The Butterfly Room

The next morning, I awoke to find that Lumiere was gone. I sat up seeing the covers turned and the imprint of her body.I tossed my sheets off.

"Shit." I grumbled wiping the sleep from my eyes. I opened my door finding her emerging from the bathroom rubbing her eyes like a sleepy child. She looked up at me.

"I couldn't get the pot to work." she said slithering past me back into my room. Pot? What pot? I thought going into the bathroom. I looked to the toilet. Oh, that pot.
She had forgotten to flush. Great. I flushed the toilet coming back to my room. I found her rummaging through my clothes, her bottom up in the air.

"What are you looking for?" I asked. She turned around realizing I was there.

"More clothes." she replied sitting on her heels. She looked me over blushing.
I looked down realizing that I was still in my boxers briefs. Yeah, she was definitely still a girl alright. I pulled on the pants I had tossed aside last night and helped her find another shirt. By this time, the whole household had woken up and the morning sounds broke the silence. 

"Jonah?" my mum called. 

"Hold on." I said to Lumiere leaving the room. Mum needed help with the coffee machine. When I had finished I went back to my room seeing the door open. Did I leave it open? I wondered drawing near. I heard voices within. I cursed under my breath. I walked in seeing my little sister sitting beside Lumiere on my bed. They both looked up at me.

"Jonah! You've been hiding a GIRL in your room?" my sister exclaimed jumping from the bed. Lumiere lowered her eyes, knowing she did something wrong. I clenched my fists.

"Tatiana, mom and dad can't know about this." Tatiana looked at me excitedly.

"Can we keep her?" she asked. I rolled my eyes. Was Lumiere a puppy or something?!

"Tatiana Selene." I repeated. She folded her arms.

"Only if she stays in my room." I opened my mouth shocked. How did my sister manage to obtain ABSOLUTELY NO information about Lumiere and want her to stay in such a short amount of time! But I couldn't argue. She had the upper hand.

"Fine." I said remembering that I wanted my bed back. I was a little bit nervous with letting this stranger stay with my sister. Did I mention she was a stranger? Lumiere looked from Tatiana to me and back.

"But. But Jonah. He'll be lonely." she said concerned. Tatiana tried to take lumiere's hand, but failed. 

"Do you not like being touched?" my sister asked, it wasn't out of spite, she was merely curious. Lumiere stared at her lap.

"I don't know." Tatiana looked to me.

"You're like a bird or something. You won't let anyone touch you." suddenly, I had that 'Ohhhh! Duhh!' feeling. Birds and insects don't like being manhandled. 

Lumiere slid from the bed her shirt skimming her thighs. Tati covered her mouth.

"Oh my gosh. Jonah." she gasped between round fingers. "is she wearing my PANTIES?" Lumiere widened her eyes.

"These are yours?" she claimed, though I don't really think she understood. Tatiana glared at me. Shit, now she was going to tell for sure.

"You could have just asked." she said putting her hands on her little hips. I scratched my head looking away.

"I know, I'm sorry." she led Lumiere out of the room expertly. I ran after them. "show Lumiere the ropes Tatiana. I don't know how to do...girl stuff you know." I hissed. Tatiana and Lumiere disappeared into her room slamming the door behind them. I leaned in the doorway.

What did I get myself into this time? 
My phone vibrated on the dresser. I went over answering without looking at the caller ID. 

"Hello?" I answered.
"Jonah? Hey!" it sounded like my friend Nathalie. I sat heavily on my bed. I hadn't talked to her in ages. At least since I broke up with her.

"hey, I haven't talked to you in a while." I said playing with a hole forming on the knee of my jeans.

"yeah! I went with my friend Mia to Miami beach on a holiday and saw some of your friends. They said you stayed behind." I smiled, Nathalie was always the worrier.

"yeah, my family wanted to go to St. Martin for a stupid bonding trip." she laughed sweetly. I could just imagine the little crease between her eyebrows deepening when she laughed. I laid on my back, god, how did I remember these things?

