Life in Hiding

17 ~ Big Hands

My break has been spent eating, sleeping and hanging out with friends.

It's weird to be in a situation where I actually enjoy hanging out with friends and I know they genuinely enjoy me. It's been a while since I felt that. I guess I really did go off the deep end.

Chloe plops down next to me on the couch in Maggie's garage. She extends a soda in my direction and I open it.

"Can we go to the drive-in tonight?" Maggie asks, playing with Zayne's hair.

"Yes." Wes decides, his source of current entertainment, watching a rubber band snap.

"I can't." I offer, hating the look Chloe sends my way. "We have family friends coming into town and Ashton's coming home. These next few days are family days." I never thought I would be annoyed by that fact.

"So a pretty boy comes along and you forget all about us?" Zayne pouts and I flip him off.

"Sorry, man, Ashton is the OG." Ain't nobody replacing my baby. Plus, my roomies are coming into town and I gotta see my boys.

They boo me as I stand to my feet, Chloe following me to my car.

"So, I'll see you Monday?" She asks and I smirk, is someone reaching for in invite to hang out?

"No, I have a feeling you'll be seeing me before then." I hug her and we stay like that for a while. "Please let me know when you make it home."

She nods, pulling away. "I always do."

Part of me wants to ask her to come with, but I can't. Tonight is a family tonight. Getting inside my car, I wave. "Talk to you later, Chlo-bear."

"Bye, Gigantor." She rolls her eyes and I drive off.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm pulling into my driveway. Stepping through the front door, the majority of the noise is coming from the kitchen, so I decide to join in. Walking through the entry way, I'm ready to walk right back out when I see Manny and Emmy cheering on Gabe and RJ as they chug sparkling grape juice.

"I want some." I shove Gabe away and finish his bottle. The bubbles burn my throat, but I don't care. This shit is like an addiction.

"Someone better go to the store and buy more." Scarlett demands, slamming the oven door shut.

"Relax, Letty." RJ moves to hug her. "Take a load off, have some cider."

She snatches the extended bottle from his hands, not even acknowledging his hug as she drinks.

"Dude, Rylie might get jealous." Gabe hisses.

"Never of Scarlett." Rylie laughs. "Sage, though, I've had some doubts."

Joining their hug, I cup RJ's ass. "We can't share, Ry?"

"You can have Gabe." She deadpans.

"That's just mean." I stick my tongue out, thankful for the fact Rylie assimilated into our family's craziness so easily. In 2 years, she went from the stranger we gossiped about to the girl we gossip with. That's how you know they're a keeper.

Scarlett starts to run through a list of all the food she has to make, and that list is a mile long. Uncle John really did us dirty with his decision to flake. It almost reminds me of what life was like before he got his life together. Never home, never seeing us. I know he's busy and he definitely is not the same person, it just sucks.

The twins wander in, holding their camera as always.

"When can we eat?" Silver whines.

"As soon as dinner is ready, and our guests arrive." Scarlett says. "Now stop asking."