[Rosemary and Thyme]

[ 16 ]

     He had tried so hard. So very hard to keep away from the house. And if his friends insisted on coming around, he would have Lotus leave. But he didn't expect them to be so adamant about visiting before he had time to tell her to get the hell out. Maybe he shouldn't have told them about that new game he had managed to get off of some doofus. 

     'Motherfucker.' Chance thought to himself as he spotted the door to Lotus' room open from the corner of his eye. 

     He clenched his jaw, hoping that she would sneak past their attention and into the kitchen since it was next to her room anyway. When he did see that she tensed and paled as she looked over to them, it was a good sign. She wouldn't try to approach them.

     It satisfied him even more when she began to quietly inch towards the kitchen, praying not to be noticed. Fate was against both of them though.

     "Huh?" Kenny hummed, looking to the side after catching Chance side-eyeing something. 

     "Hey, Lotus!" He exclaimed, unknowingly and most likely helping her be led to her demise. 

     The others looked her way causing her to panic and force on a smile, giving an embarrassed wave. She quickly caught herself and slightly bowed her head instead, sweat beginning to form on her face. 

     "Aha, no need to be formal, Lotus!" He laughed out.

     Chance groaned, throwing his head back while he internally screamed every swear under the sun. "Right, Lotus," He said in an abnormally calm voice, "Get some more chips for us."

     That did not settle well in her stomach. It felt like it was flipping, in a bad way. That tone told of bad news. He was putting up a front in which underneath, he was fuming. She had heard it before when their parents were trying with all their might to punish him effectively and he had to apologize to her for making her cry. She hadn't heard it since until now. 

     She couldn't say she missed it because after those incidents happened, he was like a demon haunting her for a week. She would have rather been locked up in a cage with a real demon than face him. Lotus didn't look at them one last time before rushing into the kitchen.

     'I might vomit.' She thought, clutching her stomach. Damn her nerves. They always made her feel like that. 

     When she was out of their sight, Kenny lightly elbowed Chance. "Awe, don't run your sister around," He nagged, "That's so mean."

     "I don't do it all of the time," Chance dismissed, "It's not like I can. She's always gone when I get home."

     One of his other friends, Jackson spoke up, "Where does she go? Isn't she the one that's a shut-in?" 

     "Hell if I know," Chance answered, "Does she even classify as a shut-in if she's leaving the house more?"

     Ha-sun, the other friend gave a mischievous grin. "Has your wittle sister been seeing boys?" He taunted in a brief babyish voice, before laughing. 

     "What?" Chance scoffed, "No way in hell she'd be going out to visit anyone. She has the social skills of a rock."

     "That's a shame. She's kinda cute...Hey, Chance, is she single?" Jackson asked only to flinch when Chance moved to punch him with a raised fist. Lucky for him, Chance stopped once he flinched. 

     "Chill out, dude! I was joking!" He awkwardly laughed out. 

     Chance clicked his tongue, "Disgusting. Why'd you even joke about that? She's weird as shit, I can't see how anyone would want to date her lame ass. ​​​​​​Excluding you, you'd chase anything."