Starting Over Anderson || ✔

Four: Names and Crushes

After a steaming hot shower to ease my mind off matters of the Hood, I make my way downstairs to the family room (Erin had disappeared from my bed and my initial thought was to look for her) and is surprised to see two unfamiliar backs perched on the couch, squashing the brawny built that I know is Isaac in the middle. Erin is still nowhere to be seen. I bound towards them, approaching from behind. The one on Isaac's left has the same curly brown hair as the said twin, while the one on the right has a mop of sandy-colored hair. Feeling childish, I cover Isaac's eyes with my hands as he gives a little "hey!"

He touches my hand and forces them open. I don't budge, a full blown smirk on my face. I bet muscly Isaac had never imagined the day he'd lose to a female. "Come on, dad. Aren't you a little too old to be playing this kind of game?"

I giggle, uncovering his eyes. He turns around to look at me so fast I think he might have a whiplash. 

His expression when he sees that it was me instead of his dad is priceless. I burst into a laughing fit, clutching my stomach. I am woolly aware that the other two boys are laughing with me.

"Shut up, Jenna," Isaac mutters. "Just because you're strong doesn't mean anything."

"Oh don't be sore loser," I say when I have calmed down enough. "Admit it, Baxter. I'm stronger than you are."

He crosses his arm. "Not funny."

"I'm not hearing it," I taunt.

"Okay, fine. You win. You're stronger than Islewick's star quarterback. Happy?"

I nod, the smug grin permanently etched onto my face. That is when I start to notice the other two boys in the family room with us. They're both staring at me, the one with curly brown hair looking amused and the one with sandy hair seeming amazed. Wait, I squint at the sandy haired boy. He looks so familiar - ah, yes! Linkin Park guy!

"Oh yeah! Jen, meet my brother, Chad," Isaac, who has come to his senses, finally finds it in himself to introduce the boys. He gestures the curly brown haired one first then points to Linkin Park guy. "And this is Ryan, his gay partner."

The eldest of the Baxter siblings slaps his brother's arm. I kick myself mentally for not recognizing him for who he is. He looks so much like an older version of Isaac that I wonder if I'm actually having a peek into the future. "Sorry, Jenna, right? My brother needs a leash sometimes. I'm straight as a stick, by the way," Chad tells me, glaring a hole into Isaac's head. The latter grins sheepishly.

Ryan chuckles. "I'm perfectly straight too. Nice seeing you again Jenna."

My cheeks heat up as I register the meaning behind his words. I might or might not have promised him a date if we ever meet again. I brush it aside. "Yeah, I'm Jenna." I turn to Ryan, "so I guess Chad's the LP you mentioned?"

Chad frowns in perplexment. "Hold it up, you guys have met before?"

"Once," Ryan answers distinctly.

Chad seems like he wants to say more but is cut short by his mother emerging from the kitchen. "Oh, hello Jenna dear." She looks round at us and her heart shaped face warms in a smile. "I see you've all gotten acquainted. Erin has told you about Ryan, I assume? He always comes to stay with us for the weekend. Chad and Ryan - they're a package deal."

I nod, although Erin hasn't told me anything about a particular cute guy staying over. She usually tells me everything without having asked. It probably slipped her mind.

Chad glares at his mother this time. "Really? You're as bad as Isaac. We're capable of being independent, you know."

"Nuh uh," Isaac pipes in. "Always joined at the hip, these two. Ever since -" His eyes widen as he realizes he's about to say something forbidden and clamps a hand over his mouth. He glances at Mrs Baxter, Chad and Ryan apologetically. "Never mind."