One Small Step | ✔

Ready Or Not

There's a knock on my bedroom door
and my name being called through it.
I turn over, burrowing into my covers,
content and warm.

"Tallulah?" the familiar voice says again
and I groan, still ignoring it.
The door opens and I hear
a soft chuckle.

"It's eleven in the morning, Tal,
your brother let you sleep in."
The bed squeaks and I turn over
to find myself staring into gorgeous blue eyes.

"Ambrose let you come in here?" I blink sleepily.
He lets out another laugh.
"Hell no, your brother
would gouge out my eyes."

"Mm, I don't know.
He seems to like you.
Besides, I like your eyes."
I reply, tugging him down beside me.

He complies obediently
and we just lie like that,
for a while,
side by side, staring into each other's eyes.

He props himself up, giving me that
smile that I love so much.
"If any of your brothers come in now,
then I really will be dead."

"And if Lulu wouldn't be so shattered
by your death, you would be right now."
Another voice says from the door way.
Jacob's voice.

I raise my head to see
Jacob grinning and am
momentarily surprised.
"Don't you ever knock?"

He shrugs,
"Door was open."
I give him an icy glare
and he knocks exaggeratedly.

"Breakfast is getting cold."
Jacob says
before shooting
a finger gun at Roman.

"Come up, you're getting up," Roman
orders me, reaching out a hand.
"Fine," I grumble, walking across the
room to get my hairbrush.

I get through the tangles quickly
and brush my teeth before remembering
Roman is there.
He's lying in my bed, eyes closed.

I sit down next to him
and poke his stomach,
"Hypocrite,"
I call him.

He opens his eyes and grins sheepishly.
"You caught me."
This time, he holds out
his hands to be pulled out.

As we walk out of my room,
I sneak a quick peak
towards my nail polish,
hoping Roman doesn't notice.

When we get downstairs,
Soren, Tate, Ambrose,
Dara and Trinity are all
sitting at the table in the kitchen.

Soren is still in a wheelchair
but he's eagerly boasting
his high scores to Tate,
who brags like a five year old.

They're all eating breakfast.
When we slide into our seats, it's
Ambrose's turn to point a finger gun
at Roman.

Roman holds up his hands.
"Totally innocent." 
Ambrose shrugs.
"I know, but she's my baby sister."

Soren whistles,
"Three brothers on your back.
I only had to deal with one for Dru.
Younger brother too."

Drusilla Leoni, Soren's last girlfriend
has come up 
in our conversations more often
than I'd have ever expected.

There's pain in Soren's eyes
every time she's mentioned, but
it seems to do him good
to say her name.

"Where's Aunt Margaret and Dad?"
I ask Ambrose, grabbing a plate of breakfast.
"Mr. Olsen picked Dad up to go golfing
and Aunt Margaret left with Mrs. Olsen."

"I thought you were going with them?" I say to
Roman and Soren laughs. "Last time he tried
to play golf, he nailed Mr. Signorelli in the forehead.
Basketball, soccer, sure! But not golf. Not for Roman." 

"So what are we going to do for the day?"
I say, finishing my plate. 
"Well, Jacob, Tate, Dara and I are giving 
your boyfriend the third degree." Ambrose replies.