Trapped with My Brothers ✔

Chapter Twenty Two

We got out of the car to enter the diner Arlo decided to take me to. I was excited, both for the food and for the quality time with my dear brother. But mostly the food. "Doesn't it look cute?" Arlo asked as we stood in front of the diner. It was indeed cute; it had orange walls with all sorts of quotes written in different languages. They all looked beautiful and significant, but one quote caught my eye. I read it over and over again with a smile on my face. "What is it?" my brother asked as he saw my face.

"You deserve to be fought for. Remember that!" I read it out loud, then looked at Arlo. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and nodded.

"It's totally right. Let's enter." As we stepped into the diner, a little girl ran to us and hugged Arlo's legs. She was like four years old. Her pigtails bounced when she rubbed her face on Arlo's knee. "Hey there, princess," he greeted her, then bent down to carry her. She was adorable; her hazel eyes were big and sparkling with joy. Looks like she admired my brother.

"Arlo! You came," the little girl exclaimed in a sweet voice, and I smiled.

Arlo smiled at her, then kissed her cheek. "Of course, and I even brought a special person too. I present to you my sister," he clarified, then looked at me. "Mera, meet Lexi. Lexi, this is Mera. Her parents own this place," he explained, and I put my hand out for her to shake.

"Hello, princess, how old are you?" I asked as she shook my hand like a grown-up woman. Her hand was so small that I wanted to pinch her cheeks but decided against it. I did not want her to hate me for it, and I loved kids so much. Mera's front tooth was missing, which made her look extra cute.

"I'm four, and you are?" she asked, then waited in Arlo's arms for my reply.

"I'm sixteen but will be seventeen in two weeks," I answered, then looked at Arlo. What will I get for my birthday? I love presents.

"Where can we sit, princess? Is there an empty space for us?" he asked, and she nodded her tiny head.

"Yes, follow me," she said, then made Arlo let go of her. She walked us to an empty table and made us sit on the chairs. "I will call my momma so she can take your order," Mera said, then ran to another room, which I assumed was the kitchen.

"She's mature for her age," I commented.

"She is. She loves her family and the diner, so she helps a lot. The first time I came here, she wouldn't talk to me. She was too shy to lift her head up or leave her mom's side. But now, she is the most extroverted person I know."

A moment later, a woman in her early thirties came to us with a bright smile. "Arlo, I see you've brought your girlfriend with you," the woman stated, and I choked on my own spit. I shook my head back and forth, and Arlo put his arms in an X shape.

"Ew. No! She's my little sister. I told you about her once, didn't I?" he declared frankly, and I nodded. Why do people always mistake me for my brother's girlfriend?

"Yes, he's my brother. Nice to meet you. I'm Lexi," I said, then extended my hand for her to shake. She chuckled, then shook it the same way Mera did. I guessed that she was the momma.

"Nice to meet you. You are so beautiful. I see that it runs in the family — the good looks. I'm Blake, by the way." She introduced herself after her compliment – which she did not give me time to thank her for because she handed us the menus. "Feel free to order anything you want, and it will be ready quickly. I need to take the other orders now. Call me when you're ready," Blake countered, then she went. I looked at the menu and smiled at the food choices. I'm going to like it here.

"What do you want to eat?" Arlo asked as he looked at me. I raised my eyebrows at him in amusement.

"I haven't read all the choices. Now, wait, do you know what to eat?" I replied as I continued reading the menu.