The Things I Love About You (Completed)

C h a p t e r O n e

Mitch POV

I look around the room and smile, happy with what I see. My three sisters, triplets, are dancing around the expansive room in a circle and Connie and Rick Hoying are swaying gently to the music produced by the piano at the end of the room.

"Mitch, why aren't you singing?" my dad asks, coming to sit next to me as my mom goes over to Scott and watches him play the piano over his shoulder.

"Because, I don't know this song."

"Mitch, get over here." Scott says, turning toward me as the piano goes silent.

"Scott..." I whine with a grin as he breaks out in one of his own.

"Good, you know my name. Now come here."

"Where's Lindsay?" I ask suddenly, noticing the absence of one of Scott's sisters.

"I don't know. Why?"

"We must find her!" I say, puffing out my chest and planting my hands on my hips as I stand up.

"Not right now, Superman."

"Mitchie, please." one of my sisters, Kara, says. "Sing for us."

"You hear me sing all the time." I say with a roll of my eyes.

"Yeah, but Christmas Eve doesn't happen very often, so you have to do it." I look around the room again, noticing Lindsay at the bottom of the stairs.

"Look, a girl! We must map its territory!" I call, using her presence as a distraction as I run toward her with my hands outstretched, ready to tickle her mercilessly. She lets out a short shriek mixed with laughter and runs away from me, only to be caught by Scott.

"Get her!" he yells, laughing so hard he is nearly in tears. This is how it goes every year. Our two families, the Hoyings and Grassis, bought this house more years ago than I can remember and come here for every Christmas. Between mine and my best friend's families, we are eleven people: Scott and his two sisters, Lauren and Lindsay, their parents, and me and my three sisters, Kara, Rylie, and Meghan, and our parents.

"Come on, guys, let me go!" Linsday laughs as I start tickling her sides. Scott holds her still until Lauren comes running down the stairs and jumps on his back.

"Run, Lindsay, run!" Lindsay takes the opportunity to break out of her brother's grasp and hide behind her dad.

"Alright, boys, stop tormenting her." Rick says, laughing and shaking his head slightly as Scott and I share a glance. From its spot on the table in the living room, my phone goes off. I run to answer it and call to Scott, "It's Kirstie!"

"Answer it!" He runs up behind me and I put the call on speaker.

"Hey, babe!" I say excitedly.

"Hey, queen. Is Scooter there?"

"Right here." he says, sitting on the couch. It takes all I have not to sit down directly on his lap, but I sit next to him instead.

"Okay. I sent your gifts to your house because I forgot that you aren't there, so you get that when you get back."

"How's Wywy?" I ask eagerly, missing my kitty.

"Priscilla and I are getting along very well."

"Why do you insist on calling him that?" Scott asks with a laugh.

"Why would't I?"

"How. Is. He?" I ask again.

"He's doing great. I just fed him and Jeremy is currently playing with him."