Generation Five: Shiloh- Chapter 10

“How was your day, love?”

I buried my face in Rena’s sweet-smelling orange hair, completely forgetting about the television that had been turned on so it wasn’t so quiet in here. Over the last three years, a lot had happened; one of them was that we had revamped one of our three bathrooms that was getting no use into a bedroom for me. It was really a nice room.

“It was long. For being an only child, my family sure knows how to drive me insane.”

“Haha, imagine living with two nine-year-olds, a four-year-old, an introverted writer and a wild dog who thinks he can get into everything. I think I got you beat on crazy times.”

“You haven’t lived my life, obviously,” Rena said, teasing. I rolled my eyes.

“You never know.”

Rena laughed and hugged me tightly, then pulled back again. “Some days, I just can’t take it, you know? I’m twenty three, let me make my own decisions.”

I rubbed the palm of her hand with my thumb, massaging her back while she ranted. It was nice to hear her rant; there was just something about people being angry that made them seem real to me. And she almost never opened up to me. So when she did, it was nice.

“You could always move in with me, if you want to get away from it, you know,” I said suddenly. She tensed up and pulled back.

“Shiloh… You already know I can’t do that.”

“Why not? You’re not religious, and you’re twenty three. You can do whatever you’d like,” I pleaded. Rena closed her eyes and sighed. Heavily.

“Do we have to talk about this right now?”

“Well, yes. I don’t see why it’s such a huge deal if you move in with me, Rena. You already spend ninety nine percent of your time here as it is.”

“That’s not the point, Shiloh, the point is that I don’t want to move in with you!”

That stopped me right in my tracks.

I sat up and pulled my shirt over my head, flinging it whereever it would land, and stood up. She didn’t want to move in with me, huh? Well, that was just great. Fudging. Great. What else didn’t she want, if she didn’t even want to move in with me? I heard her fall back onto the bed, putting her head into her hands, but I didn’t care at the moment. Oh, I was so mad; but more than I was mad I was hurt.

“I see how it is. Alright,” I muttered, stomping to the front door. Was I being childish? Oh, yes. Who cared, though?

“Wait! Where are you going?” Rena said, crawling to the edge of the bed and balancing on her knees. She looked up at me, hurt in her eyes but her expression portraying some sort of regret and confusion. I rolled my eyes and turned around.

“For a walk. Why? It’s not like you want to move in with me, so why would you care if I went on a walk?”

“Shiloh, you’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I, Rena? Oh, excuse me for caring that my girlfriend of, oh, I don’t know, four years doesn’t want to fudging move in with me! No, I don’t care at all! WHY WOULD I CARE?!”

Rena stood up and stepped closer to me, glaring up into my eyes–hers were burning almost firey orange now. From the way her cheeks were flushed bright red and the anger just emanating from her, I could tell she was as mad as I.

“Now, you listen here, mister,” she said, pointing a finger right in my face. “You are blowing this way out of proportion. We could be sitting and talking it out like, um, ADULTS, but you want to fight about it? Fine, we’ll fight about it.”

“You have got some NERVE to yell at a woman you’ve spent your entire adult life with, simply because she won’t move in with you. Oh, boo hoo, poor wittle Shiloh doesn’t get what he wants! Well, you know what? I have had enough. I have had enough of people yelling at me because I want to be myself, today. And I expect you to be a good boyfriend and listen to me when I get angry about it! Not join in on the Rena-bashing! You had better drop that little five year old attitude you’re having right now or I’m leaving, and I don’t know when I’ll be back. Do you got me?”

I paused for a moment before nodding gently and smiling at her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought for once you would actually care what I wanted.”

“I care a heck of a lot about what you want, Shiloh!”

“Oh, really?! Why is it always about Rena, then?! Rena, Rena, Rena. Oh, my family, this. Oh, my family, that. Well, your mother didn’t die when you were just entering high school! You didn’t have to raise every single person in your berry family, including yourself, did you?! Don’t tell me what to do!”

That’s what I wanted to say, anyways. What I really said was an apology.

“I’m sorry, love. You’re right.” I raised my hand, as if to slap her, but instead brought it to her cheek and rubbed my thumb across the soft skin.

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to flip out like that. Like I said, stressful day.”

“I understand. Honest.” Of course, I was still pissed off, but oh well, right? It was the end of the day and night always brought a fresh start to the next day. And who could stay mad at such an innocent face as hers?

“You’re not mad?”

“No,” I lied. “You should stay tonight, though. I don’t want you driving if you’re mad, it’s dark, and-”

“Okay,” Rena interrupted me. I smiled widely and cupped her face in both my hands, bringing her lips to mine.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you mostest.”

—–

I padded into the kitchen, exhaustion washing over me. I need a bowl of cereal, a cup of coffee, something to keep me awake. No one should be up at six o’clock a.m.

I poured myself a bowl of what I assumed to be the boys’ Fruity Tooties and sat at the table. Obsidian was, to my surprise, there… in his boxers. Granted, he probably didn’t realize he was in his boxers, but it wasn’t my business anywho.. It was distracting, though.

“Hello, Mr. Noir,” I said wearily.

“Hellooooo.”

“What are you doing up so early?” I was also really curious as to how he got downstairs.. by himself.. with Xanthi Azalea.. but again, not my business.

“The tater tot needed to eat,” he said, nodding at his daughter. I smiled to myself. “I also couldn’t sleep very well last night… a certain pair was making a lot of noise,” Obsidian said slyly, not looking up from his computer. My cheeks went hot and I looked away. “I’m just kidding, dear.”

“O-oh-”

“What about you?”

