Hitch Frederick Hiker was a man whose age was nearing twenty-one. He worked in a restaurant called 'The Ogre's Appetite'. He had worked there for almost four years now. Hitch was also known for his capacity and competence as a waiter, as he wrote down the orders quickly and could serve up to ten dishes at a time.
"I would like a pot of chicken curry, please, kiddo," said a woman seated at the restaurant.
Hitch sighed heavily and silently as he despised getting treated like a kid.
"No worry, ma'am," said Hitch politely. He wrote down the orders and marched to the kitchen before he hung the parchment on the wall for the cooks to see. He then walked to another table to take the orders.
"I would like a pot of salmon soup, please," said one of the hundred customers.
"Yes, and what else?"
"A plate of trout and chips, cheesy fingers and a bowl of coffee ice cream for dessert."
"Thank you," said Hitch as he took the menu from them. He marched to the kitchen and hung the order on the wall. He spun around and took five plates of fish and chips. Hitch wished that he could seal his nose as the scent of the fish nearly made him salivate. Hitch then placed the five plates on a table with five people surrounding it. He glanced at the clock, and it was almost time for him to stop working. He trotted to the office just behind the kitchen, where his boss lived. He knocked thrice on the door, and he could hear the lock being removed. He then pushed the door open and was met with a room that had a table and a chair behind it. Next to the table was a single bed with a purple mattress lying on it. Seated on the chair was a tall and slim woman with a very long neck and a pointy nose. She was reading the local newspaper. Her sharp eyes then turned to where Hitch stood. She put down the newspaper and then took off her glasses.
"What is it, Hitch?" She asked curiously.
"Mrs. Belle, it's time for me to go home now. I'm just here to let you know that," he said nervously.
"Fine then," she snapped, "go home now!" She stood up from her chair and walked to the wall next to her with a board screwed on it. There were dozens of name tags and lines. She took the name tag with Hitch's name on it before it glued itself on the board with the line titled 'Home'.
Hitch then closed the door carefully and marched to the locker room before he opened his locker and took a few things from it. He took a bag and some cash with him. He locked the locker with a key. It clicked, and he took the key before he pocketed it. Hitch then walked out of the locker room and sent his goodbyes to his colleagues. He jogged out of the restaurant and walked passed dozens of street lamps. The road was empty and silent without a single car in sight. He finally arrived in the town square. There were dozens of people walking and minding their own business. He could hear people talking rapidly to the point that it was gibberish. He saluted some people he knew, like Rosa, the bartender, and Barry the butcher. He finally arrived at his favorite destination: home. It was a house with two stories and half a dozen windows. The wood looked brown, and it looked somehow beautiful yet old at the same time. He knocked on the door twice. He could hear people talking inside. The door opened with a small creak. In front of him was his younger sister, Erika. She looked bossy with her current pose. She was wearing a green and white dress. She has long brown hair and blue eyes with a hint of purple in them.
"Well, come in, Hitch," said Erika in her usual bossy tone.
"And how's Mitch?" Asked Hitch.
"She's fine and she invited a friend over!"
"A friend?" Repeated Hitch, "Who's this friend of hers?"
"Just a friend," said Erika, "not her boyfriend. And you don't need to be that overprotective brother!"
Hitch entered the house and was met with a brown table for four, but two people were seated. Mitch, young looking with her curly hair and brown eyes. She looked no older than sixteen. Then, seated in front of her on a chair was someone Hitch didn't recognize. He must be the friend she invited over. He looked just around twenty. He has green eyes and long blond hair that looks like a lion's mane. He was really tall and extremely muscular, with thick limbs and huge pecs.
"Hey, there, kiddo," said the guy warmly, who for some reason lit something in Hitch's heart.
"Noah! He's twenty years old!" Hissed Mitch.
"Oh! Sorry, Hitch. It's just that you look no older than sixteen!" said Noah.
"Don't worry about it, I got used to it already," lied Hitch.
"Well, does anybody want to play the game Twenty One?" Asked Mitch as she pulled out a deck of cards from her pocket.
"I'm in," said Hitch as he put down his bag on the cold and hard floor. He then jogged to a chair and settled himself down.
"What's the game of Twenty One?" Asked Noah innocently.
"I will explain the rules to him," said Hitch. "The game is quite complex, so you can ask me if you forgot the rules. You have five cards, three on the back and two on the front. The two cards you can exchange with another player, or you can pick another card from the game, but if you pick a card, you are obliged to change it against the card you already had. And you count the points of all five cards. The heads: the Jacks, the Queens, the Kings, and the Aces are worth negative points. To win, there are different ways. For example, I have more points than you, so I won. But if my point is positive while yours is negative, you win. But if you have less negative than I, I win. But if anybody has twenty-one points, they win automatically. You understand?"
"Not all," admitted Noah.
"Don't worry, I'll explain as we play along."
"Yeah, once you get it, you'll be like a pro!" Encouraged Mitch.
They each received five cards, and they hid three cards each, and two were shown to everybody. Hitch won the first round with twenty-one points. Mitch then won the next two rounds. Noah won just once out of ten rounds. After twenty rounds, Hitch had won eight times and Mitch had won seven times, and Noah just five times.
"You cheated!" Cried Noah.
"I didn't," said Hitch, "I won with just my luck and my talent at calculating rapidly!"
