Maggie
I slept on the couch, snuggled in the blanket I had bought.
"Explain to me. Why did we do all that work so Maggie would sleep on the couch?" Nixon asked.
"How the hell should I know? It's not like I can read minds," Nash said.
"Should we wake her?" Noah asked.
"Yep," the brothers said.
Nathan pulled out an air horn and put it by my head. He pressed the button, causing me to scream and fall onto the floor. I shot them a glare. They smirked at me.
"What is wrong with you guys?"
"What's wrong with us? We should ask you. We put much work into that room, and you're sleeping on the couch," Nixon said. "So, enlighten us. Why are you here and not there?" He pointed upstairs.
I can't let them know that I was onto them.
I stood up. "I saw a spider."
"A spider?" Nathan asked.
"Yes, it was big and hairy. Did I mention big?"
"Fine. Someone will kill the little bugger. Then you can sleep in your room," Nash said. "Kill the spider, Noah."
"Why do I have to do it?"
"Because I said so."
"Fine, but the next one, Nixon gets." Noah stomped out of the room.
Well, shit. That didn't go as planned. I prayed the Gods would take mercy on me. Then a scream erupted with Noah flying down the stairs.
"Yeah, no. That was one big ass spider." He looked like he saw a ghost.
And the Gods have answered my prayers.
"It can't be that bad," Nathan said.
"Then, you kill it!" Noah said.
"Fine, I will, you pansy." Nathan headed upstairs.
We waited until he came flying down the stairs.
"Screw that! That thing is mammoth!" Nathan said.
"I can't believe you two are afraid of a little spider." Nixon took care of what they couldn't upstairs. A minute later, he came barreling down the stairs, tripping. "Yeah, not going to happen."
"Are you serious?" Nash asked.
"Yeah, I am. I don't know how it got there. But it needs to go back." He pointed with a head turn.
Nolan was the next one, and he was as bad. "Nope, nope, nope."
Nash headed upstairs to investigate. "Someone, get me a bat!"
How giant was this spider? I checked for myself, trudging upstairs. They followed me. I glanced at the hairy thing, then flew out of the room.
"That thing is gigantic!" I hid behind Nixon, who pushed me in front of him. I swear to God that these guys were absurd. I'll get eaten by a spider, and they'll stand there and watch.
The six of us stood in the hall. We argued about who would kill the stupid spider. Pat walked by us, took a shoe, and whacked the spider twice. We stopped.
She walked by us. "All this commotion over a little spider." She shook her head and laughed.
We stood there. What happened? We got shown up by Pat. That's what happened. When I asked the Gods to send me a spider, Big Bob from Arachnophobia was not what I meant. Now I didn't want to sleep in the room. Period.
Pat had Nate check the room for any more spiders. They didn't find any. Thank God, because I doubt I'll sleep in a spider riddle room. It would never happen.
After taking my stuff back to my room, the boys felt it would be nice to spend Sunday afternoon with me. I had other ideas of enjoyment, like fantasizing about Bryson.
"And what do we have here?" Nathan jerked my journal out of my hand and plopped on my bed. "Oh, Bryson. You're dreamier than most guys." I tried to get my journal back, but he moved it out of my reach. Then he held me back with one hand as he continued to read. "Why won't you notice me? You would like me. Pbttt." He made a jerking motion with his hand.
I yanked my journal out of his hand. "Do you mind?"
"Drop it, Maggie. That tool won't even notice you," Noah said.
"You don't know that. He talked and winked at me the other day," I said.
"Did he have something in his eye?" Nathan asked.
I gave Nathan an annoyed look.
"He could have had something in his eye."
I shook my head. "Bryson will notice me. I need to get the courage to talk to him."
"Okay, then do it tomorrow," Noah said.
"I will," I said.
"Good."
"Fine."
"Now we settled that. Can we not discuss that tool?" Nathan asked.
"What tool?" Nixon asked, walking into my room.
"Bryson Tilson," Noah said.
"He's not a tool," I said.
"Oh, he's a tool. He's the definition of a tool. Open a dictionary and go to the word tool. You'll find Bryson's picture," Nixon said.
"He's not a tool," I said.
"Trust us. Bryson's a tool," Nathan said.
"What are you guys talking about?" Nolan asked while entering my room and eating a sandwich.
"Bryson Tilson," Nixon said.
"That tool?"
"Even Nolan realizes he's a tool," Noah said.
"Nolan assumes that everyone's a tool," I said.
"This is true," Nolan said. "But Bryson is the biggest tool. Trust me. The dude spends more time looking in a mirror than he studies."
"I'm not having this argument with you guys."
"Fine. We'll make you a deal. You get Bryson to ask you to Homecoming, and we'll leave you alone," Nixon said.
"On one condition," I said.
"What's that?"
"If he takes me to homecoming, you four have to wear a dress for an entire day at school." I narrowed my eyes and smiled.
"Fine," Nathan said.
The brothers jumped on him by agreeing to my terms. I'll go to Homecoming with my dream guy, and the Gray brothers will wear a dress to school. I can't wait. Now to figure out how to get Bryson to go with me.
I had to figure out how to approach Bryson. I tried out novel approaches in front of the mirror. I was trying to find the one who worked the best.
Then someone said, "If you want to get a guy's attention, be yourself." Nash leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"What's wrong with the approaches I've done?"
He walked into the room towards me. "They're wrong and fake. Guys like girls who are themselves."
"Well, being myself got me nowhere. Bryson looks at me like I'm invisible."
"Okay, pretend I'm the guy you like. Hit me with your best shot."
I loosened up my shoulders and moved my head around as I closed my eyes, trying to gain confidence. Think of Bryson. Think of Bryson. I chanted to myself.
"What are you doing? Preparing for a fight? Relax."
"Fine." I opened my eyes. "Hey, Bryson. Remember me from the diner? My name is Maggie."
"Maggie, who?"
"Maggie Holloway."
"Who?"
"Maggie. We go to school together."
"Never heard of her." He shrugged.
"Forget it." I turned to walk away when Nash caught my arm.
"Okay, okay. Sorry." Nash chuckled. "Try again."
I sighed. "Hey, Bryson. Remember me? I saw you working at the diner."
"Oh, yeah. How have you been?"
"I'm good. Do you want to go to Homecoming with me?"
"Yeah, sure." He shrugged.
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Great!" I smiled. "That'll work. Thanks, Nash." I wrapped my arms around his neck, taking him by surprise. His body tensed, but he relaxed and wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Sure, Mags."
I let go as he lingered, looking into my eyes. I stared into his steel-grey eyes.
"Yeah. So, thanks for your help."
"Sure, no problem. I'll see you later." Nash left my room.
I bit the tip of my thumb. Did Nash and I have a moment? Nah, that's Nash, and Nash doesn't have moments. At least, I don't assume he does.
Forget Nash. Focus on Bryson and the boys wearing a dress for an entire day. That would be fun.