11:11pm

Ian

I hummed "Shoot to Thrill" as I stood in the shower, the warm water cascading down my shoulders. My hair was flat and I smiled as I spiked up the wet hair. I rinsed the rest of my body off and, turning off the water, I pushed aside the curtain and fumbled for the towel. I grasped empty air and I groaned. My idiot self had forgotten the towel. I felt my face grow hot, and I hopped out onto the bath mat. I shivered, cold from the air. 

Opening the bathroom door, I shielded myself behind it. "Uh, E?" I said. 

I heard a rustle, a thud, and cursing. I smiled, he had probably fallen off the couch. 

E burst into the hallway. "Uh yea? Sorry, I uh fell..." he mumbled, then blushed and looked away. I looked down and remembered I wasn't wearing anything except my birthday suit. I burned red again. "Um, yea, I kinda forgot something," I coughed, "Could uh you maybe grab me a towel?" 

"Yeah, sure sure. Where are they?" 

Pointing to the skinny cabinet down the hall, I said "In there."

E walked over and timidly pulled the handle. A mountain of sheets and towels flopped out and he shrieked. I doubled over laughing. E flailed his legs and arms, trying to get out. He kicked a towel and it slid towards me. I reached for it, almost falling on my face in the process, and snatched it up. I wrapped it around my waist. 

E had managed to sit up, and on his head,a sheet covered his face, and he tried to yank it off, but it was wrapped around his head. I smiled and pulled it up off of his head. 

He yelped, not expecting me. I grinned at him, still holding the sheet. His face turned red and I laughed. He scowled at me,  glancing at me and then looking away. "What are you laughing at?" he pouted.

"You're embarrassedddd," I said in a singsong voice. "Is it cause I'm half naked?" 

That was definitely the answer. His eyes widened and he shook his head indignantly. "No! No no. Maybe... agha!" he cried, and buried his head in the sheets. 

I chuckled, and threw the sheet I had in my hand on top of him. I felt the towel slip, and I pulled the old red towel tighter around my waist.

E looked back up at me, the sheet I tossed at him covering half his face. He raised an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes. Then he smiled, an evil smile. He launched himself at me, tearing at the towel. I made a very unmanly sound, and he laughed, and continued trying to steal the towel. I ran back to the bathroom, and just before I got in there, E managed to rip away the towel. I fell into the bathroom as he howled with laughter and I kicked the door closed. I sat on the bath mat, butt naked, waiting for him to stop laughing. 

There was silence, a few chuckles, then nothing. A knock echoed in the small space, the fan whirring. I slowly opened the door, and E handed me the towel.

------

Awhile later, after I gotten dressed, I flopped on the couch where E sat, earbuds in, eyes closed. He opened his eye, and looked at me through the corner of his eye and smiled. He pulled the earbuds out, and I grinned. "Hey, you hungry?" I asked. "We have food. I could make some mac and cheese, sandwiches.." I trailed, waiting for an answer. 

"Well, um, I'm lactose intolerant so..." he admitted. 

"Oh... but ice cream from earlier?" I said, confused.

"Oh right! I forgot. I have pills! So mac and cheese it is. I'm allergic to peanut butter," he rambled, and I laughed. 

"Anything else, Mr. Allergic to Everything?" 

"I'm not allergic to everything... just a lot of things," he mumbled," like lactose intolerant means I can't have milk cause I don't produce enough enzymes or what ever."

"Im KIDDING." 

"Oh... I knew that." 

Chuckling, I went into the kitchen. Humming "Welcome to the Black Parade", I filled a pot halfway with water, and turned the heat on high. I snatched a box of Kraft mac and cheese, tossing it on the counter by the stove. The TV remote sat by the mail, and I rifled through it. Neal must of gotten it, and just tossed it on the counter. A letter addressed to Ian Lane caught my eye. I pulled a small package out of the stack, placing the rest in the bulging basket where we place mail. The return address said Guinevere Lane, my aunt who lives in Jamestown, New York. I frowned. She normally only sent mail to us on our birthdays, and sent big packages full of presents. She had a ton of money, considering she lived in New York. She was also my moms twin sister.

I slit open the package, and pulled out a letter. It read: 

Dear Ian,

I heard about Gina. Neal called me the moment he knew. 

I'll be flying down to Pennsylvania the moment you get this letter. I know Neal said he'd take care of you, but you know how it is with Neal. He lets you eat nothing but ice cream and cake. My  sisters baby will not be surviving on cake while she's healing. 

I love you, my leanbh,

Aunt Guinevere 

I smiled at my aunts letter. When ever she saw me, she called me child, even though I was almost 18. Leanbh is Gaelic for child, and since my mom's family is Irish, my family liked to speak Irish. My mom would call me her leanbh too, just like how a Spanish speaking family would say mijo or mija. 

I set the letter on the counter and pulled the small boxy item out. It was Armageddon in Retrospect, by Kurt Vonnegut. My small smile turned into a huge grin. E looked over the couch at me and gave me a smile. I smiled back, and set the book down.

E walked over and picked it up. He set it back down, then picked it up, walked to the couch and started reading.