Around and Around (boy x boy)

Chapter 17- December

Author's note:These next couple of chapters were probably my favorite to write... woo hoo!

I was never too sure if Zach had ever apologized to Deron or not, and I had no idea what Claudia had said to him so that we could both stay living at the house. I was rather surprised when he decided to completely ignore both of us. He didn't even look at me. I just wondered when he would eventually snap on us...

"Alo!" There we were, all the way over in Weimar, Germany at my Aunt Karolin's house for Christmas. She was Claudia's sister, and you could certainly tell they were related. They looked almost identical, except Karolin had brown hair. But she was just as caring and friendly as her sister. "Claudia, ach Shatz, it has been ages!" I stood awkwardly next to Zach as the siblings greeted each other. He and I both knew that once everyone really took notice to his presence, he would be smothered.

"I know, I know! Far too long!" You could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. They separated and she turned towards Zach and I.

"Ach! Zachary!" She exclaimed happily. I almost laughed at that. He gave a crooked, half embarrassed grin. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, and he returned the gesture. "I have not seen you since you were sixteen!"

"I know," He grumbled, looking down at his feet.

"So nice to see you!" Karolin gave him a pat on the shoulder before turning to give me a hug. "Alo, Dylan," She said and moved away from me. "How are you?" Her accent was so heavy it was a bit difficult to understand her sometimes. That was how it was with everyone in the family, though.

"I'm good," I said with a small smile. She nodded and moved to greet the rest of the family. I looked past everyone into the living room. There, sitting on the couch, was one of the biggest bitches I'd ever met. Engel... I hated her so much! Even though she was my "cousin", she was a little cunt. She thought she was so much better than me for whatever reason.

"Engel!" Karolin suddenly snapped as if she were reading my mind. "Come and say hello to your cousins!" The bitch rolled her eyes and reluctantly stood up. She walked over to us slowly.

"Hi," She said, her tone blank. Zach curled his lip slightly. She scowled at him. "So I see you are not dead yet," She scoffed.

"Ha, you are so very creative with your insults," He said with a small laugh. The only one who seemed happy to see her was Abby, but that was understandable. Abby didn't dislike anyone!

"Shut up, Zach!" She growled and turned to go back into the living room.

"Ach!" I heard Karolin grumble and when I looked over she was rolling her eyes at her snooty daughter. "Well then. You all must be tired."

"Actually, I am not at all tired!" Claudia said cheerfully. She looked so incredibly happy, it made me grin. Seeing her like that made me realize that she was always a bit down at home. "Are you, dear?" She asked Deron.

"Hm? Yes. A little," He replied blankly, crossing his arms. The thought of being tired made my eye lids feel heavy. It would have only been mid afternoon back home in Washington, and yet the trip had gotten to me.

"You are all welcome to go to bed whenever you please. It is eleven o'clock, after all!" She laughed and I laughed to myself quietly.

"Well, when you think about it, it is only about two o'clock at home...," Claudia trailed off.

"Ach, I almost forgot!" I was beginning to wonder why everyone was still cramped up in the hallway. "Oliver will be home from work in an hour. He has been working late before he takes his vacation."

"I will stay up, then. I would like to see him!" My foster mom said excitedly.

"I want to go to bed...," Zach suddenly snapped. I was quite surprised to see he looked just as miserable as he sounded. He was standing with his arms crossed, shoulders tense. I wasn't too sure where all of his rage suddenly came from. He always talked as if he loved Germany so much.