Quiet vs. Loud

Basement Love and Bar-B-Que (part 1)

Rayne's POV

As soon as we all entered the basement, I just stepped to the side so everyone could get the full effect.  Riker, Rydel, Rocky and Ratliff all just stopped and stared in amazement.  I smiled at the looks on their faces.  I love our basement, and I love it when other people like it too.  When you first walk in, you see the main part of the basement.  Jayce's drum set is in one corner, and in the other corner is a huge stereo system with speakers.  We also have water speakers all over the room. There is also a big screen TV and a few couches.  The walls of the main room were all painted with different murals.  One was a city scene of LA, one was a lake scene from our old house, one was covered in some of our favorite quotes and the last one was my favorite.  It's a wall that we all docorated with our own random drawings.  Off of this room to the left was Jackson's art room, which is where Jackson headed as soon as we got downstairs.  He used ths room to do his art work.  He had a window so that he could see into the main room.  To the right of the main room was a bathroom and a small kitchen.  Jayce was playing the drums when we got to the basement, but as soon as he saw all of us, he stopped.

Riker looked at me and said "This room is awesome.  But how did you get this set up so fast?  I mean, you just moved in."  "We have been working on this room ever since we bought the house.  It had to be ready before we moved in.  Evan set up the equipment and art room, and Jackson did the art on the walls.  What we have up right now is prints of what the finished walls will look like.  Jackson painted them at our old house, and we couldn't bear the thought of leaving them, so we brought them.  But he wants to repaint them here, so we just have the prints." I explained with a smile.

"Well, I think this is amazing" Ratliff said.  "Jayce, your drum set is awesome.  If you ever want to jam, just have Rayne let me know."  Jayce looked at me, and when I nodded, he looked at Ratliff and gave him a thumbs up and a smile.

"I could bring my guitar too." Rocky added.

"if you guys want, you can all bring your instruments over and we can have a session tonight.  My mom wants to have a cook out, so your parents could come too.  That way, they can get to know each other, and you guys can get to know my brothers."  "That sounds great," Rydel replied. "Let me call my mom and see what she says."  She grabbed her phone from her pocket and walked a few feet away.

While she was on the phone, the rest of us walked over to Jayce. Ratliff, Riker and Rocky talked to Jayce about music, and whenever Jayce needed to tell them someting, he just signed it to me and I translated.  After a few minutes, Rydel came over and joined us.  She told me "Mom and Dad said that they would love to come to the cook out, but they insist on bringing some of the food."  "No way" I told her.  "You guys are the guests, and guests don't bring food."  "Nope, my mom insisted.  She said she knows how much my brothers can eat, and she wouldn't inflict that on anyone."  "Ok," I replied." tell your mom she can bring one side dish and/or one dessert.  But that' it"  I stressed that last part with  smile on my face.  Rydel and I sat with the boys and talked for a little longer, then we decided to go upstairs.  I ran to the basement kitchen and grabbed the dry erase board we kept by the fridge.  I walked back over and handed it to Jayce.  I told him that he could use it if he needed to tell the guys anything.  Then I walked over to the window of the are room, and once I had gotten Jackson's attention, I signed to him that I was going upstairs, but if he needed me, he could text me on my cell. 

When Rydel and I got upstairs, Whit, Ross and Ryland were coming down the stairs.  They were laughing and talking like they had been friends forever.  I told Whit that everyone else was in the basement, so he took Ross and Ryland down there while Rydel and I sat on the couch.  We decided that we were going to plan the menu for the cookout, and then probably go to the store so my mom wouldn't have to go when she got off work.