✤ The grave below the flowers ✤ (CRAIG OF THE CREEK)

Hot n cold

She's staring at him.

What does she want?

Is it cause Jason is here, is that what she's staring at him for? Making sure he doesn't damage him more than he already has? Damn, ever since he pulled the rock from above her she's his second shadow...

Jason stood over the eggplant parmesan, it smelt nice...The cheese oozing over the eggplant and it's shakey purple crust making Jason visualise the meaty taste of said eggplant, the slicing of the fruit and his mother sliding the dish to him for him to enjoy while speaking Italian phrases to him. Feeling happy when he would understand her and practice simple words, phrases, and eventually full sentences for a lifelong conversation.

Jason grabbed the sides of the plate, keeping his grip firm to not drop the food. He was getting ready to eat by himself in the living room or Craig's bedroom if Craig was comfortable, but he couldn't go off with his food unnoticed "Where you going, Jason? Sit down, stay awhile!". To Jason Duane's invite felt handed out like candy, to avoid conflict he took a seat with his food. Jason formed a confused and trouble look while looking over to Craig.

(Jason has Italian roots cause I say so, if Tony is Italian too they gossip in Italian and Jason scolds Tony in Italian sometimes)

Craig stared frustratedly at his eggplant parmesan, he listened to the metal forks being clashed against his family's plates as they ate. The eggplant Parmesan mocking his missed dinner, sloppy joes was probably the only reason he came home today damnit.

Maybe if Craig didn't look up, she'd disappear. "Do you always eat together at the table?".

Craig's attention swayed, stolen away by Jason's question. Now Craig was almost laughing, key word almost.

"Yeah, doesn't everybody do that?"Craig's eyebrow raised, he had to be bluffing. If Jason was joking like this, especially at a dinner table then there was a lot Craig missed.

Jason reached for his fork "Well, Boris and Tony's families both eat on the couch and watch tv and usually just eat in my room"The sentence was finished with a bite of his food while looking at Craig.

"Oh. Can I eat in my room?!"The idea was as ridiculous as his excitement. "No". The answer was straight forward yet irritating seasoning itself with disappointment as Nicole bit into the meal wanting to forget her son's question.

"Why are they called eggplants?"Jessica questioned, the piece of food on her silver fork "Cause they look like chicken eggs".

Craig never expected Bernard to answer, let alone hear him but he found the provided answer from Bernard comical "Pft! You don't know what you're talking about, Bernard! You really think a chicken would lay a purple egg haha...I thought you were taking AP courses, where did that go?!".

He was louder than he intended, so loud and confident that Bernard's answer was utter bullshit she had completely left his mind, perhaps she even left, at least in his head.

"Actually Bernard's right".

Now it wasn't funny for Craig.

Bernard didn't lose the opportunity to rub his rightness in Craig's face, he could tell Jason had potential to be liked by him.

"Does that mean there are purple chickens?!"Now Jessica was even more eager for answers.

"Well no, there are lots of different sizes of eggplants. Some are small and white and they look just like chicken eggs. So, here in North America we call them eggplants, but in other places like Europe they call them aubergines"Jason answered. Duane turned to his phone "Aubergines. He's right!".