Endless || Jonah Marais ✓

♪ TWENTY-EIGHT ♪

"Hey, Caramel," Aurora begins, closing the refrigerator door. "Do you-"

"THE FLOOR IS LAVA!" Daniel yells as he dashes into the kitchen, successfully cutting the girl off.

Aurora immediately scrambles onto the island and pushes Jack off to make room for a bewildered Carmen. She gives Jack a smile as he tumbles to the floor gratefully taking his spot and looking at the brunette who was way too prepared for the game.

"Was that really necessary?" He groans, rubbing his back.

Aurora shrugs unapologetically, stealing a spoonful of Carmen's ice cream as she glances around to see where the others ended up.

Zach sits on a barstool, having been fortunate enough to already be sitting when the game was called out. Daniel and Jonah sit on the counter, the older dangerously close to the soapy sink.

"Where's Corbyn?" Aurora asks, furrowing her eyebrows as she doesn't catch sight of the blond.

"I'm right here."

They all look around, not seeming to be able to find where the voice is coming from. Zach spots him before any of the other do.

"How did you get on top of the fridge?" He questions.

"I'm a ninja," Corbyn admits, grinning broadly. He jumps from his spot perched on top of the fridge, landing on his butt in the process.

"Smooth," Carmen comments with a snort.

Corbyn ignores the comment, laying back on the floor as he proceeds to mutter curse words to himself.

"So, Caramel," Aurora says, hoping not to be cut off again. "Do you like Chinese food?"

"Love it," she replies, nodding her head excitedly at the thought. "Why?"

"Because I'm craving it," Aurora explains, hopping down from the island. "Ask the others if they want to get some while I change, okay?"

She heads to the door, not waiting for a response. Jonah hops down from the counter, trailing after her.

"Where are you going?" He questions.

"Hell, most likely."

××××

Less than an hour later, Aurora, Jonah, Zach, and Carmen find themselves walking towards the entrance of a Chinese restaurant. The other three boys decided to stay home, Corbyn having said something about it being naptime.

"Your brother said you were banned from Chinese restaurants," Jonah says, wrapping his arm around Aurora. "They're not going to let us in willingly if that's true."

"It's true," Aurora replies, grinning wickedly. "But that's only for the restaurants in Virginia. They haven't banned me here."

"Yet," Zach adds.

"Now, Aurora," Jonah continues, opening the door for them. "You have to eat at least one plate of real food before you wipe out the desserts. And the same thing applies to you too, Zach."

"Technically speaking, all food is real food," Aurora argues, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly as Zach grumbles about being spoken to like a child.

"You know what I mean," he says before turning to speak to the man behind the counter.

Carmen tugs at Zach's arm excitedly, pointing to the large fish tank at the back of the restaurant. "Look at the fish!"

"You want to know a secret?" Aurora asks, indicating the fish. "That's how this place gets their sushi."

"Oh my gosh!" Carmen gasps, covering her mouth as her eyes begin to water. "Aurora, please tell me you're lying."

"Of course she's lying," Zach mutters in her ear, pulling her into his chest. "Their sushi is shipped here. Those fish are just for looks."

"Yeah, some people like to play with their food," Aurora laughs darkly. "That's why they have stray cats roaming around outside."

"Jonah," Zach groans. "She's scaring her."

"Aurora, go get some food," Jonah sighs, looking at Carmen with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

"She was making really bad jokes." Carmen frowns. "About the fish and cats. They don't really cook them here, do they?"

"Only on Tuesdays!" Aurora chimes in, still standing at the conversation.

"It's Monday though." Carmen furrows her eyebrows together.

"That means they should be fetching the cats outside then," Aurora says with a wicked grin. "You hear that? They're starting to boil water in the kitchen. Do you know what they put in the boiling water?"

"Gosh, Aurora, stop-"

"That's where the fishies are transported to, where they can-"

"Okay, let's go get some food," Jonah interrupts, dragging the girl away from Zach and Carmen.

"Oh, I can't wait to choose! Fish or cat?"

~

"LET GO, YOU JERK!" Aurora yells, shoving at the small Chinese boy. "IT'S MINE!"

"What is she even doing?" Carmen questions from where she and the boys remain at their table. "What did that poor boy do?"

"Apparently he touched the cheesecake," Jonah sighs, rubbing his temples.

"DON'T MAKE ME PULL OUT MY WEAPON!"

"Oh, God. What has she done now?" Zach asks.

From the rows of desserts, Aurora holds her air horn in the face of the small boy. He stares at her with wide eyes as she moves to press the button. Then, his expression changes to one of terror as she actually presses it.

"GET AWAY! IT'S MINE!"

The boy rushes away as Carmen and Jonah hold in their laughter. Zach, on the other hand, looks like a dad annoyed with his kid's antics. Several workers begin to gather around Aurora, yelling to each other in words that none of them can understand.

Before anything can be done, she grabs the plate of cheesecake and sprints to the front doors of the restaurant.

"COME ON, GUYS! I DON'T WANT TO BE ARRESTED!"

"Yet another place we're banned from," Zach groans.

"I find it funny," Carmen admits with a shrug.

"Yeah," Jonah defends his girlfriend. "You know getting banned has become the best part of going to restaurants."