundry basket down on the dining table. “I want you focused on your studies and graduating high school first.”

Ryna stared at her in disbelief.

“But I’m not even dating anybody yet,” she argued, throwing her hands up again. “And it’s just a crush, for heaven’s sake.”

“Alright,” her mom said with a small shrug. “A crush is harmless.”

Ryna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Then what’s the big deal if I did have a boyfriend?”

Adam immediately perked up from the couch, sensing entertainment.

“Oh, this is getting good.”

Ryna shot him a deadly glare before turning back to her mother.

“I’m old enough already,” she continued. “Literally half the girls at school have boyfriends. My friends do too.”

“They are not you, sweetheart,” her mother replied softly.

She walked over and pinched Ryna’s cheeks gently, the same way she had ever since she was little.

“Mom,” Ryna groaned, swatting her hand away in embarrassment. “Stop doing that.”

A teasing smile tugged at her mother’s lips. “You’re still my little girl.”

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

Her mother’s expression softened for a second, something warm and emotional flickering in her eyes.

“Well,” she said quietly, “as long as you live under my roof, you’ll always be my baby girl.”

Ryna let out an exaggerated hmph and crossed her arms dramatically, trying to hide the tiny smile threatening to appear on her face.

From the couch, Adam snickered.

“Oh my God,” Ryna muttered, immediately pointing at him. “And from now on, stay out of my room.”

“I won’t,” Adam replied shamelessly.

“You are literally the worst brother alive.”

“And you’re dramatic.”

“Adam,” their mother warned.

Adam slumped deeper into the couch cushions with a sigh.

“Don’t go through your sister’s things again without permission,” Mom said, walking over and tugging lightly on his ear.

“Ow! Okay, okay!” Adam complained, pulling away. “Fine.”

Ryna smirked proudly. “That’s what I thought.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “You act like your diary contains national secrets.”

Ryna grabbed another pillow off the couch.

“Say one more thing.”

Adam instantly raised both hands in surrender while their mother shook her head, trying not to laugh at the chaos filling the house.

For a moment, the argument faded into something lighter, just another loud evening in their messy, loving family.