What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 5

That evening, Aiden, Baylor, and I decided to settle down to play Mario Kart. Baylor stole Mario's character, and Aiden and I were arguing over Yoshi's character.

"You're a girl - be Peach!" Aiden aimed his Wii remote at the T.V, ready to steal Yoshi's character.

"Fine, I'll be Luigi," I stated. I clicked Luigi's character and clicked 'next' to pick the track.

"All that. . . over some character?" Baylor looked between the both of us. I lightly giggled. I turned my attention back to the T.V to search which track to race on. I asked the guys which one, and they just shrugged their shoulders, as stating "I don't care."

"Rainbow Road it is."

"I always fall off on this one!" Baylor exclaimed as his character, Mario, fell off the colorful road.

Yoshi's character rammed into the side of me, pushing my character off to the side along with Baylor's character.

"Aiden!" I screamed, waiting for Luigi to come back to life. Luigi was dropped from the bottom of a cloud, and I continued racing on the track. I was still on lap one.

"Aiden, how can you be on lap three already? I'm still on lap one!" Baylor said.

"I'm still on lap one, too. Be prepared to get knocked off," I challenged as I concentrated on the screen.

"I see you! I see you!" Baylor shouted. Mario ran into the side of my car. "Baylor!" I whined.

"Yes! I won!" My brother jumped from the floor, his arms flying in the air in victory. I sucked my lips. I could've won that one if Baylor hadn't pushed me off.

We played a few more rounds after that. All three of us were hungry so we ordered a pizza. A knock on the door stopped us from playing the game. "Forty is on the counter," Aiden said.

I walked into the kitchen to retrieve the two twenty-dollar bills. I listened as the boys resumed the game, yelling and screaming at each other in the background. I opened the door to pay the delivery guy. The smell of the delicious food made my mouth water.

"Uh, 26.75." I looked up to the pizza delivery boy. His hat was slanted in front of his eyes. It was Derek Cage, a boy I went to school with. Due to my socially awkwardness with people that I hardly knew, I hurriedly handed the two bills to him. My eyes glanced at Derek's, whose were glued to me. His smile was prominent over his lips. I retrieved the two boxes of people, thanked him, and shut the door.

The boxes of pizza were placed on the coffee table along with three plates and three drinks I brought to the living room.

"Where's the change?" Aiden asked as he popped the top on the can.

"On the counter," I answered.

They both relaxed and turned to the TV. One of them went to Netflix and found a movie to watch.

The television illuminated the dark living room. Baylor laid at one end of the sectional. The tight shirt that clasped his body outlined his abdomen in all the right places. His hand was resting on his chest and his arm was placed behind his head for comfort. Baylor's feet crossed over the arm rest of the couch due to his body being just a little too long for the couch. His head was turned slightly to the television screen.

A slight kick was shoved against my foot. I looked down at my brother who was on the other side of the sectional couch.

A firm grin was covering his lips - silently laughing. Oh gosh, he caught me staring at Baylor, I thought to myself. I flipped him the bird finger and his face crinkled in laughter. He turned on his side and his hairy legs touched my feet.

"Aiden, get your hairy legs on somewhere." I pushed his long, tanned limbs from my side and slid over to the edge.

Aiden kept pushing his legs on me and laughed as he thought it was hilarious. I snatched an extra pillow from behind my head and slapped him with it.

"Oh, it's on now," Aiden promised, his voice stern. He reached for a pillow that was on the floor and flew from the couch. I was bombarded with multiple hits to my stomach, head, legs, and my side. I was laughing after every hit, making myself weaker from getting up from the couch.

Once Aiden was about to hit me with the pillow again, I slyly snatched the pillow from his hands.

I stood from the couch, slapping him with the pillow in the face and on his sides. Every hit, he came closer, and I backed away. Aiden backed me into Baylor so they could team up against me. Laughter filled the dark room as my wrists were being held together in Baylor's hands behind my back.

"I got her!" Baylor yelled. I squirmed under his grip.

"That's not fair! Let me go!" I screeched, still squirming in his strong grip. Aiden smacked me with another pillow. He kept hitting me repeatedly. I was laughing and angry and determined to be set free. I was defeated in a pillow fight because Baylor was holding me captive.

"Baylor," I whined, "Let me go."

He pursed his lips and shook his head. "No can do."

"Please," I sweetly asked.

He smiled, winked, and slowly let me loose so I could obtain my vengeance on my brother.