Crossed Wires

You know, I really do appreciate the concept of mixed signals, like, most of the time it's something like someone winked at you then didn't give a shit after. Little things like that, it usually doesn't involve tonsil hockey followed by a tongue lashing... Well, not in this context anyway.

Echo is considerably more quiet on the journey back into town, even keeping as much distance as she can from me on the seat of the bike, without falling off. I stop as we reach the outskirts.

"So, do you want a ride home? It'll be quicker if I take you." I offer, turning to signal I'm talking to her.

"Sure." She mutters, sending the directions to my watch. I guess that's the most I'm getting. We set off again and it's not too long until we're approaching the location. The area's... Well, there's no good way of saying it. It's rough, like I feel like there's a good chance we could get shot rough.

I pull up outside the address, it's a run-down tower block made of concrete so dull it seems to absorb light instead of reflecting it. Echo dismounts wordlessly and heads towards the door.

"Are we okay?" I ask, desperate to receive some sort of recognition.

Echo stops and considers my question for a few seconds. "We're fine... I just don't know if I am." She responds cryptically, before entering the door code to let herself inside the building.

Maybe some time to think will help her... Speaking of time, I should get out of her before it gets dark.

*

"You took your time." Rouge observes as I enter the kitchen. The journey home wasn't particularly eventful, but by the time I got back it was nearly night. "Anyone special?"

Poppy, Marie, Rosie, and surprisingly Andi are present at the dinner table, I decide not to name-drop Echo right now. "Come on, Rouge, a gorgeous woman like you must know how easy it is to lose track of time when you're constantly admired." I smile, flattery is usually a good way of changing the subject.

"Wow, I bet that works on Scarlet." My aunt snorts. "I don't care where you were, sit down, Trish is making spaghetti." I'd almost forgotten how laissez-faire Rouge is, I should've saved that line for when she's really pissed. Oh well, live and learn.

I take a seat next to Marie, before addressing the stunningly beautiful elephant in the room. "So, do you live here now? There's space in my room." I ask Andi, causing Rosie to roll her eyes.

"Are all French guys this corny? It'd explain why you weren't interested in them." Andi directs towards her new bestie, who laughs at my expense. "My parents are out tonight, Rosie invited me for dinner." She explains.

"The more, the merrier!" Trish shouts from the kitchen.

"Were all of your meals this hectic back home?" Marie grunts to Poppy, who smiles at her bluntness.

"Most of the time, usually it was Rufus and Rosie arguing though, and our parents making eyes at each other." She answers, equally as honestly.

Rouge almost chokes on her water in reaction to Poppy's reply. "Shit, they still do that? Used to turn my stomach, they were insufferable." She scoffs disapprovingly.

"Yeah, like you and Mum are any better." Marie scowls at her Mother. "I barely got a word in back at our house." Rouge seems equally irked and proud that she's managed to gross out her daughter for so long.

"When you have kids you'll enjoy torturing them just as much as we do." She informs us, making Andi chuckle.

A knock at the door interrupts our conversation. "That'll be Sienna." Trish's voice informs us. "Babe, can you get it?"

Rouge groans as she gets up and exits the room. "Well, this is the busiest family dinner we've had since... Forever." Rosie considers.

"I like it, it's fun." Andi replies, her smile so wide it looks like she might strain her cheeks. "It makes me wish I had siblings."

"You don't, they're so much hassle, I'm really considering getting leashes for them." I correct her, drawing the ire of my sisters.

Andi doesn't seem convinced by my plight. "I dunno, you seem more like the troublemaker to me." She decides smugly.

"Oh, he is. He gets that from me." A familiar voice interrupts us from the doorway. All of us turn to see a vision we haven't witnessed in what feels like forever. Poppy is the first to react, breaking us out of our shocked paralysis.

"Mama?" She asks in disbelief at seeing her walk in. Our Mother, the head of the household, Elise Monroe, enters the room fully, unable to hide the excited smile on her face.

"Surprise!" She announces. "Did you miss me?"