Kissin' U

Family stories

"So ... that's your home?", Ryder asks, as we stand in front of our little house. To be honest, I was a little bit embarrassed of showing him my home. 

"I know, it's tiny. But ... it's enough for us." Damned lie. It is way to tiny for four kids and two adults. Sam and I got an own room, while Stevie and Stacy, my little brother and sister, have to share a room. Presently it's okay for them, but when the grow older they want to have an own room just like Sam and I. And that's the problem. We don't have the space for one more room. 

We step into our corridor and keep moving to my room. Ryder doesn't say a word, what makes me insecure. 

I open the door to my bedroom and see my sister jumping on my bed. I sigh and throw my schoolbag on the floor.

"Stacy, what are you doing?", I ask. She suddenly stops and stares at us for a second. Then she keeps on jumping.

"I'm jumping.", she says breathless.

"But why are you jumping on my bed? You've got your own."

"I can't jump on my bed, because it is too hard. And your bed is much softer."

"Can you please stop? We want to preapre a song for glee club." Stacy jumps on the floor and cross her arms. "Come on. Play something with Stevie."

"I want to watch TV.", she says and I sigh again.

"Okay, you can watch TV. But only for an hour." My little sister smiles and leaves the room. "You can go in.", I tell Ryder and he nods. He sits down on my bed. I want to follow him, but I suddenly hear a whistle from my right. Stacy stands at the end of the corridor and smiley widly at me. I give Ryder a sign to wait and run to my little sister. "What?", I ask a little bit irritated. 

"Is he your boyfriend?", she giggles. I laugh lightly and chuck her head. 

"No, he's just a friend. Really.", I reply. She nods giggeling and run down the corridor, right into our tiny living room. I step into my bedroom again. Ryder hasn't move. 

"Your sister is cute.", he smiles, as I sit next to him. I shrug my shoulders, showing him that I knew this before. "And you have another brother?"

"Yes. We're four kids. Stacy is the youngest. She is eight and Stevie is ten. Do you have any siblings?"

"No, I'm a singleton. I would love to have a brother or a sister, but I live alone with my dad." Ryder drops his gaze and I contract my brows. 

"What about your mum?"

"My ... my parents divorced three years ago... Mum left us and moved to Florida ...", he says quietly. Suddenly I feel bad about interrogate him about his family.

"Oh ... I'm sorry."

"It's okay. What about your parents?"

"Well, they ...  they work the whole day and I don't see them really much. They don't have time for me and my siblings ... that's why Sam is always so overprotective. He thinks he has to be a father substitute, because he is the oldest." I sigh and could feel tears in my eyes. Don't cry! That could be really embarassing! "As you can see, we don't have much money. They have to work the whole day. Sometimes I work in my holidays or -" Suddenly I stop. What are you doing?! You can't tell him your whole life story! You only know him for two days!  

"Are you okay?", Ryder asks worried. I nod heavy and put a fake smile on my face.

"Yes, of course. I'm alright ... forget what I just said."

"Sure? You don't look alright." He gently strokes my hair, giving me shivers. What the hell? Why is he giving me shivers?

"We should prepare the song.", I say and he nods sighing. "What about We found love by Rihanna?"

"But that's not a duet."

"But we can make it a duet.", I smile. 

***

We practised the song and the choreography the whole evening, until we thought it was perfect. 

Now it's 8PM. Ryder and I decided to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after our 'hard work'. We lay on our couch and laugh about Fred and George's try to put their names into the goblet. Of course I banish Stacy and Stevie out of the living room before.

"I love Fred and George. They are my favourite Harry Potter characters.", I laugh, as they turn into two old men. "Who is yours?"

"Don't got a favourite. I love Fred and George, Draco, Neville, Luna ... I can't decide which one I like the most."

"Come on! You have to have a favourite!"

"Alright ... my favourite is Crookshanks." We both laugh about his answer. Suddenly someone turns on the light (which we turned off before we started the movie). I put a hand over my eyes, trying to protect them from the light.

"What the hell is going on?", I hear Sam's voice. Crap! I hoped he would stay longer at Brittany's ... 

"Calm down, Sam. We're just watching a movie.", I say irritated and sit up. 

"Why didn't you tell me that Ryder comes over?" His voice is so harsh that it's almost scary. 

"Why should I? That's none of your buisness." 

"Umm ... I think I should go.", Ryder suddenly says. 

"You don't have to. He's just overacting."

"No ... no, I should really go. See you tomorrow." With this words Ryder grabs his back and runs out of the house. I angry gaze at Sam, who doesn't move yet.

"Thanks."

"What did you two do?", Sam asks. 

"We did nothing! We just prepared our song and watched a movie! Sam, I only know him for two days!", I almost scream. 

"Next time you tell me, if you take someone home with you."

"No, I won't! Stop acting like you're dad! It pisses me off!"

"I'm just trying to protect you!"

"Protecting from who? Ryder? You know him better then me and you told me that he's a nice guy as he came into the glee club! Besides, he's not my boyfriend! He's just a friend and you don't have to protect me from people, who you are also friends with!" As I scream, mum and dad step in our living room. I drop my gaze.

"Kids, what's going on?", mum asks worried.

"Nothing. Excuse me. I have to do my homework.", I just say and run into my bedroom.