Define Me

18.

Chapter Eighteen:

"You kids better leave everything where it is." My dad tells all of us when we start to clean up the table. He is currently swatting all of our hands away, well, except for Noah and I as it is expected of us to help clean up when we have guests over.

"Yeah, you guys head into the living room. We've got this." Noah concurs. Slowly and ever so cautiously they all get up and head into the living, obviously uncomfortable with the fact that they are not allowed to help.

Ryan and Ely are the last to leave the room after I give them one final shooing to get lost. However, Noah and I have only just begun to clear the plates when our mom comes back into the room with a shocked expression on her face.

"What are you two doing here?" She asks redundantly as she can obviously tell that we are helping and when no one answers her, she continues. "Go entertain your friends, your dad and I can handle this."

"But-" I protest at the same time Noah says...

"Mom-" Except she is not taking ifs, ands, or buts and practically pushes out to the living room where everyone has made themselves comfortable in our childhood home.

I can't help but think about how odd the situation is. Only a month ago Ryan, Ely, Noah, and I were considering giving up on music. Now here we are, a week away from going on tour with some of the most inspirational and humble people of our generation.

"We were literally just saying how cool your parents are." Amy announces when she takes in Noah's and I's presence in the room. I laugh as I take a seat on the floor with my back against the couch, Ryan sitting right behind me. Noah takes a spot next to Liana as well and immediately the room is alive with chatter once again.

"Landon keeps looking at you." Ryan whispers into my ear. My head is instantly whipping around to look at him. He's nodding his head as if that will coerce me into believing him.

"Ryan." I say, my voice and eyes pleading with him to drop it. Last thing I need is for someone to come in and confuse my already strange life.

What I needed was to focus on my music. And my feelings for Landon could not get in the way because I cannot mess this up, not when I have a team to look out for.

Never mind the "dreams" I've been having lately.

~ ~ ~

I quietly exited the living room in silence as the room bustled with energy and conversation. For some reason, somebody, aka Ryan, thought that it would be a good idea to play mafia. I was the first to be killed as I suspect a conspiracy to be going on that includes my brother; however, I hadn't gotten as far to see the mafia wake up during the night before my bladder was begging for me to leave.

Once I had finished my business, I headed back into my room to check my phone quickly before heading back out there. Besides, it's not like my ghost was needed in order to solve the mystery.

Shockingly, my phone appears to be completely empty when the screen finally wakes up from its drowsy snooze. Note the sarcasm though, as on most occasions when I check my phone, nothing is there waiting for me.

"Nice room." I hear someone say from the doorway that I had left open. Landon, of course, is standing there when I finally look up; his eyes glancing around my very empty room.

"I see that you are now following me." I state, leaning back on top of my bed. He's now begun to make his way into my room and begins looking around at my desk where a few pictures and old notebooks are strewn across the top.

"Really, I'm the stalker?" Landon questions, holding up the signed poster that Noah had gotten me a few weeks back.

"You signed that for my brother to give to me." I point out, staring at both of Landon's heads that are directly in front of me.