One of the Guys

Chapter Six

Chapter six


The next morning, I nearly had a heart attack. I forgot where I was and what I was doing, until I remembered. It was the first day of summer, and I was in North Carolina. With four boys.


As I was getting ready to see the boardwalk, I recalled all the traveling the three families did in the past five years.


We all started out in Ohio, but I had moved an hour away from where we originally were, then to West Virginia. The Easthoms had moved to Florida three years later, and the Numrakas had move to New York. Now, Mrs. Easthom thought it would be "fun" to have all three families back together again.


Now I won't say that I didn't have a good time in the car. I did, honest. But I just wondered if they were only hanging out with me because their mothers made them.


I looked at myself in the mirror when I was ready. I had on ripped jean cutoffs, black converse, a navy Aeropostale T-shirt, and bracelets. My dark brown curly hair was pulled up in a ponytail with curls framing face, and light makeup rounded my deep violet eyes.


I checked my phone which I put on silent last night, and found that I had over forty messages from Chloe and Alyssa.


Half of them saying 'call me' or 'reply now'.


"What took you so freaking long!?" Was the first thing Chloe said when finally called her.


"Well hello to you too. It's only the first day of summer, couldn't you wait to be that overly attached best friend?" I asked sarcastically.


"Rory," she started annoyed, "Jonah asked me out!"


"What?"
"Jonah. Asked. Me. Out."


Jonah, her crush since fourth grade.
"Omg! Did you say yes?"


"Duh!"
"Oh my gosh, how and when?" I asked enthusiastically. That's when I heard chuckling outside the door.


"Omg," I heard a boy mock, "how and when?"
More laughter followed.


"Chloe? I'm gonna have to call you back," I said bitterly. I walked quietly to my door, trying not make the floor creak, and opened up the door faster than lightning.


"What the heck are you guys doing?" I spat. Nicolas's, Jake's, and Leo's faces turned pale.


"Well?" I demanded. "You heard that?" Leo asked softly.
"If I didn't do you think I would have ended my call?" I asked angrily.


Now I knew living with four guys was going to be a challenge. And if there's anything I hate, it's people butting into my business.


"Probably not," he muttered. I continued to glare at them unsure of what to say. And of course, Malcolm chose this prime time to walk in.


"Rory, do you still want to go to the boardwalk?" He asked. Then he saw the atmosphere between us and said, "What did you guys do to her?" He questioned. My heart fluttered when he defended me. But it also made me want to punch him, oddly enough. It made me want to prove that I didn't want to be defended.


"They were just mocking me. Nothing much," I said with a shrug. He gave me a quizzical look and I shrugged in return. "So what are we waiting for? I want to meet some beach babes," Leo said. I rolled my eyes, grabbed my phone, and we went downstairs. The steps creaking with every step.


"So when are your parents coming in?" I asked Nicolas and Jake.
"Tonight," Nicolas replied uneasily. I'm pretty sure they could sense that I was still aggravated with them.


"Mom! We're showing Rory around. Be back latter," Malcolm called. "Boys? Get over here," she called back. Judging by the looks on Malcolm and Leo's faces, that wasn't the response they wanted. "This'll take a minute," Leo grumbled.


As soon as they were gone, Jake said, "Rory, we really didn't mean to make you mad."
I sighed. "Guys, I was just agitated. And don't do that again. Though I do have to say Leo's impression needs a little work."


They both exhaled a sigh if relief and laughed. "Nope. I think it was dead on," Nicolas argued.


I rolled my eyes.


"Well," Malcolm started coming back in.


"What are we waiting for people? Those beach babes aren't going to last forever!" Leo exclaimed as we all walked out the door.