Unfortunately, the third week is when school starts to feel like school, so on Tuesday, I ended up trying to complete most of my homework and a massive chunk of my history project.
I was sitting on the floor of the living room, papers surrounding me when my mom walked in.
"It is nice to have company tonight!"
I smiled at her. "Yeah, I am glad you get the night off."
She grinned, slumping on the couch with a large glass of wine, "Yes, me too. I love the new job, but boy do those kids ask a lot of questions."
"That is good, though, right?" I asked. It meant they wanted to learn.
"Yes, however, they are all so smart already that sometimes I don't know the answer. Not when they're asking me how to spell a certain type of disease that we aren't even treating." She curled her legs underneath her on the couch.
"After dinner, let's watch the Bachelor. I need a bit of dumb in my life."
I agreed that sounded great, so after a delightful dinner, we watched Monday night's Bachelor together.
My mom ended up getting drunk on half a bottle of wine before my dad came home and laughed at the two of us. Although my parents were okay with me drinking now and then, I wasn't comfortable drinking in front of them, so I was happily sipping on my pop while my dad tried to get my drunk mom to go to bed. Luckily she has a night shift tomorrow, so she'll be able to have a pleasant sleep.
I cleaned up my project and our popcorn kernels before heading to bed that night.
---
On Wednesday, Taylor and I spent some time together. She instructed me where to go and drove us around to a few local thrift stores. I ended up getting a few things to upsell online. I was excited about it, and Taylor ended up coming over to see my extensive collection.
I was delighted when she said she wanted to model for me for my online stores (as long as I let her use the pictures for social media), and we ended up having a closet photoshoot. Even though most of the footage would probably be unusable - we had a lot of fun.
I had caught Taylor sending pictures to Jones a few times throughout the night, and I noticed that she only sent him the cute ones. "Jones, huh?" I asked her.
She blushed. "Don't tell Owen, okay?"
I laughed and faked, zipping my lips.
Jones was 'bored' because he didn't have anything this year on Wednesday nights since he quit soccer. So, I suggested next week the two of them do something, but Taylor insisted I come too, saying that she couldn't hang out with Jones alone.
I agreed because I was happy to be included.
We decided that next week we would go bowling with Jones, but Taylor said she would ask him in two weeks since she was going to her Aunt's next Wednesday. I made her promise she wouldn't use that extra week to chicken out. She was so nervous that he wouldn't say yes, but I said it was okay and that if he didn't, we would just go.
When I asked if we should include Kyle too then, she informed me that on Mondays and Wednesdays, he works at his dad's shop. So I guess it would just be the three of us.
Taylor stayed for dinner, and she got along very well with my dad, telling him stories about the local daycare she works at after school.
"I have always wanted to be a teacher, so I started working at the local daycare on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as soon as I turned sixteen," she explained.
I knew that even though Owen had no interest in being a teacher, he started working at the daycare too when he saw how much money Taylor was making there. Owen was much more interested in soccer, of which he hoped to play professionally one day.
He was not sure that would happen, but he did have a chance of making a career out of it somehow, possibly coaching. He at least knew he would be able to play for the next few years as a few Universities had scouted him for next year.
That is where he and Eli were tonight, at their soccer practice. They were both on the same team. Eli had told me that he was pretty good, but Owen was the star. They were top in the league, and it was all because of him.
Their games start this Sunday night, and I was excited that Taylor had invited me to watch with her.
After Taylor left for the evening, I Facetimed my old friends. I wasn't too upset that they did not seem that interested in staying on the line with me too long because at least I had made friends here now. Also, Eli had phoned me in the middle of our phone call, and I had been the one to hang up this time. I told Carla about Eli, so she was overly excited for me.
"Hi, Eli!" I said after closing out Facetime on my computer.
"Bring your swimsuit to school tomorrow."
I hesitated, "Am I getting slushied again?"
I guess that is not the response he had been expecting cause he had burst out laughing. I am glad he could appreciate the joke.
Eli had invited me to go swimming after school. I had not realized that he had a pool, but I guess I should have assumed after seeing the size of his house.
