Living with Brothers

First Date

The hardest part about going out with Josh was that I technically couldn't be going out with Josh.

I had never broached the topic with either of my parents, and now that they were halfway across the world it didn't seem like the appropriate time.

I had never gone on a real date before, either. I had been asked out, but most of the time the boys were stupid enough to ask me in front of my brothers. Either that, or I really wasn't interested.

But now that I had actually been asked out, and my brothers didn't know, it was all new territory. Our date was next Saturday, and he couldn't have picked a worse time.

Both of my parents would be in Spain, and my brothers were in charge. Somehow, this wasn't going to end well.

With all of the fighting that had been going on the last couple weeks I decided I was still going on that day. Without their permission.

I didn't want to call myself a bad girl, but this was probably the most rebellious thing I had yet to do in my 14 year old life. Might as well start living.

Saturday came in a blink of an eye.

I woke up to the sound of Logan banging on my door.

"Emily, wake the fuck up!"

"Shut your fat head, Logan.", I mumbled from underneath my pillow.

I could hear him whining behind the door but I ignored him and pulled a pillow around my ears. I shifted left and right trying to get comfortable in my white comforter. The air conditioning system in my room broke yesterday and now my room was crazy hot. I pushed the comforter to the edge of my bed and spread out, relishing in the new breeze.

"I told you to get up-"

Logan immediately stopped as soon as he entered my room, along with Jacob and Kyle who were now averting the eyes to the best of their ability.

I screamed and grabbed the white comforter pulling it over my sports bra and underwear. My room was hot, I had to improvise. Excuse me for not thinking about my idiot brothers barging into my private room without consent.

"What the fuck- I'm up!"

"Emily- I. Is this a girl thing? Should I leave it for mom?"

"No you shithead.", I barked at Kyle. "It was me trying to get cold while being stuck in a room with no air conditioning."

I wrapped the comforter around me and pushed them out of the door.

"Idiots.", I muttered red in the face.

Before doing anything I locked the door and then dropped the comforter. I couldn't believe they had just walked in on me half naked. I could almost die.

I scrambled into the kitchen minutes later, being fully dressed.

Lucky for me, I didn't receive any teasing or witty comments from my intruders. Just a lot of averting eyes, and shy glances.

"What's up with you guys.", remarked Cole.

"Yeah, you're all so quiet today." Nathan nodded.

I shrugged. "Can you fix the air conditioning in my room?"

***************************
After tennis practice and a basketball game I came home, stripped off my jersey and took a nice, warm shower. My date was in 1 hour, and I didn't have enough time.

I settled on purple patterned, flowy shorts, and a casual silk white shirt. I grabbed my black over the shoulder cross body and some tan sandals, trotting down the stairs.

"What's with the grin. And why are you dressed so..."

"Nice?", I asked, my face obviously not impressed.

"Yeah that.", Jacob continued. "That's not even in your vocabulary."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my keys from the kitchen box.

"I have more in my closet than soccer pants and warm up tees, you know."

Jacob shrugged and looked at the TV but Kyle stared at me with a smirk on his face. He knew.

I widened my eyes and shook my head. He was looking at me dead on, but Jacob wasn't facing me.

I silently pleaded NO with my lips as his smirk grew stronger by the second.

Jacob whipped his head around finally picking it up, without the slightest hint from Kyle.

"Is it a boy?"

My face blushed and before I knew it I was flying down the street faster than lightening. My brothers obviously didn't expect that. They took off after me but I had too much of a lead.

I would trade anything in the world to be a good liar.

By the time I met Josh at the park he was kicking some grass beneath his ankle, holding a tulip behind his back.

"Hey.", I exhaled grinning.

"Hey.", he said returning my smile. "This is for you."

I embraced him warmly, engaging his smell of softness, like a cashmere down pillow.

"I love it. How did you know?"

"Know what?", he asked sitting on the bench.

"Tulips are my favourite."

His grin pulled in and pecked on my forehead.

"Come on. I have something to show you."

I followed him through the park and into the small forest. At the end of the pathway was a shy river bank and a small field of grass. In the middle of all of it was a picnic basket and white and red checkered blanket.

"A picnic?"

Josh nodded. "I didn't really know what to do, this was my first date and you've been on so many I didn't want to seem unoriginal. Now that I think about it, it's pretty lame but-"

"This is my first date, Josh.", I laughed.

He looked at me and shoved a piece of hair from his eyes.

"Wait, seriously?"

I nodded still smiling.

"Oh my God, you don't know how good it is to hear that."

We sat down on the picnic blanket together and I put my bag down beside me.

"Do you hear that?", Josh asked.

I dug into my bag and picked up my phone.

6 missed calls and 19 unread text messages. Could my brothers be any more discreet?

KYLE: EMILY, YOU BETTER GET THE FUCK HOME BEFORE JACOB MURDERS YOU

JACOB: EMILY NICOLE KINGSTON I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON'T COME HOME YOU WILL WISH THAT YOU WERE NEVER BORN, HELL I WISH THAT

JACOB: OKAY THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR YOUR STILL MY SISTER BUT YOU'RE PISSING THE HELL OUT OF ME RIGHT NOW

"Anything wrong?", Josh asked.

I disregarded the rest of the texts and turned my phone on silent.

"Nope, just some friends."

I knew he could tell I was lying but I gulped down a strawberry before he could cross examine me.

By the time we had finished all of the food it was already dark.

"Oh shit, it's already 8. I'm so sorry, Em. I have to get home to my brothers stupid football game."

I nodded and kissed him on the lips. First it was soft and gentle but I could feel him pushing slightly towards me. I grabbed the back of his hair and pushed dipped towards him, kissing him harder.

"EMILY WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!"

Oh shit.