Song: The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars

Chapter Sixty-five: A lion about to devour a mouse

One step was pleasant, the other one was more of prissy and perfect than pleasant. 

You have to have a heart to be fully perfect.

Well, then she's almost perfect.

Aaron ran up to me in the doorstep and pulled me in a hug. I smiled at him. He raised up a long black hat and showed me. "I have a rabbit. I have a rabbit." He repeated hysterically.

"What?"

"Uncle Ian put a rabbit in it and then gave me. He said I shouldn't pull it out until I got home." 

Anastasia walked past him as she entered the house. Not before mentioning, "Uncle Ian is a cheap rip-off of what a magician is supposed to be. There's no rabbit in the stupid hat!"

"There is so a rabbit and it's not a stupid hat. This is why Uncle Ian never asks you to visit!" He yelled as he went after Anastasia. 

She stopped at the foyer and just started mimicking him. Then they went into full-time bickering. I rolled my eyes and closed the door after me and walked in after them. 

Shayna descended the stairs and came to stand beside me without them even noticing. "These are his stepchildren, aren't they?"    

"Yup." I pointed at them. "Arabella. Aaron."

"Do they always argue like this?"

"Well, sometimes. When they are in the same room."

She nodded. "Well, I have a headache. I'm going back up. I'll meet them tomorrow."

I laughed at her expression as she passed them before going close to them to try to stop their arguments before Anastasia pulled Aaron's curly, black hair out. I actually liked it. "Would you guys quit arguing?" 

Anastasia turned to glare at me. "Stay out of it, Charity."

Really? We're still at that?

I decided to ignore her and turned to Aaron. "Your Uncle Ian the Great isn't a cheap rip-off of what a magician is supposed to be."

"Yeah, he's an expensive one." Anastasia replied. "He needs to stop feeding on Mum's money."

Aaron turned to her with an angry face. "He's in a rough patch! Siblings are meant to help each other out. With the way you're acting, I don't think I wanna help you."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up. I'm 10 years older than you, you're the one who'll be needing my help when I'm a famous model and everyone loves me."

He scoffed. "Not with that attitude."

She shrieked. "You little brat."

He laughed and started running out the room with Anastasia trailing behind him. They didn't go very far because Aaron bumped into Shane, and Shane had to steady him with his hands. He looked at Aaron, then Anastasia then me.

I looked everywhere but at him. That is why my eyes landed on Anastasia. She was staring at Shane like she was a lion about to devour a mouse. She cat-walked towards him, yanked Aaron aside and put her hands on his biceps. "Mmm." She hummed. "I likey." Shane looked down at her with his brows raised, peeled her hand off him and then backed away. She didn't seem to get the memo because she moved with him. He walked quickly to my side and flashed me a nervous smile. "Char... Who are these people?"

I went to pick up Aaron from where Anastasia had pushed him to the floor. He dusted himself off and glared at her. I turned back to Shane with a smile. "The steps."

He dragged me to the side and whispered, "Why does that one look like she wants to eat me?"

I turned to Anastasia who had her eyes set on Shane like he was some trophy, then turned back and flashed him my award-winning smile. "Because she does."

"Aaron meet Shane." Aaron walked up to Shane and shook his hand stiffly. Then he turned to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me down to whisper in my ear. "I don't want you to have two boyfriends. I like Zane."

I laughed, "But you don't show you like him."

"Doesn't mean I don't."

I stood up straight. "Let me make myself clear this time. Aaron meet Shane, my brother."

Realization seemed to hit him. "In that case," he smiled at Shane and shook his hand. "It's very nice to meet you. But I gotta go now." He picked up the hat that was on the floor. "The rabbit is probably getting very hot in there."

I smiled at him as he ran off. Then I turned to the other step who didn't seem to be paying attention to anyone but Shane.

"Anastasia meet Shane, my brother."

"My name isn't Anastasia."

"And my name isn't Charity."

I could feel Shane staring at me, but I just ignored him and walked out. Anastasia really pisses me off.

I heard her heels move towards Shane. "I'm Arabella. Very single."

"I'm Shane. Not interested."

"Well not yet you aren't."

"I do not like you. As a person. No, don't touch me. Will you-" Their voices faded away as I was out the foyer and already in the kitchen. 

How would you feel if Shane locked you up in a cage with a lion?

I wouldn't feel anything. I'd already be dead in a second.

I saw Grace doing something by the cooker. I walked up to her and stood beside her. "Whatcha' doing?"

She yelped and stumbled back. I chuckled as I looked into the pot. 

Mmm. Spaghetti.

"I am so sorry that dinner is late. I did not notice the timing."

"The time." I corrected. "I did not notice the time."

"Thank you." She mumbled.

"You're welcome." I sent her a smile. "But hey, that was the only mistake." 

She gave me a very small smile.

I looked at her face very well and noticed she wasn't looking too good. "Are you okay? I can handle everything if you're tired."

"It is my job. I must do this."

"But Mrs. Brooks is not home, you know I won't mind helping you."

