Life of Illusion

“Hey.” Someone whispered, “Hey, Aline?”

“What?” I mumbled, burying my face in my arms.

“It's almost noon. Mum told me to wake you. Something about furniture people coming soon.”

“Oh.” I realized, fully awake. “Thank you!” I shouted to the house as I ran with my book next door. I quickly changed into some clean clothes and waited downstairs.

As I waited, a mail truck came by, knocking on my door. “We have six boxes here for Aline Kingston?”

“Oh.” I said, surprised, “Yes.” I signed for them and helped bring them in. I couldn't let him carry six huge boxes by himself, could I? That's just rude.

Grandma and Grandpa must have sent them overnight. My suspicions turned out to be correct when, opening all six, I came across a note in Grandma's neat cursive.

Aline,
I figured you might need all this stuff sooner than what it would take if I sent this by snail mail. Hope you're doing okay. Don't you dare forget to call at least once a week. Once a day works fine as well.”
XOXO,
Grams and Gramps.

I smiled and began to unload all the books. I got the first box neatly stacked as another knock sounded. The furniture guys.

They assembled and placed, building everything in the rooms I told them to and it was nearly six o'clock before they were done. “Thanks again, guys.” I waved. I sighed, turning back to my living room. The house sure looked smaller now that there was actually furniture in it.

I looked at the two boxes of other house necessities. Where on earth should I start? There was so much. I took the hangers and went to put away all my clothes on the closet and dresser for starters, having to lug up one more of the mailed boxes. It was half filled with the rest of my clothes, half filled with pictures of friends, little trinkets, and the rest of my shoes.

I was halfway through hanging up my sweaters when there was yet another knock on the door. I guess the house was so silent that I heard it even from the upstairs.

“COMING!” I shouted, buttoning the top button of the sweater and putting it in the closet before rushing down the steps.

“Yes?” I said, out of breath, opening the door to the Phelps twins.

“Would you like to come over for dinner?”

“That whole talking at the same time thing is pretty cool.” I complemented.

“Answer the question.” They said.

I laughed before saying, “Yeah, sure, I'd love to.”

“Happy to hear it.”

I grabbed my gray hoodie from the hook by the door and followed them back to their house. Susan greeted me with a hug. “So, is the house finally feeling like a home?” She asked.

“A little, it won't feel comfortable until I've set everything up the way I want it.” We sat down at the table, and started eating. “What's this biscuit thingy?” I asked, poking the delicious bread next to the roast beef and gravy.

“It's not a biscuit.” James put in.

“Our biscuits are your cookies.” Oliver elaborated.

“Whatever. All British and American vocabulary difference aside, what is it?”

“Yorkshire pudding.” Martyn answered, “Susan makes the best I've ever tasted.”

I furrowed my brows at the name. It wasn't anything like pudding. I shrugged, eating some more. “It is really good. You're a great cook, Mrs. Phelps.”

“Yes, well, if you come up tomorrow morning, I'll get you a real British breakfast.” Susan promised.

“I might have to.” I nodded, “But, I better go to the store sometime soon.”

“I need to go anyway, after dinner would you like to go with me?”

“That would be great, thanks!”

It was almost nine by the time I opened my doors, arms loaded with groceries, and took them to the kitchen, the fridge now cold enough to hold the food. I sighed, beginning to unload the bags and put them in their places.

“You forgot your sugar.”

I screamed, dropping the can of corn, missing my foot by centimeters. “Stop doing that!” I told them, “I could have hurt myself pretty bad.”

“We're sorry.” They panted out between laughs.

“That's the million time you've done that to me.” I pouted. “I think you plan it.”

“Oh yeah, our ultimate goal is to make you pee your pants.” James laughed.

“How'd you even get into my house?”

“You need to close your door every once in a while.” They smiled.

“I've now employed you to helping me rearrange my living room.” I said matter-of-factly, hands on my hips.

“Aw, come on! We didn't mean it!” Oliver pleaded.

“Too bad. Pleading will get you nowhere. Besides, I can't move that gigantic bookcase my myself.”

“What do you need such a big bookcase for?”

“I like to read.” I shrugged, “I have a bunch of books.”

“Fine, we'll help.”

The first thing they did for me was push the bookcase into the center of the main wall, then put the two stands on either side, five feet from the book case. After that, I put my stereo on the middle shelf, placing the speakers on the stands. “There.” I rubbed my hands together in accomplishment.

“Anything else?” James asked.

“Hmmm...” I said thoughtfully, trying to come up with pointless jobs for them. “You can move the couch perpendicular to the bookcase.”

“Don't you have a television or something?” Oliver asked, noticing the lack of the aforementioned object.

“No, I never really got the point.” I answered, hanging the pale blue polyester curtains on the windows. I stood back, looking at the room. “Excellent.” I said at their decorating, they were now moving the coffee table in front of the couch. Truth is, I could have done everything myself, but it was nice to have company.

“Oh, so you do like Harry Potter?” Oliver asked as I started placing books on the abnormally large bookcase.

“Yes.”

“Have you seen the movies?” James asked.

“My friend came over with the first one once, she watched it, but I never really got into it. Instead of watching I was--”

“Reading.” The twins finished for me.

“Yes.” I nodded, “Why do you ask?”

The twins looked at each other, smirking. “As you know, there are twins in those books.”

“Yeah, I'm aware.” I looked between them, confused.

“They have ginger hair.” They said, pointing to their orange-ish locks.

“No!” I exclaimed, realizing what they were getting at. “You're kidding me! Are you serious?”

“No, we're Fred and George Weasley.”

I cocked my head to the side, confused, then started laughing, “Oh! I get it! Sirius Black!”

“I think you have to be the only one in the world who hasn't watched the movies.” James said after I calmed down.

“I can't sit still for movies. And my mind doesn't focus on them.”

“But, strangely, you can read books for hours.”

“Yeah, so?”

“You're odd.” They both said.

“Whatever, you can leave now, I think I have punished you enough.”

“Tomorrow, we're making you watch the movies.”

“That's a little conceited, don't you think? Making me watch movies you starred in?” I teased, smirking as I followed them to the door.

“Yup.” They said, bouncing down the steps.

“Well, I guess I'll see you then.” I waved.