Kismet

Chapter Fifteen

The next day, I could hardly hide my happiness. Even if I tried to, the stupid smile on my face wouldn't go away. It was always stuck on there, even when I found out Chris had taken my necklace my grandmother gave to me, and he just played robber with it. I told him not to do it again, and I walked off. 

   I played upbeat music as I made my lunch, spreading peanute butter and jelly on some bread slices. I put it together and took a big bite, only to turn around and see Mom standing in the doorway. I pause my music and take out my earphones. 

   "Yeah?" I ask, biting into my lunch again.

   "I told your father, Kiara," Mom says softly. I nearly choke on my food. 

   I swallow it, and sputter out, "You did? What did he say?"

   "He was overjoyed," she smiles lightly. "But it's up to you to tell your brother, though."

   "Why me?" It's not that I had a problem with that, but wouldn't a mother want to tell her own son he's about to become and older brother?

   "Because. . . . because he might take the news better from you," Mom says, and turns, guestering towards the living room where Chris watches TV loudly. I slowly put down my sandwich, promising I'll eat it later. I brush past Mom and walk into the living room. Chris has a blank look on his face as he stares at the screen. I tap him on the shoulder, and he looks up at me expectantly.

   "Come outside real quick," I tell him briskly. He obeys and jumps out the back door. I follow him, actually stepping down the one stair. He stands in the yard and stares at me.

   "What?" he asks. "What are we doing?"

   I don't spare any time. "Mom's having a baby."

   I swear, I saw his face pale just a little bit. "A what?"

   "A baby," I repeat, softer. "Mom's having another girl or boy."

   "What for?" Chris' face retorts into disgust. "Why would we need smelly diapers and a crying little kid around? I thought we were Mom's only kids."

   I blink in surprise. He's taking this harder than I'd thought. "Chris, it's not just diapers and crying. You're going to be a big brother, just like I'm a big sister. Isn't that going to be fun? You can teach them how to catch frogs and-"

   "I don't want a little brother!" Chris shouts. "I don't want them!"

   I don't bother to mention it might be a girl. "But Chris-"

   "No! I'm not sharing anything with that stupid baby!"

   "You won't be sharing anything!" I shout back at him. 

   "My house!" Chris shouts. "Mom, Dad. You." He glares at me angrily and storms back into the house before I could grab him. I cover my face with my hands and groan. Well, that went swimmingly, I tell myself.

   My cell phone beeps, and I pull it out of my pocket. I unlock it, to see a text from Ethan. 

   "What's happenin, Sunshine?"

   Instead of messaging him back, I press the call button instead. It rings once, then he picks it up. I answer before he does. "Are insistent to call me that or something?"

   "Uh, yes. Of course, sunshine. Because it describes you so. . . perfectly."

   I laugh. "Yeah, right, Katniss."

   "And you are ought to call me that?" he asks back.

   "Yup," I answer, sitting down on the side of the steps. I lean my back against the wall and stare out into the forest as I talk. "So, what's up with you today?"

   "Archery practice, actually," Ethan says. "Later tonight at six. You?"

   "Nothing much," I tell him. I wasn't about to tell him about the baby, and how Chris took it just yet. "Being bored."

    "Hm. . . " Ethan says, as if thinking. 

    "What?"

     "I was thinking after archery lessons, I could take you out to explore in the woods. See the trees, animals, squirrels, bears-"

  "What?" I interrupt. "Did you say bears?"

   I could sense him smiling. "Yeah. What- are you scared of them or something?"

   "Of course not!" I retort. "I just. . . uh, am coutious of them?"

   "You're scared!" Ethan teases. "Little sunshine city-girl is scared of some bears. Isn't that cute."

   I redden, thankful that he couldn't see me. "No! I am catious of them, you big idiot. And of course I'll go out there- I'm not scared. I went to go get Chris that one time, didn't I?"

   "Yes, but that ended in you running into me because you saw an animal ten times smaller than you."

   I pause. "Well, I won't be scared this time. Just you see."

   Ethan chuckles a little. "Okay, sunshine. Hey, why are you even sc- I mean, cautious of bears, anyways?"

    "Well. . .  let's say, the bears at the zoo weren't very nice."

   He laughs loudly this time, and I couldn't help but smiling. I'd just told him my biggest secret. I'd tried to forget about it when we moved, but now, it's back and I can't get rid of it with him around. Great. I brush my bangs out of my face as I stand to my feet.

  "Well, bye, sunshine," Ethan says. "I got to practice first."

   "You have to practice before practice?" I ask.

   "Basically," he says. "I want to be really good at it. Bye."

   "Bye," I say, as the call ends.

  I walk back into the house, shoving my phone into my sweatpants pocket. I wore a baggy shirt and hair in a bun with my bangs hanging down to the side of my head. I had been to lazy and happy to get dressed like normal. Besides, I wasn't going anywhere today or meeting anybody. Dad's at work, Mom's leaving soon for a job interveiw for a few hours, and it'll be just me and Chris. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

    Mom left sooner than I'd thought. Fifteen minutes later, I heard her call at me, "Kiara! I'm leaving now- keep an eye on your brother. It'll be at least two to three hours, so make sure neither of you leave or let anybody in."

   "I won't!" I call back, not taking my eyes off the TV. Then the door slams, signaling that she'd left. I sigh, grateful for the peace.

   I was so interested in Pretty Little Liars, that I didn't notice that Chris had gone somewhere he wasn't supposed to go.