Parallel Universe Ch 21
#21 of Parallel Universe
Dinner Party Disaster
"Wow! It's good!" Bryan smiled as he took another bite of the steak. "It's very tender. And the steak sauce really seep into it."
"Thanks," I smiled back.
"I had to admit, I really missed this taste," Kendric said.
"You've eaten his cooking before, dad?" Bryan asked.
"A long time ago before we're separated."
"Separated? Dad, you're worrying me. You sounded like you two have known each other for a long time."
"You don't know the half of it," John and Kendric said at the same time.
"Now... I'm scared."
"Don't be, son," Kendric smiled. "We are just a group of old friends."
"Old? What about Michael? He's as old as me."
"Well..." Ter grinned. "Apparently, he's..."
John quickly reacted and closed his mouth. We all stared at the two, some in confusion and curiosity, and the other in relief. I thought our cover might've been blown. John looked at us and chuckled nervously before sniffing the buffed male's mouth.
"Vodka!?" He exclaimed. "Ter!!"
"What?" He smiled back, obviously drunk from his facial expression. "Can't I have a little drink for once in a while?"
"This is a dinner party, not a drinking party!"
"Come on, hun..."
"Hun?" Alex and Bryan asked.
"Ter..." John started to growl. "Kitchen... Now... Chris, you're coming with."
He quickly stood up and pulled Ter's ear as the three of them stepped towards the kitchen.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow..." Ter said as his ear is pulled by John. Not long after, we were alone on the dining table, staring at the door.
"Uh... Okay..." I muttered. "So... Does anyone else have an interesting topic to talk about?"
"I have one," Mei said. "Tomorrow's the start of choosing our extracurricular activates. Does anyone have an idea on what they want to enter?"
"I, for one, am joining the football team again," Nick said to us. "This is probably gonna be my last season."
"But you can enter the ones in the university of your choice, right?"
"I dunno about that. I still dunno where to go."
"What about Vinland University?" Tony asked. "You did get a scholarship from there, right?"
"Still haven't decided yet. What about you, Bryan?"
"I'm still in the soccer team," he said. "I still don't wanna change my activities."
"Same goes for me," Tony replied. "I'm still not quitting basketball."
"You three are definitely a pack of sports fanatics," Mei chuckled.
"Says who?" Bryan glared.
"Sorry, son," Kendric smiled. "I kinda have to agree with her for this one. You've stayed in front of the TV for too long."
"Dad! Whose side are you on?"
"What about you two?" Tony looked at Alex and me. "Got any ideas on what to join?"
"I dunno," I replied. "I still haven't figured it out yet."
"What about culinary class or athletics?" Mei asked. "You're good on those two things."
"Speaking of good things, you're gonna join into some kind of mystery solving club, right?" I asked her.
"If there is one," she grumbled. "So, I'm afraid I have to go with fencing this year."
"Alright. Then I choose culinary," I smiled.
"Be sure to cook us a meal after club, okay?" Tony smiled.
"You can count on it."
"What about you, Alex?"
"I'm not gonna join anything," he simply replied.
"Why not?" Louis asked.
"As much as I want to, I'd rather try to find out more about me. I can't rest well until I find out about my past."
"There's no use dwelling on the past, Alex," Lionel said.
"But it'll probably help a little bit. Maybe finding my past can enable me to use my old spells."
"Good and bad idea at the same time," Kendric said as he took another bite of the meat.
"Why's that?"
"The first bad thing is discussing work in front of the unknowing."
"What's that supposed to... Oh..."
Everyone turned their heads towards Bryan, who has absolutely no idea of what we are talking about.
"Um... Spells? Past?"
"Let's talk about it later, okay?" Mei said to Alex. He just nodded in response.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"None of your concerns, son," Kendric said.
"It will be if you guys aren't telling me anything."
"Trust me," I said. "You really don't wanna be involved too much in this."
"Fine..." Bryan grumbled.
"You sound like a ten year old," Mei chuckled.
"That's because you guys don't wanna tell me anything."
"This secret has to stay with us unless you want to be involved in the tremendous amount of danger," Lionel said.
"So you guys are doing dangerous things," Bryan glared.
"Not me, though," Mei said as she sipped the orange juice John provided.
"So it's just you and me, then, miss detective," Bryan said as she patted her back, causing her to splash her drink all over her chest. The orange stain drenched the whole part of her white blouse and top part of her blue jeans. She gazed down on her outfit before glaring at the soccer player.
"Uh... Oopsies?" He chuckled nervously.
"You freaking moron!!" She growled.
"I-it was an accident!!" He stammered.
"You've got until three before I pummel you..."
Bryan immediately jumped back along with his chair and started to dash out of the room.
"Three!!"
She imitates the same movement and started her hot pursuit.
"Yeah!! You'd better run, you incompetent buffoon!!" She yelled as she passed the dining room doorway. The rest of us just stared in silence once more.
