Culling

Part II • Chapter XV

I landed, face first, on my pillow with a soft thump and squeak.

Groaning, I turned my head and blearily opened my eyes. Chase, Mason and Darius were all in my room, making themselves at home. Chase, the one who had woken me, was now lounging on his back on my bed. Mason looked through a tray of food that had been laid out on a table at some point, and Darius was circling my wedding gown as he studied it with a critical eye.

I sleepily sat up in my bed. "Why are you guys here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Chase pointed in my direction as he looked up at me. "We are your bridesmaids."

I tilted my head and put a finger to my lips. My what now? I stared down at him as he smirked at me. I had no idea how to respond to that, words escaped me.

Thankfully, at that moment, Karen walked through the door with her arms full of clothes. She stopped mid-step as she stared at the four of us. Her eyebrow rose and a smirk started to appear on her lips, but she was quick to disguise it. Instead she replaced it with a frown.

Interesting reaction. It made me wonder if she knew them.

Probably. I thought she said she was from the Capital.

"What," Karen tossed the clothes on the other bed where she had slept, "are you doing in here?" She put her hands on her hips and struck up a threatening pose as she glared at the boys. "You aren't supposed to be in here. How did you even get in?"

"Come on Karen," Mason crossed his arms, matching her pose. "Our little cousin needs us! We are her bridesmaids."

Karen's face faltered, and she blinked at him with a stunned expression. I could see the thoughts as they crossed her mind. Tall, dark-haired and broad-shouldered Mason - a bridesmaid. "Yeah, I don't think that is happening." She finally said slowly. "Sang has me right now. I promised her girl-on-girl bonding time. You cannot be in here while she's sits around in lingerie and has her makeup done. Plus, your mother is on her way."

"We wouldn't look, she's our cousin! That's gross. You on the other hand... Do you need to change? I can't make any promises, but I'll try to behave." Chase whined as he watched her. "Why are you being so mean to us? We want to be a part of it."

Karen gave Chase an appraising look, as if she was actually considering letting him watch her change, then frowned. "No." She ignored Chase's gasp and turned towards Darius, "and you, you should know better!"

"Me?" Darius' eyes widened and he held a hand to his chest, as if he was offended. "Why are you singling me out? Because I happen to be the oldest? I've never had a girl cousin before, how am I supposed to know what to do? I'm here to be the moral support." Well, this was new. I assumed that Darius was stuffy and a stickler for the rules, but it appears as though it was not entirely so.

"Oh come on. She's a girl, not an alien species!" Karen frowned at them, and all three watched her with pleading eyes. "It's not going to work. I am fully aware of your tricks!"

I thought this was a good time for a subject change. "So you all know each other?"

"Yes." Chase and Darius answered.

"No." Karen and Mason responded at the same time.

Huh? What was it, yes or no? I gave them all confused looks and Karen sighed. "Technically, yes." She said as she waved her hand around impatiently, "but also no."

What did that even mean?

Before I had a chance to ask for clarification, Aunt Gabrielle and her commanding presence swooped into the room, followed by my grandmother. My aunt took one look at her sons and chased them out, ending that conversation for now.