The Gray Brothers✔️ (Kindle version)

Getting noticed

Maggie

The next day at school, I gathered my courage and talked to Bryson. What's the worst that would happen?

He was standing at his locker, and I took a deep breath. I'll walk up to him and say hi. It wasn't a big deal.

I walked toward him. My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweaty. I reached him. "Hi, Bryson."

He glanced at me. "Do I know you?"

"My name is Maggie, or the girl who ordered a Coke and turkey sandwich."

"Oh, yeah! You ordered a coffee, then switched it to a Coke. I remember now. How have you been?"

"I'm good." I smiled. Well, so far, so good. "So, I was thinking Homecoming was coming and."

A girl interrupted me, walking up to Bryson. "Hey, babe." She kissed him.

"Hey, baby," he said. "What were you saying about homecoming?"

"Um, Homecoming is coming, and you're going with this girl." I pointed at the girl.

"Well, she is my girlfriend. Are you ready?"

"Yep."

They walked away.

"Who was that girl?"

"Beats me," he said.

My heart sank. Can you say crash and burn? I had pined for this guy for four years. He didn't know who I was except for my order. Great. I had to figure out about Homecoming. I couldn't tell the brothers that Bryson had a girlfriend, and I didn't get the chance to ask him. I would never hear the end of it.

It's time to plan, which would take finesse. I didn't need the brothers to find out.

Later that evening, I was working on my homework in my room.

"So, how did it go?" Nash was leaning against the doorframe.

"It went great! He said, yes!" I faked a smile.

"That is great. I hope you have a wonderful time with Bryson."

"Yeah, I have to finish my homework."

Nash got the hint and left. Now to keep up the ruse, which would take work.

*****

Over the next few weeks, I played it off about Bryson. I always made an excuse about having to meet him. At school, I acted as if the guys had missed him. I couldn't reveal the truth. They would never let me live it down. I won't confess that I had crashed and burned.

While I figured things out, the brothers had other ideas, which I would discover later.

*****

Nixon

"I say we have a brief chat with the tool," I said.

"Yeah, but it'll piss Maggie off if she finds out," Noah said.

"Who cares? We're watching out for her, right?" Nathan asked.

"Right," we said.

"Um, guys."

"Not now, Nolan," I said.

"But guys." Nolan pointed at someone.

We saw Bryson with a girl.

"What the hell?" Noah asked.

"Oh, hell, no." I marched towards Bryson with my brothers following me. "Yo, ass-munch! What do you think you're doing?"