Step 1

The sun was already peeking through the curtains of my bedroom's window as I slowly opened my eyes after a really nice and relaxing night sleep. I scratched my eyes a bit before I slowly lifted myself up into sitting position on the bed.

"I slept so good..." I murmured as I stretched myself, before I turned around and grabbed the phone placed on the bedside table.

It was 6:30 AM.

I turned on Wi-Fi to check my notifications and before I could even realize it, my mouth was already curved into a smile as I read the message that I received from Rosalie, my dear sister.

< Good morning Emma!

I can't wait to see you again today dear.

I hope you slept well and have a great day! >

'She's as lovely as usual, I really do love her a lot and I can't wait to see her again too!' I thought as I kept smiling while looking at the message she sent me.

We count as four people in this Ashton family of mine, me included; both of my parents are so sweetly kind and I love them so much.

My dad is a well known doctor and my mum is his nurse assistant. Many patients, and sometimes even me and Rosalie, could feel a little envious about them as couple since they really match each other.

Three years ago, they had to move to Chicago because my dad was needed in the main hospital of the city because of his experienced and excellent skills in surgery field, and my mom had to follow him as she's his assistant. My mom is a really nice person, she's always so protective and caring, plus her cooking skills are really something! The food she makes is delicious!

The last member of my family is my older sister Rosalie, she's two years older than me.

She moved to Chicago right before my parents did as she wanted to attend Foreign Languages and Literature, so now she's living there with my parents.

She's a gorgeous female with straight long blonde hair and a pair of light blue eyes, which are able to literally catch the breath of the other person she's talking to, especially guys.

Her personality is the sweetest thing in the world. The way she talks and approaches people is so graceful and delicated that makes my heart melt.

She can make everyone comfortable around her and I really wish I could be like her one day. Since we were kids, everyone said we were indivisible sisters, and that's absolutely true. We attended same schools, shared same bedroom, took baths together, shopping together, played games together on Playstation 4 and many other things too.

She's my angel, that's the only word I could describe her with.

"So... Let's start the day now!" I said cheerfully as I jumped out from the bed before fixing and dressing myself up. I tied my light brown hair into a ponytail and wore the butterfly shaped pair of earrings that Rosalie gifted to me on my last birthday, before I went to kitchen to make myself some breakfast...

And speaking of birthday...

Today is my 25th birthday.

'That's why I'm so happy to see my sister again since she'll be coming here to celebrate it with me.' I thought as I cracked two eggs in a pan and laid 3 slices of bacon near them to make them crunchy and crispy.

Sometimes it comes to my mind that I miss having breakfast with my parents and Rosalie, like we used to be before they moved out, but I'm pretty used now taking care of myself.

After I devoured the breakfast pretty quickly, I wore my shoes and left home to drive at my workplace.

The reason I stayed here in Cedarburg, it's because I love my job as waitress in this Coffee bar named 'Smile' owned by my childhood friend Harris Ray.

Ray is a year older than Rosalie and we met him during elementary school, so all three of us grew up together and we're very close friends with him. He's a very cool and kind person, even though he likes teasing me sometimes but it always makes me smile.

When my family moved out, he always took care of me, just like a big brother would do and I really love him for being so sweet and caring towards me.

When I said I love him, I mean affection and admiration towards him, not in romantic way, as to me I always thought that Ray and Rosalie had feelings for each other since they are both so similar about personalities, but I was wrong, because when a day I asked him if he loved my sister, he answered with a sad expression 'No, of course I don't.'

I was very surprised by his answer as I also felt bad asking that since it seems like it made him sad. I hurt him with that question of mine but I apologize to him right away and I'm glad that as soon as I did, he showed me a light smile saying it was all good. I felt so relieved, I would never want to hurt him as he's a really precious friend to me.

I still think it's kind of weird that they don't have feelings for each other since they get along so well and he used to pat Rosalie head too pretty often.

I guess it's only a brother-caring feeling then.

