How to Get the Boy

One

Pulling up my jeans, I heard a loud rip.

"Shiitake mushrooms." I grumbled, standing up and promptly squiggling around as I tried to get the tight denim up over my butt without unzipping them.

"Indigo! Breakfast is ready!" My mother shouted up the stairs, surprising me.

I promptly lost my balance and fell flat onto the hard wooden floor.

"Be down in a minute mom!" I yelled, scrambling up to my feet.

I ran around my bedroom, collecting my things under my arm in my hurry.

I thundered down the steps, my shirt in my mouth, skidding in my socks at the landing  I rammed my shoulder into the wall.

"The bulls arrived." My older sister Mary chuckled, spreading preserves onto her slice of toast.

I scowled at her, dropped my things into my chair, and tugged on the wrinkled (and slightly dirty) T-shirt.

Okay, more than slightly dirty.

"If I'm a bull, where's the China shop? Cause this certainly isn't one." I replied, brushing my fingers through my tangled dark hair.

Unperturbed, Mary locked her gaze on my shirt. "Who's is that?" She asked around a mouthful of the dry wheat.

"Nobody's." I mumbled, lacing up my sneakers.

"Looks like a boys." She sing songed.

"What?" My dad looked up from the tv.

Sometimes I wondered if he just locked in on the word boy and never heard anything else.

"Indigo's wearing a boys shirt." My older brother Carter chortled.

"She probably bought it somewhere." Mary said, nearly tearing up from her laughter.

I frowned, tugging at the hairbands I placed on my wrist. "Is it so hard to think someone might give me something?"

"Not unless that someone's of the male species, little bull." Carter grinned, leaning over to ruffle my hair.

I slapped his hand away, taking my seat.

"For your information, toilet wipe, a boy DID give it to me."

"Toilet wipe?" Carter slapped his hands together in amusement.

"What boy?" Mary raised her eyebrow.

"None of your business, so butt out." I said casually, piling up my plate with scrambled eggs and sausage.

"Be nice, Indigo." My mom reminded me, kissing the top of my head as she walked past.

"Yes, mom." I gave her a small smile, shoveling eggs into my mouth.

"Its hard to believe any boy would give her a second glance, she blends in with them so well." Mary sighed.

I wasn't exactly the picture perfect younger sibling my prissy sister had imagined when my parents had announced I was growing in my mothers stomach seventeen years ago.

"Its a good thing she started growing out her hair, or else no one could tell." Carter grinned.

"A boy gave you his shirt?" My dad said, staring at the wall in his shocked state.

"Was it Michael?" My mother smiled, adding meat to my vegetarian sisters plate.

"Um.." I managed, waiting to swallow so my mouth would be clear as I spoke.

"Oh, that makes sense." My dad said.

Carter nodded in agreement.

"'Bout the only boy that looks at you." Mary sighed, scraping the sausage off her plate just as fast as mom put it on.