The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 55.5: In Vain

Part 6/7

“Heh heh, nice hiding spot, I didn’t even spot you!” Big Brother told her, “Good game everyone, that was a lot of fun, what should we do now?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We need to talk about what we’ve been doing since we last met, we probably have so many stories to tell now!”

“You bet, let’s go everyone,” Big Brother announced. All seven children made their way to the living room, their usual hangout spot.

~

“So, you won’t believe it, but Evan and Melissa kissed on the bleachers AGAIN!” Tanya said, “And then they told each other they loved each other and it was so ewww.”

Tanya gagged, and Little Kayla raised her eyebrow.

“Aren’t you seven?”

“Psh, it’s probably not as bad as Emma, she’s in looooove with another boy! What was his name again? Andrew or something?”

“Connor you can’t be talking! I’ve been hearing you talking to that girl on the phone all the time,” Emma replied, flustered, “You KNOW I don’t like anyone like that, that’s gross! I don’t wanna get cooties!”

“Heh, well, for me, personally, I don’t have much going on for me,” Franklin admitted. Jeffrey sighed.

“My classmates keep shipping me with one of my girl friends, which I don’t like, because we’re just friends. And I don’t see her that way, but they only say that because I’m a boy and she’s a girl, it’s not nice,” Jeffrey said sadly. Big Brother chuckled.

“Kiddo, you just tell them to stop right away and that that’s not who you are,” Big Brother told Jeffrey, “Don’t let it bother you too much, okay?”

Little Kayla scratched her chin, looking at Big Brother with a sly smile.

“Say, what about you, Boss?” Little Kayla asked with a witty grin. She looked at Connor and raised her eyebrows back and forth. Connor grinned back and snickered.

Big Brother’s expression instantly changed, and he shook his head. He seemed a bit more melancholic now.

“No… But that’s not your business anyway, is it?”

“Lame,” Little Kayla said. Franklin looked back and forth at the two, the thought of their big adventure still on their mind.

“Maybe he’s going to be this way forever, maybe deep down, he still remembers?” Franklin wondered. Big Brother opened his mouth to speak again when footsteps approached them. They turned around and saw Dad walk in.

“Boys, it’s time to go,” Dad said with a frown. He seemed to be expecting this.

“Awww,” everyone complained. Franklin rushed up and packed all his things, oblivious to what was going to happen next.

“Okay, I’ll see you guys all again sometime! I think we’re going to be meeting more often from now on, soooo probably the weekend after?”

“Yeah, for sure!” Connor roared, pumping his fist into the air, “We’ll see you two around, alright?”

“Goodbye!” Franklin said, waving at them a goodbye. Everyone waved back, and Big Brother let out a sigh, getting up from the ground and patting the dust off his button up shirt. He shoved his hands in his pockets, grabbed his red backpack, and made his way to Dad.

“Well,” Big Brother said, looking at all the cousins one last time, “Goodbye, everyone. I’ll see you later.”

Everyone waved goodbye, but as Big Brother was about to step out the front door, he looked back at the crowd one last time. He seemed to take a mental picture, putting his fingers up, and winking his left eye to capture the moment. He put his hands back in his pockets, and he and Franklin walked out to Dad’s car.