"Someone called me from your phone." Asher replied, I nodded. I had a nagging feeling that I was missing something here.
"Can I go back home?"
"If you want to go." Dr Richards shrugged.
"Thanks, doc." I smiled at him.
"Take care, Astrid."
"We will take care of her." twins added in unison. I smiled but it faded when Aiden added "You're not going to school tomorrow."
"But it's the first day!" I whined.
"It's better if you rest, Astrid-bear."
"Please? I promise, I'll be fine." I felt their hard shells crack under my puppy dog eyes. "And you both will obviously have classes with me! Come on, you just said that you will take care of me!"
Aiden sighed and Asher shook his head grumbling something along lines of 'drama queen'.
"Fine."
Cue the girliest squeal I could muster. "Senior year, here I come."
~~~
I woke up next day with a heavy weight around my stomach and a concrete like pillow under my head. I pushed both the idiots out of my bed and they landed on floor with a thud.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauties!"
Figures. This is what happens when you hang out with a nerd and a forever excited idiot- you get enthusiastic for school. Even though I woke up like an hour early for school, I was feeling fresh.
They both grunted on floor from either side of my bed and I bit back a laugh.
"Astrid!" Asher whined and Aiden gritted out at same time.
One made me laugh, other made me gulp and no wonder, I was upside down on Aiden's shoulder after 3 seconds.
"Put me down, Dumbass!" I kicked and withered in his grip.
"Your retorts make me want to pretend that I don't know you." I practically heard his eyes rolling.
"Put my baby bear down this instant!" Asher warned dramatically. This time I rolled my eyes.
"No can do, Ash." Aiden smirked and made sure to walk like a drunkard with extra bounce in steps.
Asher may be happy and cheerful one but he gets jealous more easily than Aiden. Especially, when it is about me. That's why next thing I knew, I was ready to puke as Aiden ran downstairs with Asher hot on his heels.
My brothers, everyone.
I was so glad that my stomach was more or less empty.
Dad came out and failed miserably to impose a strict aura around him as the two continued to run throughout the house, debating on who I love more.
I mentally sighed.
But being the smart lifesaver my dad is, he announced waffles for breakfast. Our favourite. This broke the spell on the two as the announcement landed me on floor. Literally.
Aiden laughed and Asher snorted.
"Payback is a bitch, Astrid-bear."
Oh, I will show you what payback is.
I mentally made a note to think of a mind-blowing prank to show them who the boss is.
Hoisting myself up, I brushed the imaginary dirt off mr. With a glare in twins' direction, who looked constipated because of holding their laughter, I stomped to my room. I closed my door with a huff and pouted to myself. Deciding to brush my teeth, I stepped in my bathroom.
My brothers must have sensed my anger as they strolled in and stood on either side of me with their toothbrushes as if it's the most natural thing in this world. I rolled my eyes and ignored them, even when internally, I was doing a happy dance.
What can I say, I love their attention.
Asher nudged his shoulder from my right side and at the same moment, Aiden nudged from my left side. I was trying to suppress a goofy grin as I kept a blank expression on my reflection in the mirror.
My expression cracked when they decided to gang up and annoy me. Their eyes lit up with mischief when Asher bought his lips close to my cheek and made kissy face, Aiden followed suit. They had foam in their mouth.
"Ew." I cringed and ducked to throw up in basin, making them almost smooch each other.
"Gross!" Aiden shrieked as Asher remained unfazed and leaned closer to Aiden who was inching back.
I laughed loudly as Aiden captured Asher's mouth to keep him away but ended up squishing him like a fish.
He looked so adorable.
But the coos soon turned into cringes when a little foam fell on my back.
I shrieked and they laughed, unintentionally raining more foam on me. I grabbed their heads and stuffed them into basin, nudging them to throw up.
Before they could lift their heads up, I squeezed toothpaste in their oh-so-perfect bed hair.
Their eyes widened and they snapped to see themselves in mirror.
Aiden's pinkish hair were looking like strawberry-vanilla ice-cream and that made me laugh even harder.
"You really hate our hair, don't you?" Asher groaned as I smirked.
"Astrid." Aiden spoke calmly.
Silence before storm.
"Yes, brother dear?" I used my sweetest and most innocent facade, which only irked him.
"I will count to 3. After that, you're dead."
I gulped audibly.
"3." My eyes widened.
"But you said-"
And with a splash, I was dumped into half-filled bathtub. Great.
