Mutiny Below

Natalia

When Eric woke me up at nine in the morning, I was extremely unhappy with him. We'd stayed up so late the night before and he just had to wake me up early. Not to mention the fact that he was extremely enthusiastic about everything.

Hey Eric, I'm gonna go shower.

Yay! Then we can go do something!

Eric, can you hand me my hairbrush?

Yes! Then we can go somewhere!

I wasn't sure where he was so excited about going but his hyperactivity did not mix well with my lack of sleep. Once I was ready, I went back into the living room and found him on the couch. Asleep. He was sort of sitting halfway up but he looked extremely uncomfortable. I sighed and sat down on the empty end of the couch curling my legs up to my chest. I switched on the tv and turned the volume way down to watch an old CSI episode.

Eric began to stir slightly and his head dropped down so far that his chin was touching his chest. I watched him squirm around for a minute before he finally just flopped over onto his side, with his head landing in my lap. He rolled over onto his stomach and nuzzled his face into the side of my leg then threw his arm over my knees, basically pinning me down. His breathing became steady again which I assumed meant he'd gotten comfortable and went back to sleep.

By the time I'd watched half a CSI marathon, the door opened and John stepped into the apartment, giving me a weird look. I looked down into my lap, only now noticing that I actually had my fingers tangled in Eric's hair. I hadn't realized I'd been playing with it while I was watching tv. I crossed my arms over my chest as John came over to the couch where we were. He leaned down really close to Eric's ear.

"Hey Jackass! Get up!"

Eric sprang up from my lap and looked up at John. He then turned to look at me.

"Oh sorry, Natalia. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Of course not. After you woke me up early and all."

"I'm sowwwy! Pwease forgive me?"

I rolled my eyes and stood up from the couch followed by Eric.

"So where are we going?" Eric asked.

John shook his head at him. "We?"

"Well, yeah. Dude, we have nothing to do! Come on!"

"Fine. But it's not like it's anything fun."

"So?"

"I have to go talk to Kenny about why he's being an ass to Gemma."

Eric and I exchanged looks. "Oh. That does sound like fun."

"Loads," I agreed.

"Well, would you rather sit here all day watching CSI reruns?"

Eric shook his head rapidly and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the door.

"Come on, dude!" he yelled over his shoulder.

I climbed into the back seat of John's car then Eric got into the front as John reached the car.

"Feed us lunch, John! We're hungry!" Eric shouted at the top of his lungs.

"You haven't eaten lunch yet?"

Eric and I both shook our heads and he rolled his eyes. "Fine."

We stopped and ate Chipotle before getting back on the road. We drove for about ten minutes in complete, dead silence before pulling into the driveway of a house I remembered was the location of the party I was forced into upon arrival to Arizona. I followed Eric up to the front door and we followed John through the front door and up the stairs. John pushed open the door to Kennedy's bedroom without knocking and I really wish he had.

Apparently, Kennedy had just gotten out of the shower. Eric gasped dramatically and slapped his hands over my eyes, pushing me backwards out of the room. Once we were back in the hallway with the door shut, Eric removed his hands from my face. I could hear Kennedy yelling at John on my behalf. "Dude, my bare ass will be burned in her brain forever!"

Eric looked over at me and burst out laughing so I punched him as hard as I could in the arm but it did no good. He was doubled over laughing. The door opened and John came out laughing with a scowling, now fully dressed Kennedy behind him.

"Sorry about that, Natalia," Kennedy muttered.

"No, it's your house. I'm sorry."

He glared at John and headed downstairs. Eric followed him and I went to follow Eric but John grabbed my elbow and turned me back to face him.

"What?"

He looked at me surprised, like he wasn't expecting me to speak to him first or something.

"Uhh, I was just gonna say sorry for making you see Kenny's bare ass."

He smiled widely but I just stared at him.

"It's fine."

I started to walk away but he grabbed my arm again.

"What, John?"

"Do you suddenly have a problem with me or something?"

"No, why do you ask?"

I was extremely aware of how close his face was to mine and how his hand still held my arm. He stared into my eyes for a minute then shook his head and dropped his hands, turning and heading down the stairs without another word. I followed him down and went to sit next to Eric on the couch, trying not to think about John, who was sitting in the corner chair not too far away from me.

