Farewells, they are never good, never soothing. And today was one such day. It was time for mom and dad to leave, along with Logan and Jack.
Dad was as usual in a jovial mood. He could never make a sad face infront of us. But he would have been much better had he not called uncle Garry today. Dad called him to congratulate him on the new business uncle got, of course, because of Logan's contact. But dad didn't say a word to uncle about that.
It's true that dad didn't go to meet him because of all the fights they had, but he still loved him and cared for him. But uncle, being always the skeptic in the family, hurt dad's feelings saying that dad was just jealous of him.
But I feel only pity for Uncle Garry. He, as dad says, had become very lonely because of the increasing pressure from his clients and his own employees, and Aunt Milly too was not keeping well. She always considered us like her own family.
Mom was a good friend to her and somewhere... her illness increased because of me too. She really loved me and I knew she missed me a lot. But because of uncle Garry's ego problem, she could not meet me.
I did want to contact her but Logan never allowed that. He was hell angry at them and surprisingly, dad never objected to Logan's authority. People sometimes misjudge dad being very lenient and meek, but in actuality, he was a very strong man and equally patient.
I never saw someone as understanding and matured as my dad. I came out of my thoughts when mom was consoling dad, but now she was sad too. Afterall she was leaving behind her 5 little kids, yeah that's what she calls us even though each one of us was teenagers. We all hugged her as she kissed us all with goodbyes.
Logan and Jack too were sad but that didn't make them put off their dude-look. They half hugged John, Alex, and Andy, they even named it as the cool-bro-thing but didn't forget to revise up their responsibility, especially towards me. And how could I tell that?
Well, Keep boys out of reach, no revealing clothes, back on time and stuff can fit only for me, right? Jack had a small talk with Joe and ruffled his hair while Logan took him off the floor just with one hand. It was funny to see the oldest and the youngest brothers play-fighting each other.
"There's my little Ree!" said Jack while he and Logan came to me. Time for a little heavy talk.
"Take care of the house, take care of Joe, and let. Your.Big.Brothers.Take.Care.Of.You." Jack said and smiled at the last part. I rolled back my eyes at him. "And remember, I trust you. Always!" Jack said and he ruffled my hair and I scoffed at his. I hated when they messed up my hair and they knew it well.
"Be nice, complete your studies, have fun but with your brothers' permission." This was Logan and I stepped a foot towards Jack. Logan and I didn't have any talks after the last night's rough conversation. His scolding still had the after-effect on me.
"Aaaaand, was I too bad last night to get a hug from my baby sister?" Logan said with a bunny smile. I chuckled at his funny and childish smile and it melted my heart. I jumped over him and he easily caught me up giving me a beary- hug. He was scary, but still was my big brother and I loved him with all my heart.
The boys helped dad to settle up their luggage in his car while mum and I had a little chat on how I should not care much about my brothers' threats.
"Oh my God, why are there 7 bags when you are just 4 people?" Alex shrieked out.
"The 3 heaviest ones belong to the lady," Andy answered and he got an immediate glare from mom, so added, "that's not me, mum! Dad said so.."
"Harry..." Mom said, rising up from her seat. "What! No sweety, I can never say so. You know that, right? Andy, get your ass here right now!" Dad said and ran towards Andy and Jack helped dad by picking Andy up in one hand while playfully punching him.
The laughs lasted for a while and soon mom dad, Logan, and Jack seated themselves in their car. There were tears in each of their eyes but Logan said it was just dust. Like he could fool us. We too had moist eyes. Half of Our family was leaving after all. They left soon and we bid them goodbye, stood there for a good long time.
Dinner Time
"Ria, you just have to prepare dinner for us and not for the whole neighborhood!" Andy screamed out from the hall while I was struggling in preparing our dinner. John did not spare me of the punishment for my detention. "Andy, shut up and give her a break!" this was Joe and I mentally made a note to take him out to our favorite ice cream parlor.
"Shut up."
"You shut up."
"First you."
"Both of you, shut it!!" John thankfully stopped their catfight. I brought dinner out of the kitchen after 30 more minutes. But I was still proud of myself, preparing food for 4 giants was not an easy task. Their diet was big. I prepared everyone's favorite tomato soup and egg noodles and thankfully I could see they were delighted to see noodles.
"Woohoo, noodles my favorite! Thanks, Ree," Andy exclaimed and swooped a big chunk of noodles with a fork in his mouth. "Eewww! Andy, that's disgusting. Wait for the food till served on plates atleast!!" I shrieked. "Yeah, you should wait for your turn, Andy! While we... DIG ON IT!!" Alex chirped at the end and he and Joe Started pounding on the noodles with their forks.
