One In a Gazillion Times Infinity

Chapter 2

(Leilani)

“So… What do you think?” Leilani asked her brother, taking a good look at him as soon as they entered their new house.

As usual, he didn’t have to ask what she meant. He knew precisely what she was talking about. But what Leilani didn’t expect was the words that came from her twin’s mouth.

“She’s a total loser.”

Leilani stared at Kilauea in shock. He got a few feet away from her before she snapped out of it and chased after him.

Grabbing his arm, she yanked hard. “What do you mean a total loser?! You heartless dick!”

As usual, Kai just gave her his unreadable look.

“Look, Leilani. You’re just in denial. That girl is so pathetic I don’t know how she fits with the rest of her family. She’s that repressed type – not having the guts to at least yell back at the driver who ran her over. Instead, she chucks a tantrum in the middle of the road. She was so quiet I almost forgot about her while we were arguing in the car. She doesn’t stand up for herself or for people who helped her. Do you seriously want a friend like that?”

Leilani was speechless for a moment – on account that her jaw was hanging open. But she didn’t let her brother off that easily.

“That’s why she needs a friend more than ever!” Leilani threw back at him. Kai, however, only smiled sardonically.

“Oh I get it,” he said. “She’s one of your charity cases. Go ahead then. I don’t think you’ll be ever to change her for the worse anyway.” He then pretended to look thoughtful. “But hold on. The last time you took a charity case in, I got a stalker while you got a Leilani II.”

It was true. A year ago, Leilani had taken in a timid girl who was as shy as a mouse and as meek as a lamb under her wing. It went well for a while… she became more outgoing and cheerful. She also eventually became popular. But a couple of months after Leilani had ‘improved’ her, the girl dyed her hair black and began to dress like a doll version of Leilani. It had seriously freaked her out but poor Kai even had it worse. She was wherever he was… and since she was Leilani’s ‘friend’, she got access to his rooms and nicked some stuff for souvenirs – personal stuff. Kai took it patiently at first but after she actually planted a video camera in his room, he just exploded and went down on her like a storm. That incident taught Leilani that all kindness wasn’t returned while teaching everybody else that using Leilani Saunders to get to Kilauea Saunders was a BIG no, no.

“I’m sure Aoife’s not like that…” Leilani said reluctantly.

“How sure can you be?” Kai thundered back. “That Aoife is just like that… rat… before she showed her nasty teeth and clingy claws.”

“I just have a feeling, okay?” Leilani shot back impatiently. “Why don’t you just-“

“We just got here an you’re already fighting?”

The twins turned around to look at their mother, a beautiful woman with long dark hair and blue-grey eyes.

“Sorry,” Leilani murmured while Kai just looked away. Seeing them chastised, their mother smiled.

“I already had the movers put your belongings in your rooms. I took the liberty of choosing for you. Besides, they all the same: En suite.”

The twins went up to the second floor.

“You know what,” Kilauea said as they reached the top step. “Whatever. Take your chance with her. But if she shows a weird interest in me, get her out of my life pronto, capische?”

“Whatever you say, Master,” Leilani said with a mocking bow. Before Kai could reply, she went inside her room and slammed the door.

After taking a deep breath, Leilani looked around her new room. It was nice with marble floors and a fluffy-looking cream carpet. Just as her mother said, her stuff was inside, the furniture arranged like in her old room. Her queen-sized bed was at the centre, her tall mirror at the corner with the vanity.

She also had a cosy balcony. Stepping out into it, she saw that she was facing the house right next to theirs. That must mean that Kai got the room facing the house behind their own one.

Going back inside her room, Leilani dug a clean t-shirt and shorts – with underwear of course – out and went to the bathroom.

To her delight, it had a marble bathtub/Jacuzzi. Deciding to use that next time, she went to the shower.

By the time she got out, she realized that it was already dark. She went downstairs, a thin jacket wrapped around her. The butler who came with them, along with his cook wife, greeted her and told her dinner would be ready in a few minutes.

“Thanks Bernard,” Leilani said, smiling. Bernard nodded and leaned in conspiratorially. Puzzled, Leilani leaned in as well.

“I think Master Kilauea is upset about something,” he whispered. “Something about ‘damn neighbours’.”

“I’ll ask him about it,” Leilani whispered back. Bernard nodded and assumed his straight posture. Leilani grinned before heading back upstairs to her brother’s room. “Hey Kai!”

Kai wrenched the door open, his eyes like blue lightning. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her inside his room.

“Hey!” Leilani protested. “What is wrong with you?”

“Do you know who lives in the house behind ours?” he said calmly, belying his blazing eyes. “With her balcony facing mine?”

It didn’t take a genius to guess whom with the mood he’s in but Leilani still had difficulty taking the disbelief out of her voice.

