Chapter 4: Together as a family
Later, they both went to their classes separately. Jake was in his last year, and Eva was in her second year. Despite being in different classes throughout the day, they always made time for each other and met during almost every break. Usually, Eva and Jake would come together, but today she had morning classes, so she had to leave early. As usual, Jake had to navigate his parents' mischief. This behavior was typical in the Smith household.
Jake's parents still act like children, without considering their age. They are at the age of taking care of their grandchild instead, they are acting like kids themselves. Eva was the one who came to save Jake from his parents. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side; he had to face them which made him late for college. Fortunately, he managed to avoid punishment from college. Now that morning classes were over, they both headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
"So... would you care to tell me what happened this morning? You know I wasn't there to save you, so..." Eva asked as she stared at Jake, waiting for his answer. They were now sitting in the cafeteria with their lunches, which they had bought from there.
Jake sighed as he said, "Today they were debating about a movie they had seen before and..." He stopped for a moment and looked at Eva with a fake crying face before continuing. "They were fighting over whether the male or female character truly expressed their feelings. Dad was on the male side and Mom was on the female side. When they realized their debate was going nowhere, they decided to involve us too. My brother cleverly escaped by saying he had a morning class, but when I tried to do the same they knew I usually don't have early classes, so I was trapped between them. You know they're both competitive as hell, and that's how I found myself being late..."
Eva tried... she tried hard not to laugh but, she burst out in fits of laughter and Jake was sulking seeing her laugh, seeing this she controlled herself and said, "So, basically, your parents took hostage your morning routine just to debate a movie with you guys?" Eva giggled.
Jake shrugged, "Yep. That's pretty much it." Eva shook her head, still chuckling, "Well, at least you managed to escape and make it to class. Though, you might want to remind your parents that you have a life outside of their debates."
"Believe me, I've tried. But they just don't listen," Jake said with a scowl. Eva shook her head again, "Well, at least it makes for a good story. Thanks for sharing it with me." "No problem, anytime," Jake replied with a sarcastic smile.
"Okay, cool. Just making sure you weren't attacked by aliens or something," Eva joked. They both laughed and continued their lunch, content with the fact that it was just a harmless family disagreement that caused Jake's lateness. It is always like this, to have a crackhead family...
Classes were over, and Eva and Jake were ready to go home. They always walked to the park near campus and then waited for their uncle, who had been their driver since childhood, to pick them up. This way, nobody would have any doubts about them.
It was a cool autumn afternoon, the trees had started to change colors, and the breeze was gentle, making their walk to the park more enjoyable. As they approached the park, they decided to stop by the local café for a hot cup of tea to warm them up as the weather was getting colder. They chatted about their classes, and shared a few jokes, waiting for the driver-uncle to come.
Finally, the driver came after 15 minutes and they entered the car and went home. Upon arriving, they noticed that both of their families were at Jake's home. They excitedly jumped out of the car thanking the driver-uncle and ran inside.
"Mom!" "Aunty!" They both shouted as they sprinted toward Lyla, their love for her was tangible. She had always been a source of support and encouragement for both of them, and they cherished her deeply. Their shouts of excitement conveyed their affection and admiration for the elder, who had played such an important role in their lives. As they approached her, their smiles grew wider, eager to share about their day.
Lyla greeted them warmly and embraced them tightly, while others beamed with love and affection. But Jacob decided to playfully tease the younger one, Eva, saying that Lyla always hogs the attention.
"See, Evan, they always love Lyla, they didn't even see the rest of us. Why do we have picky children?..." he shared with a fake mad voice. Evan also agreed with him, and the youngest of both the Smith and Wilson siblings entered there at the same time. They also started to tease their elder siblings.
"Dad is right, Uncle Evan. They always select Aunt Lyla every time. And I think next time they will team up with her again, right Jay?" asked Eaila, the youngest Wilson. Jay, who always had a soft spot for Aunt Lyla, nodded his head.