"So much for intimacy," Nick smiled. "To think that they used to get along so well."
"Well, that certainly was pretty interesting," Kendric chuckled.
"And a little awkward to me..." Alex added.
"Think she'll catch up to him?" Louis asked.
"Kinda hard to know," Lionel responded. "Mei never joined any sports club except for fencing, so she doesn't have any experience on long period of running."
"On the contrary, she used to join the army," Kendric countered.
"But it was over hundred years ago!!" I corrected. "Anyone who doesn't train their body for such a long period of time lose their essence."
"So you're saying that you two are over five hundred years old?" Tony asked.
'Gotta close my mouth...' I grumbled
"Forget what I said," I told him. "The point is, right now she doesn't have any fighting talent."
"Except for fencing," Lionel added.
"Right! Except for fencing!"
"Sorry guys," John said as he and Chris entered the room from the kitchen. "I had to put him to sleep. He was drinking five bottles of vodka when Michael and I were cooking."
They sat back down on their seat and took a look around the room.
"Uh... Where are Bryan and Mei?" Chris asked.
"Get back here!!" Mei's voice rang from the corridor. We immediately turned our attention towards the doorway.
"Whoaaa!!" Bryan yelled. Soon, crashes were heard and a sound of broken glass followed after. Kendric soon turned his head towards the rest of us and smiled.
"Well, I guess she caught him," he chuckled.
"Gee, ya think!?" I replied. We quickly stood up and dashed to the source of the sound. In the middle of the hallway, Bryan laid face down on his stomach. His hands and legs are tied behind his back with a rope. The rope itself is a leather whip from I don't know where. Surrounding him are broken pieces of a vase, dirt, some white roses, and a very angry, yet satisfied, Mei sitting on top of him.
"I give! I give!" Bryan yelled, asking for the girl's mercy.
"Nice tie, Mei," Kendric smiled.
"Daad!!"
"Oh fine. Let him go, Mei."
"Fine..." Mei grumbled. "But he still owes me a pair of new outfit."
"Now I really don't know how those two got together," I whispered to Louis.
"Probably because Bryan is carefree," he replied with the same volume.
"We heard that," Mei and Bryan said to us as the detective finished untying the whip. Bryan slowly rose to his feet and rubbed his wrists. Soon after we cleaned up, both the dishes and the mess they made, we head towards the front door to call it a night.
"Come back and visit us someday," John smiled.
"I know I will," I said. "I have sparring sessions with you this Saturday, remember?"
"That's true," he nodded. "See ya."
"Bye!"
We all departed towards our respective homes. Louis drove Alex and me in his police car. This was actually my first experience on riding this kind of vehicle. Surprisingly enough, it was quite comfortable.
"So you're going to learn from John, huh?" Louis started a conversation.
"What better way to learn my old skills and my old life than studying it from an old friend?" I replied.
"And what about you, Alex? Who are you going to study with?"
"I'll still train with you," he said. "You're the one who taught me most of my spells, right?"
"Yes, but unfortunately, we have to start from the basics again," Louis sighed.
"I'm fine by that. But I'm not burdening you, am I?"
"Nope, it'll be a good practice to me to," he smiled. We soon pulled over to our driveway and stepped out from the vehicle.
"Practice starts after schools, alright?" Louis told my twin brother.
"See you tomorrow then!" Alex smiled.
"Thanks, Louis!" I said as he rolled up the window. The three of us waved each other goodbye as the silver haired police drove away for the night. We slowly entered our house and were greeted by our parents.
"How's the dinner party?" Dad asked. The two of us looked at each other and smiled.
"Splendid, dad," we said at the same time.
"Glad to hear it," he smiled back. "Just remember that you two have school tomorrow, so be prepared."
"We will," we answered.
"Good. Now if you two would excuse me, your mother and I have some important business to attend tomorrow. So don't make any racket, okay?"
"We will, dad."
Dad yawned and headed towards his and mom's room. We both quietly went up into our rooms and prepared for the night. As I lay down on my bed, only wearing a white T-shirt and gym shorts, my door was knocked.
"Come in," I said. The door opened revealing my twin brother in his black pyjamas.
"What's up, Alex?" I asked as I sat up.
"Well..." he rubbed the back of his head. "I was wondering if I could sleep with you tonight..."
"That's fine," I smiled as I waved over to him. He blushed a little and closed the door. He slowly snuck into my bed and laid on his right side, facing me.
"Th-this feels a little childish, isn't it?" he chuckled weakly.
"No it's not," I replied as I rubbed his left arm. "I actually kinda missed sleeping with you."
"O-okay..." he smiled. "Goodnight, Michael."
He slowly closed his eyes and turned his body, facing his back towards me. I smiled softly and turned my body the other way.
"Sweet dreams, Alex," I replied. The moonlight showering from my window slowly comforts me as I passed another night with my long lost brother.