I asked the same question to Rosalie too a few days later and she denied it laughing a bit, saying how did I even come up with that idea, but to me it looked like in that way though. She also added 'Yes, we're close but it doesn't have to mean he loves me. Plus he's close to you too, so he might love you, instead of me.'

She was very right so after hearing that, I dropped the topic there and never picked it up again as I thought it wasn't really my business whoever Ray loves.

I was just curious about it, that's all.

After 10 minutes of driving, I arrived to the coffee bar.

"Morning Ray!!" I greeted him as soon as I stepped into the building.

"Morning Emy! You came so early today, I can't believe it!! What happened?" he questioned me with a sweet mocking tone, which made me laugh instantly.

"Hahaha you didn't expect that huh? Must have been the powerful bacon with eggs that made me drive faster than usual!" I replied, still laughing.

"You better make some more of them next time and bring to me so I can work even faster after eating them! Hahaha" he answered cheerfully and hearing him like that is enough to make my day start great already.

"You make them by yourself, I give you the recipe hahaha." I teased him back as I headed to changing room to change into my work uniform, but before I went completely out of his sight, he shouted to me:

"Let's have an amazing birthday party later, Emy!"

'He's so cute...!'

I smiled and turned around to face him before I shouted back to him: "Let's do this, yaaay!! Can't wait see Rosalie again as well!"

"I can't wait either!" Ray exclaimed before I went away and we started our usual day of work together.

After work, now it was 4 PM. Ray closed the shop and we both headed to my house to prepare everything for my birthday. During our way home, he stopped to buy the cake, pastries, drinks and of course the food too, while I stopped to buy the accessories like plastic glasses, cutlery and other stuff too. We decorated the living room so nicely that it seems like the room itself was coming to life as it looked so lively and so colorful.

At 7 PM, the guests came. I was so surprised to see my friends from high school that I didn't see in so long time.

'I'm sure they came because Rosalie and Ray informed them, how sweet of them!'

We talked so much about our lives and about how much we missed each other, recalling the funny school times together too. Everyone was happy and dancing along the music.

Everything was amazing...

And it'll become 'Perfect' after my sister's arrival.

As I was eating a slice of pizza, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and it was a message from my sister:

< Emma, I'll be there soon! In 10 minutes! >

A wide smile replaced my lips as I was still eating and I really couldn't wait to see her and hug her again.

I remember my classmates used to say that Rosalie and me are like Sun and Moon. She's the Sun and I'm the Moon, each of them have their own sweet side but they show their brightness differently.

The concept of Sun suits to Rosalie so nicely as she really brights up my days, conveying me warmness and love through her feelings.

'I always admire every single aspect of her.'

As I thought that, my house doorbell ringed and I didn't even bother to ask who it was since I knew it was Rosalie, so I rushed to the door, opening it immediately and before I could even realize it I was already hugging tightly my dear sister Rosalie, while tears were filling a bit my eyes too.

"I missed you so much Rosalie!!" I said while sobbing a bit between words, still hugging her tightly.

"I missed you too Emma!!" she uttered back with her sweet voice which it held a shade of nostalgic feeling too while holding me closely to her, before she added:

"But look, I'm not alone! I brought Mom and Dad too!!"

And as soon as she said that, my parents made their appearance... As now I was literally crying of happiness.

"Mom!! Dad!!" I jumped on them, hugging both of them and crying like a little girl.

"Emma! We missed you so much!" my parents said it together as they hugged me back.

"We're so glad to see you and also glad we could make it for your birthday sweetheart." my mom sweetly whispered to me as she caressed my hair.

'Thank you so much Rosalie, you're really my angel.'

After the greetings with my parents, Rosalie wiped my tears, telling me how happy she was to be here today with me and I told her I was feeling exactly the same, before we went back into the house to continue celebrating my birthday.

But my 25th birthday was the happiest day I had...

Before I fell in the arms of the sin...

Because of my sister.