There will always be awkward times. This is a known fact. There will always be things you wish to hide from others. This is also a known fact. One of the most awkward of times, full of secrets, is at Ethan's family dinner. Every Sat.u.r.day they gather around the table and have a feast. A tradition that they all take part in, even if they don't want to.

"So… How is school going for everyone?" Ethan's family weren't rich nor were they poor. Both his parents worked whilst he and his sister, Bella, went to school.

Although Ethan tries to keep everything about his school life a secret, his persistent family often try and find out everything they can during the short time they spent together. The more persistent of his parents, being his mother.

"Why do you ask this every week?" Ethan said, halfheartedly shovelling food into his mouth.

"Because I care about you both, I want to know how things are. You have upcoming Exams, Ethan, whilst Bella has to think about her future subjects."

His mother tried every trick in the book to attempt to make them talk. She tried to find everything she could from Bella, her favourite. Except Bella doesn't even know Ethan's school life.

"School's going fine, mum." Bella said attempting to end the conversation.

"Well, that's good to hear. Why don't you try asking Ethan something, dear?"

Ethan's dad often listened to all the conversations. Like Ethan, he was a logical thinker and attempted to deconstruct and work out the perfect way to tackle everything. This also includes conversations with his family.

"Yes…" His dad said trying to work out which question he should ask first, whilst taking Ethan's eating speed into account.

"What are your current grades? Through the countless questions, he created since they started eating he decided to start with a simple question that would often only require a one-word reply, in hopes that Ethan or Bella would open up.

"Same as always, A's and High B's."

"I see." The two of them went back to eating in silence, with Ethan's mum attempting to keep the conversation flowing.

"What about your friends? How's Owen doing?"

CRASH

"Sorry. I guess I dropped my fork." Bella said picking her fork up from the floor before going to get a new one.

"He's fine," Ethan said answering his mum's question.

"What about the other boy, Sean?"

"He's fine,"

"What about that girl you always talk to?" Bella returned from the kitchen and decided to throw a time bomb right onto Ethan's lap. A bomb that if not carefully defused would explode and expose his school life.

"W-what girl?" Ethan said as natural as possible, which for Ethan, is no easy task.

"I see on your phone. The one you work with. What's her name again? K? Ka? K something?"

"She's just a work colleague, nothing else." Ethan's heart broke upon uttering the words. As positive as he was trying to be about his situation, admitting it brought him back to reality and stabbed him in the heart.

"What about you, Bella? Any boys mum and dad should no about?" Ethan said trying to turn the tides.

"I SHOULD HOPE NOT!" Their mum said standing up out of her seat.

"Neither of you should be dealing with girls at your age! You should both focus on your studies! That's what your dad and I did!"

Although his mother pa.s.sionately states this. It was common knowledge to both Bella and Ethan that she didn't mind them dating. Each week the same sentences are said and they are always followed by their dad explaining the story of how he met his wife.

"Well, She says that, but we started dating in school. I think we were even younger than Bella is now?"

"EERRRRGGG, You aren't helping here, dear!"

The four of them went back to eating in silence having nothing to talk about. Each week it was like listening to a record on repeat. Although each week is worded differently it always ends up the same. Although to most it would be boring, and that's exactly what it is to this family as well.

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"Why don't we play a game afterwards?" Ethan's mum suggested.

"Why?" Bella asked. "We've never done anything like that before."

"I just want to try and change things a little. Maybe spice up our dinner time."

"If you want spice there is some in the cupboard." Ethan's dad replied, trying to contain his laughter from his own joke.

The room looked at him all reacting in different ways to the self-proclaimed 'World's best joke'

Ethan sighed heavily and thought that about Owen who would have made a similar joke.

Bella attempted to leave but was quickly stopped by Ethan.

His wife looked at him with cold, heartless eyes. The eyes of a serial killer stared him down. Eye's he hadn't seen from his wife in a while. Eye's strong enough to make a grown man cry.

"What game?" Ethan asked, hoping he can change the topic before his dad started crying.

"Ah! Well… How about Monopoly?"

Ethan looked at his mother as if she was no longer his mother. As harsh as it sounds that was the horror he felt towards the game Monopoly.

"Do you remember what happened last time we played Monopoly?"

"N-no."

"Well, let me remind you." Ethan began to speak. "Last time we played Monopoly, we played for hours and hours. Hours of torture only for me to land on Bella's hotels turn after turn. I spent the whole game winning whilst Bella sits around bankruptcy. Then it begins, I keep landing on all of Bella's smaller properties until she can afford a house. She always places it on the property I have to pa.s.s so I will land on it. She gets a hotel, bankrupts both of you and gets your properties. Then I'm stuck surrounded by all of Bella's hotels as she waves a giant stack of cash fanning her face! It goes on for far too long just for Bella to win!"

Ethan went on and on about his hate for Monopoly. The time he spent talking was enough for them to finish a game. His dad sat and agreed the whole time whilst his sister ignored every word he said.

His mother attempted several times to escape from the h.e.l.l she unleashed, only to be called back by her husband.

This was Ethan's time loop. As if every Sat.u.r.day they forget about what happened the week before and talk about the same things. A time loop that always ended in Monopoly.