Surviving the Nicholson Boys (Re-write)

twelve : girlfriend

Song/title of the chapter: Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne

"Hey, hey, you, you. I don't like your girlfriend."

***

"Oh, is she?" Karolina asked through gritted teeth.

Gregory nodded. "Yeah, is that okay?"

Karolina took a deep breath and flashed her son a wide, obviously fake smile. "Sure, honey. That's fine. Is she meeting us there?"

"Yeah." Gregory said.

"All right," Karolina gave Brad a look that said "here we go again" before climbing into the driver's seat of a black jeep. Brad climbed into the passenger's seat, and Tanner and David got in the back.

"Come on." Pauly guided me to a navy pick-up. He got in the driver's seat, I climbed in the passenger's seat, and Jeremy, Gregory, and Nicky got in the back.

Once everyone were in cars and strapped in, Karolina pulled out of the driveway, and we all followed her one by one.

I glanced at Pauly, and he didn't look too happy. Neither did his brothers. Gregory simply looked nervous, and was checking his phone or fixing his hair every few minutes.

"You okay?" I whispered.

Gregory nodded and gave me a smile. "I'm okay."

Pauly let out a breath as he pulled into the parking of a restaurant called B.S. Taqueria. He parked the car of the five of us climbed out. Karolina and Brad got out of their jeep, followed by two of their eldest children.

The others soon joined us and Karolina and Brad did a head count again. They counter sixteen boys and one girl.

"When's Bella getting here?" Brad asked.

"Right now!" A high-pitched voice squealed and I winced. Mason and Marcus tried to stifle their laughs at my expression.

A honey blonde girl strutted over to Gregory and placed a kiss on his cheek, leaving an imprint of her lips on his cheek in bright red lipstick. Tanner and Wesley exchanged amused glances.

"Bella," Karolina smiled, "nice to see you again. This is Aria, she just moved in."

I waved. "Hi,"

Bella's expression turned from "happy" to disgusted in 0.002 seconds as she looked at me. She stuck out her hand towards me as if she was doing me the hugest favour in the world. "Hello."

I shook it quickly and she retracted it, slyly — or what she thought was sly — wiping her hand on her hot pink mini-skirt. A smile crept to my lips as I rolled my eyes.

Brad cleared his throat. "Shall we go inside?"

Karolina nodded. "It'd be in everyone's best interest if we did."

All twenty of us walked into the restaurant and the man standing at the reception smiled. "Ah, Nicholson family. The usual?"

"For twenty, this time." Brad said and the man nodded, motioning for us to follow him.

We followed him outside to a patio where several people were scattered here and there, enjoying lunch with loved ones. The tables were all a deep shade of brown, while vines and trees twisted around leg chairs and all around the rest of the place. It was beautiful.

"Twenty seats," the man grinned as we all sat down. I sat between the twins, and Bella and Gregory sat across from us.

"Here are your menus." The man walked around and placed a menu in front of all of us. When he reached me, he stopped and gave me a smile.

"Why, hello." He said. "I don't think I've seen you before."

"Aria Silvers." I introduced myself and shook his extended hand. "I just moved in with them."

"Welcome to LA." He smiled and continued on handing out the menus. When he was finished, he said he'd be back before walking away.

"This place is nice." I mumbled.

"We come here all the time." Mason explained. "But I'd rather not have Barbie with us."

I snickered and looked down at my menu. My phone pinged and I pulled it out of my pocket, looking at the text.

James xx : I'm going to call you.

Ari <3 : I'm not going to pick up.

I put my phone on vibrate and tucked it back in my pocket. Tanner was sat beside Gregory, and gave me an "are you okay" look. I nodded and looked back down at my menu.

I heard a clank and after a few seconds, cold ice water spilled into my lap. The twins gasped and I stood up, letting out a squeal. I watched as the water soaked my jeans, making them a darker blue.

I looked at Bella and she smirked. "Oh, my bad."

"Bitch." Marcus grumbled. I tried not to laugh at the thirteen-year-old.

"Oh, Aria." Karolina walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You wouldn't happen to have a change of clothes?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I didn't plan on having water spilt on me." I laughed half-heartedly and she smiled.

"There's a mall near by. Let's go get you some dry pants." She grabbed her purse. "Twins, order something for her. It should get here by the time we arrive."

"The tacos." I whispered to them before Karolina dragged me off.

"I'm so sorry about her." Karolina shook her head. "I don't like that girl at all. I'd prefer you and Gregory together, if anything."

I felt my cheeks heat up. "M-Me and Gregory? Together?"

"Yeah," she gave me a wink, "I think you'd guys be cute together."

I shook my head. "He's in love with Bella. Besides, I have ex-boyfriend issues to deal with right now."

Karolina's eyes widened. "Ex-boyfriend? I didn't know you were in a relationship, Aria."

"It didn't feel like one either." I grumbled as we climbed into her jeep. I sighed. "James was bad news. Everyone told me that but I already knew. I still loved him, though. Bad mistake."

She patted my back. "It's okay, sweetheart. Everyone makes bad relationship mistakes. Before meeting Brad, I certainly did."

"Really?" I asked.

Karolina nodded. "Oh, yeah. Three bad ones before finding my Prince Charming. You'll find yours too, don't worry, sweetheart."