---
Amber opened the door when I arrived at Eli's.
"Hi Betty!" said Amber, pulling me in for a hug.
"Hi, Amber!" I said, embracing her.
She ushered me inside and shut the large doors.
"Thanks again for the haircut; you have saved me more than you could ever know."
She smiled at me, "Oh, hun, I am so glad you like it. You're just the sweetest. It is so nice seeing you again. That boy never brings people over here, and you are the first girl he has ever brought in this house. It is nice to know he is learning to make friends!"
I blushed. I knew Eli didn't have many friends over, but it was almost exciting knowing I was the first girl he had brought over.
"AMBER AMBER!!" We both turned towards the loud noise.
"Alert?" said Amber, and I giggled. She smirked at me.
A boy, younger than Eli, came running into the day room where we had been talking. The boy looked like Eli, but younger. It was uncanny how much they looked alike. I guess this must be his younger brother, Brodie. Eli told me that he goes to a private school near the house, so he must have come from the school as he was still wearing his uniform.
"I don't know what to wear tomorrow!" Screamed the boy, throwing his hands up in the air. Amber chuckled. Even though they looked alike, I could not imagine Eli screaming and running around like this.
He ran to Amber and grabbed onto her shoulders, "You have to help me! I am going to ask out Kelsey!"
Amber giggled, "Are you sure?"
"YES! I am going to do it this time! You have to help me."
It was then when Eli's brother noticed me for the first time. He clumsily let go of Amber and moved towards me, looking me up and down before landing on my face and smiling. "Wait, never mind, she's cute, and she is going to help me! Come on, cute girl!"
He grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the stairs, my loose dress flying around me.
"Brodie, leave Betty alone! She doesn't want to help you pick out outfits!" Said Amber, trying to defend me, but it was clear that she found this quite funny. So did I, so I decided not to resist, and I let Brodie pull me up the stairs, presumably towards his bedroom.
"It's okay, she doesn't mind," said Brodie cheekily and I started to laugh.
This kid is hilarious. I guess Eli had never been shy, but he wasn't as forward as his brother. Or as giddy. Brodie dragged me into a large bedroom and shoved me softly towards the bed.
I took a seat on the end of the bed, letting my feet dangle off of it. I kept my legs together because even if I was wearing a swimsuit, I am not 100% sure that Brodie knew that.
"Hi, I'm Betty!" I said, grinning.
"Yeah, I know. Eli didn't shut up about you all last weekend. Neither did Amber." He said dismissively.
"Oh," I said, blushing.
"I'm Brodie, though, and I need HELP!" he looked at me with panic in his eyes. "I found out the girl I have been in LOVE with for the past three years is into me! ME! I can't believe it! But it's a casual day at school tomorrow, and I need to wear something that will impress her, so she will say yes to me when I ask her out."
I looked him up and down. It was pretty ridiculous that he was so worried about the girl not wanting to go out with him. He was a little smaller than Eli, and he was younger, but I swear those boys could be twins. It was evident that he played sports, and he was honestly very handsome. So I am sure that girls looked his way.
I giggled. "I'll help you, of course... not like you're giving me much of a choice."
"Thank you!" He squealed. He leaned forward and roughly kissed me on the cheek,
I blushed; this is not what I expected Brodie to be like at all.
He looked at my red face and turned his head like a confused puppy.
Needing to distract him from any weird questions, I said: "Okay, show me this girl's Instagram; it might help me know what she would like!"
I am not going to pretend that every girl has the same style. I mean, I like a guy dressed like James Dean, but not every girl is like that. "GENIUS!" screamed Brodie and handed me his phone.
I scrolled through her Instagram. She was pretty, and she wore simple clothes in all her pictures. She had lots of pictures with her dads, and she had four dogs from what I could see. If I were to cast her in a movie, she would be the 'girl next door.'
Because I am the perfect sleuth, I found the links on her profile and looked at her Pinterest and a dog training Youtube Channel (which was adorable). She liked pure, clean cuts. However, she may want a little James Dean too. Maybe a little danger is what this nice girl is after.
