An Elementals choice

Chapter 12 Getting to know people (Yeah?)

    Astra is still yelling things at me which I ignore. I Turn around and go sit on the couch with Jet. “What you playing?” I ask of him. “BioMutant, you ever played” says Jet as the weird little fury creature on the screen does a weird little flying kick and electric shocks a larger creature. “Sorry, no I have never had the chance to play computer games” I respond. Jet pauses his game with a look of shock on his face and turns to me “Have you played any Pokémon, Grand Theft Auto, God of War, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, Horizon …” I shake my head no to each game he names, and Jet’s face becomes more concerned by the minute. “Have you ever played on a Play Station, an X-box, a Switch, a DS …” again I shake my head no to each console that he lists. “What! We have a noob” he then turns around and yells out to Keith “Keith we have a complete NOOB, can you believe it! I didn’t know such a creature could still exist, did you? I think Cody has really let his sister down”. “Then do something about it. I’m busy. If you want to eat tonight, then leave me out of it” Keith yelled back while walking back to the kitchen. Astra huffed and went back to her room, which seemed to put a smile back on Jet’s face.

       “Hehe, by the way Astra hates being ignored” Jet whispers to me “she is a major B word, Keith and her were only dating for 2 months when she got preggers, then she insisted on moving in and she has been trying to get the rest of us out ever since, but we won’t go as we like it here. This place is cheap, the landlord is cool, it’s close to work why would I want to move.” Talking in a normal volume Jet goes on “ok nooby, we have to bring you into the modern world come with me”. And with that he jumped up and waved me to follow him as he went to his room. I stand at the door looking inside. It was a normal guy’s room, I guess. There was a queen-sized bed with black and dark purple bed set, a built-in wardrobe along one wall with full sized mirrors as doors, a desk with a monitor and gaming computer setup, and a large photo of Jet and another guy with giant smiles on their faces.   Jet was pulling out boxes from under his bed “what are you doing at the door come in, come in I wont bite, that is unless you ask me to” he laughed at his own joke. I went over and examined the box full of controllers, cables and what I guess were different game cases full of games and maybe consoles. “This is a loan ok, just while you are staying here as everyone plays games of some sort here and you wouldn’t want to be left out. When you know what you like just let me know and I can get you a really good deal on a second-hand gaming system with everything as I work at a gaming store and can get you a really good deal” Jet said as he passed me a case and a cable. “Ok thanks but you really don’t have to you know I’ll be ok without one” I let him know. Jet shook his head and we sat there on the floor of his room for the next few hours as he instructed me on how to use a DS console and how the different games worked.

     Cody came home looking really tied with the same girl as before walking in behind him. “Sis, Sis can you come here, please” he called out. I left Jets room and entered the lounge room “yeah what’s up bro?” Cody pulled the girl from behind him, she looked like she had been crying a lot, with his other hand he indicated the girl saying “Leizi this is Cassy my girlfriend we have been together for about 11 months now and Cassy this is my baby sis Leizi. Leizi has come to stay with me until she can work something out. Say hi.” Cassy waved her hand at me and mumbled a “Hi”. I looked at Cassy then back to Cody “so you worked it all out? I told you she got the wrong idea. You really should stop telling people about your BABY sister as I’m not a baby and haven’t been for a very long time. Then people wouldn’t be surprised when they met me and see a grown woman. Really you do this to yourself. Hi Cassy, don’t worry I’m not as stupid as my big brother”. “Ha that’s not fair” retorted Cody. Meanwhile Jet laughed and Cassy tried to hide a giggle. Keith called out from the kitchen FOOD.

     Everyone went to the kitchen bar to grab a plate and load it with extras as the meat was already plated. “Oh, I didn’t know what you ate so I hope it’s ok” Keith said to me while looking between me and the food. “That’s ok I can eat anything except mushrooms as they’re the only thing that I am allergic too” I inform Keith and the whole room at the same time. “Cool I’ll make a note, but I didn’t use any tonight so you should be ok” Keith informed me. The food looked fanatic, like it was from a 5-star restaurant. I grab a plate with 1 chicken Kiev piece on it and added garlic butter green beans, steamed baby potatoes with fresh herbs and honeyed baby carrots. There were a variety of toppings that could be added but I had no idea what they all were. Jet called out from the coffee table in the lounge “Leizi came and sit with me, I already grabbed you one of the good cushions”.  I grabbed a knife and fork and went and joined him on the floor. It seemed that people would either sit up at the bench that separated the two rooms or on the floor at the coffee table to eat. Keith and Astra stayed at the kitchen bench and Cassy came and sat with Jet and my self while Cody sat in a single seat lounge chair facing the coffee table.    

