The only time I'd seen a kitchen as crowded as the Moon's was during a Christmas party that my mother had decided to host in our apartment for her bosses. We had never really been the type to have family meals, our lives too busy between football practice, James Dean trying to get into college, and my parents' busy careers.
So to say that I'm stunned when Rocky explodes into the house like he's an Anne Rice vampire-Elton John love child is an understatement. He was tall, lean, and had locks of gorgeous cinnamon hair that fell around his shoulders in waves. He was everything that I never imagined a guy could look like, wearing deep red lipstick and heavy grey eyeshadow that made his honey eyes glow like embers.
"Rocky! You're home!" Amelia is the first to scream and she runs for the older boy, slamming into his legs and nearly knocking him back down the steps. Soon, she's followed by several other siblings who I had yet to meet, and Asa's parents who quickly move to fuss over their son. The only one left was Quince the emo owl sitting on his perch and Asa, who still held onto my sleeve.
"My oldest baby boy!" Mrs. Moon cries and she grabs Rocky by the face, pulling him down to her height so she can kiss him all over, "I thought you weren't coming home until the holidays! What happened?"
"Oh, mother!" Rocky sighs passionately and throws his arm over his eyes, "I had an entanglement! I was going to be in an adult rendition of Matilda and I fell madly in lust with the director and one of my teachers! They caught us together in an iron lung prop! The next thing I knew, I was being suspended from campus until further notice!"
"Oh, good Lord!" Mr. Moon sighs, "This is the fourth time, Rocky! I thought you were over this!"
"Love is a craving," Rocky whispers dramatically into his fist, head bowed, "And this human form can't be sated!"
"Did they teach you that in college?" Mr. Moon frowns, and then he turns to his wife, "We should have sent him to an all-owl school instead. At least they have courses in hunting rats and building nests."
"Oh, honey, acting is Rocky's passion!" Mrs. Moon sighs and puts a hand on her husband's arm, "Who are we to tell him otherwise?"
"Dude," I whisper to Asa, who's as red as a tomato and gripping onto my sleeve so tight I think he's going to rip it. "Are your brother's all this crazy?"
The floor creaks from one of the opposite doorways and the hairless Rowan appears with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, then spots Rocky, whose face splits into a huge smile at the sight of him. "Row-Row!" Rocky drawls, and he holds out his arms, "Come give your most beloved brother a hug! It's been ages since I've seen you!"
"If one speck of glitter lands on me, you die," Rowan threatens, holding up a happy finger in response, then pushes past everyone on his way out the door. Before he can leave though, Quince flies from his perch and starts after him, effectively bouncing off the top of Rocky's head before the boy and owl are gone.
"W-we're kind of leaving, too! It's getting kind of crowded in here!" Asa blurts, and he pulls me towards the living room, "Thanks for breakfast mom and dad!"
"Asa!" Mr. Moon shouts, "But I made waffles! You love waffles!"
I couldn't believe how fast they had gone from a family unit to avoiding one another. Was it me or was it Rocky that had chased everyone off? Or maybe there really was trouble in paradise and I just didn't know it yet.
We get to the cozy yellow living room with a bunch of squashed green couches and Asa touches the front door, his eyes darting to find mine before he glances away again, his lower lip sticking out a little as he pouts over something that I can't understand.
"What's up with you?" I ask him, and I lift my shoulders, "Why are you acting so weird? Or, weirder than usual, I mean."
"Shh!" Asa hisses, one finger pressing to his lips, "Rocky and I had a falling out before he left!"
"Asa!" Rocky calls, and both Asa and I turn to face the older boy when he trots into the living room in his fancy boots. "I haven't seen you in forever! What's wrong? Who's that adorable boy standing next to you?"
"Okay! Bye!" Asa shouts back and he throws open the door to make his escape. Unfortunately, as he does so, he comes face to face with Soren, who slowly lifts an eyebrow when they bump into one another. This time though, he held a grocery bag in one hand with several rat tails sticking out, and wore a weird bicycle spandex outfit in dark green.
"Soren!" Rocky appears behind Asa and puts a hand on his shoulder, "I was just asking Asa if he wanted to go into town. Want to come with? I'm dying to meet his friend and hear all about what's been going on while I've been away at that awful institution! How about we do lunch?"
"Um..." Soren scans Asa, and then looks down at the bag of dead rats in his hand, "Just let me put these rats in the freezer and I'll grab my keys."
"Perfect!" Rocky chirps, "Let's have a boy's date out, lads! A little sibling get-together!"
"Oh, no," Asa moans into his hands.
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