A Hidden Picture

Thirty two

~ Annalise

These bears are really fucking boring.

They're just sleeping on this big ass rock.

One is swimming and the other is sunbathing.

Woahhh. I'm so impressed.

Boringgg. I wanna see tigers.

Bears are fake. They're all cute and fluffy and it makes you want to hug them, but if you look away they'll claw your eyes out and maul you when your not looking.

Fucking liars.

"Anise! Look at the swimming one!" Gracie looks over the fence and points at it.

Everyone else around has their cameras out and are recording and taking pictures.

I don't get what's so fucking exciting? It's sleeping!

I wanna see them growl or eat a fish or...something!

"Oh...cool," I respond. Yippie.

"I know right! I wanna hug it!" Gracie stands on the railing and smiles brightly.

No! It'll maul you.

Reed left a minute ago to buy a bag of chips for Gracie since she's hungry.

I stand guard by her holding her hand so she doesn't think to run away or think the bears will hug her if she tries to jump in the enclosure. Not on my watch kid.

Gracie lets out a scream when someone comes upon behind her and grabs onto her waist, lifting her in the air and pretending to throw her with the bears, but then swinging her back to them and to the floor.

That someone being her older brother.

When she realizes it's him she doesn't even question it. "You got my chips?!" Her hands are planted on her hips.

He rolls his eyes and throws the little bag of Cheetos at her face.

She catches it and looks as if she's holding gold.

"Okay I'm tired of the bears can we go look at the penguins now!" She starts to jump up and down while stuffing Cheetos in her mouth.

"You're a pain in the ass you know that right?" Reed offers her a bitter smile.

"And?" Her eyebrow quirks up.

She moves to my side and grabs onto my hand. "C'mon Anise. We can watch the penguins without him."

I look to Reed and the look on his face makes me smile a little immediately.

How does he manage to do that? I hate it.

"Why does my sister seem to like you more than me?," he asks while stuffing his hands in his pockets as we walk.

I smirk and shrug. "Because I'm just better." With the smile on my face I send him a quick wink.

He doesn't say anything, just stares down at me through squinted eyes and a tiny smile that he doesn't seem to realize is there.

"Is that so?," he asks while throwing his arm over my shoulder and looking down at me.

"Very much so."

~

"Awe! Look at the baby penguin!" Gracie has both her hands on top of the railing as she tries to see over.

Reed is too entranced by the penguins to notice his sister struggling to see.

"Anise! Help me see please!"