EZEKIEL

(Age Fifteen)

Lorelei was plating our breakfast when she told Dad, "For once you are not late, Jeremiah. So, please sit down and have a proper breakfast before you leave for work, okay?"

"And for once you need to listen to me. You don't look well, take a day off and rest." Dad scolded her, watching her intently.

"You should be the one taking rest, not me. I just have a slight cold, that's it."

Cyrus and I shared a look and he smirked. We both were thinking the same thing.

"Did you take some medicine? Go to the doctor? Rest?"

She groaned loudly and finally faced him, planting her hands on her hips. "Mr Vandeleur, if you don't listen to me then I am quitting this job. Your kids are grown up anyway, you don't need me now."

Dad scowled, pushing his spectacles up his nose. "Don't be ridiculous. You are not going anywhere."

"Sit down." She stated firmly.

Dad looked like he wanted to argue but gave up and took a seat next to me. His eyes were still fixed on her backside as he sighed to himself, "This girl drives me crazy."

Cyrus and I were trying to control our laughter. 

"So..." I drawled in a low voice, leaning closer. "...when are you asking her out?"

His head snapped to me, eyes wide. "What?"

I didn't speak anything as Lorelei served our breakfasts and we thanked her after which she disappeared somewhere, probably to do some other work.

"Why would you say that?" Dad asked curiously.

For a thirty-three-year-old man and an almost billionaire, he was dumb.

"You like her dad. Or love her. Whatever."

"Agreed." Cyrus chirped in.

"What? No." A tint of pink coated his cheeks.

I was a hopeless romantic at heart and if I couldn't have my own love story, I could at least give my dad one.

"You keep watching her all the time," Cyrus spoke, stuffing his mouth with the waffles. "All. The. Time."

"You might not even listen to us but you agree to almost everything she says," I added.

"You get hyper every time she talks about leaving," Cyrus said.

"You care about her. A lot."

"And she is so sweet and kind-hearted and cute and beautiful. What's there not to like?" Cyrus's confrontation left him speechless.

He stared at his breakfast, a distant look in his eyes. "Your mom--"

"Mom's dead, Dad." It was harsh but I needed to say it. "And she is not coming back. I know you loved her and you miss her, we both do but...you gotta accept it that you deserve to be happy again."

"Except for the time you spend with uncle, you don't enjoy at all. You need a companion." Cyrus pointed out.

Dad swallowed hard and even refused to look at us. "I am too old--"

"You are just twelve years older than her. You need to ask her out." I interrupted.

Now he looked at us, looking flustered. "First of all, I am not taking any relationship advice from my fifteen years old son. Secondly, she will think I am a creepy, old, perverted man if I ask her out."

"Please, Dad." Cyrus scoffed. "You are perfectly okay, not too old, nor creepy or perverted."

Dad shook his head and said to Cyrus sharply, "You are still very young to be giving all this advice. Is that what you are learning in school these days?"

Cyrus rolled his eyes. "That's not even half of what I am learning."

"What?" Dad questioned, frowning at him.

I quickly diverted his attention from Cyrus. "Anyway, you are asking her out today. That's all we want."

"Finish your breakfast." Dad's stern tone left no room for argument and sighing, I finished my breakfast.

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While Cyrus fumbled with Marcelo's latest PlayStation, setting up a game, I leaned back against the headboard and scrolled through my phone.

Marcelo entered the room a few minutes later, carrying water bottles and some snacks which he placed on the bed.

"You wanna race?" Marcelo asked, holding up the new racing game CD that he bought.

"Nah. Later." I was pretty content in scrolling through my phone.

They both settled on the edge of the bed, controllers in their hands as the game started.

A minute or so later, the door opened slightly and Chiara's head peeked in, looking around curiously. Probably trying to find her next target, whom she could trouble.

"I want to play too." She said eyeing the game.

"Okay, later," Marcelo told her, not taking his eyes off the TV.