~~~
"I hate you."
"Mutual feeling."
I sighed, exasperated as Aiden made me reply with a negative answer to Ryder for the party. He parked his car in school parking and three of us got out. He was still covering his hair with a snapback and that made me smug. As soon as we stepped on concrete pavement, everyone froze and stared at us. I rolled my eyes as murmurs and whispers started circulating. I wonder what the rumour is today.
Ignoring all of the attention, my brother's escorted me inside. We went to office and collected our class schedules. Just like I expected almost all my classes had either Aiden or Asher. Physics had both whereas math and journalism had none of them.
Asher and I parted ways from Aiden whose locker is in opposite direction to ours. He kissed my head and walked away after a much needed all the best. Sensing the feeling of being watched, I cocked my head to right side and noticed two unknown faces staring at me. My eyebrows knitted in confusion. Asher followed my line of vision and whispered "new students?"
I nodded gingerly and broke the eye contact. I had a feeling that the strangers are not so strange to me after all.
~~~~
I was sucked out of energy by the time lunch came. The three new students were hot topic for gossip in the air. The boy I saw in the morning was in my math and chemistry class while the girl was in rest two morning classes. It was kind of creepy how they kept looking at me like I was sole purpose of their life. The third newcomer however, is yet to be seen but as per rumors he's got looks to compete with Alex, the new guy from morning as girls are already having catfights over the new potential Mr popular of Eastwood high.
People are saying that I finally found my competition in my so-called looks department as the one word to describe green eyed red head- Rose, is stunning. I think, Rachel finally found someone else to be jealous of.
"Hola Amigo!" I looked up to see my hyperactive ball of energy, Asher but what caught my eye was the red head beside him.
"Hey." She smiled warmly at me. I nodded in acknowledgement and gave her a small confused smile.
"Astrid-Bear! Meet Rose, my new friend."
I was expected to be happy for my brother as he was finally getting over his socially impairment but all I felt was jealousy and insecurity. For the sake of his happiness, I pasted a cheerful facade to greet his new friend properly.
"Nice to meet you and it's just Astrid, by the way."
She chuckled and slid next to Asher. My ears perked up upon hearing something related to Soccer and its upcoming trials. I craned my neck to see Aiden with Alex.
Great! Everybody has new friends.
"What's up squirt?"
Aiden messed my hair and chuckled when I glared at him. My blue eyes then landed on Alex's grey ones. The discreetly familiar colour with familiar emotion, jolted me with an unknown feeling that I haven't faced badly in a long time- fear. Alex may have sensed it as he averted his eyes from me in what felt like... sadness?
This can't be him. Right?
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and gave a look to Aiden, prompting him to introduce us.
"Uh yeah! Astrid this is Alex. Alex, this is my little sis who happens to be our soccer captain."
Alex winced for some reason while I smiled at the proud undertone in Aiden's voice.
"Hey." I greeted him. He looked taken aback but then, he smiled and girls in ten different directions sighed.
"Hi."
I looked back and forth between Rose and Alex.
"Where have you both transferred from?" I asked them.
"Riverwood high, it's a few town over." Rose nodded as Alex breathed out, still looking at me in awe. I controlled the urge to roll my eyes.
"You both know each other?" Asher questioned, digging his pasta with fork. I was playing with my tater-tots as I was more keen on knowing these mysterious new people.
"Yeah. We are best-friends." Rose replied and smiled at Alex.
"Any special reason for transfer?" I asked. Aiden looked at me questioningly, knowing that I was a bit too inquisitive. He said nothing and just stuffed his mouth with pizza.
Alex shrugged in reply "We didn't like there much."
I furrowed my eyebrows. I was about to question why, when Asher sneaked Tater-tots from my plate. Upon noticing that I caught him red handed, he gave me a sheepish smile and quickly stuffed them into his mouth. I rolled my eyes and mock glared at him. Aiden whacked him and offered his pizza to me. Sending him a grateful smile, I wolfed my pizza down.
"That's not fair!" Asher whined as I gave him a full blown mocking grin, ruffling his hair. My eyes meet Alex's furious grey ones. I jumped in surprise when he banged his fist on table and stormed out of cafeteria.
"I will see what's wrong." Rose gave me a reassuring smile and followed her best friend. The three of us jolted out of the shock when the bell rang. I quickly gathered my stuff and bid farewell to Asher as my next class was with Aiden.
Way to make first impression, Alex. I already don't like you.