Last One Standing (wattys2017) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Part Of Your World

"I'm soaked." a muffled groan left me as Lucas helped me out of the pool, my entire body dripping wet. I stared at the concrete beneath my feet in anger, my lips drawing in a thin line.

Griffin had run off the second I had mentioned the invisible bulge in his pants; as if there were a possibility he could have actually had one. Staring through the open sliding glass door, I could see the devil with his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as Jace forced his finger inches from his face in a scolding manor.

Any other time it would have satisfied me to see Griffin being treated like the immature child he was. Instead, I found myself gritting my teeth and the sight of him in general.

"Come on. Your sleep shirt is see-through." Luke gave my back a gentle shove toward the glass door and the rest of our brothers lingering around outside it.

"Luke?" I whispered on our way into our house.

"Yeah?" he responded, his eyes focusing on Griffin the closer we came to passing by him.

"Do you think. . . do you think I'm too boyish?" his head whipped in my direction as he slowed to a stop.

"What?" He looked pissed, "Why the hell would you ask that? Did someone say you were?"

"No." I lied. "It's just. . . I've never worn a bathing suit, almost my entire wardrobe is your guys' old clothes, and no guy ever wants to come within a mile of me."

"I can assure you there is more than one reason guys don't want to approach you, Alexis." Luke responded slowly, as if he were carefully thinking his words through before hes said them, "Do you forget that you have eight older brother's?"

I shook my head, dropping my head into my hands again, trying to fight the tears that were stinging the back of my eyes.

"No, I mean. . . I've never even had an actual friend, Luke. I'm a weirdo at school, I'm tomboyish here, and I'm disgusting to Griffin."

"You're not a we-does all of this have to do with that dumbass?" Lucas straightened out, anger lighting his blue eyes.

"Alex, you're beautiful. It doesn't matter if nobody can see it on the outside, which they'd have to be blind not to, because you are this amazing person on the inside." he poked my chest with a crooked smile, "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thanks, Dad." I responded sarcastically. He smirked, but tossed his arm over my shoulder instead of saying anything as we pushed through Jace and Griffin watching us.

"Toby should be here in ten minutes." I told my brothers once Luke and I reached the foot of the stairs, "Can you keep him entertained so I can take a shower?"

*

I stood in front of my mirror for over fifteen minutes going through my clothes. I held a few over me to see how they would look, and surprisingly enough, some actually looked okay.

I finally decided to wear something on the girlie side, making me feel totally awkward when I stepped out into the hall in a blue crop top and a pair or skinny jeans. I took Mickey with me downstairs, hoping to find Toby patiently awaiting his rodent.

He looked up when he heard me coming down the stairs, his head shaking as he blinked a few times, trying to get a clear image of the mouse in my hands.

"You look. . . different." He commented, taking Mickey from me without another word. I shifted uncomfortably as his eye roamed my body freely; reminding me once more why I didn't where revealing clothes or any show skin.