Teach Natalie not to mouth off

The sound of muffled laughter through Aaron's wall woke him from his reverie, and the string of amused exclamations that followed invoked memories of sleepless nights spent with a pillow pressed against each side of his head. Natalie probably spent more time giggling on the phone with her friends than sleeping, eating and working combined. Sure, she slept and ate, but Aaron figured she was so lazy, her total hours spent working must be a negative figure by now.

He thumped the wall twice and heard his sister groan, followed by another muffled sentence. Footsteps approached his door, which burst open as a cranky Natalie stood with arms crossed.

"Knock it off, loser. Can't you tell I'm on the phone?"

I'd say half the planet can, Aaron wanted to say, which would have started yet another argument, but this time he had other plans.

"Sorry, Nat," he said obsequiously. "Um, you've got a bit of food on your cheek."

Natalie carefully traced a hand across her face, trying not to ruin her makeup.

"Where?"

"I'll get it," Aaron said, pretending to be helpful as he raised his hand, and with a flick of the black blade, cut Natalie's mouth from her face. He caught the lips as the fell in a comical 'O' of surprise.

It was interesting to see: Despite being just a pair of lips like one of those novelty candies, he could still Natalie's teeth, tongue and throat within, as though her open mouth were floating portal back to her body. A body that now stood listlessly in front of him with vacant eyes.

"What..." Natalie began, but Aaron clenched his fist, clamping Natalie's lips together just as she was about to scream. The squirming of her lips as they tried to move in his closed hand sent a tingle up his arm.

Well, this wasn't a great way of shutting her up, but at least he had plenty of time to think.