Record Breakers

Chapter 2: "Family" Meetings with Cheese

I had asked the question but it seemed like no one was really listening. Especially Brooke, after seeing her brother for the first time in a month.

Blake was a drifter. I guess. He would stay here in their house for maybe a few weeks, then he'd leave to some unknown area, and he wouldn't tell anyone when he would leave, why, or when he'd come back. So it was just her, besides her sister in law who lived in the house with her.

Btdubs*, (*slang for by the way) Blake wasn't married. She has an even older brother named Bryon. But, no ones ever met or seen him besides Brooke.

So obviously, it ticks her off when Blake decides to disappear without any trace or warning. Luckily, this time, it was just a little glance she saw him. Not like 2 years ago when she saw him and came to school the next day with a scar on her leg. Her excuse was, "I fell," but I know it was him.

In another attempt to grab their attention, I repeat the question.

"Do you guys wanna get something to eat?" Tyler blinks a few times, coming out of his daydream, but Brooke stays the same and says, "I think we need to have a talk guys."

Suddenly, Tyler wants a say-so, "What?! It's barely the beginning of the year! And nothing's happened! I don't see what we need to talk about."

"There's a h*ll of a lot to talk about Tyler. For you, it's staying single until your princess comes to save you." She turns back just the slightest bit to get a glimpse of him, and smirks.

I laugh a little bit, resulting in getting a slap on the shoulder. I smack him back and a grin appears on both of our freckled faces.

"Hey! You guys are hitting each other? Without me?" And with that, Brooke stops and joins in with us, trying to tickle me and ruffling Tyler's dark chocolate hair that's already messy. Now he looks like he literally got out of bed. Both me and Brooke stand back and stare at him, smiles trying to get on our faces. He looks back at both of us as he says, "What? What're you guys looking at?!"

Then bam.

Instant laughter.

For about 2 minutes, all 3 of us are laughing in the middle of the road and Tyler's house.

And it's great.

As the laughter dies, Tyler gestures for us to come in his garage. And Brooke and I go along with it. Inside the electric fan greets us with a wave of shaky air and a buzz noise. We sit down and fling our backpacks as far away from us as possible.

Tyler drags his bean bag back from his living room and falls down into it. Then he asks, "So, were you serious? About the whole talk thing?"

Brooke leans back in her chair and let's out a hmmm, then speaks, "Well, sorta, maybe? Jade, what do you think?"

"It has been months since the last one. And that one was just about who kept stealing your board wheels."

All three of us have known each other long enough and well enough, we could write a biography about each other. For example, Tyler's real parents are super short. Both of them are about 5'3. He's about 5'10, about the size of his adopted parents. And Brooke, she's a hopeless romantic. She may act like she has the coldest heart on earth, but in actuality, she loves being in love.

Trust me, I know.

Don't ask.

Back to the topic though, we all know lots about the other. So we're sorta our own family since all of our families either are never home, or aren't really our family. But to keep from breaking or someone getting punched, we have these meetings. To talk stuff out.