The Nerd's QB

Pink Car

I groan in my sleep when I feel someone pulling my hair. "Stop," I mumble in my sleep.

I hear someone chuckle and pull another strand of my hair. Harder this time. I yelp and get up. "Aiden!" I throw my arms and legs around my brother. "I missed you."

I feel his chest vibrate as he chuckles. "It's hard to believe you're eighteen already. You're still so small."

I roll my eyes and ignore him. Of course he thinks I'm small. He's a 6'3 monster. To him, everything is small. Even me, with my towering 5 feet 2 inches height. So, being the wise person that I am, instead of arguing with him, I just rest my face on his shoulder. He smells bad though. "Why do you stink?"

He laughed some more, as if this is something to be proud of. "I came straight from practice."

Now that I look at him properly, I do see that he's still in his UCLA football jersey. "Huh? What time is it?"

"It's noon you buffoon." He didn't need to flick my forehead like that. That hurt. "Anyways, happy birthday. Now I'll go take a shower." With that he sauntered out of my room like a diva.

I also decided to take a bath and go downstairs. I can't believe I slept that long.

"Happy Birthday!" I was greeted by many cheers as soon as I enter the kitchen. But there's three voices instead of the usual two of my parents. My eyes survey the kitchen and I notice- "Ryan!" I jump into the welcome arms of my eldest brother. "I missed you so much!"

Ryan is the oldest of my two brothers. He's the most mature and level-headed person I know. He currently lives in Ney Work where he works at JPMorgan Chase. He's the man in finance that people make TikToks about. But without the trust fund or blue eyes. Instead he has my eyes, classic brown. And no trust fund because we're not rich.

"I missed you too, baby." With that he placed a kiss on my cheek. "And I believe congratulations are also due," he smirked. "CALTECH, huh? I told you your the smartest person in this family." His hand shot up to ruffle my already messy hair but I'm faster so I jump up and away from him.

"You're a Harvard MBA," I scoff. "Besides, I just got lucky."

He shook his head with a smile.  "Not lucky, baby. You worked hard for this, you deserve it." And then without warning he pulled me in for a hug, my generally tall frame hanging in air because of his abnormally big frame, as he swayed me side to side. I struggled to be let down but he just held tighter before finally releasing me when mom told him to put me down.

I huff in relief as my feet hit the ground. That was scary. I adjusted my glasses, which were crooked, thanks to Ryan, and glared at him. "Don't do that again," I ordered, wagging my finger in his face.

My parents chuckled before telling us to quit it and sit down for lunch. "Where's Aiden," mom asks looking at the stairs.

"He said he's going to take a shower," I answer, my mouth already full with food.

"Don't talk while eating." Ryan flicks my shoulder and gets up, "I'll go get him. God knows what that boy does in the bathroom that take so long."

A few moments later Ryan comes back with a babbling Aiden. Ryan didn't seem to be listening to him at all but that didn't bother Aiden, he just kept chatting Ryan's ear off until Ryan cuffed him on the back of his head. Ouch.

"So," dad cleared his throat. "We thought that maybe we should celebrate your birthday this time."

"Dad please no-"

My protest s were rudely cut off my by mom. "Lily, sweetie, you're leaving for college. We just want to celebrate all this. Please don't say no."

"Okay." It's not like I have a choice.