Xavier King shielded his eyes from the sun streaming in on his study desk. He had fallen asleep while editing a client's pictures taken on a birthday party. Sitting back in his chair, he yawned. Looking at the time was what woke him up.
Taking two steps at a time, he entered his room. Randomly picking out a shirt and jeans, he made his way to the guest bedroom to shower. Since the bathroom in his room was undergoing some renovations, he had been forced to make the same flight from his room on the second floor to the guest bedroom on the first floor every morning. It was torture.
By the time Xavier was standing outside the bathroom, he was fully undressed. Stepping into the shower, it only took him a few nanoseconds to register that a girl was sitting at the edge of the tub, in nothing but a towel, painting his nails. She wasn't one of his three sisters, amd thus, Xavier started screaming.
Falling backwards, he yelled, "Help! Help! There's a strange girl in here! MOMMYYY!"
"Oh no no no. I'm...," the girl stopped in mid-sentence and quickly covered her eyes.
Looking down at himself, Xavier realised that he was completely naked. He had just wrapped a towel around his bare body when his sixteen-year old sister rushed in, with a kitchen knife in her hand.
"Jesus Xavier, man up," Gazelle chuckled. "Come on Irene, let's get you out of here before my brother pees in his pants, oh wait, he's not wearing any."
The girl snickered and followed Gazelle out of the room.
Still red with embarrasment, Xavier stood rooted to the spot. Sighing, he turned on the shower and wondered why this had to happen to him.
*********
In almost five minutes, Xavier was standing outside his house. Not surprised to see Gazelle already in the front seat, re-applying her make up. His six-year old sister, Hazel was scowling at her older sister, hands planted on her hips.
"Gazelle, why do you indulge in such stupid teen desires such as dressing up to go to school?" Xavier heard Hazel ask.
It often surprised him that Hazel knew such big words. She was, after all, the smartest six-year old he knew. Sinckering at Hazel's question, Xavier opened the car door, picked her up and seated her in. Quickly kissing the top of her head, he got into the driver's seat.
There was silence in the car until they reached Hazel's school. When she had planted a kiss on Xavier's cheek and had rushed off to meet her friends did Gazelle finally explode.
"Why can't she just be like a normal sweet six-year old girl like I was? Belle loved me!" She fumed, referring to the oldest sibling in the family.
"You should at least give her a chance G, you gotta give love, to get love," Xavier spoke in his older brother voice.
"Oh shut up smartass," she murmured.
Rolling his eyes, Xavier decided on a change of subject.
"Who was that girl in the shower anyway?"
Gazelle smiled, thinking of Irene. "We were neighbours before we moved here. Before the....," she trailed off, unsure if she should say more.
A few years ago, Xavier had been in a car accident and had lost almost all of his memories. They came back in flashes, sometimes in situations related to his memories and sometimes, without reason. The doctors hadn't been able to tell why he couldn't remember at times even when the same situation was replayed, but had said it to be fortunate. They had, however, advised to relocate in order to spare Xavier the pressure of remembering.
"Come on, you can mention it. It's not taboo and it's not like someone died," He let out a little laugh to lighten up the mood.
All colour drained from Gazelle's face, "Don't ever say that again. I don't know what I'd do if I lose you. Any of you." She stated, horrified.
"Even Hazel?" Xavier questioned, touched by Gazelle's display of affection.
"Now now, you're going too far," she laughed.
"You still didn't tell me why she's here," Xavier commented, after a few moments of silence, as he slid the car in his spot in the parking lot.
"You can ask mom and dad," she murmured, avoiding his eyes and rushing towards school, without a backward glance.
Strange, Xavier thought.
