Typhoon & Tempest

Chapter Nine

When she was dressed Lily left her hair down and knotty. She couldn't brush it with the state of her arms but she managed to roll on a new bandage for her paralysed limb. She held it delicately while clutching her dirty sling. After shoving her phone in her back pocket, Lily drew a deep breath and opening the door.

Immediately the sounds of an argument hit her at full volume. Lily followed the sound anxiously - how did she introduce herself to Niall's family? Hi, I'm the girl that jumped off a waterfall yesterday to get away from rogues. Niall offered me the spare room - how are you?

"Oh for goodness sake Nick, it's just cereal. Have some fruit!" A female voice shouted.

"Fruit!? Did you just offer me fruit Cay? Let me tell you, fruit is not fit for a man!"

"You're not a man, Nick! And fruit is perfectly fit for someone - it has a tonne of vitamins and other good things!"

"How dare you, I am a man!" Nick scoffed playfully. "Dad's gone for two weeks so I am the man of the house!"

"Uncle Rodger's here, dumbass. He's in charge!"

"I'm twenty years old I don't need a baby sitter!"

"You forgot to turn off the stove last night Nick!" Cay snapped.

"So what? I turned it off!"

"After three hours!"

"Mistakes happen!"

Lily turned the corner of the corridor and followed the open hall under the balustrade, the front door on her right, and took the left to find the kitchen and living room. She finally got a look at this Nick and Cay whom she guessed were Niall's siblings.

Lily blinked in surprise seeing a tall, broad shouldered boy with his back to her, wafting his arms about like a balloon at the front of a car garage. His dark hair flicked about as he spat at his sister's unimpressed face, claiming that his leaving the stove on was an honest mistake and it didn't render him not a man.

Cay, who must have been the girl behind the counter holding a knife with a platter of uncut fruit and some yoghurt, stopped immediately at the sight of Lily entering the kitchen. Her brown eyes were wide as she realised they weren't alone, that her brother actually had people over.

"And besides, there was that one time you forgot to do the laundry before Annie's primary school formal!" Nick boasted. "I'm not that cruel a sibling!"

"Nick!" Cay slammed the knife down. "We should introduce ourselves to Niall's new friend."

"Well duh, probably, I will when Niall has some friends that aren't the bonfire family. He needs to get out more."

"Nick." Cay hissed. "Turn around you idiot."

"Don't tell me what to do Cay!"

Lily cleared her throat. Nick froze, his back tensing, and he spun on his heel. His eyes, a bright blue, raked over her quickly, then again. Lily shuffled her feet and tightened her grip on her limp arm. "Hi." She said. "I'm Lily."

"Hey Lily," Cay smiled. "I'm Caoimhe."

"Key-vah?" Lily tried to pronounce but Niall's sister waved the attempt aside.

"Just call me Cay, it makes things a lot easier." The brunette wafted a hand to Nick. "This is my idiot and loud brother who is the human alarm clock for the house."

"Nicolas." He smirked as he extended his hand, his blue eyes mischievous. "Just how I like my ladies."

Lily blinked, ignoring his outstretched hand. "What?"