Head Over Heels

Chapter 32 - Birthday Dinner

It took a heck of a lot of convincing, and enough breakfast food to feed a small army, but my mom and I were finally able to dissuade Charlie, Lucas and Tucker from storming the Johnson's house to interrogate unsuspecting Tyler, who still doesn't even know my brothers are here visiting me I might add.  I may have laid on the "it's my birthday, don't ruin this day for me" guilt real thick in the process, but I was desperate.  I know they will all learn to love Tyler just like I do, eventually.....I hope. 

I told my brothers all the great things about Tyler and how he even reminds me of each of them in certain ways. I wouldn't say they were thrilled to hear that exactly, but they at least are no longer at DEFCON 5 status like earlier this morning. I made each of my brothers promise to not embarrass me and to act civilized when Tyler and my friends come over later tonight to which they begrudgingly agreed.

"Come on Lies, let's get going. We don't want to miss the previews, you know how much I love those."

Charlie calls out to me from downstairs which breaks me from my rambling thoughts. I'm up in my room finishing my makeup. Charlie, Lucas, Tucker and I made plans over breakfast to catch an early movie this afternoon, just the four of us. It's kind of a birthday tradition actually. They always let me pick out whatever chick flick I want to see and none of them are allowed to complain about it. Growing up with all brothers, our family typically spent a lot of our free time doing things that catered more towards their interests so this is their way of celebrating me on my special day and doing whatever I like.

"Just a minute, I'm almost ready. I'll meet you all in the car in a few."

I call down the stairs from my room. I close my door quietly behind me and grab my phone.

"Happy birthday girlfriend!" Tyler chuckles, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of calling you that."

"Uh thanks. So um, I don't have real long to explain, but I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"What's going on? You sound stressed."

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Just that I got a rather large surprise this morning, actually three large surprises."

"Did Payton do something extreme? I told her to stop being so extra all the time."

I laugh to myself. "No! Nothing like that. Charlie, Lucas and Tucker all flew in to surprise me for my birthday and are staying this week for Thanksgiving break."

"Well I wasn't expecting you to say that, but that's awesome, Lila! You're always telling me how much you miss them. How come you don't sound happy?"

"No, it's not that. Of course I'm happy. I was super surprised since I wasn't planning to see them until Christmas time, but of course I was, I mean, I am happy to see them. It's just that I hadn't actually gotten around to telling them about you and I getting back together yet......and well.....I had told Charlie about what happened over Homecoming weekend between us and then he told Lucas and Tuck and—"

"And now they all hate my guts and are in 'psycho-over-protective mode' over you."

"Yeah basically."

The phone goes silent for a minute while Tyler processes.

"It's ok though." I try to reassure him. "I explained to them how everything was a giant misunderstanding between you and I and how we are really good now. I think it will be fine. Once they get to know you they will see how great we are together, they have to." My voice comes out more desperate than I want it to.

"Lila, everythings going to be fine. You don't need to worry. I appreciate you calling me to give me a heads up, but nothing your brothers can say or do will ever change the way I feel about you. I'm not worried about meeting them and you shouldn't be either.  I own what happened between us and I'm not afraid to show them how important you are to me. Everything will work out, promise."