Seeing them even John and Andy started having the noodles directly from the serving bowl. "Hey, don't finish it all," I yelled at them and grabbed a fork myself, and followed my brothers. It was fun after all.
It was sort of a competition for us to eat as fast as we could and the whole pot was crystal clear in a matter of minutes. Thank goodness mom was not there, the whole table, as well as the floor, got littered. She would have fainted seeing the mess we made. Andy did have a hard time cleaning up the mess while I and Joe made sure that the floor looked spotless.
"Shall we watch a movie together?" Joe asked jumping like a bunny. "Sure, young man. But only if it's a horror movie!" Alex got excited. "Nooooooo, not horror, please!" I interjected. Horror movie, that too at night, that too with my brothers, and also when mom was not at home, was a complete no-no for me.
"So done then, a horror movie!" John said and I huffed at that and stamped my foot on the ground. "You guys carry on, I will go and sleep," I said and turned to the stairs. But before I could even move, John swooped me up in his arms.
"Oh common, lil Ria... your big brother in here then what's the fear?" John said sat on the sofa and I was still on his lap, struggling to get out of his grip but it felt impossible.
"Woohoo, Conjuring 2!!" Alex sang in excitement and that made me hide my head inside John's jacket. "Now that's not the way to watch a horror movie, Ria. You are going to hurt the ghosts' sentiments you know," Andy said that and snatched me away from John and sat me down on the sofa, holding me too tight and Joe added to my torment by switching off all lights.
The next 2 hours were scarier than most of my nightmares. I closed my eyes through most parts of it but could not cover my ears. Thanks to Andy who held my hand down whenever I wanted to cover my ears. But it finally got over and we all headed to our rooms.
It was early for us though to get into beds, it was just 10. "Ria, you sure you can sleep alone? You can come to my room if you want..." John said but I tried to look brave and said no. I could not take up more comments from Alex and Andy.
I laid on my bed but every small movement from outside made me shiver and whimper.
It's one night, Ria.
Its just one night.
Don't give up.
I kept on reminding myself when my cell text tone ringed. It was an unknown number. Unknown: "Hey Ria, Daniel here. Hope you are still awake."
I forgot all my fear and felt so joyous! I immediately saved the number. Daniel. Oh no, what am I doing? I changed the name to Diana. Huh, now I am safe. I replied back to him.
Me: "Hey hi. I am not sleeping. How are you?"
D: "M good. Sorry to leave you today in the painting area. I really felt bad."
Me: "That's Ok. So what's up?"
D: "Nothing, I was just alone in my room, lying, and I was thinking of you... :)"
Goosebumps spread all over me.
Me: "Me too, Daniel :) "
D: "Calling u.."
I rose myself quickly after reading that and locked my door. Can't take a risk with John living across my room. Daniel called me and picked it up in one go.
"Hey, Ria."
"Hey, Hi"
"What's up?"
"Nothing, just feeling scared.." I said, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Scared? Of what?"
"Umm, of ghosts, my brother made me watch that sucky movie, Conjuring 2," I said, still angry at my brothers.
"Oh, that one? That's an awesome movie!! 'My name is Bill Wilkins'. hahaha" He said, changing his voice, just like the movie. "Stop... Or I am cutting the call," I said feeling anguished.
"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I won't scare you anymore. In fact, let's meet now and you won't feel scared." He said chirping already in a husky voice. "Hey, Nooooo. I'm fine I promise." I said quickly. My brothers were more dangerous than any ghost I have seen in movies.
"So, are you are coming tomorrow? I can't wait!" I continued, I felt harsh on my side, saying him no so strong. It was so normal and easy for a girl of my age to go for midnight dates and enjoy her life at her will. But I had my own boundaries and my friends knew this.
So they always offered me the time in which I was comfortable. And going out alone with boys was a strict no-no for me. Even the boys in my class knew and were well afraid of my brothers, especially Logan. No one dared to mess with college guys and Logan had his own authority at college.
But, I felt something special for Daniel. I didn't want him to lose on my brothers' account.
"Yeah!! Me too. It will be a heck of Saturday night." Daniel replied and I felt him fully thrilled. But I felt a little scared and restless. Does he feel the same as I feel for him? I had to admit, Daniel was different than any other guy I had feelings for, till now. I was not allowed to date but I did have my crushes and sometimes, I did encounter date-like-experience.
It all happened a year back when I had built up a huge crush on a new boy, Will in my class. Even he started talking to me. I could avoid any fusses until a few weeks until we took a leap and I went shopping with him. And what next?
I was never lucky in these things. Alex caught me and I had big-time trouble with Alex and Andy. Thankfully, they did not disclose it to the older ones, after a lot of pleadings and requests from me. But they made sure to not let me stay alone even for 10 minutes at school.