"that sounds cute Jonah. I wish my parents would take me to an island." I laughed, if only she knew.

"yeah, it's something all right."

"well, I just wanted to see what was up." she said, I could hear a car starting in the background. She was probably going somewhere.

"yeah, I'm just...." Tatiana laughed loudly from the next room. "just hanging around." I paused again. "do you think I could call you later, yknow when you're not busy?" I could almost hear her smiling on the other side of the phone.

"yeah. Anytime Jonah." when I had hung up with her I felt happy. Like a mystery solved. It started in my stomach and traveled through my veins all the way to my cheeks. I sat like that for a few more moments then got up to go shave. The bathroom door was locked. I pounded on it.

"Tatiana, don't take forever in there. I gotta shower." the door swung open and Lumiere stood before me smelling clean and wearing clothes that fit...sorta. She even had glitter on her eyelashes. Tatiana stood behind her.

"look what I did!" she beamed. "I tried my best since Lumi doesnt like to be touched." I cracked a grin, Lumi, that's sweet.
"mom'll see her if you're parading her around like that." I said remembering.

"mom went to an early lunch with dad." she shot back sticking her small pink tongue out. Lumiere mimicked, her tongue sliding out of her mouth. She tugged at the small skirt uncomfortably. 

"can we go to la plage?" she asked her eyes round as saucers. 

"yeah!" my sister piped in. She pushed past us running to her room. 

"I'll get my bathing suit." Lumiere turned to me. It was now that I could really examine her outfit. She wore one of Tatianas hello kitty t-shirts and skirt. The whole outfit was revolved around hello kitty actually. Figures. We all changed into our beach outfits, Lumiere had to wear my tshirt and jeans again. We had to walk since my parents had the car. 

"can we go to a different beach?" my sister whined. "this one is always full." she said pointing to the beach behind where we were staying. 

"I saw a sign by the farm that said Galion beach." Lumiere noted skipping over stones as we walked. A car was coming and she could get hurt.

"Lumiere! Watch out!" she looked up. 

"huh?" she saw the car and gracefully flitted out of harms way. "did you say something?" she asked not fazed. Tati and I stood looking in awe.

"is she a ballerina too?" Tatiana said not taking her eyes off of Lumiere.

"I have no idea." I said lowly watching Lumiere skip down the way to Galion beach. Soon, we could hear the smooth rolling of waves on the beach. The sun was out on full blast. Tati had gotten tired halfway there and Lumiere was still marching along. Did her energy, EVER run out? I wondered kicking a can along. She turned around smiling ear to ear.

"do you hear it Jonah? It's the ocean!" she cried quickening her pace. Tatiana bounced behind her like one of those chimp babies. I wished i could snap a picture. We went directly to the beach tossing our bags and shedding our clothes. Tatiana flung her skirt on the pile racing ahead of us to the water.

"come on Lumi! The waters warm!" lumiere's face lit up, her eyes taking on the colour of the ocean. 

"come Jonah! Play with us." she beckoned. I sat cross-legged by our stuff.

"nah, I'll be in later. Go have fun." she hesitated and then bounded to the water. I had never noticed how fun she was. So childlike. People on the beach would peer over their sunglasses or whisper, some even stared in awe. Lumiere was the star of her own one woman show, and she didn't know. She leapt and twirled as if born from water. My sister watched and copied, close in cuteness, but far from the perfection that Lumi emanated. I leaned back resting my head on a bag. The sun a warm blanket and hot chocolate on a cool day. Soon I was asleep. 

I awoke to an annoying procession of pokes along my arm. I swatted at them, maybe they'd go away if I hit hard enough. But the poking turned to shaking. I opened my eyes, looking into the wide panicked eyes of my sister. I sat up.

"what? What's happening?" my heart was racing and my head was blowing 360 from sitting up so quickly.

"it's Lumi, I think she's drowning."