Our Life Together

Chapter Thirty Seven

I stare up at the ceiling as foam darts fly past my head. The two boys yell at one another, but I have learned to tune it out. After being here for a week and a half, my younger cousin's antics have gotten old.

"Celia's it!" Tacoma yells. I look over at him shocked in time to see him and Kellen run out of the room. Aunt Kenna laughs as she walks into the living room.

"Don't you just love it when Astra and Emily are at school?" she asks. I give her a goofy grin and nod eagerly.

"Oh, yeah! It's just the best. I love being a human target!" I say. She laughs and nods. She sits down next to me on the couch, causing me to sit up in a more proper position.

"Oh, yeah. I can't wait until the day that they get to start Astra and Emily's school. I love them to death but I'm done homeschooling them," she says. I laugh and nod.

"I'd find one of those military schools for them. I know some of my father's advisers went to one of those pretty close to here," I tell her. She smiles and nods.

"I've considered it, but they would be given real guns. Forget the little plastic ones that they love to play with now," she points out. I nod, but can't think of a response. We watch as Tacoma and Kellen's heads move in front of the window, running away from a dog. "Those boys. I swear our neighbors are going to kill them if they don't stop messing with that dog," she says before standing up and walking toward the front door.

Right before she can open it, it swings open. Astra and Emily both jump, Astra almost falling on the younger cousin. They walk in, place their backpacks on the floor and greet Aunt Kenna before she walks out the door.

"So, how is our favorite cousin?" Astra asks as she sits down in one of the chairs across from me. Emily looks over at her and shrugs.

"I already told you on the bus ride home that I was planning Quentin Valentino's death," Emily replies. Astra looks over at her and shakes her head.

"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Celia. And maybe if you would just confess your undying love to him he would stop bugging you to admit that you're into him," Astra tells her. Emily gasps and throws a pillow at Astra. "You know, I don't have to take this kind of abuse," Astra says. Emily sticks out her tongue at her and Astra simply rolls her eyes.

"I'm going to your room," Emily says. Astra shrugs and watches as Emily walks down the hallway to Astra's room. Once Emily is out of sight, Astra turns her head to look at me.

"So, what are you up to?" she asks. I shrug.

"Just hanging out and restraining myself from choking your brothers," I tell her. She nods.

"Sometimes I wish murder wasn't illegal. . . You know, soon you could change that," Astra suggests. I roll my eyes. I open my mouth to respond but loud music drifts through the air. Astra jumps up and yells at me, "This is my jam!" before running down the hallway. I get up and walk after her.

When I walk into Astra's room, I roll my eyes at the shock. Emily and Astra are both jumping on Astra's bed, belting out the song from the speakers on the bedside table. I roll my eyes and sit down in the window seat and watch as Aunt Kenna talks to someone next door. As she walks away, I start paying attention to the words of the song: I got your body on my mind. There's nothin', no, I wouldn't do, I wouldn't do

Just to get up next to you.

The words get under my skin and send chills down my back. I get up and walk over to the stereo and cut it off. Astra and Emily look down at me with raised eyebrows.

"What was that for?" Emily asks. Astra nods in agreement.

"Yeah! Did you not hear that that was my jam?" she asks. I nod my head.

"Yes, I did hear you say that it was your jam and that makes me feel embarrassed for you! Do you not understand the lyrics?" I ask. Emily shrugs.

"Yeah we hear the lyrics, but who cares? No one really cares what they say," Emily says as she hops down from the bed. She walks over to cut on the stereo ago but I slide in front of it.

"I care! The words are sexist and demeaning! He is talking about excited he is to use her body!" I say. Emily shrugs and reaches for the stereo again.

"Seriously, Celia? It doesn't matter. It's just a song," she says. I shrug.

"It might just be a song, but that doesn't matter. It is promoting sexist behaviors and by listening to it you are being a supporter!" I say in a much louder than neccasary voice. Astra hops down from the bed and walks over next to us.

"Celia. Just calm down. The song is just meant for fun," she says. I roll my eyes and walk back over to the window.

"Fine, listen to it. I don't really care," I tell them. They shrug and hit the button on the stereo. The song starts over and they go back to their attempts at dancing, ignoring the annoyed looks I throw in their direction.

Okay, so... Yeah. I'm posting this early even though there is no real schedule for updates. I just feel like this is early because both of these chapters are really boring... Please comment and vote!

Disclaimer: Kiera Cass owns The Selection, not me.