Will, too was not spared. Alex and Andy had their own small gang at school and they threatened him well, so well that he stopped talking to me since then, and now we behave just like strangers to each other.
"Hello, you there?" Daniel interrupted my train of thoughts and I came back from my past.
"Yeah, yeah. Even I am excited for tomorrow. Is Eli coming too?" I asked cautiously. "Oh, she will come for sure." Daniel chirped. My heart sank a little. "So, Danial, can I ask you something?" I said casually. "Yeah, shoot."
"Did you, umm, had any girlfriend before?" I blabbered fast. "Girlfriend? Yeah, I had many. But now I am free as a bird." He laughed at the last part and I joined him, though I had so many things going on in my mind. Was he even interested in me? I surely liked his company and he admitted the same but...
"But I can't be caged to someone that easy, you know. You might have heard of my reputation. I am indeed a womanizer." He said with a singing tone. "Oh really?" I teased him with the same tone he used. At this point, I was unsure of my own feelings. He had something in him and I felt more fascinated towards him.
"What about you, princess?" Daniel asked and I got a new pet name. I did like it. "No, never." said plain. "Never?" He asked feeling so shocked.
"Never..." I felt a bit embarrassed.
He was quick to reply,"That's ok. I was a loner myself. You know how many times I got myself in weird situations. There was a time when I was a junior. I asked a very pretty girl for a date. But I got to know that she was a heck of a high profile. One day she took me to a very expensive restaurant but said she didn't have much appetite. But man, she was a hell of an eater. She ordered every expensive meal on the menu. She indeed was ready to spend every ounce of my allowance."
"Oh My God. So what did you do?" I asked, getting interested in his story. "Nothing, I casually had every meal we ordered and left the restaurant, saying I had to pee. I never returned!" He exclaimed.
"What!! Oh.. haha my... haha God, Daniel, hahaha. You are such a loser!" I could not control my laughter. "But I am too cute to be hated, you know. Please don't hate me..." Daniel said in a baby voice and that made me laugh more.
Man, he was a talkative guy. He was so funny and I loved that. He shared many more funny tales of his freshmen and senior years and made me laugh so hard that I had to cover my mouth hard to muffle down my laughs. I realized we talked for over an hour when I heard knocks on my door and saw the lock handle moving up and down. I shushed Daniel in low voice and told him I'll call later.
"Ria, open the door," Joe whined from outside and I sighed in relief knowing it was just Joe.
"What?" I asked getting irritated and cursing him under my breath. He ruined one of my most wonderful nights ever. I opened up my door. "Ria, umm, I am feeling scared of sleeping alone, and John is snoring so loud today. I can't sleep with him too. Can I sleep here?" He asked and I looked at him with crooked eyes, "What about the 2As?"
"They make fun of me...., please, Ria," He said and while I kept mum, thinking what to answer, he swooped in. And all I could say was a nasty welcome. "What were you doing by the way? I heard you talking.." Joe asked after a while. "Who me, no way." I waved him off and thankfully he agreed. "By the way, you only suggested watching Conjuring 2 and now you are scared. Such a wuss." I playfully said to him. "Atleast I watched, you didn't even watch the movie. So you are the bigger wuss." Joe commented back.
"You!"
"No, you are!!"
"First you, idiot!!"
"Why the hell is you guys fighting in the middle of the night..." John said, standing at the door, rubbing his eyes. "Looks like two wusses are fighting on who is the bigger wuss.." Alex said while entering my room, even Andy followed him.
"I.. I was just feeling scared.." Joe mouthed slowly. "Aww, the babies are scared, John..." Andy said teasing us. "No problem, kiddos! We are here, so no fear. Come guys let's protect the little ones." John said.
"Thank you, guys, you are the best!" Joe said and flung on the bed and so did John, Andy, and Alex. "I'll take the corner!" Andy said. "Aand so will I", this was Joe. Alex and John, thus fitted themselves in the middle.
"No. no no-no. Everyone out of my room." I stood adamant and signaled them to move out.
"Oh common Ria, I know you can be a real pain when you are scared at night. So you better get to sleeping now." Andy said. "You are already four on my bed, there is no place left here, I'll go to the next room," I said this and turned back to the door but Alex lifted me up swiftly and landed me on the bed in the middle.
"Let me-" I whined but was stopped by Alex, he covered my mouth with his hand and I was crushed between the four guys. "Alex, leave her," John said and pulled me out of Alex's grip.
"Sleep, lil Ria." John patted me on my head and wrapped his large hands around me. I admit, sleeping with beary-hugs does feel good and I slowly drifted to a sound sleep.
A long chapter as promised :)
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