A Midsummer Night's Dream

6

DIANA

I sat at the dining room table aimlessly stirring the cabbage soup in front of me with no intent to eat it.
My aunt sat at the other end of the long table, her attention caught by the latest issue of Vogue magazine in which her brand was given credit and admiration for stepping ahead in sustainable fashion.

I sighed looking down at my soup.
Yeah I'm not putting that in my mouth.

I picked up my plate and took it to the kitchen.
I looked through the fridge for something better and physically smiled when I saw some sandwiches.
I picked up my bowl of cabbage soup, which I had no intent of eating today for lunch, and dumped it in the garbage bin.

"It's not nice to throw away food, young lady." Julia said as she walked into the kitchen with a basket of fresh fruits from the garden.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't- it's not that you're cooking is bad- nooo not at all. I just don't like cabbage. If it were anything else I would have eaten it, I swear." I replied hurriedly, feeling guilty.

"All is well Diana. I wasn't a fan of vegetables when I was you're age either. Theo doesn't like pumpkin but I still make him eat pumpkin pie when the season comes around." She said with a shrug as she started washing the produce.

"Yeah because I'm grateful for any food I get." Theodore said as he walked in with loaves of bread.

My eyes whisked his way without thought and I eyed him. He was wearing a purple shirt today whose buttons were all open down the middle. His chest and carved abs in full view.

"It's completely normal to not like vegetables." Julia waved him off.

"Yeah but sometimes you have to get over stupid things and grow up." Theodore replied. His face looked calm and collected as if he wasn't making my blood boil right now.

I turned to where Julia was standing waiting for her to smack some sense into her pathetic son's head but she was long gone, probably putting the groceries away in the pantry.

"You fucking asshole." I whisper yelled.

Theodore didn't even look up from his bowl of soup. He continued to tear some bread and placed it in his mouth.

"You are a disgusting, fugly, poisonous, disgusting cabbage."

He looked up finally and raised his eyebrow. "You said disgusting twice but I'm not surprised your pea sized brain didn't remember."

"Because I was busy hating you and thinking of how I am going to strangle you in your sleep, La-vein." I said with narrowed eyes.

"Shut up." He sighed.

"Make me."

"Grow up." He said with an eye roll.

"Never." I replied with a playful heat in my eyes.

Theodore then looked at me in one of those ways he does every once in a while. It's one of those looks I can never decipher on him and it agonizes me not being able to pick him apart like I can everyone else.

He didn't say a word in response. Instead he got up and placed his plate in the sink and walked out.

I am not done with you yet.

"Where are you going?" I called as I ran after him.

"To do chores. I actually have to work hard and understand the worth of hard earned stuff." He eyed me over making me shiver slightly. "Unlike somebody who laughs when she breaks a thousand euro vase." He said curtly.