     After eating what was the best meal that I have ever tasted I thought that it was a good time to get to now everyone. “So, Cody how did you and Cassy met?” I asked him. “We met at a live action role play event, you know that larping swordplay stuff I do” I nod to him “well I was going around the stalls during a break and saw Snow White here siting there taking to some of her friends and well I just had to know her” Cody remised. “Ahhh, so cute” both Jet and I reply at the same time and bursting into giggles as Cassy blushed. “It wasn’t easy you know. She was scared of me to begin with” sulked Cody. Cassy turned looking up at him while placing her hand on his knee “you can’t blame me. He was this big giant in full armour, towering over me, just staring at me. It would be enough to scare anyone”. Cody rolled his bottom lip sulking more. “But I did say hello” he sulked. “Yeah, in the quietest voice that I could barely hear him, he kept following me around for the rest of the day calling me Snow White and asking if I wanted to come watch him fight. Watching the fights was even more scary. It was my first time at one of these events” said Cassy playfully. “What finally won you over” I asked. “Well, he won one of the raffle prizes. It was for a lady’s corset” she laughed. “He comes up to me a goes, ‘you need to help me, I can’t wear that, it won’t fit for starters’ what could I do, I had to recuse him” Cassy says smiling up at Cody. I am so happy for my brother he seems to have found someone that matches him, and it appears that they care very deeply for each other.

     I turn to Jet “so how do you know my brother?” Jet looks surprised “from high school when we both started doing role playing. I was making chain mail, which I still do when I have the time, and Cody wanted some. So, we have been friends ever since. It just made sense that when we moved out of home into our first place that it would be all of us together. Are you telling me that Cody never told you about me” said Jet turning to Cody “not cool, here I thought we were friends”? Cody held up his hands in self-defence. “Oh, that right, sorry, I do remember him telling me about a friend named Jet” I quickly say in order to save Cody. I turn around to face Keith “and you Keith you know Cody from where?” I ask. “I’m Jets cousin. Our patients felt better if we stuck together when we went out on our own” Keith replied. “Where did you learn to be such a great cook, that was the best meal I’ve ever had” I asked honestly of Keith. Keith blushed and looked at the ground “that was no biggy, I can do fancier stuff than that. Both of my parents are chief’s, so they made sure that I knew how to cook. They didn’t want me to starve when I went out on my own. Their great fear was that I would either become a fat blob or disappear to nothing as I work in IT and the industry does have a bad rep for eating bad.” “Ok, but none of you guys look like blobs nor unhealthy. I guess that’s due to all your great cooking” I honesty said. Cody laughed “we have a home gym in the garage and a workshop in the other half, that’s why we park in the carport or the driveway. Stay here long enough and we can get some meat on those bones of yours.” I guess Cody noticed how skinny I was and didn’t think it was healthy. “You’ll have to show me later, but first things first, do you own a dishwasher or am I cleaning by hand?” I asked the room in general. “Don’t worry you’re a guest” jumped up Jet “we have a schedule of jobs and everyone does their part, if you are here after 2 weeks then I will put you to work. But never fear! It’s my turn to clean up anyway.”

        “Ahm, cough, aren’t you going to ask about me” said Astra in a condescending voice. I signed internally. “Sure, Astra how do you know my big bro” I asked with a fake smile on my face. “Through Cassy of course! She is my bestie. So, when she started dating Cody, I had to meet him and check out his friends to make sure that he was good enough for her” said Astra smugly. “And of course, he passed, and you picked up one of his roommates as a bonus” I replied. “Who says he passed?” retorted Astra. I looked at Astra in disbelief she could not possibly be that big of a b***h and disrespectful of someone in their own home, could she. “WHAT!” I spat at her, no one disrespects my brother in front of me. “Well, he is nice enough I guess if you are into that sort, not really my type though. But as long as Cassy is happy that’s all that matters, I guess. But how can she ever really trust a guy like that” replied Astra. “I guy like what? My brother is the most supportive, caring, generous and dissent person you could ever hope to meet. And last time I checked Cassy is a grown woman who can make her own decisions without your help” I retorted. “Well how can she trust that she can be enough for a guy like him” she points at Cody “what if he changes his mind again and goes back to dating men like that Jake fellow. You can’t trust a relationship with someone who can’t choose their s****l preference you know. Bisexuals are just too unreliable.” Astra says all proud of herself. I take a deep breath, what, my brother is bisexual, that’s news to me. I look at her, she knew dame well that I didn’t know. b***h. “If you weren’t pregnant right now, I would lay you right out and wipe that smug look off your face. You have no right to out someone. I don’t think the word b***h is enough to describe what you are” I yell at her. I’m far too angry right now to be around people so I storm off to my brothers’ room and slam the door. The lights in the house flicker and some of the blubs pop as loud and angry voices can be heard from the next room, but I don’t care, I need to calm done before I hurt someone.