"And Uncle Jacob, you're also out from that team. I think it's only Uncle, Aunt, Dad, and the two of us left. We're one family, but you three are so cruel, guys..." Jay shook his head, showing his disappointment. Despite their teasing, the group enjoyed each other's dramatic words, and they all loved each other's company and laughed together later.
"Ok, now stop it guys, we can continue later. They just came back after a tiring day, so, you children go freshen up and come to have refreshments. Today I made all your favorites, so, hurry up." Alaina, Jacob's wife, said as the younger ones all ran immediately hearing their favorites were for snacks.
After ten minutes all were in the living room having snacks, the younger ones just did their usual thing, that is, talking about their day. The others always keenly listened to them. Through thick and thin, they had always been there for each other. Their bond was unbreakable, forged through shared experiences and countless adventures. They were more than friends; they were a family.
Later that evening, the younger ones decided to leave their parents, to have some time together for both of the elders and them. They went to the library, where they all spent their free time, reading books.
"Hey, witch, give me a book from there," Jake said as he pointed at a shelf at the end of the row. This made Eva give him an offended look. She scoffed and said, "I'm not your maid, Mr. Lazy. You have legs, right? So go and take it for yourself." And then she left, stomping her feet on his.
"Ah, hey! Stop there! I only asked you to hand me a book from there. And my legs are in pain," Jake said matter-of-factly. Eva stopped and looked at him with a bored expression on her face.
"Are you a baby? you always need a lot of help and support. Can you not move your legs? your hands?" she asked sarcastically. Before he could say something, she continued, "You are lazy mister, you can walk over here but can't take a book from there. *shooks her head* I'm done with your lazy ass." she was going to leave but he stopped her and asked, "Where do you think you are going miss?" she didn't reply and stomped on his foot again and ran from there, shortly Jake was also behind her.
The other two (Jay and Eaila) who were with the two(Eva and Jake) were unfazed and looked at their elder siblings fighting and chasing like every day. They (Eva and Jake) always find some silly reasons to fight, this always makes them think about whether they are older than them.
After chasing for one hour or so, Eva and Jake decided to have peace. Now they settled in Jake's room, she always comes to his room whenever she is there and always explores again and again. As she looked around and touched various objects, Jake busied himself cleaning up a mess, and when he looked over to Eva, he saw her taking his drawing book. He immediately snatched it from her.
"Hey! Don't touch it. I have to submit it tomorrow. You always mess up my things," he warned her. Before he could finish speaking, she had already begun moving his things on his desk. "No... no... don't move those things. I just arranged them yesterday. You know I can stand here, take a step back, and start over, but you'll not be okay. It would be better for you to listen to me," he grumbled, now sounding serious.
His seriousness made her nervous, but he eventually took a step back and returned to his bed. The next few hours were silent. He paced back and forth while working, before noticing that she was sleeping peacefully. He smiled at her sleeping form, covered her with a duvet, and then continued with his usual routine of reading documents, editing pictures, and reading novels.
When he started college, he began to help his dad with his business and would attend two classes from him every week. As a result, he always had something to keep him occupied.
Dinnertime came faster than they had thought. Lyla walked towards Jake's room and called out to him. Hearing no response, she decided to open the door. The sight she saw left her in awe. Both Eva and Jake were fast asleep, with Jake holding Eva protectively and Eva clinging to him as if her life depended on it. Lyla immediately ran to her room and grabbed her camera to capture the rare, but beautiful scene.
She knows how much they fight and bicker, but they will always be each other's supporting pillars and safe haven. Their fights often resulted in laughter and served as a reminder of their strength and determination to remain as a family who shared a strong bond that went beyond blood ties. They found comfort in knowing that they always had each other and their family. Their love for one another illuminated their lives, even when they tried not to show it.
Jake and Eva knew, deep down, that the world around them saw them as friends who always bickered, except for their family. They didn't mind it because they knew they were more than that. As they continued their life together, they would cherish every moment, treasure every laugh, and remain faithful to their commitment to one another, and they would always.
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