What The Jocks Want

Cherry Knots

Cherry Knots

"Well isn't this touching?" Layla gushes, suddenly appearing in the kitchen from seemingly out of no where, looking at mine and Ted's hands. Irritated, I immediately snatch my hand away.

"I take it you've returned sister dear?" I snap, and Ted chuckles. I glare at him, and Layla looks at him flirtatiously.

"Ted doesn't seem to mind" She purrs, and Ted winks at her again. I kick Ted under the table.

"Ow!!" He moans, and I scowl at Layla, because she caused the anger that made me injure Ted.

"Mm, I must say Ted you've come a long way since those preschool days, very handsome indeed!" Layla admits, and leans down to stroke Ted shoulder, her hand moving towards his biceps.

"Very muscly!" She gasps, and I roll my eyes.

"What's your boyfriend's name again Layla?" I ask her drily, and she chuckles, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Who's your boyfriend Marnie? Oh wait... You haven't got one!" She laughs at this, tossing her head back.

"You know Ted" Layla begins

"You're still here?" I ask, but she ignores me

"Marnie used to have such a big crush on you when she was five!! It was so cute, she'd go around writing Mrs Marnie Davies on everything!" Layla fabricates

"That's a lie!" I state "Ok, my five year old self might have been slightly inclined to Ted, but at no stage did I ever write Mrs Marnie Davies on anything!"

"She used to steal my Ken doll and turn him into you" Layla murmurs to Ted, even though I can still hear her.

"Really Jones?" Ted asks smugly, raising an eyebrow at me. I grit my teeth, and slowly turn to scowl at my sister

"Oh yes, really" Layla confirms, and my hand curls into a fist, ready to hit her. But then it relaxes, despite the fact that I'm still fuming "She used to kiss that doll too and pretend it was you!"

"Right! That's it!" I leap to my feet, causing the legs of the chair to scrape back on the kitchen floor, making a sound that resembles a wailing cat, or Layla whenever she talks.

I march over to the fridge, and pull two cherries out of a packet I find. "Oh Marnie, must you be so childish?" She mutters

"Oh Layla, must you be such a bitc-!" I'm cut off from speaking, by the sound of Ted.

"What are the cherries for?" He asks, and I hand one to Layla, which she accepts. She takes extra special care not touch my hand when she takes it, like she's afraid I'm diseased.

"It's a childish game Marnie has Ted. Whenever we used to fight, Mom would shout at us, and Marnie would always get in trouble-!"

"Because I always won our fights!" I interject, and Ted looks at me and grins

"ANYWAY!" Layla says loudly, so we all make her the centre of attention again "Mom would give Marnie and I a cherry each, and whoever could tie a knot in the stem first with our mouths would win whatever fight we were having, without us having to actually fight"

"She was getting too many black eyes" I recall smugly, and Layla glowers at me. Ted just looks very confused.

No change there then.

"Now on three" I tell Layla, and she rolls her eyes, but holds the cherry to her mouth regardless.

"Three!" I shout suddenly, skipping one and two, and shove my cherry into my mouth. Layla copies me instantly, rolling her eyes as she does so.