Spin The Bottle

11: The Great Horror

As soon as I shut the door I leaned against it, shutting my eyes tight. It completely slips my mind why I even came back here in the first place, because all I can think about right now is Jake.

I started feeling all tingly inside, as every inch of me started whispering his name. I imagine him, taking in everything. His eyes, his smile, his laugh, his rock hard abs that are just longing to be touched. I shake my head vigorously and slowly droop down to the floor.

"Do you think she's dead?" I hear a voice call out. It belongs to a child, a girl... Or maybe a really tiny boy who sounds a lot like a girl. I wonder.

"Of course she's not dead, she's breathing isn't she." That voice belonged to someone I knew all too well. Harold. I growl to myself. I don't dare open my eyes. Maybe they'll go away. I feel a sharp poke in my shoulder and then my eye brows automatically furrow.

"See. I told you." I still don't open my eyes but I imagine the smug look on his face. He has a very unusual high pitched voice for a fourteen year old boy. It kind of resembles that of Mandark's from 'Dexter's Lab' He poked me again and this time I snap.

Sitting up and flinging my arms. Scaring the child away, who is screaming and running like his - or her - life depends on it. I roll my eyes and then look at Harold.

For some reason his presence strikes a nerve, and my eyes widen. I take in his new appearance. Thick black glasses, curly black hair, pimple state central, two bucked tooth. Where did he come from? Oh. Wait. I forgot, Bertha.

I stand up with what I know is a look of disgust, and go into the kitchen. When I walked in, the most horrible thing in the world was there. The rest of my cousins and their mother (unfortunately my aunt).

"Hey guys," I said putting on a fake smile. Julie, my awfully clingy, and EXTREMELY talkative, 13 year old cousin, ran up to me latching onto my side like her life depended on it. I internally groaned. Here we go! My own personal barnacle.

"How are you baby cousin?" Aaron grinned ruffling my hair. I internally screamed my brains out. He is WAY worse than Ian with the hair ruffling. Don't they know that girls don't like that ?!? Well, me anyway.

Aaron and I were only two and a half years apart. There wasn't much "baby". Could he NOT annoy me and do something with his life like... I don't know ... GO TO COLLEGE?!

Aunt Bertha came out of the dining area. "Oh, you've grown so much!" I palmed my face mentally. She said that every time she saw me. She pulled me in for a ginormous, breathtaking, hug. Lit-e-rally. When she let me go, I smiled and she gasped.

"Oh my word! You're finally growing boobs!" The smile leaves my face rapidly and I start to develop a twitch in my left eye. Why is this happening to me? "Of course they aren't much, like little baby plums! You get that from your Father's side." She gleams. And I just about lose it. I take a deep breath to calm myself and smile brightly at her.

"It's been really nice seeing you all! But it's been a really long day." I force myself to yawn and start to back away. I accidentally bump into the child - who I now see is a boy - and he falls down. I feel utterly bad for this, and I reach down and pick him up.

"I'm so sorry!" I say, and then sit him on a stool. I'm not really one for children. To be honest, I hate 'em. But it was, after all, my fault. He cried a little bit, but stopped once everyone started to acknowledge him. They offered him all kinds of sweets and I caught on to his sly smile. My mouth dropped. Sneaky little -

"Emma."

"Yes mom?"

"Are you hungry? We're about to have dinner." I shake my head vigorously and then make a run for it. Bad enough she made me come back, but I just cannot. Eat with them.