Unravelling

Chapter 2 - Theme Park

When we arrive at our destination, the clock in the car tells me that it is a quarter past nine. I yawn and stretch my limbs as soon as I am released from the confines of the car.

"Ready to have some fun?" Sean asks, climbing out of the passenger seat and pulling me into his side.

I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his stomach. He hugs me back. I have missed this so much. Sean definitely gives some of the best cuddles out of all my brothers. They are warm and soft and comforting all at once. Although I am growing up, I still love a good cuddle. But not all of the boys are partial to this emotional display of affection. I usually go to Sam if I need a hug, since he is like a big teddy bear and he is happy to oblige most of the time. Josh is a decent hugger, too, if he is in the mood for it. And if we are not fighting, which happens quite often, since he is always so intense about everything.

Hugs from Alex are few and far between, but he can be surprisingly affectionate towards me. That is something most people would probably not expect from him. He comes across as very determined and pretty stern to people who don't know him well. My teenager brothers call him bossy. But I guess that is because Alex is like their parent and, as he once told me, parents are not supposed to be their kid's best friend. It is their job to help them grow up into decent human beings. And that also entails making unpopular decisions. But with me, he can be super gentle at times. I love that soft side of his whenever he allows it to come out. However, I only ever witness him being affectionate with me, never really with the twins or the other guys. It could have to do with the fact that I am the youngest, and a girl. Because the boys tease each other relentlessly if one of them acts girly or emotional in any way, shape or form in their eyes. And that bar is set irritatingly low.

"I'm excited to get in there and on my first ride, yeah!" I enthusiastically answer Sean's question.

"Awesome. So, what are we waiting for?"

He pushes me in front of him and shoves me towards the entrance. Being the klutz I am, this unsurprisingly causes me to trip over my own feet. I gracelessly flail my arms, trying to keep my balance. Just as I am about to accept my imminent fate of face-planting into the ground, a strong arm wraps itself around my middle and pulls me up. As I hang there like a rag doll suspended in the air, being held by my as of yet unidentified saviour, I contemplate why it is always me who ends up making a fool out of myself in front of people.

"It's a mystery to me how she can be any good at playing soccer, having two left feet like that," my favourite brother Aidan scoffs.

I choose to ignore his jibe and instead concentrate on the shoes that I am looking at, wondering who, despite my wriggling around, has not yet put me back down.

"Don't listen to him," Alex' deep voice tells me.

Twisting a bit in his hold, I manage to turn myself so that I can look up at him and find Alex smiling down at me. That would explain why he is holding me so easily, as if I weigh nothing at all. That man is a machine. Part of his health nut persona is a strict workout routine that he adheres to religiously.

"You can let me down now, you know," I suggest, starting to feel a bit annoyed by being treated like a toy that he has just randomly picked up off the floor.

"And risk that you hurt yourself before your big day has even started? I don't think so," Alex chuckles.

With one swift movement, he shifts me so that I am now cradled in his arms. I roll my eyes at his treating me like a little kid yet again. But when I notice the proud and loving expression on his face, I swallow the snide remark that is ready to come out of my mouth.