Strictly Professional

27: Karma

ELLE
Beautiful James-Placebo

I didn't even look at the clock to see what time it was when I finally went to sleep, but there was a good possibility it was at the early hours of the morning. I don't remember the last time I spent my night texting a boy, having the most random conversations anyone could think of. We spent all night talking, flirting and even sending a few suggestive lines here and there. And throughout the whole thing, I couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear.

The lack of sleep was evident on my face the next morning, where I was dragged out of bed to take part in the preparations going on in the kitchen. Today our entire family was set to gather at my brother's house for lunch. My family didn't really need a reason to gather, but they used my arrival and my aunt's recovery as two reasons to get everyone together. I didn't mind though. I loved getting to spend time with all of them in the same room and seeing as the only time I got to do that while being here was in the hospital, I was looking forward to going to my brother's house.

"Tired?" My sister mocked once she saw me yawn, clutching a mug of warm fresh coffee in my hands. I'm pretty sure she knew I was up pretty late last night.

"Shut it." I threatened with a glare.

"Someone's in a bad mood." She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. I was always cranky whenever I didn't get enough sleep, and she was making my annoyance grow.

"And you're gonna be in crutches soon if you don't zip your big mouth."

"Nora." My mother warned.

"She started it!" I complained, pointing at Anna.

"I don't care who started what. Both of you start preparing the beef. I have to go to the supermarket." My mother dismissed both of us, giving us a task to start cooking before picking up her purse from the kitchen table to leave. Though we were having lunch in another house, she still offered to bring some food.

"Fine. I'll marinate the meat." I huffed, getting up from the chair I was in to get started.

"I'll peel the potatoes." Anna announced.

"Thank you my loves. I'll be back soon." My mother beamed before walking out of the room. With our short bickering long forgotten like usual, my sister and I aimlessly chatted as we worked. A while later, the sounds of footsteps made us turn to the entrance of the small room.

"Look who decided to grace us with his presence." My sister joked, never missing an opportunity to mock someone.

"You know, you're just like your sister." Niall rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a compressed smile. He did look exhausted, hair tousled from sleep and eyes still droopy.

"That was an insult." Anna scrunched her face, looking at me. With a glare, I elbowed her side.

"Make yourself useful and get him some coffee."

"You do it." She instantly contradicted.

"My hands are covered in olive oil. You're literally doing nothing." I glared at her, seeing as she was just standing around while I was forced to take up most of the work like always. She never really was fond of cooking.

"Fine. What do you want?" She scoffed, looking at Niall as he took a seat in a chair on the small wooden table. He chuckled at her attitude, raising his eyebrows.

"Can you make me that heavy one you guys drink? I could use a wake up call." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, glancing at me with a subtle wink. I ignored him and turned my back to him, continuing my work. Anna, though unenthusiastically, made him the coffee he requested before I practically forced her to help me by doing some of the dishes that had accumulated in the sink.