taken Ⅱ [jason mccann]

t w e l v e

[ A U B R E Y ]

I watched as Carlos, Danny, Dad, Nolan, Kyle, David, Leo, and Matt all played soccer in my backyard while I stood in the kitchen with the girls as we prepared dinner for everyone. Today was my parents normal Sunday barbecue. Everyone of our family and friends were here and enjoy good food along with Mexican food my abuelita insisted we play.

"A cute guy, good with kids, looks like you scored." I heard Carla say as she stood right next to me looking out of the glass window in the kitchen. We watched as he high fived Matt for scoring a goal while the rest of the guys whined over losing.

I haven't exactly what Nolan and I are yet. I really like the guy, I do, it's just that I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship yet. Maybe I rushed into things to early, maybe I should've said no to his date. I hadn't talked to him since our date which was last Saturday; I figured the least I could do was to invite him over for dinner. "Yeah, I guess I did." I smiled and watched as Nolan gave Matt a piggy back ride. "Are Fredo and Nick almost here?" I asked.

Suddenly the door bell rang, sounding throughout the whole house. "Looks like they just got here. Come with me." she gestured to the wooden front door. I nodded my head and we walked to the front door together. "How do I look?" Carla asked while fumbling with her hair and looking down at her outfit.

Carla was wearing a light pink maxi dress with sandals. She recently died her hair back to black, claiming she was done experimenting with her hair. I wore a navy blue dress that ended at my knees and had four bottoms in the mid section of my breast. My hair was in my signature straight hair and I had brown heels on. "Perfect." I smiled.

Carla giggled and quietly thanked me before opening the door wide. There stood Fredo and Nick both dressed in button ups and jeans with food and drinks in their hands. Fredo was Carla's boyfriend of one year and going strong. Nick was Fredo's little brother and was dating my sister for what had been a year now. "Hey babe!" Carla greeted in a sequel before attacking him in a hug.

I laughed as Fredo chuckled and hugged her back. I turned to Nick and greeted him before telling him my sister was in the kitchen with everyone else. I gave Fredo and Nick a quick hug before they all disappear to the living room. I walked by myself back to the kitchen and saw everyone else still cooking. "Do you guys need any help?" I asked with a smile on my face.

"Yes dear, you can cut the strawberries please." my grandmother said as steam from the warm water filled the kitchen. I nodded my head and went to sit back down on the stool they had next to kitchen island. I started to cut the strawberries in half when my grandmother started to speak. "God look at everyone. You all look so grown up and beautiful." my grandmother smiled at all of us.

"Thank you Abuletia Isabel." we all thanked with flushed cheeks and smiles on our faces.

"Aubrey, I wonder if your Dad got the boys drunk-" my mom was in the middle of speaking until you heard a loud screaming.

"JOSIE IS ON A VACATION FAR AWAY!" David, Kyle, and Carlos screamed off the top of their lungs as they stood on the table with beers in their hands. They sang along to 'Your Love' by The Outfield as it played loudly on the speaker. They danced horribly on the top of the table until Carlos fell off the table and David kept dancing.

"I think that answers your question." I pursed my lips together and my mom groaned and threw her head back. The rest of the girls laughed and so did my grandmother.

She walked away from the stove and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl we had on the counter. "Girls, watch and learn." she spoke with a blank face and walked towards the sliding glass door. The sliding door flew open and she stood in the doorframe, ready to yell at my father. "Michael, me dijo que usted no consigue los niños borrachos! Sacarlos de la mesa idiota! Comimos allí!" she yelled before chucking the apple at him. The apple hit his head and he yelled out loudly. My mom smirked and let out a hum before slamming the door shut.