Chapter 29 Home

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[Pelham Ave, West LA, 13:00, 29/07/2021]

"Welcome home," Jace stated as he inserted the key into apartment 12 front door opening it with a grand gesture. Yara and Kyra hovered behind him in the spacious hallway, their eyes wide with a mix of wonder and disbelief.

The apartment was a far cry from their old, cramped space—a modern, sunlit haven spanning 1,588 square feet. Polished hardwood and sleek laminate floors gleamed beneath a contemporary chandelier, while plush carpet softened the living areas. The spacious open-plan design invited natural light through large windows that offered a glimpse of the bustling West LA street below and the occasional glimpse of palm trees swaying in the summer breeze.

"Look at this place!" Kyra breathed, bouncing on her toes. "It's like living in a magazine spread!"

Jace grinned, his heart swelling with pride. Being able to move his family out of the Crenshaw hood and somewhere safer. He wouldn't have been able to fully focus on football and college life if he had to leave his two sisters in the hood. It made no sense to him to care about whether a billion-dollar institute won a championship if his family was stuck in the trenches.

At one point in life, he loved Crenshaw, and he still does to date but the ugly side has left its marks on him. Just the thought of his little sister having to deal with gangs just for trying to get to school. Still having achieved one of his goals since the death of his parents left him feeling lighter as he looked forward to the school year.

The day the wire transfer hit his bank account, and he saw all those zeros wasn't something he would ever forget. He hadn't seen so much money in anyone's bank account ever unless he was pulling heists in GTA. Taking a deep breath, he led the two into the house pushing Yara's wheelchair.

The first thing that greeted them was the empty but spacious living room. Despite it being empty it felt far warmer than their old beat-up council flat. The room's atmosphere was inviting: No mould anywhere in sight and a striking electric fireplace stood as the room's centrepiece, with a spot to hang a flat screen above it.

Jace gently pushed Yara's wheelchair across the polished hardwood floors as they moved further into the apartment. The living room was vast, almost too big for just the three of them, but the open concept made it feel airy and free. His younger sister was already exploring the house darting back and forth as she opened every door in the place.

Her eager and excited expression as she opened each door made one wonder whether she was looking for the kingdom of Nania behind each door. Yara rolled up to the large windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, her fingers brushing lightly against the glass. Seeing this Jace walked to her side and proceeded to slide open the door to the balcony.

It wasn't the biggest with a depth of 7 feet and a width of 5. The size allows for a small seating area and some space for potted plants. Yara tilted her head up, taking in the sun-drenched cityscape. A slight breeze rustled her curls as she exhaled softly.

"It's… quiet," she murmured, as if afraid to disturb the peace.

Jace leaned against the railing beside her, arms crossed. "Yeah," he agreed, scanning the neighbourhood. "Different kind of noise here. No sirens every other hour. No dudes posted up on the corner looking for trouble. Just… life happening."

Kyra popped out from behind them, beaming. "And no nosy-ass neighbours who fight all day and night,"

Jace huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. "Nah, just rich old folks who'll probably call security on us the first time we throw a party."

Kyra wiggled her brows. "So, we throwing a party?"

"Parties are too much trouble to host, though if you want, we can have a proper birthday party this year, you can even invite your friends from the summer camp. This house is for both of you, so make it a home little ladybug but same rules apply," Jace retorted as he proceeded to ruffle her hair with a warm smile.

Jace was more excited at hosting his little sister a Birthday party than she was at having one as he still remembered the ones his mama used to throw for him. She would have the house decorated by the time he woke up and would cook his favourite dishes. Back then he found it annoying when she wanted to constantly hug him and shower him with kisses but now he'd give anything just to be in her embrace one more time. That is why he wants to give his little sister just a piece of what he had the luxury of experiencing. 

"I know, Whatever Yara says goes and no fighting in school," Kyra said with a tired smile having said this set of rules hundreds of times.

Seeing this Jace immediately interjected with a teasing smile causing the girl's eyes to widen as she took in his words. "No, we have money for lawyers and doctors now so fight all you want, matter of fact as long as you don't throw the first punch and play it smart you can break their legs for all I care."

"Really big brother?" She questioned with wide eyes and an eager expression as her right fist twitched slightly, restlessly opening and closing.

"Y-h" Jace was about to respond before Yara who had been mesmerised by the calm happenings outside intervened the moment she registered their conversation.

"There will be no fighting in this house so help you god, and Jace Hakeem Lyon don't instigate her to misbehave, or I will personally deliver the ass whopping of a lifetime." She exclaimed with the calmest smile the two had ever seen her sport but the danger they felt by her presence instantly made them shit up.

"Ahem, it was her," Jace immediately said pulling Yara in front of him as if to use her as a human shield.

"No, it wasn't, you are the one who taught me how to throw a punch and told me to punch every boy I see," Yara immediately retorted as she tried to wiggle loose from her brother's grasp but it was to no avail as he wasn't ready to let go of his shield just yet.

"Well, if you caused a little more trouble, I wouldn't need to worry about you being taken advantage of. Plus, you are the one who wants to throw a rage." Jace retorted sounding like an elementary kid who was ready to square off.

Yara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I swear, you two are impossible."

Kyra giggled, at this as Jace finally let her go no longer seeing the need for a human shield. "Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll be on my best behaviour. No bad influence, no encouraging Ladybug to turn into a mini-Mike Tyson. Happy?"

"Very," Yara deadpanned before wheeling herself back inside. "So, you decided to stay on campus?" She absentmindedly asked.

"Yh it's for the best, living in the dorms allows me to fully focus on football," Jace responded as she sensed the dampening mood of his two sisters. They had been surviving together under one roof so leaving felt like he was abandoning them despite only being a 10-minute walk away. "Is that okay?"

"Yes, just be safe. Your senior year was supposed to be the best time of your life, especially for a student-athlete like you. Just try to enjoy college, and no matter how bad things get we will always support you." Yara responded with a warm smile as she stretched out her hands to pull him into a hug. Jace wrapped his arms around Yara, sinking into the warmth of her embrace.

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To Be Continued...