Enjoy!
"Emberlyn! Jayden! Get up!" Katherine's shrill scream comes muffled through the small door. Ember groans and buries herself into the bed her and Jayden share. Jayden sighs and sits up. He smiles a little down at Ember.
"Morning, Em."
"Morning, Jay." Steps pound down on their ceiling in the little cupboard they call a room. Then someone bounces on the specific stair over their bed.
"Get up! We're going to the aquarium!" Their cousin, Roy, screams. They share a glance and get up. They get dressed, backs facing each other. Ember smiles at Jayden.
"Only four days until our birthdays." He ruffles her carrot colored hair.
"Then we'll be eleven." She giggles.
"Then we'll be eleven. Now we have to make breakfast." They walk out. Their Uncle John sits in his chair, reading the newspaper. He glares at them.
"I need my coffee!" He says, exasperated. They silently get to work, making eggs and bacon. Katherine smothers Roy as they wait.
"Oh, my baby boy is eleven!" She covers his face in lip shapes colored tan.
"Mum, stop!" Roy laughs. Ember pours John a cup of coffee. He takes a sip and glares at Ember.
"This is medium roast! I asked for dark!" Ember nods silently and takes the cup. He jerks it out of her hand, sloshing hot coffee on her apron. "No, I'll drink it!" She nods again. Jayden sits the plates in front of them and sits beside Roy. Roy pushes him off of his seat.
"No! It's my birthday and I want them to not sit with us!" He whines. Ember scowls. Katherine nods.
"Go wait in the living room. We"ll leave when we're finished." Ember and Jayden nod. They go to the couch and sit down. Ember looks at Jayden.
"Why weren't we in that drive by?" Jayden had no answer.
ま
Roy, Ember, Jayden, Katherine, and John all stand at the touch pool. Roy shoves his hand on the starfish, while Ember gently brushes her hands on them, fascinated. Jayden stands beside Ember, watching the fish dart around. These are the moments they forget their parents were murdered by a drive by in London. These are the moments they forget about all the bad things in their lives.
"They don't do anything!" Roy whines, shattering the peaceful thoughts. Ember and Jayden share a look, as if saying, this kid is eleven? "Daddy! Make them move!" John screams at the pool.
"Move!" Nothing. Roy grabs a starfish and throws it to the ground.
"This is dumb. Let's go somewhere else." Katherine and John lead Roy away. Ember gently moves down to the starfish and picks him up, whispering softly to it.
"It's okay, little guy. The mean boy is gone now." The starfish wraps a little tentacle around Ember's index. She smiles and puts it back into the water. Jayden rolls his eyes, a smile on his face.
"You're a real softie, Ember Crawford." She smiles and links her arm with his.
"You are too, Jayden Crawford." They walk to see Roy pounding on the glass to an albino alligator's terrarium. Ember and Jayden glare at him. Roy falls into the small pool under the alligator's habitat, the glass gone. The alligator looks at Ember and Jayden, then scampers out, everyone screaming. Katherine and Roy bang on the glass separating them.
"My baby!"
"Mummy! Get me out of here!" John glares at Ember and Jayden. Ember mutters to Jayden.
"We're done for."