Alexa
I took a deep breath before opening my door. Michael, Jackson, and Elliot stood behind me. It's time for my friends and family to meet. I'm a nervous wreck. I should've lied to Veronica and just say that they won't be able to come. But once I asked them, it was game over. A part me expected them to say no but all three of them said yes.
"Come on in," I said, hoping that some miracle happened, like the earth swallowing me up flat.
I've never had friends over before in my life time, probably because I didn't have any friends to even invite over. But now.... that's not the case, is it? What if the boys find out what happens in the comfort of my own home? I'll think I'll be super embarrassed. They probably wouldn't want to be friends with me any longer if they knew. They would think I'm pathetic.
I stepped inside to see my older stepbrothers on the couch, including Cameron, but Ryder doesn't seem to be home yet. I wonder, where's Veronica... and Dad? He doesn't work today.
"Nice place." Michael whistled in admiration, stepping in after me, Jackson and Elliot trailing behind him.
Michael's voice got the attention of Cameron. I wanted to just have Veronica meet the boys and then head to my bedroom or something —- with the door opened, of course. I didn't want any of my stepbrothers and friends to interact. But here Cameron was, on the couch, turning his head to see the four of us standing at the doorway.
"Oh, hey, your stepbrothers," Jackson said. All of my stepbrothers were on the couch, but only Cameron seemed to be aware of us.
Cameron narrowed his eyes. I wish he would not pay attention to us. Is that so much to ask for? Zach and the twins glanced over as well and they glared in our direction. Of course they did. They don't like me. As for Cameron, he must've went back to hating me.
"Um, where's Veronica?" I asked, shifting my feet.
"She should be home soon..." Cameron said, standing up, walking over to us.
"For someone who you said won't care about us, he looks like he wants to kill us," Michael whispered. He probably wants to kill me, actually. But, of course, I didn't say that.
"Nah," I said.
"Yes, I do," Cameron said with a sadistic grin.
"He's joking," I say, eighty percent sure.
"I don't think he is," Elliot said, nonchalantly. "What's the deal with your other brothers?"
"They're all my stepbrothers, thank you," I corrected, ignoring Cameron's flinch, because I didn't really care. I mean, he'll probably go back to beating me, but what else is new?
But I saw what Elliot meant. After glaring at us, my stepbrothers were completely ignoring us, mumbling under their breaths, probably about how terrible of a person that I am.
"Alexa, what's going on?" Cameron asked nervously.
I rolled my eyes, wondering when I became so bold. Maybe it was when Elliot, Jackson and Michael befriended me, even though that happened only a few days ago. Still though... there is fear still lingering. Pain, too. I don't think I'll ever be fully rid of it.
"Alexandra Hart!" Cameron snapped. "Aren't you gonna answer me?"
"Alexandra isn't my full name... just Alexa is," I replied dully. "Also, you're not my---" Boss I was going to say, but the thought of what might happened to me if I decided to be a wise crack made my breath heave. But Cameron flicked as if he thought I was going to say something else...
"Alexa, are you okay?" Michael asked.
"I-I..."
All the memories were coming back to me in a whirlwind of emotions. I could feel the tears springing from my mind as I relived the pain, the torture, all the tears I've shed over the years. And the losses I've endured. My mom, my brother, even my dad in a way.
And myself.
"Do you think she's on the verge of having a panic attack?" Jackson asked Elliot.
"I'm fine!" I blurted, quickly wiping my eyes after only a single tear fell.
I glanced behind me. Michael and Jackson was staring at me as if I was bout to break. Elliot had no expression. As for Cameron, I looked in front of me to see his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
"I'm fine," I repeated. "Just fine." Now it feels as if I'm just trying to convince myself that 'I'm fine.'
"Riiiight." Cameron sounded unsure. "So, why are they here, Alexa?" he questioned, tilting his head to the side.
"Friends..." I muttered, slowly turning back into the old Alexa. The Alexa that I didn't like. Well, I didn't like the Alexa that grew a tongue either. I don't think I will ever like myself, though.
"What she means is that we're friends, which is why we're here," Jackson said with a grin to rival Michael's.
"Um, yeah..." I nodded.
"Don't you guys think you're standing a tad bit too close?" Cameron said, suddenly sounding an awful lot like Tamaki from one of my favorite anime ever (Ouran High School Host Club).
MIchael and Jackson exchanged looks, which I didn't like one bit ---- mainly because they had matching smirks on their faces, causing me to have a bad feeling.
"Oh, so you won't like this all too much," Michael said, putting his arm around my shoulder. I stared at his arm, willing it to explode, but to no avail.
Cameron sucked in his breath, looking back in forth between us, and his brothers back on the couch, as if he wanted them to intervene.
"Why do you look as if you've seen a monster?" I questioned. "Also, Michael... what are you doing?"
"Oh, don't mind him," Jackson said, putting his arm on my head, as if my head was an arm rest. It's not, by the way.
Cameron sucked in his breath. Again. "Do you mind not doing that?" he asked, carefully taking both of their arms as if they were infected, and then took them off of me.
"Do you need me to do the dishes? Or your laundry?" I grumbled. Why else would he be bothering us?
"Why would you do his laundry?" questioned Elliot, who somehow had a book in his hand, his eyes glued to it --- where in the world did he even get that?
I shrugged, deciding to ignore his book that might as well have came from thin air. "Just a joke, I guess," I said.
Cameron sighed. "Listen, why did you suddenly need to invite them over?"
"Because I wanted to meet them," came a new voice. Veronica appeared in the doorway behind us, a smile etched on he face.
"Mom!" Cameron complained. "Why would you---"
"Shush!" Veronica said.
"Hello, Mrs. Hart," Elliot greeted politely, setting his book down. "It's great to meet... Alexa's stepmom, is it?"
"Oh, so polite," Veronica gushed. "Yes, I'm Alexa's step mother. It's a pleasure to meet you three. Personally, it's long over due. You may call me Veronica."
"Hi, I'm MIchael!" he greeted. "That's Elliot and there's Jackson! We're Alexa's only friends."
I stared at him. He stared at me.
"Okay, well," Cameron said, "Mom, you had to just---"
"Go away." Veronica smiled. "Go hang with your brothers. Or your girlfriend --- who is it this week? Macy? Amara? Jessica? You always seem to have a new girlfriend every week. Don't you have STDs yet?"
I snorted, for more reasons than one. My friends snickered, although Elliot only smiled, but it's progress.
"Mom!" Cameron's face tinted pink. "Fine, I'm going. All you had to do was ask! Jeez!" Then, he stalked away, my friends and I were still giggling.
"Come on, guys, I would love to get to know my step daughter's friends," Veronica said.
I smiled. It felt nice to know that someone in my family cared enough about me. But as we made our way into the kitchen, all of my step brothers were glaring in my direction ---- and if I didn't know better, I'd say it was for more than one reason.