"You Jerk..." Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 4. Can You Pass the Salt?

It was dinner time at the L/N's house, Mom was cooking while Dad was sitting at the kitchen table reading the Sunday newspaper.  "Y/N, can you set the table?" Mom calls to her. Y/N was in her room laying on the bed with her earbuds in, listening to music. She takes an earbud out and sighs quietly, "Coming mom!" she sets her phone down and makes her way to the kitchen, her feet made gentle taps against the tile floors as she walked.

"Hey, there kiddo," Dad looks up from his newspaper as Y/N enters the room. "What's up?" she grabs a small stack of plates from an overhead cabinet and sets them in front of each chair. "Oh nothing much, just sitting here talking to your mom. Speaking of which we had a question." he sets his newspaper on the table to give Y/N his full attention. She tilts her head slightly as she placed silverware by each plate, "What is it?"

Mom wipes her hands on her apron and leans against the counter, "Did you get a chance to talk to Michael?" Y/N nodded, "Yeah, he was kinda uh-" she tries thinking of a nice way to describe the way Michael acted towards her. "He was reserved at first, but once I talked to him he opened up a bit."
Dad smiles and pats her back heartily, "Great job kiddo. I knew you'd get along just fine with him."

Y/N sets folded napkins onto each family member's plate, "Well, I get along with him, I just don't know if he gets along with me; y'know?"
Mom, who was facing the stove now, tilts her head as she stirs a pot of food. "What do you mean by that, Y/N dear?"
"I don't know, it just seems like I'm more open to getting to know him than he is to know me." she sits down in her seat near Dad.

"I understand hun, just don't stop making an effort to know him. You just need to get to know him. Vera said he's a good kid, even if he's a bit troublesome." Mom finished making dinner, she untied her apron and hung it up, "Alright, c'mere and fix your plate Y/N. D/N, do you want anything to drink?"

///

The family was all sitting at the dinner table eating dinner. The sound of forks gently scraping against glass plates filled the dining room. Upon looking around Y/N noticed there were still some large cardboard boxes pushed away in the corners of the room.
"Hey, mom? Are we gonna unpack those sometime soon?" Mom perks up, "Oh! Thanks for reminding me, Mr. Afton and Michael are stopping by tomorrow morning to help us with those. Afterward, William asked if you could come by their house and watch Elizabeth and Evan. He and his wife need to go to a meeting."

Y/N widens her eyes, "Wait what? I'm babysitting?" she's never been one to enjoy babysitting. She's had to babysit her cousins before, but only a few times. She's barely met Elizabeth or Evan, and more importantly, would Michael be there? She hoped he wouldn't be a jerk to her since she got to know him, but then again, she didn't get to know him well.

 "Why can't Michael babysit them? That's their brother, wouldn't they prefer him watching them?"Mom sighs quietly, "Y/N, the Aftons are nice people. They helped us unpack and we owe them a favor."

"But I don't-" she stammers, she didn't like the idea of babysitting. Elizabeth and Evan were well-mannered children, but Y/N wanted to spend her day outside; exploring the town. "Mom do I have to?"
Mom starts getting impatient with her daughter and furrows her eyebrows sternly. "Y/N L/N. You will go babysit the Afton kids and you'll have a good attitude while you do it. Are we clear?"
Y/N glares at her mom, biting her tongue to stop her from arguing. "Crystal clear." She mumbles in a monotone voice, staring down at her food.

Mom and Dad look between each other then they turn their gaze to their sulking daughter in front of them. Dad clears his throat and looks towards Mom with a weary smile on his lips attempting to diminish the awkward tension. "Can you pass the salt, dear?"