John cleared his throat. "Kennedy, man, what did you say to Gemma?"

Kennedy sighed and started into a story that I didn't listen to. Eric and I thumb wrestled while John and Kennedy talked back and forth. Their conversation ended in a "bro hug" and then John turned to look at Eric and I who were still sitting on the couch hand in hand. When I looked up at him, his eyes were on our hands. Kennedy asked him a question and he turned his body toward him but he still had his eyes on us. I dropped Eric's hand and leaned my head back, closing my eyes.

I felt something heavy on my lap and I cracked one eye open to see Eric resting his head on my legs. He grinned up at me and grabbed my hands, laying them on his head. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What? It felt good when you did it this morning."

"Wait, you weren't asleep?"

His smiled widely and squeezed his eyes shut. I thumped him lightly on the forehead and he shot up, rubbing his forehead. "You meanie!"

I rolled my eyes and pulled my legs up under me as he fell back down next to me. John sat in his corner chair texting away while Kennedy sat in front of the window biting his lip nervously. He seemed upset about what had happened with Gemma.

The front door opened and in walked in Jayce and Gemma, followed closely by Nick. I wondered where he'd gone this morning. Jayce sat down in John's lap while Kennedy immediately went over to Gemma. Her eyes were a little red like she'd been crying. Nick went onto the porch to smoke and Eric and I both decided to be nosy and discreetly watch what was going on between Gemma and Kennedy.

They talked lowly to each other for a few minutes before Kennedy just grabbed her and kissed her. Eric, John, and Jayce all cheered as Gemma pulled away blushing. Kennedy was grinning like he'd just won a million dollars as he sat down and pulled Gemma down onto his lap.

John and Jayce were whispering and smiling at each other. Kennedy and Gemma were kissing like nobody's business. As I sat there in the middle of that, I couldn't help but feel a tad lonely. Well, until Eric poked my leg. I looked up at him and he grinned then held his hand out flat in front of me.

"What are you doing?"

"Play slaps with me!"

"And how does one play slaps?"

His mouth dropped. "Are you kidding me? Okay, well put your hands under mine."

I held my hands out to him and he turned them over so that they were palm up then placed his hands palm down on top of mine.

"Okay. Now. Whenever you feel like it, just try to slap my hands."

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Wow. That's lame."

"Is not, Natalia. You just don't-...Hey!"

I had taken the opportunity to slap his hands while he was distracted by talking. He stuck his tongue out at me and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come on. My turn!"

"I'm not playing anymore. Cheater!"

"You are such a nerd, my darling."

"I know. But you love me."

I shook my head and he rolled his lip out in a pout. I squeezed his knee sympathetically and his pout turned into a grin as he patted his lap. "Come here."

"Come where?"

"Right here, silly!"

Eric motioned to his lap again. Nick, who had come inside from his smoking, sat up from the loveseat. "Uhh, dude? What?"

Eric rolled his eyes at Nick. "Dude, chill."

He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me down so that my head was in his lap. "See?"

"Oh. Okay then. Gah, why didn't you just say that?"

He thumped my forehead and then pointed his finger at me. "HaHa! Got you back, meanie."

I contemplated biting his finger since it was right there in my face but instead I just closed my eyes and listened to the voices around me. I felt Eric's fingers gently moving in my hair and I smiled. He poked my nose so I opened my eyes to look up at him. He winked and started laughing to himself.

I turned my head to the left and my eyes instantly locked with John's. He looked irritated and somewhat angry and I wondered what I had missed that made him that way.

We finally left a few hours later and I was about to lose consciousness. Nick made me close my eyes so that he could give me something and I almost fell asleep waiting for him. He set a something in my lap then told me to open my eyes.

It was a backpack that I'd been wanting for awhile. My old one had ripped last semester due to the tons of books I'd had to carry to class.

"Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding? Thank you."

I stood up and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He chuckled.

"I'm glad. I just wanted to make sure you forgave me for dragging you here."

"I can't stay mad at you, big brother."

"That's good to know, little sister."

He kissed my forehead and I went off to my room with my new backpack. I set it in the chair next to the bed before turning out the light and crawling into the bed.

My big brother is the best. And his best friend isn't so bad either.