I rolled my eyes. If one day she asks him to take her to the moon, he will grant her. They all are wrapped around her finger.

She glanced at me but thankfully didn't say anything and sat down in between Cyrus and Marcelo, watching the game.

I grabbed the water bottle and drank from it when an idea sprung into my mind. I just couldn't see her sitting there silently, I had this itch to trouble her.

I took out a few drops of water into the bottle's cap and crawled to where she sat and then poured the water on her head.

Only when the water seeped through her hair and a drop trickled down her face, she registered what happened and gasped as she whirled around.

"You made my hair all wet!" She accused, standing up on the bed.

"Here we go", Cyrus muttered in exasperation.

"Aww, I am so sorry, Chiara." I have never offered such a dramatic and fake apology in my whole life.

She glared at me as her hand went to her hair and she looked on the verge of crying. "Why did you do that? It's all wet now."

I swear they were a maximum of five drops of water, how her hair got so wet is beyond my reasoning.

"You are so bad!" She moved to hit me but Marcelo grabbed her by her t-shirt. 

"Enough", he said softly. "It's not a big deal. Ezekiel, say sorry."

"I already apologised."

"See, he won't do it again, it was a mistake. No need to get violent."

She huffed and shooting me one last glare, sat down quietly.

Their game ended soon and this time I pushed Cyrus away and took the controller from him, challenging Marcelo to a match.

Chiara glared at me when I sat in Cyrus's place and moved back onto the bed where she chatted with Cyrus, telling him about her school and all that.

The game was nearing the end, with me about to win when I heard Cyrus mumble behind me, "Uh-oh."

And then a half bottle of cold water was dumped on me.

This freaking hellion!

I whipped around to glare at her, shoving the controller into Marcelo's hands.

"Do you have a death wish?" I gritted my teeth.

She was grinning mischievously. "Sorry." She repeated the apology in the same tone I had said it.

I lunged at her but she stepped back quickly.

"Ezekiel", Marcelo warned.

I wasn't going to listen to him anymore, she is paying for this.

Before I could climb onto the bed and grab her, she picked up my phone which was lying on the bed and held it in front of her in self-defence.

"Leave the phone", I ordered in a low voice.

In a swift movement, she jumped down the bed and darted off to the door and I ran behind her.

She was so freaking fast for a five-year-old kid as she ran out of the room and down the corridor and to the stairs.

"Chiara, I swear to god, give my phone back!" I shouted while running down the stairs.

She giggled loudly and ran in the direction of the front door.

She quickly unlocked it and ran out with me chasing her.

Just as she climbed down the three steps leading to the driveway, she tripped and fell down with a yelp.

I stopped in my tracks and stifled a laugh at seeing her lying there like that. 

Then she let out a piercing cry as she lifted herself up and sat down, glancing at her knee which was bruised.

Ah, fuck.

I walked over to her and crouched down and when she saw me, she cried even louder. "Because of you!"

I wanted to tell her, no, it's because of you. But I kept my mouth shut as I inspected her injury.

"Sorry," I mumbled anyway, genuinely this time.

She shoved my phone back to me and I pocketed it and lifted her up in my arms.

She sniffled, looking at her knees.

"It's okay", I assured her. "You are a big girl now, these little injuries can't hurt you anymore. Plus they are a part of growing up."

She glanced at me, all her anger vanishing. "Really, Eeel?"

"Yes."

"But it's hurting."

"It will go away in a moment. I will apply something to it."

If Marcelo sees her like this, he will bite my head off so I placed her on the couch in the living room and told her to wait for me while I fetched a first aid kit.

I crouched down at her feet and dipped a cotton ball in an antiseptic.

"It might hurt a little but you can handle it, hmm?"

She was holding back tears but nodded slowly.

I started to clean her bruise and she winced loudly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Shh...it's okay, my little hellion. You are strong." I tried comforting her.