“Aoife?”

“She has a perfect stalking position!”

Leilani rolled her eyes. “Then that means you also have a perfect stalking position. How did you find out she’s the one occupying that room?”

“She was on the balcony when I went out to mine!”

“And did she suddenly whip a telescope out and start peering at you with it?”

“No since she doesn’t need a fucking telescope to see me! That’s how fucking close our balconies are!” He suddenly smirked. “I also got to see the print on her pyjamas.”

Leilani ignored the last comment and planted her hands on her hips. “Well, what do you want me to do about it?”

His response was quick. “Swap rooms with me.”

Leilani looked at him as if he was growing another head. “No way. I like my room. Besides, my balcony is also facing another balcony. I’m guessing this neighbourhood is a balcony-loving neighbourhood.”

Kai took a deep breath and then let it out. Lielani watched with some fascination as her brother got his cool back.

“All right. We’ll see this through first. Now, let’s just-“

There was a sharp knock on the door and a woman in her twenties popped her head in. It was their maid, Jill.

“You have visitors so dress up,” she commanded despite their higher position. “Neighbours wanting to welcome you.” As quickly as she arrived, she was gone.

Leilani looked at Kai. “Well maybe now we’ll see who owns the balcony that’s facing mine.”

She left his room to prepare.

Twenty minutes later, they saw who their new neighbours were.

They were redheads – all of them. They also looked like the perfect family. There were four kids – two girls and two boys. They probably ranged from ten years old to twenty.

Leilani and Kilauea gave each other a look. Time for the cover-up game.

Their mother glided down the stairs in a flowing dress that couldn’t be quite called formal – but neither was it casual.

“Welcome,” she greeted. “How kind of you to grace us with your presence.”

“We should be the ones saying ‘welcome’,” one of the parents – the woman – said kindly. “We are the Bishops. This is my husband, Grant. My eldest, Harrison-“

He was an attractive redhead with startling sea green eyes. He tipped his head in acknowledgment.

“-my second, Irena-“

She was a gorgeous redhead with dazzling green eyes, full lips and sensual mouth, and tender facial features. Leilani’s eyes narrowed at the way she looked at Kai – not that Kai was ignoring her with that look – so she quickly looked at the third child.

“-Lance-“

He was probably one year younger than Irena and obviously turning into a heartbreaker. He certainly looked like it the way he looked confidently at Leilani. She, however, mentally dismissed him and rested her eyes on the youngest – who was an adorable girl.

“Marion, say ‘hi’,” her father urged.

“Hi,” she waved in an adorable manner that Leilani almost cooed. But she stopped herself and offered Marion a smile. Heaven knows that when she was a little kid, she hated getting cheek pinches. Marion looked to be the same age as Sanne Renshaw.

“Oh, and I’m Natasha,” the mother finally introduced herself.

Leilani and Kai’s own mother introduced herself.

“I am Judith Saunders,” she introduced herself. But she stopped at that and let her own children introduce themselves.

“My name’s Leilani,” Leilani offered first. “Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m Kilauea,” Kai informed them. Leilani glanced at him. Introducing himself with his real name meant he didn’t trust these people.

“The volcano,” Lance said. “In Hawaii.” Kai only nodded.

There was silence. Leilani and Kai knew what the unspoken question was while their mother just seemed oblivious.

Where’s the father?

Thankfully, the twins didn’t have to say anything as Bernard informed them that dinner was going to be served.

Leilani found herself sitting next to Kai and across from Harrison and Marion. While their mother entertained the Bishop couple in another table, Kai was in charged with Irena and Lance while she found herself with Harrison and Marion. She didn’t really mind even though her age was probably closer to Irena’s and Lance’s.

“You’re very pretty,” Marion told her with a bright smile. Leilani smiled in return, truly flattered.

“Thank you. So are you.” Leilani thought for a moment before asking, “Do you know Sanne Renshaw by any chance?”

Marion nodded enthusiastically. “We’re friends. You know her already?”

“Yup.” She hesitated. “In fact, her sister’s my friend.”

“Megan?”

“No, the other one. Aoife.”

Marion gave her a blank look. And then, “Oh! Yeah! The middle one!”

That wasn’t a positive response.

Marion seemed to have read her mind since she added, “I don’t really see Aoife that much. She’s always locked in her room. Sanne said it’s because she has no friends.”

“Marion,” Harrison quickly reprimanded.

“It’s true!” Marion argued. “Sanne said so!”

As if Irena was listening the whole time, she turned to them. “Are you talking about Aoife Renshaw?”

“Yes,” Leilani replied cautiously. She glanced at Kai and saw that he, too, was listening intently.

