Fleeting

Paperback Writer

22nd February 2021

I looked at my watch and hurried to the house. If I was late, Hazel would undoubtedly curse me until she was blue in the face. Tori would of course shrug as if he didn't care whilst pouring hot chilli sauce all over my pizza without telling me.

As soon as I stepped through the door, Teddy came bounding up to me, tongue dangling from between his teeth.

"Bout time." Tori marched from the living room towards the kitchen, a frilly apron tied around his waist and his raven hair spilling down his back.

"Am I late?"

I hung up my coat and followed him, my stomach growling as the smell of freshly cooked pizzas flooded my senses.

"Actually, you're just in time," Hazel said, placing the first of the pizzas on the serving trays.

"Looks delicious, sis." Jaxon went to dive into the first piece, but Tori hit his hand with the back of a spoon. "Oww."

"Get some cutlery before you pig out," Tori said, his gravelly voice disapproving.

"Hazel, you going to let him talk to me like that?" Jaxon whined.

She looked between them, laughing. "Kotori, are you beating up my little brother?"

Her eyes twinkled as Tori picked her up and tickled her sides. "What if he deserved it?"

"Then obviously you're forgiven."

"Hey." Jaxon was disgruntled, but Hazel and Tori ignored him. "Can't believe you sold me out. And I thought we were family."

Hazel kissed Tori's cheek before smirking up at her brother. Her blue eyes - exactly the same shade as his - were filled with mirth.

"It's because I'm family that I know just what a pain you can be."

Jaxon pouted before spying me pulling out my chair at the table.

"Sam will stick up for me, won't you, buddy?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed right in his face and plonked myself down.

"You won't catch me going up against those two. You know how dirty they play."

Hazel and Tori chuckled in agreement whilst Jaxon pursed his lips.

"Nobody appreciates me when Tye's away." He slumped down on a chair and tossed the cutlery onto the table.

Hazel, perhaps sensing that at least some of her brother's pretended sulkiness was genuine, placed a plate in front of him loaded with all his favourite toppings.

"He'll be back in a few days, besides he calls you at least four times a day to check you're alright." She ruffled his blond hair, and he leaned into her hand for just a few seconds.

"True, but then again I am the most awesomest boyfriend in the world."

"Second most awesomest boyfriend in the world," Tori countered, sitting himself beside Jaxon and passing a plate to me across the table.

"Blah blah blah." Jaxon rolled his eyes and dug into his pizza.

For a couple of minutes, the only sound was knives and forks hitting plates.

The pizza was good but that night I couldn't really enjoy it. My conversation with Jaxon was weighing on me, making it difficult to think of anything else.

"Hey Sam, you okay?"

Hazel's tentative voice broke through my brooding, and I plastered a smile on my face before I looked at her.