My Best Friend's Brother

Krelboyne Picnic

Aria had been invited by Ms. Miller, who seemed to have taken a liking to her, to come to the Krelboyne picnic and she gladly accepted knowing that her best friends were going to be there. Francis was going to be there as well, seeing that it was going to be a weekend he was home, though Malcolm had spent the previous weeks complaining about how he didn’t want to go to the picnic.

Aria walked right into the Wilkerson’s house and gave her usual greetings before making her way to the boys bedroom. She found Malcolm still sleeping and Reese was leaning over him, when he noticed her he put his finger to his lips and she stayed quiet intrigued to see what he was doing.

“Malcolm. Malcolm.” He called out quietly, shaking his brother’s shoulders to wake him up. Malcolm opened his eyes but before he had time to process anything Reese had pulled his fist back and punched him right in the eye.

“How is that even remotely fair?!” Malcolm groaned holding his eye, Aria winced and walked closer to them.

“That’s for us all having to go to to your stupid Krelboyne picnic today.” Reese said before he stomped out of the room.

“You think I wanna go?”

“I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.” Aria spoke up, rolling her eyes at the boys’ dramatics. She heard some mumbling from the other bed and it was the first time she noticed Francis.

“You’re gonna help me get out of it.” Malcolm explained his plan to his friend and she reluctantly went along with it.

Malcolm planned to fake being sick by “puking” in the bathroom but Lois didn’t buy it. Aria sat at the table across from Reese, ever since the two of them fell asleep together they avoided each in hopes that it would keep the other boys from teasing them. It didn’t.

“I don’t understand why you don’t want to go to this picnic, Malcolm; I think it sounds fun.” Lois said as she cooked sausage.

“Yeah, sitting on the grass, eating barbeque.” Hal agreed.

“It’s Krelboynes. It’s not going to be on the grass because half the class is allergic. And don’t expect any meat, either, because they all voted not to serve anything that had a mother.” Malcolm ranted to his family.

“Cousin Nancy doesn’t have a mother.” Dewey piped up as he missed the point of his brother’s ranting.

“That’s right. She has two daddies.” Lois nodded.

“Oh, man, two guys as your parents? That house has got to be a dude’s paradise.” Reese said, everyone stared at him for a moment before they continued with the original conversation.

“You know, there are a lot of proven health benefits to the vegetarian lifestyle. In fact, I’ve been seriously considering it myself.” Hal then bit into a sausage.

“It’ll be nice to meet the other parents. I’m sure they’re much better than those carnival freaks in Reese’s class. What a bunch of horrible people.” 

“Amen to that.”

“Well, sounds like a blast to me.” Francis said as he stood up, “Why do I have to go, again?”

“Because it’s a family picnic, Francis, and you’re a member of this family. So are you, Aria.” Aria smiled glad that they thought of her as family too.

“Oh, right, see, I just keep forgetting that, being forced to live a thousand miles away at the military school and all.” 

“Well, I can’t wait to see this academic circus. I bet it’s really cute.” Lois gushed as she read over the flier again.