The Hard Choices of Life

(26) Surprise!

Six days before my birthday.

My eyes flew open as I heard the front door slam shut. I got out of my bed quietly, squinting my eyes attempting to see in the dark. I grabbed the closest object to me, which was a book I was reading for Spanish class titled "La Mancha Negra", which is about some gangs fighting for territory and whatever. I opened my door and walked through the hallway with book in hang, ready to throw it at who ever was breaking in to our house. Each stair creek more than usual as I tried to not make a sound as I went down to the kitchen. I looked around, no sound was heard. Nothing looked out of the usual. Suddenly, someone turned on the kitchen light, without a second thought as I quickly turned around, threw the book at the direction where the switch and the burglar I suppose was.

"Hey!" Yelled Matt, as I guess ducked my stupid Spanish book. "What the hell?"

"Matt you scared me! I thought you were a burglar or something." I said as I pushed my hair out of my face. "Were you out late or something?"

"No. Mom and dad went out" He said as he played with a string in his baby blue boxers.

I looked at the kitchen clock. "It's 5:00 am. Where in the world could they go at this hour?"

"They didn't say." Said Matt with a shrug. "They just said they be back in a few hours or so."

Sleepy Steven came down the stairs with his cowboy pajamas and green mint blanket. "Ma, Matt, what's going on?"

"Great." Said Matt as he looked at me. "You woke Steven up with your chaos"

I walked over to Steven and took his hand. "Buddy why won't we go back to sleep? Mom and dad went out and won't be back for a while."

"But I'm not tired anymore. " Said Steven, with a yawn rubbing his eyes. "Let's watch a movie"

I looked at Matt, who just shrugged. "I'm going to sleep."

"NO!" Steven yelled suddenly. "Let's watch the movie together." He said tired again.

Matt groaned as he went upstairs.

Steven and I went to the living room. "What are we watching?" I asked him. "That isn't the Ranger movie please."

Steven pouted. "But...I like the Ranger movie." He looked through our movie collection and got Lion King out. "Let's watch this one!"

"Lion King it is." I said, as I put the DVD in.

Steven and I propped ourselves on the couch with our blankets and pillows as we started to watch the movie. Matt, who we thought was asleep again, came down the stairs with messy hair Dani, in his white t-shirt and green shorts.

"What are we watching?" Asked Matt sitting next to me.

"Lion King!" Said Steven cheerfully.

"Oh that was Daniel's favorite movie when he was little." Said Matt as he grabbed Dani's tired face like you would to a baby.

Dani slapped his hands away and sat next to Steven. Steven giggled and scooted close to Dani's chest.

Matt put his arm around me and kissed my forehead.  I looked at him surprised at the sudden gesture. He looked down at me.