Noah grumbled silently
Half an hour passed by quickly for the three of them who were playing another round of Twenty One. Erika was humming while she was cooking in the kitchen. She had prepared a pot full of tomato soup and fried garlic cheese bread. She then took four bowls and poured tomato soup into them before she cried for Hitch to help her take it to the table. Hitch sprinted to the kitchen, and the sweet and sour scent of the tomato soup entered his nostrils. He took the four bowls and a plate full of fried garlic cheese bread to the table. Erika came back with four forks and spoons. She laid them on the empty plates she brought along.
"This looks delicious!" said Noah, eager to dine.
"It is delicious!" said Hitch before he settled down on the cold and hard chair. He took a spoon before he scooped up some tomato soup, then he lifted the spoon to his lips before blowing on it multiple times. He finally stopped blowing and gobbled the soup. The taste of tomato and its sour and sweet juice exploded in his mouth with a hint of salt and basil leaf. He then took a slice of the bread before he took a chunk out of it. The creaminess of the cheese was satisfying, and the garlic aftertaste was powerful. Hitch then broke out of his critic mode and glanced at Noah, who was eating like a pig. Hitch hated when someone did that, but for some reason, he quite enjoyed seeing Noah being himself.
"Do you not know your manners?" Hitch asked coldly.
"Couldn't care less," said Noah. Hitch was surprised that what he said was audible with all of the food that filled up his mouth.
"So where are you going to sleep, Noah?" Asked Mitch.
"He's sleeping here?" Hitch cried out in disbelief. He can't believe that this pig is going to sleep here, but there was a part of him that wants the guy to stay.
"Yeah, and he's probably going to sleep in your bed, Hitch," said Erika.
"No!" Yelled Hitch, "I need that space!" He knew that his sisters knew that he needed space when he slept.
"Yeah, but your bed is a double bed while ours is a single bed. And neither of us wants to get kicked by you, so no need to talk," said Erika coldly.
"Yeah, but..." he didn't mind Noah sleeping in his bed. "Yeah, just don't expect me to not push you in my sleep," said Hitch.
"Don't worry, I can't feel anything when I'm sleeping," said Noah happily.
They all finished eating and cleaned the table. Hitch then walked up the stairs and led Noah to his room, which was located just to the left of where the stairs ended. Hitch opened the door and was met with his double bed. Next to it were shelves full of books. All sorts of books were contained on the shelves.
"Wow, are you a book collector or something?" Asked Noah.
"No," replied Hitch, "these are just the books my parents left me in their will."
Hitch then walked to the lamp on the wall and turned it on. It glowed like a small sun in the room. Noah then approached the shelves.
"What kind of book do you recommend to me?" Noah asked as he ran his fingers over the books.
"I recommend the Golden Apple by John Smith, great plot and storyline," said Hitch
"Other recommendation?"
"There's also the Death's Will by Henry Rook, greatly well written and has interesting concepts."
"I'll choose this one!" said Noah as he took one book off the shelves.
"Which one is it?" Hitch asked curiously.
"It's um.... 'A Collection of Tales from Evergreen', " said Noah.
"I read that one dozens of times already, it used to be my favorite when I was a kid. I still remember how my mother used to read it to me," Hitch chuckled softly. "And every time I read it now, it makes me feel closer to my mother."
"Where are your parents, Hitch?"
"They're dead," said Hitch flatly.
"I'm sorry," apologized Noah.
"You don't need to be," reassured Hitch.
"Now, let's go to sleep," said Noah as he settled on the bed with the book in his hand.
"Don't you shower before going to sleep?"
"Never, only once a week," said Noah, who doesn't seem bothered by his need to shower only once a week. Hitch felt disgusted by how filthy he was, but there was a part of him that, for some reason, wanted the scent of Noah to be in his bed forever.
"I'm going to shower," Hitch said flatly.
A quarter of an hour later, Hitch stepped out from the warm shower and could feel the fresh air crushing his sensitive skin. The steam from the hot water made it very challenging to breathe and see. He took a towel and quickly wiped his hair and body with it until it was almost dry. He then took a pair of pajamas and dressed himself in them. He walked out of the bathroom and sealed the door behind him. Hitch saw Noah reading the book peacefully and then settled on the bed next to him. Hitch's breath hitched slightly when they made a small contact for a split second. Noah looked at him, worried.
"Are you all right, Hitch?"
"Yes, it's just that it's cold in the room," Hitch shivered.
Hitch then made himself comfortable on the bed and put the blanket over him, and he nestled his head on Noah's strong shoulder. Hitch could feel a warmth voyage down his spine. It was a similar warmth when his parents used to hug him, but it felt different and closer. He could feel the small heartbeat travelled from Noah's heart to Hitch's head.
"You comfortable, little guy?" Asked Noah.
If it were anybody who treated Hitch 'little guy'. He would have gotten mad, but for some reason, he liked it when it came from Noah's mouth.
"Yeah," said Hitch, "and tell me if my head on your shoulder troubles you."
"No, no, no! It doesn't, and it felt soft with your hair."
Hitch then slowly closed his eyelids and fell into a deep slumber. Noah was reading the book and noticed that Hitch was asleep, and smiled warmly. He then put the book on the bedside table and turned off the lamp.