"Karla" I smiled as she opened the door.
"Hey Cora" she hugged me. "Hi boys. Everyone is out back. Fair warning there are a lot of people."
"Ah we're used to the crazy" Dad shrugged and hugged Karla.
She laughed a little. Her dress was white and flowed perfectly over her bump and down to her mid calf.
The boys were all wearing pink of some sort. They all thought it was going to be a girl, or at least that's what they wanted.
Connor found a light pink t-shirt he wore with denim shorts and Adidas. Carter wore a more coral-pink t-shirt and black shorts with sneakers. Cooper wore a bright pink shirt with matching socks and black shorts. Dad just had a pink shirt and golfer shorts.
I, on the other hand, thought it'd be a boy. I wore a baby blue cropped tank top with white stripes on it. I paired it with a pair of denim shorts and of course my converse.
We walked to the backyard which was filled with a lot of people I didn't know. I looked around for the few faces of the people I did know.
"Cora!" Kenzie called and ran over to hug me.
"Hey Kenz" I hugged her back.
The backyard was decorated in a blue and pink barbeque theme. "It's so cute out here"
"I helped set it up with Aunt Kyndal and Poppy. The fruit bar is over there and the drinks are in the kitchen. Dad is cooking the burgers and hot dogs."
"Hey Snowflake" Will gave me his best smile and threw an arm over my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug. He wore a blue shirt with jeans. "Don't you like what I did to the place?" He joked.
"You?" Scoffed Kenz. "All you did was help Uncle Tristan bring out the tables" She accused.
He bent down to where his eyes were even with hers. "Are you sure about that, Ken?" He narrowed his eyes challengingly.
"You know it, William" She smirked as she used his first name. In one motion, he swooped her over his shoulders where she was laying against his back upside down and he was holding on to her feet.
I stood back and watch the scene unfold in front of me with amusement.
"Tri, Tri, please help me" She pleaded to a man as he walked by her. He looked like he was in his thirties and definitely Michael's younger brother.
He laughed and walked over to me.
"What'd she do this time?" He asked.
"She called out Will on his BS" I laughed.
He nodded and watched for a few seconds. "William, let your sister go" He helped Kenzie up.
"Thanks Tri" Kenzie hugged him.
He high-fived her and put her on his shoulders and walked away.
"Did you just rat me out?" Will pouted.
I shrugged as I bit my lip trying my hardest not to crack a smile. "Maybe"
He sighed. "I thought we were friends, Snowflake, I thought we were friends" He feigned hurt as he put his hand over his heart. "I'm hurt" He pouted.
We both busted out laughing.
"Where are my brothers?" I asked as I sobered up.
"I think they're casting their vote" He pointed to the "voting" table.
"Oh let's go" I clapped and grabbed his hand before pulling him away to the table.
I put my vote in for boy and I spent the day with the boys.
Will introduced us to his family. We met, his aunts and uncles from his dad's side and a few from his mom's side. The boys ran off to get some fruit and something to drink. Will took me to meet his grandma.
"This is my grandma. We call her Poppy." He introduced me to an old lady sitting in one of the chairs on the patio. He hugged her and leaned down to her level. "Poppy, this is Cora Barnes."
I reach out my hand for her shake. She grabbed and she held it.
"Is this the girl you told me about?" She asked him.
I could see Will blush a little bit. "Yes, Poppy, this is the girl. She's Coach's daughter and Carter's little sister."
"She's just as beautiful as you say" She smiles at me as she pats my hand.
My face heats up a little bit as I push a piece of hair behind my ear with my free hand. "It's nice to meet you ma'am" I smiled politely.
"Oh please don't call me ma'am. You can just call me Poppy, everyone else does." She said.
"Sorry, Poppy" I corrected myself. Will started talking to his uncle or cousin or someone.
"Oh dear you are just the cutest thing. All nice and beautiful. You probably have boys lined up at your door wanting you."
I shook my head. "Oh I really don't. All the guys that had a chance turned out to be bad."
Her face lit up. "Ah William here is a good boy and such a gentleman too."
I couldn't help but laugh a little at her sudden statement. "I'll definitely put that in to consideration" I smiled.
Will looked back over at me and took me away. "You'll put me into consideration huh?" He smirked at me.
"Shut up" I shoved him while laughing.
"What? I think it's cute." He laughed.
"Well you know what, William? I'm thirsty." I held out my hand for him to take.
He sighed and grabbed my hand. "Well I guess, we'll have to do something about that"
He lead me to the kitchen. He insisted that he write my name on the cup and everything. He poured me a cup of sweet tea and handed it to me with a smile. The word snowflake was written across the cup in his handwriting.
"Snowflake, really?" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
He took a long drink from his lemonade. "Yes, really. I told you I liked that nickname."
"Better than Marshmallow?"
He nodded. "Better than Marshmallow" He confirmed.
I laughed and nudged him lightly.
"Burgers are ready!" Micheal called from outside. Will and I went outside and several people already had food and parents had plates for their children. Will and I got in line and got all the food we wanted.
"Do you want pickles?" Will joked.
"Get that shit way from me Erickson" I warned in a half joking tone.
He laughed and put some on his burger.
"Do you not like pickles?" Will's aunt Kyndal asked me.
