96 Throw Your Memories Away
"Ugh", Haley groaned as she entered the kitchen, evidently disgruntled by having to wake up so early, "Why do I still have to come to these family meetings so early in the morning? I'm an adult. Make it more convenient for me". Then looking at Zephyr, "It's not even a family meeting any more at this point".
"She said, emerging from her bedroom in her pyjamas at noon", Alex sarcastically added.
"And besides", Luke continued, "Zephyr's basically family at this point".
"Thank you", Zephyr muttered.
"I mean, who else are we going to find that like Alex?", Luke added. Hearing this, Alex jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow, causing him to groan in pain. "Hey", Luke complained indignantly, "You know it's true".
Haley rolled her eyes at their antics. "For your information", Haley sassily interrupted, "I'm allowed to chill today and not have you on my back. You wanna know why? It's because it's Saturday". Then she whispered to her Dad, "It is Saturday right?".
"Yeah", Phil nodded.
"What is this meeting about?", Luke asked, "Because I have a lot of stuff to do".
"Like what?", Zephyr cut in, "Trying and failing to pick up girls because they all think you're gross".
"They were in awe of my sexiness and you know it!", Luke exclaimed, attempting to defend himself.
"Claire starts her new job as CEO of Jay's closet business on Monday and you all know how she gets when there are big changes", Phil reminded them.
"Knockity Knock!", a loud knocking sound reverberated throughout the house as a loud voice yelled.
"Oh no!", Luke exclaimed.
"Don't tell me!", Alex screamed.
"It can't be!", Haley shrieked.
Zephyr gulped, "It's-".
"Mrs Cluterworth!", Claire yelled as she entered the kitchen with numerous baskets in her hand, "Who's ready to take everything we don't want or need and toss it in the bin!".
"I'm getting a migraine already", Alex muttered, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"I am!", Haley shouted in mock excitement. "You grab her arms", she quietly instructed Luke, "You get her arms", she whispered to Zephyr, "And I'll get the tape".
"Take one of these into your rooms and throw in everything you don't need!", Claire commanded, dropping three baskets on the floor.
"Why don't we do this next week?", Haley questioned, "Or better yet. Never!".
"No", Claire shook her head, "I'm starting my new job and I want to leave this house with things as organised as possible".
"Mos people would just throw stuff into their closet", Zephyr stated, "As the new CEO of a closet company, great job on beating out Chuck by the way, one would assume that you'd know this stuff".
"Yeah", Luke nodded, "Aren't you like making fewer sales or something by making us do this". Seeing the unmoved and unconvinced look on his mother's face, Luke sighed and got up from his seat. "Fine", Luke grumbled, grabbing a basket and leaving the kitchen.
"You know what?", Phil rhetorically asked, "Why don't I go help him? You know how Luke is". Before his wife could even answer, Phil exited the kitchen.
Alex sighed and got up from her chair as well. She grabbed a basket and left the kitchen, Zephyr right behind her.
"Make sure you actually clean up!", Claire exclaimed, "And not just make out!".
"Eww!", Haley retched as she picked up her basket, "Now I've got that image stuck on my mind. Thanks very much Mom!".
Speechless, Claire could only watch the retreating figure of her daughter as she walked up the stairs, hearing a faint thud as Haley opened the door to her bedroom and moments later slammed it shut.
"Honestly", Claire scoffed, "I don't get what's wrong with those lot. I thought at least Alex and Zephyr were normal".
[Timeskip]
"So what are you going to throw away?", Zephyr asked, looking beside him at the slightly breathless Alex.
Alex, who was still recovering from the recent makeout session, glared at her boyfriend. After managing to recover her breath, she finally gave an answer, "There's a trunk full of old stuff and some old clothes in my closet. I'll probably pick some of those so mom doesn't go through everything".
"Smart", Zephyr commented.
Alex rolled her eyes and hopped off her bed. Getting on her knees, she rummaged through the bottom of her bed before pulling out a trunk. "Here we are", Alex heaved, flipping the trunk over so it was the right way round. After unlocking it, she opened the trunk and looked at its contents.
"Good God!", Zephyr exclaimed, "You were really into trolls".
"Yah", Haley interrupted, coming into the room, "Especially your junio prom date with the baby teeth".
"What do you want?!", Alex snarked.
"I need to give that monster something to get off my back", Haley answered, making her way over to Alex's closet, "I can't believe I'm saying this but can I borrow some of your clothes?".
Just as Alex was about to answer, Haley pulled out a jacket. "No no no no!", Alex yelled, "Put that away!".
"Why?", Haley inquired, "It's obviously far too small for you".
"Hey", Zephyr remarked, "Is that one of my old jackets?".
"It is", Alex nodded.
"Why do you have it?", Haley interrogated.
"It's special to me", Alex answered, snatching it away from Haley's hands and taking a deep breath.
"How is a jacket that's too small for you to wear special?", Haley questioned.
"That's the jacket I gave you on one of our early dates isn't it?", Zephyr asked, quickly realising the meaning it held.
Alex nodded her head, taking another sniff of the jacket, "We went to a museum and on the way back, it started raining. I didn't bring my coat so you took off yours and gave it to me".
"Aww. That's so cute", Haley remarked in mock awe, "Now stop talking. I need to find something to give old Clutterworth".
"Wow!", Zephyr remarked in shock as he rummaged through the trunk, "You have so much stuff here".
"I do", Alex nodded her head, adjusting her position so they were side to side as they looked through the trunk.
"No way!", Zephyr exclaimed, "There's a picture of me, you and Luna when you both first met".
"Oh yeah", Alex nodded in slight surprise, "Matt took a picture and gave me one when he drove me and Luke home".
"What's this?", Zephyr asked, holding up a stack of CDs that was labelled AZ.
"I think that's a collection of songs that you've sung for me", Alex muttered, "I don't know how those got in there".
"Would you please stop acting like lovebirds for a second and help me!", Haley yelled, stopping Alex and Zephyr from continuing the conversation they were having.
Zephyr sighed while Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine", Alex grumbled, standing up and dusting herself, "You cam just take some old clothes that don't fit me anymore".
Finding it an opportune moment, Zephyr glanced at her chest and teased, "That's probably most of your clothes then isn't it?".
"Aurgh!", Haley retched, "Please don't talk about my sister's breasts in front of me".
Wanting to get back at her sister, Alex didn't hesitate, "You're just jealous because yours are so small".
Hearing this, Haley gasped, "How dare you! Mine aren't small. They-they-they're perfectly normal. It's just that you're a-a-a-a-a".
Seeing that she was incapable of answering, Alex smirked, "See. You're speechless because you know it's true".
"Y-y-you take that back!", Haley yelled.
"Nu-uh", Alex shook her head.
"Maybe we should stop arguing like children and actually find something to give your mom so he doesn't shout at you", Zephyr interrupted, trying to be the voice of reason.
Alex, being the smarter and more considerate of the two, realised that Zephyr was right and nodded, "You're right. We have to hurry up otherwise Mom's going to be really annoying".
Although unwilling, Haley took a deep breath and nodded, but not before giving her sister the stink-eye. "Fine", she grumbled, stomping over to the closet once more.
Seeing this, Zephyr let out a small sigh of relief.
