Dinner went by with Marcus and Natalie sulking and murmuring something, but one look from their father made them eat and almost run to their rooms.
Pete had always been strict when it came to raising his children; all three of them, including Arya.
He knew the law all to well, minors were not allowed alcohol, not even a sip. If they were caught breaking this law, punishment was severe. One glass equals one month in prison, plus fine.
After the dinner, Arya made three cups of hot chocolate and went up to Natalie's room, as she knew Marcus would also be there, reminiscing.
She had just settled on the bed, when she heard her name. Upon returning back to her uncle, she saw him on the phone, and seeing her he said, "she's here!... yeah, just a sec..." and handed her the phone, mouthing "Bob."
Bob was Pete's older brother and was a retired marine. He was the fun uncle who actually loved playing whatever the young ones played. He always knew his boundaries and was fun to be around.
"Hi, uncle Bob," Arya said into the phone. "How are you?"
"Hi Arya, I'm fine... just saw you on a magazine cover, and read the article on page three. You did an amazing job.. keep it up and congrats," a masculine voice came through the phone.
"Thanks uncle..."
"Congrats sweetie," a female voice came through, clearly from the background.
"Your aunt can't wait to talk to you, so I'm giving her the phone," Bob said.
"How are you?" Gabriella voice came through.
"I'm doing great, aunt, how are you all?"
"We're all great. I was out shopping today when I crossed a bookstore, and there you were on a magazine cover. I had to buy it and we read it together. I'm so happy for you Arya. You're making our family proud."
"Thanks aunt Ella. Means a lot to me," Arya said, wiping a tear that threatened to fall. If only her parents were here...
Pete and Kimberly always treated her as their own, but on occasions like these, she did miss her biological parents.
"Don't mention it. I hope Kim and Pete gave you a huge party...," she said, giggling.
"Well, yeah, they surprised me with lunch and dinner and then just before lunch, Marcus and Natalie arrived...had the best day ever," Arya said, smiling.
"Sweetheart, go ahead and enjoy yourself, I won't be keeping you. Give my regards to everyone. Bye," Gabriella said.
"Will do. Bye," Arya said before cutting the line. She went into the sitting room and handed Pete his phone. "Aunt Ella gave her regards."
Back in Natalie's room, her hot chocolate had turned warm.
"Who was that?" Marcus asked as Arya entered the room.
"Uncle Bob and aunt Ella," she replied.
"Wanna watch something?" Natalie asked, looking up from her phone. It was clear they were waiting for her.
"Yeah, anything will do," Arya replied half-heartedly.
"What happened? You seem sad!"
"Nothing, just..."
"Hey, it's OK if you don't wanna watch TV. We can just talk," Marcus said.
"Yeah... why don't you tell us about your personal life...?" Natalie added.
"So... any boyfriend?" Marcus asked, smirking.
"Well... no, but..."
"Come on... we're dying to hear about it!" Natalie begged when Arya stopped talking.
"But... a guy from work actually proposed..."
"Tell me you said yes... please!"
"Yeah, I did say yes..."
"How long?"
"What does he look like?"
When are you introducing him to us?"
"Spill!"
"Alright! Alright!" Arya said loudly, as a string of questions came her way. "He proposed, I said yes, and three months in, I got to know he was already married, so we broke it off," Arya said sadly.
A silence fell between them.
"Truth or dare, anyone?" Marcus asked, looking around.
"With what? We don't have a bottle to spin!" Arya said.
"We can play rock paper scissors... looser has..."
"You do know there will be two loosers, right?"
"Hide and seek, then?"
"No wait, I'll get a bottle," Arya said, as she went downstairs. She had seen an empty bottle beside Pete when she had returned his phone.
"Uncle Pete, can we borrow this bottle please?" She asked, picking up the beer bottle.
"What for?" Pete asked curiously.
"Truth or dare."
Pete nodded his head and Arya took the bottle back into her sister's room.
They began spinning the bottle on the table they sat at. It first stopped at Marcus. "Truth or dare?" Both girls asked together.
"Dare, obviously."
Both girls looked at each other, and raised their eyebrows. Then nodded, and giggled, almost like they were talking through their mind.
"We dare you to go into moms room and come out wearing her nightgown," Arya said, laughing.
"Wh... what?"
"Or admit that boys are dumb," Natalie added.
"Oh all right," Marcus grumbled, before getting up and heading to their parents room.
Ten minutes later, he walked back into their room wearing Kimberly's red silk nighty, that exposed everything even Marcus boxers.
To his horror, both girls had their phone up and as soon as he entered, lights flashed.
"What the... this is not fair!" Marcus exclaimed, trying to hide his body and face, while both girls doubled over, laughing, trying to catch their breath, tears running down their eyes.
To add the cherry on top, they heard their parents footsteps coming towards the room. "What happened?"
The door opened, both adults stood there frozen, with their eyes on Marcus, while he tried to explain.
"We... we... we were just... just..."
"Time for bed," Pete announced, still staring at his son. "And take that off, your mom looks way better in that then you!"
That statement made the girls burst into laughter again, holding their stomachs.
Marcus stormed out and never returned.
In the morning, Arya was jolted awake by a terrified scream. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU... YOU SON OF...."
Arya ran to the bathroom door and banged at it so hard, she almost broke through. "What happened? Natalie, why are you screaming?"
The door opened, just as the rooms door burst open and in ran Pete and Kimberly. Before Arya saw Natalie, she instinctively turned toward the door of the room, as Pete and Kimberly stood frozen, then they all heard laughter downstairs.
"I'm going to kill him!" Natalie said, clenching her teeth.
It was now that they saw each other's face. Natalie's face was covered in face paint, blood red nose, green cheeks and purple lips. Arya gasped, and was horrified when she saw part of her own face in the mirror behind her sister.
She pushed past her to get a closet look, black face with red nose and white cheeks and lips. Her lips parted in shock.
How the hell would she be able to clean herself before going to work?