The Curse of Awkward

Chapter 1

"Dude, get up before I have to punch you! Today's your first day of work, and I am not letting you be late to the King's palace!"

What a loving way to be woken up. Emmy looked at the alarm next to her, not remembering anything about a King's palace.

"What are you talking about Silas? I'm trying to sleep." A yawn escaped Emmy's lips as she stretched looking over at her near frantic brother.

"Your job, Emmie. The job that you start today at the King's place in..." Emmy watched him glance at his watch in an over exaggerated manner, and couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Only an hour and a half! Holy crap Emmy! Get up, get dressed, and put a bag on your head to hide that hideous hair."

"Woah, hold on Silas, I'm a grounds assistant, not the new Prime Minister. You need to calm down before you hurt yourself." Emmy said as she sulked into the bathroom. "Plus you're worse than a girl," she muttered quietly to herself.

"Heard that!" Came the call from inside her bedroom.

"Good, it'll teach you to mess with people at," she glanced at the little digital clock next to her bathroom sink. "Five thirty in the morning! Are you kidding me Silas? I'm up a good three hours early, hour and a half my butt!"

"What? Don't get mad at me just because I want to make sure you don't fail. You're my little sis, I'm just looking out for you before you head into that big, bad palace." Silas said in an ominous voice, coming up to hug Emmie by the shoulders.

"Okay, you're going to have to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Silas asked with a look of confusion painted across his face.

"One, the King's house is a castle at most, not a freaking palace. This is the twenty first century Silas, get with it. And two, hugs are for kids, I'm an adult, I shouldn't be snuggling people all day," I said giving Silas a deadpan look.

"But hugs are nice, adults hug all the time! Besides, you're barely even an adult Emmy, turning eighteen three weeks ago doesn't give you the right to turn into a major bit-."

"Silas! Like you said, I have to get ready, since I'm awake now," she sent him a small joking glare, "so I'd appreciate it if you'd scram."

"Fine Emmy, deny the truth, turn away from the world, fail to realize the beauty that is the hug. I'll be here when you decide to crawl back, with big, warm open arms, just waiting to be hugged," Silas droned on as he walked out the door leading to the hallway. "Just know that you did this to yourself. A self-instilled hug boycott, that you'll be quick to regret when someone breaks your heart and you-"

"Okay, thank you Oprah. Why don't you go find Gayle and enjoy a little girl time amongst yourselves," she said pushing Silas finally out of the door. "Oh here, buy yourself something nice while you're out, pink's totally your color." Tossing Silas a ten dollar bill and slamming the door, she was finally left in peace, her bed beckoning her to join it once again. Emmy, Emmy, I love you Emmy.

The daydream of going back to bed was soon interrupted by Silas as he yelled through the door. "I am a boy Emmy! A boy. Though I do agree, I would look fabulous in any color." A faked a cough to cover my laughter at my brother's blatant attempt to inflate his own ego. "And Emmy, don't you even think about crawling back into that bed. I have a water gun, and I am not afraid to use it."

I shivered at his threat remembering all the other times when I thought he was joking, and ended up getting soak with water, or other mysterious liquids.

"Fine, geeze, don't get your panties in a twist grandma."

"Whatever! Just do what I say, I'm the boss of you, so get your lazy butt to that closet and get your clothes on." Pfft, the boss of me. He's only four years older, hardly a steady role model, since he still acts five years old most of the time.