Hundred Words

Five

Five

My kitchen seems to be a step out of the ordinary in my plain house, a splash of modern designing dropped into my cozy, welcoming abode. A glassy toned down blue and green backsplash frames the back of the marble counters, set below an array of clean white cabinets. Silver appliances and machines decorate the empty areas, the fridge adorned in plastic magnets, photos, report cards, and sloppy drawings.

My family greets me as I walk leisurely toward our island, made to match the countertops, and supported by dark stained wood.

"Good morning!" Said Eli, a little too loudly. He was soon repeated by Mia, who sat contemplating her juice box.

I walked past them, drowsiness threatening to slow my already turtle speed. I picked up a banana on my way to my seat, my nose temporarily scrunching up at the sprinkle of dark sugar spots around the fruit. I absolutely had a great distaste for the fruit when fully ripened, and even the lightest of spots on the banana set me off.

"Good morning to you guys, too." I said as I dropped into my chair.

The window to the side of me seemed to glow with the heavenly light of morning, a pulsating beat of liquid sky. As I peeled my banana I looked past the clear glass panes and into my ordinary patio, an often neglected pool and scattered float toys messing up the tranquil mood set by the glass tables and elegantly weaved chairs. The normal patio soon feel away to the wooden walkway, and beautiful Daytona beach looked plastered on, as if someone had crudely photoshopped the two worlds together. I sighed, bouncing my feet up and down against the hardwood floor.

"Woah there, honey!" Mom joked. "Should I be afraid you're this jittery before coffee?" She placed the large iced coffee under my nose, as usual. She makes a routine stop at Dunkin Donuts every morning for both of us, grabbing different iced varieties for myself, and lattes as well as cappuccinos for her.

Finishing my banana, I place the peel on my napkin before taking a sip. The pumpkin flavored drink makes me crinkle up my nose momentarily, the very sweet banana flavor still in my mouth making the drink taste extremely bitter.

"Is that chocolate milk?" Eli asked inquisitively. "I want chocolate milk!"

I took a long sip, smiling. "I don't think you want a sip, really."

He put his small hands on his hips. " I want a sip."

I held up my cup, the ice creating condensation that sparkled. " Here you go, then."

He smiled wide, grabbing the cup and lifting it too his mouth. His expression changed from a grin to a frown that took up his whole face. He handed me back the cup, the straw slightly chewed from his bad habit. Eli pointed a finger at me. "That grown up coffee is really bad." He walked away, his mouth still stuck in a silly frown that turned down toward the floor. His feet stomped a little on the way back to his chair.

"Look, you're going to turn him away from chocolate milk forever!" My mom exclaimed with a chuckle.

I stared down at the floor, shaking my head with a laugh. I tilted my chair precariously back and forth to make a clicking noise, and my coffee sloshed around in its cup. After a period of time, I got up with a groan and made my way over to the kitchen counter, and began to sloppily prepare some toast. I angled the dial to a specific point and dropped the frozen bread into the machine.

I tilted my head carefully to watch the bread, feeling like Eli the time we took him to Subway. His eyes had spread wide like it was Christmas and he was about to tear away the wrapping paper to something he was absolutely sure was at the top of his list. His hands had been spread over the glass, and he was suddenly very keen on getting his own sandwich.