Odd One Out

CHAPTER 34

Naya
Thursday, June 28

The amount of yelling Jake and Bailey were doing in the living room was insane. I would have never guessed either one of them to become so entranced and dedicated to charades, but then again, Jake was in the top one percent of our graduating class and Bailey had dedicated half of her life to competitions.

If anything, I was in the wrong to not have assumed they'd completely demolish this game.

"You're...uh, eating!" Ellis screamed out at Bailey, who had replaced me as his partner while I made the finishing touches on the homemade cookies I had baked for them. The house had never felt this full, and even though my dad was at work, I felt as though I had my family here with me. 

"Okay okay, eating...popcorn?" Ellis continued. I glanced up just in time to watch Bailey desperately shaking her head, making another gesture with her hands.

"Oh! Is it...a snack? You're eating...you sure it's not popcorn?"

"Fifteen seconds!" Viktor yelled out, looking from the timer back up to Bailey who was making all these insane hand gestures in a desperate attempt to get Ellis to figure it out.

"Okay you're making some sort of ball...and chewing gum...and licking a...lollipop? OH! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!"

"And time!" Jake screamed out defeatedly, causing both him and Viktor to playfully groan in frustration while Ellis jumped from his spot on the couch to celebrate with Bailey, jumping up and down as they started singing some tune they'd both decided to create. Turning to Jake after her celebratory dance, Bailey challenged, "Beat that high score, Mr. Valedictorian."

"Oh I will," Jake assured, shooing Bailey out of his way as he took her place standing up. Ellis and Bailey shared one last high-five before Viktor handed them the timer, everyone waiting in anticipation as Jake grabbed and studied a notecard. He set it back down on the table before nodding at Viktor, then Ellis.

"Okay," Ellis started, "and...go!"

Jake set his feet together, heels together and toes pointed outwards with one hand on his hip, the other in an "L" shape. 

"Nanny McPhee," Viktor's voice rang out. Jake violently shook his head before motioning over the hand that was bent like "L", and Viktor seemed to catch on fast.

"Oh shit, uh...what's her name...damn it, it's — oh! Oh! It's MARY POPPINS!"

Jake began to playfully punch the air in victory, and this time it was Bailey and Ellis' turn to groan and sigh in defeat.

"And you thought we couldn't do it," Viktor teased, laughing at Bailey who was rolling her eyes.

"Yeah okay Henderson," she smiled, "let's see who laughs in the end."

"Cookies are ready!" I yelled out, carefully grabbing the sides of the plate I had just organized the cookies onto, proudly watching their expressions of awe and excitement as I neared them with every step.

"Red velvet cookies," I presented once I reached them, setting the plate down and bowing playfully when they started clapping for me.

"They look so good, Naya," Bailey complimented, grabbing one immediately after Jake snatched his own off the plate.

"These are white chocolate chips?" Viktor asked, pointing to one of the many white chunks in the cookie.

"Of course they are!"

"Before anyone eats their cookie," Ellis jabbed in. "I would like to make a toast."

He took one look at each of us, starting with me. "To Naya," he said adoringly, "for getting accepted into the culinary arts."