She wiped away her tears immediately and pretended to be strong.

I smiled softly and went back to treating her wound. She can be adorable when she is not troubling me.

Once I was done, I looked up at her and found that she indeed didn't cry anymore and I couldn't help but ruffle her hair, feeling proud of her.

"Thank you, Eeel", she murmured.

And I flicked her nose in return.

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Marcelo hosted a sleepover at his house to which Cyrus and I agreed immediately.

Julian, Marcelo's red-headed best friend joined us along with Lilith, Silvio's new friend whose mother is now their cook.

Plus Chiara.

"I thought the sleepover was only for boys." I folded my arms across my chest, giving a pointed look to Chiara who was glaring at me as she hugged her pillow to her chest.

"Let them be," Cyrus said, flopping down on the mattresses laid on the floor for us. "The more the merrier."

I rolled my eyes. "Lilith is fine though but why Chiara?"

Chiara's glare intensified but before she could argue, Marcelo smacked me on the back of my head. "If my sister wants to be here then she will."

Chiara stuck out her tongue at me mocking me and I didn't waste any time mimicking her.

Marcelo groaned. "You seriously wanna argue with a five-year-old?"

I didn't pay attention to him and gently pushed Chiara making her fall on the mattress, she quickly bounced back and started to push me too.

I was about to push her down once again but was interrupted by her brother.

"Okay, enough." Marcelo groaned and picked her up in his arms and sat down. "We are going to watch a movie now."

"The Rapunzel one?" Chiara gasped, instantly forgetting about our fight.

"Um...no--"

"I want to watch that too!!" Lilith exclaimed and sat down next to Marcelo and Chiara.

Silvio took a place beside her as they both requested to watch Tangled.

"No, we are not watching that," Marcelo stated to which Julian and Cyrus agreed.

"Please," Lilith said to him making Chiara nod along. "It's my favourite."

"Let's vote and decide," Julian suggested.

"Fine. Those who want to watch Rapunzel raise their hands."

Chiara immediately raised hers followed by Lilith who raised both her hands. And Silvio raised his too, just for Lilith's sake.

They were outnumbered but I glanced at Chiara who was pouting. If they don't watch the movie of her liking, she will start to cry and I hate it when she cries.

So I slowly raised my hand too which surprised everyone.

"I just don't want her to start crying which is really annoying." I clarified while shooting Chiara a glare.

Now Marcelo was forced to play Tangled and we all watched it.

Chiara fell asleep halfway through the movie after eating a slice of pizza and Marcelo placed her on the bed.

And once the movie ended, we moved on to the card games.

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It was quite late when we all finally decided to sleep.

A few hours later, I got woken up due to the sound of someone crying which I instantly recognised as Chiara's.

I slowly got up and found her sleeping on the bed, crying. Must be some nightmare.

Everyone else was so freaking tired and deep asleep that they didn't even stir from her cries.

I stood up and glanced around at the others. Silvio and Lilith snuggling together and Marcelo seemed to finally wake up.

His eyes went to the bed where Chiara was and then to me as I was halfway to the bed already and he simply went back to sleep.

The trust they have in me can be overwhelming at times.

I carefully got on the bed and gently stroked her hair. "Shh...it's okay, you are safe, Chiara," I whispered to her.

I kept stroking her hair and whispering soothing words to her until her cries subsided and eventually her eyes fluttered open.

She stared at me for a long moment with tears in her eyes. "Eeel?"

"Yes?"

She clutched my t-shirt firmly. "Stay here. I am scared."

Nodding, I laid down beside her and she placed her head on my shoulder, hugging me.

"A monster was trying to eat me. It bit my hand." She lifted her hand in front of my face, inspecting it.

I grabbed it and caressed it. "It's okay, go back to sleep."

Yawning, she snuggled closer to me.

I don't know what came over me when I brushed a kiss on her hair. "I won't let any monster hurt you, my little hellion."