The Stadium's Star [COMPLETE]

Chapter 23

The second Zack's dad, Pete, opens the door, the smoke alarm goes off.

"Hey!" he greets. "Welcome home!" Zack and Marcus both give him hugs as they enter. "Amelia, good to see you again!"

"Good to see you too," I reply, hoping my post-flight odor is not unbearable. He wraps me in a hug and I feel myself smile.

"Amelia!" Zack's mom, Carrie, calls out as she walks over to hug me immediately. "So glad you're here!"

"Thank you for having me here so last minute," I say. "Oh, and this is for you."

I hand her a bouquet of flowers that I forced the boys to let me pick up on the way here.

"Thank you, sweetie. Why don't I take your coat?" she says.

"I'm here, too, Mom," Zack says irritatedly from the side.

Carrie gives me a look, rolling her eyes, but quickly tends to her son.

"Turkey's in the oven," Pete says as the smoke alarms continue to blare. "Hopefully it's doing okay..."

"Mom, you let Dad touch the turkey?" Zack asks disapprovingly.

"Hey! I can cook," Pete defends. "Turkey's meant to be a little crispy."

Zack gives me an eye roll and I suppress the urge to laugh.

"What else are you guys making?" Zack asks.

"Well, I got the cranberries on the stove..." Pete starts.

Zack widens his eyes at Marcus until Marcus says, "You know what? I am actually a cranberry connoisseur. Why don't you let me take care of that?"

"What else?" Zack asks.

"Well, there's mashed potatoes," Pete continues.

"I'll do that."

"Zack..."

"Amelia, didn't you say you make your green bean casserole every year?"

I blink because I've never had green bean casserole in my life.

"Yes," I say. "It's family tradition."

"Mom will do the sweet potato casserole and I'll finish the turkey too," Zack says.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Pete asks.

"Guard the pies," Zack suggests sarcastically, hanging his jacket.

"Hey, the game's on!" Marcus calls from where he's already situated on the couch.

All of their eyes immediately shoot to the screen. Laughing to myself, I walk over with Zack and sit down in front of the TV.

"Hi Amelia."

I turn around to see Zack's little brother, Tommy, walking over coolly. His hair is gelled back and his arms are crossed around his blue polo.

"Hi Tommy," I say, grinning. "How are you?"

"I'm chill," he says, shrugging nonchalantly. "You didn't reply to my snapchat."

A laugh spills out of me and Zack shakes his head.

"You aren't even gonna greet your brother?" he asks.

Tommy rolls his eyes dramatically, plopping down on the couch next to me. "Hi," he says shortly before turning back to face me.

"Tommy was super excited to see you," Pete tells me. "He spent the whole morning cleaning the floors and-"

"Dad!" Tommy says. "Stop. You're salting my game."

"Salting your game?" Pete repeats. "Would it help if I mentioned you're wearing your new cologne today?"

Tommy rolls his eyes dramatically.

"Really?" I ask with a laugh. "I'm honored."

"Do you wanna go get ice cream? I can drive," Tommy says.

"Aren't you, like, 12?"

"13 soon," he says. "But I've been studying."

"Sorry, man. She's not into guys under five feet," Zack says.

Tommy glares at him. "Give me two years and I'll be taller and better looking than you."

"Do you see how popular I am?" I ask Zack. "You better watch yourself."

He snorts as the smoke alarm starts to go off again. Zack sighs and stands up.

"I'm gonna go fix that mess," he says.

I get up too, wrapping my hand in his.

"While you're there, teach me how to make green bean casserole."

We start walking to the kitchen and I see Marcus pat Tommy on the back.

"It's okay, little man," Marcus says. "All girls the same anyway."

A/N: TEAM TOMMY WYA?? You're all pedos ew go away but vote first then do it