"Miss Brooks is home. She will tell her mother."

"You know, there are like four Miss Brooks at home right now. You gotta specify." I teased.

She laughed a little before her face returned to a somewhat solemn look.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "You know you can talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

I would honestly listen. She has had it rough and I would love to help her any way I can. If I were her, I'd be balling my eyes out every second.

"I'm just feeling a little sad. I don't know why."

"Do you miss your mum?"

Was that too pushy?

She hesitated. "A lot. Mum would have never let Dad give me away. I be missing her."

I didn't bother correcting her because now was not the time. Honestly my heart broke for her. I didn't even know when I started, but I knew I was hugging her.

We broke apart when we heard Shane yelling my name. "Char!!!!!!!"

I turned around to where he hadn't yet come out of the door. "What??!!!"

He didn't reply until he had entered the room. "How could you leave me with her?"

I shrugged as I started walking past him.

"You can't keep walking away from me."

"Yes I can."

"Why does she call you Charity?"

"She also calls me Charlotte and some other names that start with 'Ch', Charity being one of them."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "You tell me."

"And you just let her?"

I stopped and turned around to face him. "I've tried to explain it to her and her pea-sized-brain friends, but they just can't seem to understand the simple logic of names."

He put his arm around my shoulder. "Cool down, tiger." He teased. I just responded by pinching his sides. He yelped and backed away from me.

I walked away with a triumphant smile on my face.

****************

"Ah." I sighed.

Nothing says a good morning like your brother's scream of pain.

He pushed me on the floor.

Well ouch. I helped myself up and dusted my poor trousers. My butt hurt.

He sat up in his bed. "Are you insane?"

I smiled. "Tricky question."

He rubbed his chest and glared at me. "Why would you do that?"

I sent him an innocent smile. "Do what? Wake you up?"

"You twisted my nipples!"

"Good thing they're not pierced." I joked.

He glared harder. "I'm gonna get you for that." He warned.

I was already running out the room before he got a got a chance to get off his bed. I saw Shay on the way and hid behind her as Shane stalked out of his room and towards us. "Help me! I'm too young to die!"

She wiped her eyes and yawned. "What is going on? Why are you guys making noise so early?"

I gave her a blank stare. "It's 11."

"I know."

"I'm going to kill you!" Shane yelled as he lunged for me.

Shay stopped him as she pushed his shoulders back. "Sit!"

He glared at her. "Would the two of you stop referring to me like I'm a dog?"

Shay and I shared a look, then turned back to him with the same answer in mind. "No."

Shane didn't get to reply because we all kept silent at the footsteps coming from below the house. We walked to the stairs and stopped at the edge of it and looked down.

Mrs. Brooks had just walked in, looking as prim and prissy as ever. Just like her daughter. She turned around and looked out the door. "Sweetie come on. It's cold out." She called out to dad.

Shay, Shane and I were silent as we saw him walk in through the front door and kissed her on her lips. Once Shay had sight of him, she stumbled back and was steadied by Shane. That caught their attention as they looked up. From their vision, they could only see me. I gave them a nervous smile and waved.

Dad smiled back. "Morning Nova. Why are you up so early?"

"It's not early."

"For you it is."

Mrs. Brooks was trying so hard to fight the frown that was coming to her face. So it was like a smile-frown. "Were you spying on us?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "I think I have way better things to do than that."

Their eyes shifted from mine to something beside me. I turned to see Shane standing there with a straight face. "Hello father. It's been a while."

I turned back to Dad and he looked like the air had been knocked out of him. "Nathaniel." He breathed out.

"Do not call me that!" Shane gritted out as his knuckles turned white from gripping the stair case rail too tight. I placed my hand over his own to calm him down. He seemed to take a deep breath even though he didn't look at me. I turned around and Shay wasn't there. She had gone. I should probably go check on her.

"You have more children?" Mrs. Brooks questioned as she turned to him.

He just nodded, his eyes still on Shane.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you never asked." I replied.

She just scowled at me and sashayed out.

Dad turned to me. "If he's here, that means-"

I just nodded, answering his question.

"I need to see her." Dad said as he started up the stairs.

Shane's warning eyes followed his every move. "Well she doesn't want to see you." 

"You don't understand. I need to apologize, explain what I did."

Shane scoffed. "Explain? What on Earth do you have to say for yourself?"

Dad had reached the floor we were on by now. "I just need to straighten some things out with her. She needs to see me in a new light, a better one. And not just as some..."

"Rapist?" Shane completed for him.

Dad seemed very embarrassed. Shane looked very angry. And I just felt very awkward and tired so I decided to straighten out the tension.

"She can't see you now. It's going to be hard for her."

"She's not leaving her room until our Mum comes to pick us up on Wednesday." Shane answered.

Dad nodded. "I understand." He turned to me. "I have spoken to the real estate agent. Your new house is ready. And if you don't mind, it's not too far from here. Your old neighborhood wasn't really safe and protected."

I just nodded and mumbled a thanks as I dragged Shane out of the room.

******************

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