LABYRINTH, christopher sturniolo

002

aurora was the last the sit down at the dining table. "thank you mom." she grinned lightly. "am i really the only one who can't wait any longer to go to lapland?" nick asked loudly with his signature attitude.

"yeah okay buddy, you won't be saying that when you come home with blue hands and feet." matt replied making everyone giggle.

"shut the fuck up matt."

"nicolas!" marylou scolded. "sorry mom."

chris had a face like thunder. he had been staring at the same spot on the smooth wall for what felt like hours while playing with his food.

he looked up slightly to see aurora looking directly into his eyes.

her stare was deathly.

it was deathly because nobody else could stare at something so intensely the way aurora labella did.

"rory, you're very quiet this evening." claudia announces to everyone at the table.

"i just don't have anything to say." she replies before taking a bite of her food. this caused everyone at the table to share a knowing look.

<>

chris watched aurora by the sink washing the dishes from dinner. he going to leave her there by herself but when he noticed the stacks and stacks of dirty dishes he chose differently. "want a hand?" he asked awkwardly as he strolled into the room. the girls head turned to see his face and her expression turned from content to confused.

"wouldn't hurt." rory replied, moving over to make space for him in front of the sink. he stood close beside her, only because they both needed the sink.

the room went completely silent after rory had spoken. neither of them wanted to talk, it had been obvious for years that the two didn't get along. if one spoke the other would swiftly disagree.

rory turned to start putting the now clean dishes away while chris dried them. as she stood on her tippy toes to put away the last plate, it was taken from her hand and placed on the shelf. she turned to see chris standing over her, looking down at her. "thank you." she hesitated for a second, before walking away.

"you're welcome."