After a few minutes analyzing this girl the best I could, I looked Brodie up and down. I smiled at him and handed him his phone back.
"Wear black straight leg jeans and a white shirt. Keep it simple. Maybe style your hair. Don't wear gross sneakers with it either, wear something that looks clean and simple." He nodded, obviously taking mental notes.
"Anything else? Is that enough?"
I smiled, "do you have a chain necklace?"
He grinned, "Of course."
"Wear that."
He smiled, "Thanks so much, Betty, I think I would have ended up wearing a suit if you didn't show up."
I laughed, "yeah, maybe don't go that far when trying to impress a girl."
We both laughed, but we were cut off when the door burst open, and Eli came bounding into the room. He glanced at me before turning back to Brodie, who had a wide smirk on his face.
"Dude, what the hell! Why did you drag Betty up here?"
He laughed, "Aww, are you jealous that she was in my room first? Well, guess what? I kissed her too."
I giggled at that cheeky bastard.
Eli looked like he was about to punch his brother, so I decided to interject.
"Come on, let's go swimming!" I hopped off of Brodie's bed and walked towards Eli, touching his arm so that he would focus on me, and I grabbed my bag that I had dropped on Brodie's floor.
"Thanks for helping me, Betty! I'll let you know what happens!" He started towards me, looking like he was going to hug me, so I paused, but Eli had other ideas because he pushed me out of the bedroom and growled at his little brother.
"Hands off."
I laughed again; it is nice to see someone else getting jealous since I am always the jealous one. Eli shut his brother's door in his brother's face.
"Jealous of your brother?" I asked him with a big grin on my face.
Eli huffed and lifted me effortlessly over his shoulder. I emitted a squeal, and my immediate reaction was to pound on his back.
Eli walked back towards the staircase. Oh my god, he can't hold me and walk downstairs!
"Oh my god, what are you doing?" I squealed.
He chuckled, "I'm going to throw you in the pool. Cool you down since you were in my brother's room".
I tried not to laugh too hard. He WAS jealous.
My laughing was cut short when water surrounded me.
I felt a sudden weight around me - my dress. Luckily it was meant to get wet, or I would've killed Eli. Don't mess with me and my clothes.
I regained all my senses, and that's when I heard Kyle and Jones cheering from pool floaties. I felt a little embarrassed. I didn't think they would be here too.
I glared at them before looking up at Eli, who was smirking down at me. I scowled at him and swam over to the edge of the pool so that he was directly above me. I thought about grabbing his foot and trying to pull him in, but I don't think it would go very well for me, so I held onto the edge of the pool and used the other hand to rip my soaking dress off of me. I threw it at Eli's face, and he dodged it easily.
I huffed and swam away, closer to the middle of the pool.
I watched Eli as he took his shirt off and jumped in the pool next to me. I wanted to pretend I wasn't staring intensely at his chest, but I don't think I could hide it. His body was strong. It was beautiful. Maybe I should cut him some slack. I think I would have been jealous too if I found him in some other girl's room.
I stopped myself. Oh my god, Betty, you aren't even dating him!
I don't think he noticed my internal struggle because when I went to look up at his face, he was staring down at my chest.
I couldn't even be mad since I had been doing the same thing to him.
We were pulled out of our little world when Kyle screamed, "Get A ROOM" from the deep end of the pool and then Jones pushed him off of his floaties.
Eli swam up right next to me, grabbing my forearms with his hands. I hope he thought my goosebumps were from the cold.
"You didn't actually kiss him, did you?" he said quietly, so Kyle and Jones couldn't hear from the other end of the pool. I don't think they were even listening because I could overhear them hitting each other with pool floaties.
I laughed. "No, Brodie did kiss my cheek, though."
Eli smiled, and he leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. He stayed for a second, lingering.
Then he pulled away. My cheek felt fuzzy, as if his kiss was resting there.
"Guess we're even now."
---
2648
"I didn't know him and I didn't know me
Cloud nine was always out of reach
Now I remember what it feels like to fly
You give me butterflies" - Kacey Musgraves
please comment and let me know how you feel about everything!