Two

Orion stopped eating and slowly raised his head, his sharp gaze directed towards April. April looked at him and averted her gaze immediately.

Few seconds later, his eyes were still on her. The table was suddenly silent.

"I -I m-mean I will consider it," she said.

Orion faced his food and started eating again. April knew he would have scolded her if she hadn't said what she said.

He gets unnecessarily angry whenever she brought up the issue of her not wanting to further her education after high school.

"By the way, why would you send him to my room, mom?" April asked.

She was speaking with a low voice but that doesn't mean that everyone at the table couldn't hear her.

"Who else would I have sent? Iver was rendering me help in the kitchen, a character you need to develop," Mrs Caddel subtly scolds again and April rolled her eyes yet again.

"I was in my panties and bralette," she said.

"Nobody's fault but yours. I told you multiple times to sleep in nightgowns instead, and I don't think there's anything wrong with shorts but of course, the great April Caddel would rather wear panties to sleep!" Mrs Caddel said.

April huffed, it was as if her mother already had her in mind a long time ago and was now getting back at her.

"What if I was completely naked?" she made an assumption and her multiple coughs arose from her father's throat.

Orion passed him the water and gulped the whole glass down, thanking him afterwards.

"Why the hell would you be completely naked?" Mr Caddel asked with dissatisfaction.

"Dad, it's just an assumption." April shrugged.

"Well, he gave you a bath multiple times when you were younger," Iver said with a chuckle.

"I told you not to ever bring that up again," April pointed her spoon at him like a weapon.

Iver raised his palm up in surrender at first but then he suddenly leaned forward and licked the spoon. April made a disgusted face and let the cutlery drop to the table, taking a new one. Iver and Mrs Caddel laughed in amusement.

"Why would you allow your female child to be bathed by an old guy anyway? That's wrong on so many levels," she said.

She deliberately used the phrase 'old guy' just to annoy Orion but typical Orion does not even react.

"You used to love it actually," Iver revealed.

April's eyes widened and she looked towards her mother for confirmation.

"It's true," Mrs Caddel confirmed.

"Sometimes, you would even refused to be bathed by someone else," Mrs Caddel added.

"That's not true,"

"Yes, it is," Iver confirmed this time.

"Shut up!" April snapped at Iver.

Orion once again raised his head, looking at her with a disapproving expression on his face. April glanced at him and looked at Iver.

"Sorry," she apologized insincerely.

"Apology accepted," Iver replied with a smirk.

"Anyway, you all are prohibited from coming into my room as from today." April announced.

"Instead of that, why don't you just learn how to act like a lady and actually get used to sleeping with appropriate night-wears until you are out of this house?" Iver rolled his eyes.

"What does that mean?" April asked.

"I mean you can't order anyone around here. When you get to your husband's house, you can do that. You can even start sleeping naked if you want," Iver chuckled.

"I know the appropriate answer to give to you but I don't want to be rude," April said, glancing at Orion.

"You are always rude," Iver spoke and April ignored him.

"I'm still on my verdict. From now on, I don't want any male in my room. Anyone who intrudes, I will cut off their legs," she threatened, trying to put on a fierce face so she could look scary.

"You look like a puppy," Mr Caddel snickered and April sighed in defeat.

Iver suddenly splayed his palm over his face looking at April through the gap made by his fingers while squinting his eyes.

"What is your problem this time?" April asked, hunching in her seat.

"Your lipstick. Too bold. It's blinding my eyes," Iver said before dropping his hand.

"Over-dramatic!" April rolled her eyes.

"I think the red is too bold too. Makes you look like a grown-up," Mr Caddel commented.

"I'm fifteen!" April reminded, trying to let them realize that she isn't a kid anymore.

"Exactly," Orion input.

April glared at him while he took in the last spoon of his food. He sipped his water and sat back.

"Thanks for the food, mom," Orion appreciated like always and Mrs Caddel replied with a smile.

Usually that is the most longest sentence that comes out of his mouth during their meal-time. He took a wipe and walked away. April who had her back to him thought he was gone, not knowing he has a hidden agenda and had quietly walked back to stand behind her.

Iver and Mr Caddel, who could see him clearly, pretended like they didn't see anything, anticipating the next scene.

"I wonder what he's still doing in this house," April scoffed.

"You want to chase your brother out?" Mrs Caddel asked.

"He's already twenty four years old, mom. He's not supposed to be under this roof anymore," April replied.

There are times when the year difference between April and Orion is ten and there are times when it is ten, depending on the months they are in. The age difference between Iver and April though is five years.

April is fifteen, Iver is twenty one and Orion is twenty four years old.

"Hmm. That's true, he should go get married," Iver said, teasing Orion who gave him a deadly look over April's head.

"Not get married!" April yelled at Iver and everyone looked at her in shock, "I- I mean he should look for a job," she clarified.

"He's old enough to get married anyway," Iver said, smirking at Orion once again.

"He's not!" April exclaimed.

"You are acting weird right now. You are the one who calls him an old guy every-time," Iver reasoned.

"That doesn't mean he is old enough to get married," April glared at Iver, "Nobody would want to marry him anyway," she added.

"Why is that?" Mr Caddel asked.

"He's so arrogant, and heartless. Dad, are you sure he even has a heart?" she asked seriously.

"I do," Orion replied from behind her and she jumped in shock.

Before she could look back, he placed one hand behind her head, holding it firmly in place.

Then with his other hand holding the wipe, he placed it against her lips firmly, wiping off her lipstick completely while she struggled. He accomplished his mission and released her, dropping the dirty wipe on the table in front of her, then he walked away.

Everyone burst into laughter. April screamed in anger, picked the empty glass cup in front of her and leapt up, going after Orion.

Orion, who knew what she would do even before she acted it out was prepared and hurried to the room he and Ivan shared.

He opened the door, slipped inside and held the door open watching April matching towards him in anger. When she was almost at the door, he slammed it shut in her face. He heard another annoyed scream from her outside the door.

"April, you are already late for school, come collect some cash for a cab," Orion could hear Mr Caddel's voice.

"I'm not going again," April yelled back stubbornly.

"Spoilt brat," Orion chuckled to himself.