Serendipity ○ All 14

33. Addie

Bursting through the front door of Tyler's house at three in the afternoon wasn't exactly a part of her plan, but she couldn't help it. She breezed through the entryway, past the living room, and smashed through the closed door of Lawson's new room. She wasn't exactly planning on the wide eyes of all three of her boys popping over the forest green covers, but whatever. For now, she'd ignore the slamming of the closet door. And she meant the actual closet door, not the metaphorical one.

She had the cool older sister image to uphold.

Again, ignoring the sounds of the movie playing in the background, she strode through the room like a queen and settled daintily on the edge of the bed. "You'll never guess what just happened."

"I don't care," Simon said and burrowed under the blankets.

Tyler followed. "It's too early to deal with your bullshit."

"We were just getting to the best part," Lawson whined.

Swiveling around to look at the screen hanging from the wall, she couldn't help but deadpan. "Game of Thrones is more important than my life? Seriously?"

"Absolutely," Tyler said seriously.

"Have you seen Jon Snow? He's so hot," Simon defended himself.

"Sorry Addie, but you have nothing on Stansa," Lawson chirped, and when she sent him a poisonous glare, he continued in a small voice, "I stand by what I said."

Addie scoffed. "The disrespect I get around here is ridiculous," she said. "Right, Jessica?"

The boys tensed and looked around like wide eyed baby deer. Addie had to resist the urge to coo. So cute. At last, the closet door started to open slowly, the girl behind it realizing how futile hiding would be. Really, the boys knew that Addie was in the know, and they still acted like teens hiding away their crush from their parents.

"How'd you know?" Jess questioned with an adorable pout on her features, her pink glasses standing out brightly in front of hazel green eyes.

Addie sighed. "It may have something to do with the slamming of the door when I walked in," she replied and peered around the room. It was surprisingly neat. Usually she had to clean it, because the boys didn't know how to pick up after themselves if it saved their lives. "Or maybe the trademark female presence that radiates neatness and sanity."

Jessica sniffed the fresh air that didn't smell like dirty socks and leftover food. "You caught me."

"I don't know why you guys keep trying to hide," Addie replied. "Wouldn't you be happier if you were out in the open? It's like tenth grade all over again without the angst and hiding in the closet," she said before looking at Jess. "Well, the metaphorical closet..."

Simon chuckled and leaned his head on Tyler's shoulder. Laws looked at them fondly, but didn't join in on the love fest. "Do you want her older brothers to kill us?"

"Kota wouldn't kill you guys..." she replied in defense of her nerd-lover.

"Are you kidding?" Jessica asked from where she was standing, a sassy hand propped on her hip. "My brother would skin them alive and leave the leftovers for North to deal with. Not to mention Owen. He's so cool and collected that no one knows what he'll do until it's too late..."

Tsking, the older girl couldn't help but feel like they weren't giving Kota enough credit. No brother liked the thought of their little sister dating - she knew this as fact - but it was literally the end of the world. Everyone should be happy. Brother, sister, friend. It didn't matter.

"Jessica..." Addie started calmly, "the longer you hide this, the more pissed your brother is going to be when he figures it out. You can't hide it forever. I bet Owen already knows."