Sandcastles

Chapter Three

Pictured: Shailene Woodley as Helen

I throw all of my books in the backseat, some of them hitting Ben when they fall. Madeline gets in the driver's seat and starts the car up before pulling out of the school's parking lot.

"Ben, we are going by the Ludwig's again today. It's completely out of the way to drop you off so you'll just have to come with us." Madeline explains to Ben. He groans loudly.

"How come if I wanted to go to a friend's house you wouldn't take me but I always have to tag along to go to your friend's house?" he complains.

"Well, Benji, if you made some friends we could change that." Madeline says with a smirk. Ben scowls and pouts in the backseat.

We turn on the road and into the driveway at the Ludwig's massive house. We all file out and Madeline knocks on the door. When Helen appears in the doorway, Ben stands up straight and yanks the beanie off of his head. He nervously tries to straighten his hair up before smiling at Helen. I roll my eyes. That's all I need. Another sibling in love with a Ludwig.

Helen lets us in and I see Marc sprawled out across the couch. Apparently he didn't leave today as Troy predicted.

"Troy actually had soccer tryouts today that he forgot about so..." Helen says, trailing off. Well, I guess we won't be finishing the project today.

Helen gestures for us all to sit down and we do, Ben making sure he sits beside Helen and Madeline sitting beside Marc. I roll my eyes at the two of them.

Marc immediately starts to chat with Madeline and Ben desperately tries to talk to Helen, but she's uninterested. I sit slumped on the couch and stare at the wall, bored out of my mind. My attention turns to the shirtless boy walking through the room. His hair is messy and his gray shorts hang low on his waist. He smirks when he sees me staring at him and he takes a spot beside me on the couch.

"Like what you see, Hollywood?" he asks me with a wink. I scowl and shake my head and he laughs lightly. I look to my left, seeing that the other four are engaged in conversation with each other. I don't have a choice but to listen to the boy beside me.

"So how's the project going for drama?" he asks me with a devilish grin.

"Great. Troy is actually an amazing writer." I tell him. He chuckles at me.

"Yeah. Sure. Mine was turned in on the first day. If I had pitched an idea for the winter musical, it would be my play and not his. But you have to let the little brother have the spotlight sometimes, you know? I'm sure you know how that feels." He tells me. Wow, he is more arrogant than I though.

"I don't have a little brother." I say. He knits his eyebrows together in confusion.

"Then who's that?" he asks while pointing at Ben.

"My twin brother. And he's actually three minutes older." I claim. Alexander laughs and shakes his head. I'm praying for Troy to arrive at any moment.

"So who are you auditioning for?" Alexander asks me.

Today in drama, Mrs. Samuels told us all of the details and parts to audition for. Auditions will be next Tuesday after school. I have no desire to audition for the musical.

"I'm not auditioning." I tell him. He raises his eyebrows at me.

"Why not? You're in drama class for a reason." He tells me. I roll my eyes.

"It's a musical. I can't sing." I say. He laughs.

"Anyone can sing. Only some sound good, though." He tells me with a smirk.