“Couldn’t sleep, too much on my mind.” Obsidian simply let out an ‘ah’ and kept typing. The clicking of the keys was the only sound in the entire room, besides my spoon clinking at the porcelain bowl and the toddler picking at her food. “Hey, Mr. Noir? Do you think-do you think it would be a good idea for me to move in with Shiloh? I mean.. He really seems to want me to, and if I have to spend another day in that nuthouse of a home, I’m gonna be put in a nuthouse.. I don’t know.”

“Well-”

“And, I mean, I do love Shiloh, I do! I love being here, I love your whole family, I love this part of town! It’s really nice, and I love spending the time with Shiloh! And oh, the twins are just so cute! I could play games with them all day!”

“I-”

“But I don’t… think… I don’t think I’m ready to leave, quite yet. You know the feeling?”

Obsidian chuckled and smiled at me. “Do what you think is best, Serenade. I can’t decide for you.”

“I wish you could.”

Our conversation was brought short by the loud shattering of glass. I jumped. Xanthi Azalea had thrown over her bowl again, in a small rage. Obsidian looked over and sighed, pulling his chair out.

“Not again..”

“Oh, don’t worry, Mr. Noir! I can get it!”

“You are an angel.”

“Xanthi, you are a naughty, naughty girl.”

“It wadn’t meeee! Id was Snuggles!”

“You just keep telling me that,” I laughed softly. I had to let her go. She was just so freaking cute. It wasn’t a huge mess, really, but I wasn’t a fan of broken glass. Or baby food for that matter.

On second thought..

I could get used to this.

—–

So as it turns out Whisper was pregnant. Seven months pregnant. I found out as soon as Bru did, but still, it was pretty cool. He was having a kid, starting a family.. everything he was doing was on the right track to being a football star. And from what Bru had told me, he planned to propose soon. He was just waiting for the right moment. And apparently the right moment was soon.

Well, on such a bright day, who could argue? The sun was out and shining brighter than ever, it was actually warm, and almost everyone we knew was in town. It was ideal for a proposal.

When we arrived, Bru, Whisper and his mother were out in the backyard. Bru’s mom went right for Xanthi, which didn’t surprise me–she had always loved Xanthi. And now that she could talk, the two were nearly inseperable.

I brought Pidgey along as well, because he needed to get out and the boys weren’t home to take him on a walk. Dad was out conducting some sort of business at the school; apparently it was career day? I don’t know, but either way, the house was empty and I wanted to get out of it.

Rena went right for Whisper, starting up the girl talk about whether it was a boy or a girl and what the name was and oh she hoped it was a girl and blah blah blah… Words in my ears were basically all it was to me. Girls will be girls, and I will be confused about them forever.

“So you doin’ it today, dude?”

“Yeah, I think I am. I’m so nervous, Shiloh. Oh my Berry.”

“Dude, chill. If she doesn’t say yes, she’s obviously blind to all this,” I said jokingly, grabbing his face in my hands and squeezing his cheeks. He glared at me and brought me into a noogie, rustling my hair.

“How ’bout you, havin’ any luck with Rena?”

“Maybe-if-I-could-breathe-I-would-tell-you!”

“Oh! Sorry, man!” He started laughing. I tackled him and sat on his stomach.

“Nah, she still won’t move in.”

“Good, good. Trust me… living with a woman is a nightmare.”

“Oh, I can imagine. Especially a pregnant woman.”

“Hoooo yes. I love Whisper to death, but I can’t freaking wait for this baby to be out already. She’s driving me NUTS. Nuts, I tell ya.”

“Hey, at least you’re starting a family! That’s good! You’ll have to tell the team after you get engaaaaaaaaaged,” I said, making a face at him. He made a weirder face and nodded.

“Uhhh hmmmuuuuuhhh!”

“I’m HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Attie came bursting through the doors, hands on hips, possibly making the most dramatic entrance ever. Whisper and Rena squealed in delight, running over to hug her to death. Attie had been spending a lot of time in France, but I hadn’t known she had come back to Twizz for a while. That was a pleasant surprise.

“Hellow, Shi-low!” she called, running over to give me a hug once the girls were done fangirling over her. I squeezed her tight and looked at her when she pulled back.

“You look kinda different. Whyyy?”

“Because… I have nooos for you all!”

“Do go on.”

“What is it?!”

Attie took a deep breath and her face lit up again.

“I’m engaged!”

That set off a whole ‘nother round of squealing. I gave a disgusted look at Bru, who rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Hey, I’m glad you’re all here. I have something I’ve been meaning to do, and what better place to do it than one where all my friends are?”

I wrapped an arm around Rena’s back, pulling her in for a hug. She curled into me and watched as Bru walked over to his soon-to-be-fiancee.

“Whisper Heart, I have had the biggest crush on you since freshman year. You know that now, but boy oh boy when you recognized my existence… I was so happy.

“I want to be more than just your boyfriend, though. We’re starting a family together now, and the baby’s due in two months. I don’t want our child to grow up in a separated household. Whisper, I love you to death and I don’t think I could spend a day away from you if I tried. Will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?

If you couldn’t tell, she said yes. Of course she said yes. I was right, as I always am.

I was happy for Bru. He had his dream life with his dream girl, and it was becoming even more perfect. He was my best friend and I was so happy for him.

Rena turned to me, a huge gorgeous smile painted onto her face. I could tell my expression mirrored hers by the way her eyes lit up when she saw me.

“You know, Shiloh… I think we should move in together.”

“Really?!” Wow… this day was just getting better and better!

“Really.”

—–

“Welcome home, Rena.”