9 Boyfriends

Chapter 9

-Sang-

Was he mad? He didn’t look mad, but why else would he bring this up? I thought they were all okay with it, that’s what Mr. Blackbourne said. “Y-yeah. I talked to Mr. Blackbourne today and…”

He cut me off with a wave of his hand in the air. “I know, I know. I am not saying this right. What I want to say is, if this is what you want Peanut, I am on board for trying. But I also thought you may want a more normal life, which of course is not dating nine guys.”

“Is it that bad? Mr. Blackbourne told me forget what I thought was normal and go for what I felt I wanted instead. That everyone, all of you, were okay with this too.” Was he saying he didn’t want to do this? What do I do? Is he going to ask me to choose him again? We haven’t talked about the day that he kissed me and told me he would wait for me and we could run away together. I talked to Mr. Blackbourne about it and he said he would talk to Nathan. Next thing I knew he was telling me that all the guys wanted to date me. Did he not discuss this with Nathan?

“I don’t know Sang. Does it feel normal? I want it to work, it would be the best of two worlds. I would get to keep you and I would get to keep my brothers. But what about down the road? What is your plan? To marry all of us? Have all of our kids? Will we live together?”

“Stop! Just stop Nathan!” I don’t know where it came from, but I finally knew what I wanted and I was going to make sure he knew it too. He had jerked his head back when I raised my voice as loud as it could go and he stared at me wide-eyed. “I don’t know much about relationships Nathan, but I am aware enough to know that dating nine guys is not classified as normal. But what in my life has ever been normal? To answer your questions, I don’t know if we will all get married and I have never thought of having kids. I never thought I would find someone that would want to be with me like that so I never, ever, thought about those things. I am taking this one step at a time and doing what all of you always tell me to do. I am doing what I want and not worrying about what everyone else thinks about it. Do you want to know what I want to do Nathan?”

He seemed afraid to answer, so he just nodded his head up and down. “I want to make sure I stay with all of you for as long as you will have me. I want to try and date all of you. I don’t want to choose between you and everyone else. I don’t think I can make that decision, but not because I am afraid of making the wrong choice, but because I don’t want to. I finally understand what you and everyone else means when you say family doesn’t have to be blood related. I want to be a part of your family Nathan. Your family with Kota, Luke, North, and everyone else. If you don’t want that then you need to tell me now, you need to tell the rest of the guys that now.” I was done, I didn’t know what else to say, I already felt like I was rambling. I didn’t mean to yell. I realized about half way through my little spiel that my voice was as loud as it could go without squeaking and my hands were waving wildly in the air.

“Peanut, Sang. I am so sorry.” He got down on his knees in front of me. His eyes focused on mine as he held both my hands. “I didn’t mean to say that what you wanted was wrong. I really wanted to make sure it was actually what you wanted, and not just what you thought we wanted. I want you to be happy, Sang. I told everyone at the meeting that I would be 100% in this if it was what you truly wanted. And while I never meant for you to feel like you had to defend your feelings with me, I am glad you were so honest with me. I want all the same things you do Peanut. I want us all to be able to stay together, and be happy. I don’t know how it will all work, but I am willing and excited to find out if you will be by my side, by our side. Please forgive me for making you get so worked up about it. I really didn’t mean it to go like this.”

I knew he meant it. I couldn’t stay mad at him. “Of course I forgive you Nathan. I know it will take some getting used to. Trust me, I am still wrapping my head around it. But it is what I want.” He pulled himself up and sat back on the couch, our legs touching, hands still clasped together.

“Ok, I believe you. I will never make you feel like you have to justify your feelings with me again. I should never have done it in the first place.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “This isn’t how I saw this happening. I had a few ideas running through my head about how I would ask you, but I think now is as good a time as any. Peanut, will you go out with me?”

-Nate-

Why was I so nervous? She just admitted she wanted to date all of us, which means she will say yes to me. But for some reason it is as if I am still laying my heart on the line and I don’t know what she will do with it.

She smiles and squeezes my hands tighter. “I can’t imagine how else you could ask me Honey. You know I will go out with you.”

I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. “I will always remember the first time I saw you, stuck in that tree. I thought for our first date we could go back to where it started with us.”

“You want me to get stuck in a tree so you can find me again?” She smiled and started to giggle. Damn, what I wouldn’t give to stay stuck in this moment forever.

“Not exactly. What I meant was I thought we could go get lost in the woods together. There are a few trails nearby that I haven’t hiked yet, but they should all have awesome views along the way. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes, that sounds wonderful! I have only been hiking around the woods behind our houses. I haven’t even been able to do that in a long time. When can we go?”

“Well at first I was thinking tomorrow, but I know you are going to the museum with Kota after lunch. And I was hoping we could do a picnic lunch on our hike, so what about next weekend?”

“I think I am going to need a calendar to keep up with my new schedule.” She giggled again and looked so relieved now that she wasn’t practically yelling at me.

“I can show you how to use the calendar on your phone.” She reached into her bra to pull out her phone and blushed when she realized I was watching her. It was hard not to. Whenever she was sticking her hand in her shirt for her phone my brain tried to tell me to avert my eyes, but every other part of my body told me not to blink. Today was a ‘do not blink’ moment.

I spent the next few minutes showing her how to add her dates into her phone’s calendar. When she was satisfied that she could do it on her own she got up to pick a movie. Well, she got up to stare at the movies, in a minute or two she would probably turn around and ask me which one I wanted to watch. I loved that she was telling me what she wanted in terms of her relationships, but I wished she could start telling us what she wanted with the little things, like what movie to watch.

While I watched her peruse the dvds, I sent a quick text to the guys.

Nathan: I am now willing, and will continue to obey. Sang and I will be going out, next Sunday morning for hiking and a picnic lunch. I also showed her how to use the calendar on her phone so she could add in all of her dates.

I received responses back immediately.

Mr. B: Thank you Mr. Griffin

North: She better not get hurt!

Luke: Awesome, but make sure she is back in time for our date that night.

Kota: Glad to hear that everything went well.

Gabe: Do you think she will sync her calendar up with mine? I need to know when to get her ready for each date, and what clothes to pick out for her.

Silas: 3 down, 6 to go.

Victor: Looks like it is my turn!

Dr. Green: I can’t believe I have to go last. Just because I had to work. You all suck.