“Her little sis is right,” Irena said dismissively. “That girl has no friends. In fact, she so quiet not many people know about her. In fact, the only reason why I know about her is because she was assigned as my partner for a project once.”

“Stop talking about someone who isn’t here like that,” Harrison scolded, sea green eyes narrowed. “I happen to have had a decent conversation with Aoife and if prodded gently, she can be a good conversationalist. I find it hard to believe that she has no friends.” Obviously, Harrison was the good guy in the family. Leilani, on the other hand, disliked the others for speaking ill towards someone who can’t even defend herself since she wasn’t there. Marion she can forgive since she’s just saying what Sanne was telling her but the other…

“She doesn’t,” Lance insisted, backing Irena up. “She’s always alone and in the library. I mean, even her family doesn’t take notice of-”

“That. Is. Enough.” Harrison bit out. Leilani mentally cheered him on. “I expect more from the two of you – you included, Marion.”

“Why are you so defensive anyway?” Irena inquired. Her eyes then glittered wickedly. “Unless you’re telling us… Does someone have a crush on Aoife Renshaw?”

Harrison just narrowed his eyes more. “You know I don’t like it when people talk about other people behind their backs.” Leilani agreed.

Lance jumped in. “Hey, even Marion said that Aoife’s own sister said that she can never have friends-“

“I did not say that!” Marion exclaimed heatedly. When the adults looked over at them, she lowered her voice. “I did not say that,” she repeated in a hiss. The others had to bend closer towards her to hear her. “Sanne told me once that Aoife used to be one of the most popular girls in her old school and that she was friends with everyone. Sanne even told me that she wanted to be like Aoife once but when they moved, Aoife suddenly became different and now, Sanne feels sorry for her. So you see, she used to have lots of friends.”

Leilani took that information in. Aoife used to be at the top?

“I refuse to believe that,” Irena said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I mean, that’s impossible. Look at her. Do you see popular material in her? I don’t think so.”

“I saw it once,” Harrison said quietly. “A glance. I think she can do it if she wanted to.”

There was an awkward silence before Irena said firmly, “I still don’t think so.”

“Same,” Lance put in.

The debate ended when Bernard, Bernard’s wife, Nora, and Jill entered with the food. The rest of the conversation headed on lighter things.

Leilani also learned that it was Irena who occupied the room with the balcony across her own one. She barely resisted the urge to flinch.

Well, now Kai will really want to swap with me, she thought wryly as she watched her brother and Irena flirt outrageously with each other.

As the Bishops were leaving, Irena turned to Leilani.

“Hey, you’re going to RHC, right?” she asked. When Leilani nodded, she continued. “Since we’re neighbours, I’m inviting you to our lunch group. You’ll enjoy it and I don’t give invitations much.”

Leilani took a mental deep breath and slowly released it. She knew what was happening. Irena was obviously a popular girl. This invitation would probably be once in a lifetime. But Leilani has seen what she was like and she had no doubt that her friends would be like her as well. Would she really want to stick with people like her?

“Is Aoife invited?”

Irena gave her a smile but Leilani knew better.

Ah well, what can I do? She thought.

“No,” Irena answered bluntly. “If you change your mind, tell me. It would be such a waste not to have you with us.” With that, she followed the rest of her family. Leilani sighed and she heard Kai come up to her.

“You don’t need her,” he said quietly. Leilani glanced at him.

“Oh? You seemed to like her just moments ago,” she said almost accusingly.

Kai gave his sister a firm look. “I would never choose anyone over you. Remember that, Leilani.”

Leilani nodded. “I know.” Then wrinkling her nose, she added, “I just hope you stop being so paranoid about Aoife. You heard Harrison. She isn’t bad.”

Kai said nothing and Leilani paused.

Aoife used to be popular in her old school, Marion had said. Then why? Why and how did she fall from her pedestal and suddenly became a nobody?

“I’ll find out,” Leilani murmured.

“Find out what?” Kai asked.

“Nothing. We have school tomorrow. We’d better turn in.”

The twins went back inside with one determined to unravel the mystery that is Aoife Renshaw.

A/N: Another chapter finished!

Elena-maria – Ah… My beloved godforsaken catapult… The memories… (sigh) LOL! HAHAHAHA! You’ll never let me live that down, will you? Hehe… Yeah it’s similar to my other stories… I can’t help it! LOL! By the way, this chapter is dedicated to you, my very first reviewer for this story! See you on retreat!

Ladyjayliz – Thanks! What do you think of this chapter?

Alice – LOL! Same here? Well, the balcony’s gonna play a big role in this story! Hahaha! When I said that, Romeo and Juliet came into mind! Lol. Hope you like this chapter too.

A/N: Three reviewers, yay! That’s a bigger improvement than my prologue… I got NO reviews! Oh well…

Yram Hael Neeltah