It Comes Naturally

3.

"I'm up! I'm up!"

Elijah snickered but kept his eyes closed as his cat Ares purposely tapped his forehead with his paw while the other, Apollo sat on his chest waiting patiently.  This was their morning routine of waking their master, even if their food bowls were already filled. Elijah deducted it of them being controlling pets. They will wait patiently for him while he takes a shower, gets dressed, talks on the phone then trail behind him when he leaves the room. Opening his eyes slightly, Elijah found himself staring into the blue and black gaze of Ares. Total adoration he found in those widened black pupils of his pet. Every time he plays or simply stares at them, he always remembers the day his sister surprised him by having his first pet. Speaking of the devil. His cellphone rang with her distinctive ringtone of a video call, searching below the covers with Apollo mistaking the search for playtime, Elijah finally found his phone and answered it. 

"Hey, bug. Ready for the first day of being a senior," his sister asked with a beaming smile on her face. Pushing back his mass of curls, he gave her a shy smile and sat up more in bed. Propping his chin on his hand he watched on as she flitted about the kitchen at her home in Texas with the twins talking in the background. 

"One more year. Maybe it will be special for you, just like mine was," she said trying to brighten his mood.

"Jealous chicks. Teenage drama. Vengeful friends and love? Do you want me to go through the same?" he asked teasingly clearing his throat a bit.

"The love part seems nice," Jayden quipped from in the background. A blush stained Mari's cheeks with her focus out of frame. Elijah laughed at how the twins were still able to make her blush after all these years. 

"I'm not for that...."

"I respect your decision but if you're giving up for what that little girl did, I will personally pay her a visit. I had so much hope for you two," Mari fussed. 

"MJ. No. Not now."

Marielle truly focused on her little brother and saw how much it still pained him. She felt guilty for bringing up the past so early in the morning. Scrubbing his face roughly, he took a deep breath and wished the memories away. He thought spring break plus summer break will help him forget the shit he went through but it still felt raw. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Everyone knew just how much Elijah cared for Bree, she was his childhood crush, even after her phase of ignoring him, he still carried a flame for her. When word got to them about what happened earlier this year, it pained them all. Their mother called her in hysterics, not knowing what to do, their father was livid but he stayed by his son's side and cried along with him. His cousins and friends rallied behind him, his older brothers and sisters extended to him, invitations to their place all over the country to help heal his broken heart.

"It's okay, sis. Thanks for being there for me but I have to do this year by myself. I-I have to fight my own battles now," Elijah said firmly. Marielle was about to protest but Carson came into frame and whispered something in her ear. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, she bit her lips in apprehension and took a deep breath. 

"I have to let you go, huh?" 

Elijah smiled knowing how protective she was of them all. He nodded and gave her his brightest smile. "Fine. I love you. Have a great day," she said with a tremulous smile. 

"Bye bug. Be good," the twins said in unison before the call was ended. 

He stared at the far wall of his bed that was full of pictures over the years with his family in each of them. There were spots missing and he knew why that was. Turning away from the photo mural, he hopped off his bed and set about his morning. As said before, the two Bengal cats, followed him out of his room with their heads held high, making their way downstairs to the one place where everyone will be gathered. Elijah grinned at the chaos in the kitchen. His mother was flittering around the room, just as Mari was doing earlier, Mischa and Harem were stuffing their faces with phones to their ears, Shaye was on her iPad face-timing their sister, and his father was helping his wife eat.