Summer before Senior

Friends and Family

I unlocked the door to the house and walked in with Brittany and Miles right on my tail. We took off our shoes and placed them in the closet next to the front door before talking our bags upstair to my room. My room hadn't changed since after my dad died when I was 12.  He had helped men paint and set up my furniture and I hadn't had the heart to change it. Along my ceiling, there were lights with pictures of my family, cousins, holidays, with friends, and vacations. My room was a pale blue with a comfortable atheistic feel when you walked in. 

Brittany and Miles placed their bags beside the bean bag in the corner of my room and I placed mine beside my bed as Miles got out his phone and ordered us four bobas, an extra for my brother. We then headed down stairs to get snacks when I heard the front door open and saw Carlos walk in. He through his bag onto the couch and flipped his shoes off before running to me and giving me a great big hug. I laughed and hugged him back with Miles and Brittany coming over and making it into a group hug. 

"Your annual sleepover right?"

Carlos was a very loving and aware kids for his age, 7. He could remember the smallest bits on information and had the gift to tell one someone was lying( that usually didn't help in my favour). I grabbed the two bowls of popcorn and candy before we all headed upstairs back into my room to start watching movie. 

Our boba arrived in 15 minutes and Miles ran down to get it. We were busty watching the movie that I didn't even hear my mom walk in until I heard a knock at the door. Carlos and I looked up and she smiled at us. Brittany quickly waved and Miles smiled as Carlos and I got up and gave her a hug. As I stepped into the hallway to get the full embrace, I saw my so called step-dad standing behind her smiling. I hated that man. My mom married him three years after my dad died and it took me forever to get over how my mom was replacing my dad, but I never got used to him. I know he wanted for Carlos and I to call him dad and show that we loved him in some way, but we really didn't. We always called him by his first name, Ben, short for Benedict. 

I turned and went back into my room with Carlos right behind me after giving my mom a hug. I could tell my mom looked hurt that we didn't give Ben a hug, but she had gotten used to that. I sat back down next the Brittany and laid my head on her shoulder as she laid her head on mine. Brittany and Miles knew a lot about my life, but since I knew Brittany since forever, she really knew how hard my could be and was. 

The movie ended and my mom had ordered us pizza so we headed down stair to eat. I got down and sat at the island before reaching and grabbing a slice from across the counter. Carlos sat next to me with Brittany on my other side and Miles next the Carlos talking about some game they both played. Everyone was in mid conversation when mom and Ben came down and got their salad from the fridge with chicken. I went back to eating but stopped when I heard Ben call to Carlos. 

"Don't eat like that Carlos. We don't want to waist food."

I turned to see Carlos taking off some of the cheese from his pizza and throwing it back onto his plate. If Ben paid attention to us, he would know Carlos doesn't like too much cheese on his pizza and it was a habit. I saw Carlos look sad and I completely burst.

"Why don't you start eating more like Carlos instead of always insisting on 'healthy diet, healthy life'. Not everyone wants to be like you."

My mom stared at me in shock since this was one of the few times I had really spoken up much before. It only happened on some occasions, but Ben didn't take it like that at all.

"I'm sorry Katie. But I like what I eat, and as your father, you should learn to treat me with some respect."

The moment he said that sentence, everyone but Ben knew he had just released a bomb. I stood up and stared him dead in the eyes ignoring the looks of my mom.

"You are not my father. You never will be and never can be. The one reason you are a part of this family is because you married my mother. Don't ever call your self my father to earn some respect from me."

Ben then realized his mistake and backed off and I turned, grabbed my pizza and headed up stairs with Brittany, Miles and Carlos on my tail. I was fine with them around since they knew how hard it could be and then never judged me by it and never brought it up unless I wanted to talk about it. 

The rest of the night was normal and after watching lots of movies, getting high on candy, and sining karaoke, we had all fallen asleep around my room. Brittany and I were laying across each other with Miles in a weird position on the bean bag, and Carlos half on half of my bed. It was 2 am when we had all stopped talking and fell asleep and I was able to sleep with a smile on my face as I knew this was all I needed. 

The sun of the morning came through my window hitting my face and I woke up having to squint  my eyes to block the sun rays. Carlos was already gone and I could hear his usual show playing on the T.V down stairs in the open room. Brittany had moved in her sleep and had flipped so her feet were at my head. Miles hadn't moved but I could see him starting to wake up. And just like I thought, the next second, Miles eyes fluttered open and he looked around until he saw me awake.

"Good morning KitKat. I see you haven't gotten up to brush your hair."

He smiled as a joking frown came across my lips. I knew my hair was always a mess when I woke up and Brittany was the same since we both had longish hair length. I reached across Brittany to grab my brush while Miles stretched and got a drink from his water bottle he filled up last night. I was brushing through my hair when Brittany made her good morning grunt and then stretch. I handed her the brush as I got up and started to head down stairs to make pancakes for breakfast. 

I went to the kitchen looked to see Carlos with a glass of juice with his eyes glued to the TV screen of him watching his looney tunes show.  would watch that show with him all the time and still slip in for some mornings. I got all the ingredients to make and pancakes then started mixing while the pan heated up. I made plain, strawberry, and chocolate chip with five in each kind with different toppings. I was setting everything up when Miles and Brittany came down and sat beside Carlos watching the show with him. I placed everything on the big tray in our kitchen and carful brought it out and set it on the big coffee table in the open room in front of them. I sat beside Carlos and we gave each other a one armed hug before starting to eat while laughing and watching looney tunes. My mom had just come down and I waved and gave her a plate with two pancakes on it as she sat beside me. Ben had already gone to work since he was going on summer vacation with us and needed to work extra or something to 'spare the time' to go and not have to worry about work. 

After eating breakfast and playing a board game, Brittany and Miles grabbed their stuff and headed home. I then realized that I needed a new bathing suit and cover for vacation, but I always forgot with the last days of school left, so I decided that today was the day to get one and I could take Carlos to get him a new pair of sandals since he was about to outgrow his old ones. My mom was busy packing some food and getting some last things done for the trip since we were going tomorrow in the morning. I grabbed the keys to the car and grabbed my purse and then Carlos heading out.