"I'm severely allergic if I eat one. I almost died the last time I accidentally ate one" I explained. "Will was actually the one who gave me my shot"
"Thank God he was there to help."
"Yeah." I finished putting my stuff on my plate and I followed Will.
"Where do you want to sit? We can sit inside? Or stay out here?"
I shrugged and looked around. I didn't really care where we sat. I could see my brothers in line getting their food and I knew we had to sit somewhere where they would be with us.
"Oh I have and idea. Can you hold this? I'll be right back." He handed me his plate and ran off into the house.
He came back a couple minutes later with blankets in his arms.
"We can have a picnic" He laid down the blankets in the grass and sat down on them.
I handed him his plate and sat down next to him.
"Hey pretty lady" Some guy said as he took a seat next to me. He was around our age and I assumed he was Will's cousin.
"Back off Liam" Will growled.
"Look we're having a picnic!" Coop said and rushed over to us excitedly. The other two followed behind casually, talking to each other.
They saw the guy, Liam, sitting there and sat down. They saw the guy and just like me they probably assumed it was Will's cousin.
"Or what? Is she your girl or something?" Liam pushed.
"She is my girl and I said back off" Will repeated himself.
The five of us looked at him. I was confused, my brothers looked angry, and Liam almost proud of him. Liam just stood up and walked away.
"What?" Connor said.
"The" Cooper continued.
"Hell" Carter glared at his best friend.
Out of all of them Carter has always been the most protective over me and boys. I think it was because we were always in the same grade. Will is a different level of protection. Will is his best friend and little sister and best friend don't go together.
"I was about to ask the same thing." I said.
They looked at me in confusion. "Wait you mean, you didn't even know what he was talking about?" Coop looked shocked.
"So you're not together?" Con asked me.
"No" I answered.
We all looked Will for an answer.
"Look guys, that was my cousin, Liam. He's a player and a terrible guy. He's Mom's nephew, technically we're only related by marriage. We've been competing since we were kids. If I didn't say that she was my girlfriend, even you guys or your dad couldn't scare the guy away. She would've probably been flirted with nonstop all night even if she rejected him. His definition of flirting is definitely not appropriate or vocal."
"Wait, Karla isn't your real mom?" Cooper asked completely confused.
We all looked at Cooper.
"You didn't know that?" I asked the nitwit.
He shook his head.
Will just laughed and shook his head. "No dude Karla's my step-mom and Kenzie's my step-sister. My dad and real mom got divorced when I was like four."
I love how even though Karla isn't his biological mom will treats her as such. The fact that Karla helped raise him for most of his life makes her his mom, not his mom that he hasn't seen since he was four.
"Anyway thanks for you know keeping our sister away from him" Carter said.
"No problem man, I got her back" He clapped Carter on the back.
We just talked while we ate. There were stupid arguments and fun jokes being thrown around. It was a great time. Kenzie came and sat with us at some point with a watermelon.
"Wait you're telling me that I've been here the entire time and I didn't know there was watermelon?" I asked in disbelief. How dare they hide something like that.
"It's right over there" Kenzie pointed to the table filled with fruits.
I jumped up immediately and ran to that table. There was a three tiered tray thing filled with watermelon. I grabbed two pieces and went back to the boys.
"Who's the other one for?" Will asked.
"Her" my brothers answered at the same time.
"They're both for me of you want some get off your lazy ass and get some" I held over them protectively.
"Okay everyone! The ballots are closed and thanks to Tristan and Kyndal the votes are all counted." Michael announced. Karla stood next to him holding her bump with a smile on her face. "The team with the most votes was Team Girl"
All of the people who voted for team girl clapped and cheered.
Kyndal and Tristan brought out a giant balloon and two confetti cannons. Will and Kenzie got up and took the confetti cannons. Micheal took the balloon and they were both handed a pin to pop it with.
"Oh gosh I'm so nervous" Karla said. "I can't, I can't" She freaked out a bit. Her smile was already a mile wide.
"On Three" Micheal said.
Kenzie and Will were standing behind them with the cannons ready to go. Some people were filming. Most were just enjoying the moment.
"One, two, three" They counted together and popped the balloon. Kenzie and will popped the cannons.
Blue confetti came from the balloon and a blue powder settled over the family.
"It's a boy!" Karla screamed. She jumped up and down and hugged her husband. They were both crying with joy. Will hugged his sister. Will's face lit up with complete happiness. I knew he wanted a brother so bad. He hugged his dad, then Karla.
"I'm gonna be an uncle!" Tristan yelled.
"You are an uncle!" Micheal yelled back.
"I'm gonna be an uncle again!" He corrected himself.
Everyone just laughed then started to congratulate the couple and the family. It wasn't long after that it was time for us to go. The boys decided to stay with Will and play video games in the basement.
"Bye Kenz" I hugged Kenzie.
"Bye Cora" She hugged me back.
I hugged Karla and Micheal and congratulated them on the baby boy.
"Are you sure you have to go?" Will pouted.
"Yes, Will, I told you I have stuff to do today. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Promise?"
I nodded. "I might have helped dad plan the practice and I might be coming to watch you suffer"
He looked at me wide eyes and his jaw dropped. "I hate you"
"You love me" I smiled and flipped my hair over my shoulder.
He pulled me in for a hug. "Bye snowflake"
"Bye Erickson"