Ellora's Sun

Chapter Two

"It's your turn to make dinner!" Adelaide yelled through her brother's closed door. It was getting close to seven o'clock, and she was starving. She hadn't seen James since he got home from a weekend baseball game and gone straight to his room. He always took it personally when they lost, like the whole game was on him.

Adelaide understood, but she was hungry, so she didn't have enough patience to give him space.

"James!" She yelled for the fifth time, banging her fist on the door. A loud slam from the other side of the living room made her jump. The small bookcase next to their couch held years of books and abandoned textbooks, most of which were now scattered across the floor.

"What the hell." Adelaide muttered as she went over to inspect the books. The shelf didn't appear to have moved, but the books decided to jump off their shelf. Her confusion was interrupted by another loud slam behind her as James finally emerged from his room and shut the door behind him.

"Jeez, you didn't have to throw a fit," He chuckled, raising an eyebrow at the mess. Adelaide glared at him, bending down to pick up the scattered books. James didn't offer to help, but made his way to the kitchen to start cooking.

"Took you long enough. What were you doing?"

"Napping." James shrugged, pulling some bacon out of the fridge, and grabbing the carton of eggs. Adelaide laughed to herself, knowing she couldn't argue with him. They could both sleep through a rock concert. They had to get used to loud noises and yelling at all hours growing up in their house.

"What's for dinner?" Adelaide asked. She had finished cleaning up the books, and joined her brother in the kitchen. He'd started cooking the bacon on the stove, and the smell made her stomach growl loudly.

"I thought we'd have breakfast for dinner, like when we were kids," James explained, offering her one of his cheeky smiles. When he wasn't sleeping, James was usually smiling. Most of the girls at college would do anything for that smile, but Adelaide usually found his persistent optimism rather annoying.

"So," James started, as she patiently watched him flip bacon and whisk eggs together, "what are we doing for Halloween tonight?"

"Uh nothing," Adelaide laughed. James would be the one to try and make plans a few hours before. She had decided weeks ago she wouldn't be going out on Halloween. She was a couple months away from graduating, and she needed all the free time she could to focus on passing her classes.

"Oh come on, it's Halloween! We have to go out. Some of the guys are having a big party over at Tucker's house, it'll be fun!" James was practically begging, giving her puppy dog eyes and everything. Luckily, Adelaide grew up with him, and had grown resistant to his charms.

"No thanks kiddo, but feel free to have all the fun you want without me," She laughed. Most little brothers would die if they had to show up at a party with their older sister.

She and James had always had a tight bond. Ever since their mom had passed away, they'd had to depend on each other to pay for rent or groceries, or anything really. They'd gotten so much closer because of it.

"You're no fun..." James pouted as he popped some bread into the toaster. Adelaide shrugged, snatching a piece of bacon from the plate he'd just finished. He went to yell at her, but she'd already shoved the whole piece into her mouth.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and slid some scrambled eggs onto a plate for her. She grabbed the toast and put a very generous spoonful of strawberry jam on top. The exact breakfast she'd make for them on Saturday mornings in elementary school.

After they ate, James changed into his costume for the party. This year he decided to go as Harry Potter, which Adelaide thought was a boring costume. Though she did have to admit that with the robe on and an eyeliner lightning bolt on his forehead, he looked surprisingly similar to the wizard character. His dark hair was always a disheveled, curly mess, so he didn't have to do much to fit the part.