Poison

[ 12 ]

hi guys here's another update. if we can get this one up to 150 votes (completely do-able), i'll update again. also, i loved reading all the comments from last chapter because there were a lot so please bless me with that again. :)

qotc: which character do you think would be the first to die in the hunger games and why?

"Okay so there's a slight change in plans for tomorrow," Asa announces to Maya and I on Friday night when he enters the living room. Maya and I look up from our laptops and squint at him.

"What'd you do?" Maya questions suspiciously. I can tell she's wondering what he managed to get himself into that'll keep him from being home between the hours of 4PM and 10PM, which is when my little birthday celebration will be in its prime.

"I didn't do anything," he defends with a shake of his head. "But my parents did. My aunt's getting married this weekend and my brother's refusing to go to the wedding and they genuinely don't want him there either. But they won't let him stay home alone for the weekend so he has to come here."

"How old is he?" I ask innocently and immediately receive a disgusted glare.

"17, which is illegal," he announces and I wrinkle my nose right back at him.

"I was just asking to see if he was of babysitting age or something," I justify my question and Asa shakes his head.

"No, he's just bad," he confirms with a shake of his head. "So I might be late to the party because I have to go get him."

"Or you can just leave at 9 and be back by 1 so you can still help set up," Maya insists with a manipulative grin on her face.

"Or I can sleep in until noon and then leave when I feel like it and then get back when I feel like it," he figures, which earns a scoff from Maya.

"Yeah, that's not happening," she comments before turning to me. "So basically, no change of plans; Asa will still be around to set up and everything will run smoothly, except his brother will be here, too."

"Cool," I nod, feeling a little too satisfied that Asa will still be present. As much as I hate to admit it, the party will be boring without him.

Just as planned, Maya texts me when Asa leaves to go pick up his brother. I'm not even awake when the text comes through to my phone. However, I get up eventually and prepare for the day. I pick up Maya and together we go to to the grocery store and make a few last minute purchases. By the time we reach the apartment and start setting up, Asa's on his way back.

The front door opens just as Maya and I finish putting away the drinks we bought. I listen as Asa points out rooms to his brother. "Maya's room, the bathroom, my room," he lists as he trails closer to the kitchen. "You'll be sleeping on the couch."

"Alright," a low voice mumbles. His voice isn't as deep as Asa's but it sounds quite similar, which is a little off putting. Soon enough, Asa enters the kitchen with a spitting image of him in his wake. I stare in slight surprise. I know siblings look alike but wow, one of their parents must have really strong genes. I watch as he glances from Maya to me. "Hello."

"You already know Maya. That's Ivy," Asa briefly introduces before pointing to his brother. "Rowan."

"I thought you only lived with one girl," his brother comments as his gaze bounces between the two of us yet again. Asa manages to capture it by waving his hand in his face and starting towards the fridge.

"I do. Ivy practically lives here, though," the older brother comments sassily. "I'm still trying to figure out how long I have to ignore her to get her to go away."