Is This What Love Is?

Chapter 7

            The sound of something sizzling awoke me but my vision was blurry as I opened my eyes. Gosh, what happened last night? The last thing I remember is that horrible dream and Kai coming to comfort me... wait, Kai?

            Jumping up, I bounded down the hallway and came face to face with Kai standing at the stove while stirring something in a pan. His black hair was tousled and messy and he absentmindedly stared out into space as the pan sizzled and splattered.

            “Kai?” This brought him back to reality and he looked towards me, sleepiness still in his eyes. Giving me a grin, he set the spoon and walked over, pulling me into a tight hug. Breathing in, I smelled Kai, realizing how much I missed him and how suddenly thankful I was for him. He always protected me and I loved him.

            The smell of burning eggs hit my nose and I jerked back. My eyes widened in shock and my brother’s confused look changed to panic as he ran back to the pan to put out the smoke. He took the pan off and smiled sheepishly as I looked at the.. slightly crispy eggs that were now black.

            “You were never good at cooking,” I teased as I took the pan and prepared to make more eggs. Fortunately my idiotic brother took a place at the table.

            Stirring the pan of eggs, I continued until the eggs became solid and I took a couple plates and let the steaming hot eggs spill onto it. It smelled heavenly and I set Kai’s plate in front him. He immediately began wolfing it down, barely taking a breath of air in between each bite.

            I laughed as he hiccupped after the last bite, looking quite satisfied with it. Giving me an appreciative look, he got up and went to put his plate in the sink. For some reason it reminded me of three years ago… the day Kai left.

 *      *     *

            “Riley, Kai, come get the food before it goes cold!” I heard my mom yell from downstairs. The softness of the bed was overwhelmingly amazing but you really don’t wanna see my mom when she gets mad. That’s a sight that no one wants to see.

            So, with the little strength I had, I rolled out of the bed and crawled down the stairs. At least there’s good food, ‘cause I’m starving.

            “Riley, did you hear Kai?” my mother asked from the stove, looking annoyed. She hated it when we didn’t listen to her. I just mumbled, “No,” through my full mouth.

            “Ow!” I cried out, the back of my head stinging. Across the table my father was laughing. My mother just looked smug. I gave her a glare and my dad stood up.

            “Well, I’ll go get your idiotic brother before he has to face the wrath of a certain someone…” He smirked and looked in my mother’s direction. Although she had a scowl on her face, I could tell she was amused by his antics. Honestly, I don’t know how they ever got together. Their personalities were completely different and yet they’ve been married for sixteen years.

            “He’s your son too!” she said as he walked up the stairs. “Ugg,  why can’t he just get up when he’s called?”           

            “That’s because he’s a fourteen year old boy, Annie. I was the same way too,” my father’s voice ran out and I had to hold back a chuckle as Mom just started muttering something about stupid boys and their ways.

            How insane is my family? Gosh, people walking by the house must think that we run some sort of circus..

            I chuckled to myself quietly. I myself was in this family and even I thought that we were running some crazy show. Eh, it’s all cool thought.