3 Don't Kiss Me!

There is a saying that goes something like this: "When someone is thinking about you, you won't be able to fall asleep at night." 

..But that is proven wrong. At least, for this case it is.

Sidney, Montana

In the cozy darkness of her room, seventeen-year-old Ivy lay sprawled across her bed, tangled in a dream that felt too real. In her subconsciousness, she found herself immersed in a thrilling yet forbidden romance, where she was entwined in the world of a mafia boss's daughter, the air thick with tension and desire.

In the dream, Ivy stood in a lavish ballroom adorned with crystal chandeliers, surrounded by elegant dancers in extravagant attire. Her heart raced as she locked eyes with a mysterious figure across the room—the enigmatic heir to a powerful mafia family. Their gazes held an undeniable intensity, a silent connection that transcended the opulent space.

'Where have I seen him before?' Ivy strained to capture a clearer image of his face. Yet, despite her best efforts, his features remained elusive. She couldn't see his face, but a nagging sensation insisted she knew him somehow. It was a gut instinct that told her so. 

As the dream enveloped her, Ivy's older sister, Chloe, cautiously pushed the door open, concerned by Ivy's restless slumber. Besides being concerned about the way Ivy reacted from her dream, she was also on a mission. She was sent by her mother, Selina Clover to wake Ivy up,

Chloe, with her tousled hair and an amused expression, approached Ivy's bedside, gently shaking her sister's shoulder. For once, she attempted to be gentle to Ivy. At times like this, she wished she had other ways to wake her up. Actually, she does, but she couldn't slap her own sister awake from her sleep. In addition to that, the situation was special, so she had to use a different way to wake her. 

"Ivy, wake up," Chloe whispered, trying to rouse her from the vivid dream that seemed to hold her captive. The more she tried moving Ivy around, the deeper she seemed to drown in her slumber. 

When nothing worked, Chloe pulled Ivy up and forced her to sit up from the bed. "Wake upppppp!" She shook Ivy, letting her hair run wild and head bob like bobble head figures. 

Ivy stirred, her subconscious mind still lost in the illusion of the romantic fantasy. In her half-awake state, she reached out, mistaking her sister's presence for the elusive figure from her dream. With a dazed expression, Ivy leaned forward, aiming to capture a kiss.

Startled, Chloe's eyes widened in alarm as she realized Ivy was about to kiss her. In a split-second reflex, she raised her hand and pressed it firmly against Ivy's lips, preventing the unintended, dream-induced kiss. "Hold your horses on that kiss!" Chloe shifted her head far away from her.

In a muffled voice, Ivy spoke, "How do I kiss you like this..."

"Ivy, wake up! You're surely having one of a kind dream to almost kiss me like that." Chloe exclaimed, fatigued from her physical labor, nudging Ivy back onto her bed.

Wrapped snugly in her blanket like a burrito, Ivy murmured, "Mm..." as the soft fabric embraced her skin.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe caught sight of Ivy's newest Mafia Romance book. Curiosity piqued, she picked it up and flipped to the last bookmarked page. "Ah, so this is the source of her dreams," Chloe murmured, clicking her tongue as she glanced at the dozing figure before putting the book on the desk.

Summoning the last of her strength, Chloe stamped her foot against the bed's edge. She wiggled her fingers, swiftly finding Ivy's sensitive spots within the blanket.

Ivy's laughter echoed, muffled by the fabric. "Gyahahahahahaa, okay! Okay! I'm awake! I'm awake!!! I surrender! Geez! Did you have to wake me up in such a teasing way?"

"You left me no choice. Gentle nudges never work on you," Chloe remarked with a shrug. "Mom called and said she's bringing your outfit for tonight's blind date."

"Ahhh, you ruined my dream of the mafia heir kiss for this?! Let me dream for another minute. Just one kiss," Ivy pleaded, raising a finger.

"Sorry, no can do," Chloe replied with crossed arms, refusing to let Ivy return to her nap.

"Such cruelty!" Ivy exaggerated, gasping dramatically.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe mimicked Ivy's theatrics. Placing a hand on her chest, she let out a gasp and presented a bag that held two boba milk teas. "Guess you won't want this then?"

"I do! I'm up!" Ivy hopped out of bed on one foot, heading over to grab a drink.

"You and your boba," Chloe remarked, sounding like she was complaining, yet she punctured her straw through the plastic lid of her milk tea and took a sip.

"Mmm, pure bliss," Ivy sighed, relishing the sweetness of the drink before nibbling on the boba pearls.

"Alright, time for the real talk." Between the fraternal twins, no topic was off-limits. Chloe took the initiative to broach the subject, knowing Ivy's tendency to maintain her carefree demeanor.

Having pondered for some time, Ivy finally voiced a question that mirrored her inner musings. "Is it bad that I want to sabotage my own blind date?" Ivy indulged in a sip of her boba milk tea, concentrating intently on the chewy pearls. As she relished the sweet taste once again, Chloe responded to her question.

"What do you think? You know, if you're going to do it anyway, it isn't a question." Compared to her, Chloe had it easier when it came to looking for a future partner. After all, Ivy only had limited time to find her Mr. Right.

"Then being a savage, it is." Ivy remarked, her hand cradling her cheek, visibly uplifted by the presence of her cherished beverage. To her, as long as she held a cup of milk tea, any hurdle seemed conquerable.

Chloe's breath escaped in a sigh as she observed her younger sister's carefree demeanor. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Join me," Ivy chuckled, her tone brimming with confidence and a hint of playful determination.