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The best part of going to college forty minutes away from home was the fact that I could randomly pop up for free homecooked meals. 

"This rigatoni is actually really good, Dad." I complimented him as I sat at the island. 

"Five different kinds of cheese." he pointed out. "Your brother is coming home for Thanksgiving break, and he submitted his Yale application last night."

My big brother was one of my biggest idols.

I don't think he knew that.

Archer was on the state-championship winning baseball team in high school, and he went on to play baseball at Georgetown. He was majoring in Political Science, the president of the UGSA, and now he was applying to law schools.                         

We called him Cole Junior because he wanted to go into government just like my dad. 

"When does he hear back?" I asked my dad.

He blew out air. "Two months."

"Sheesh." I commented. 

"I know." he agreed. "How is the dance team going?"

"It's tiring sometimes, but I'm excited about the game on Saturday. Are you coming or do you have to go back to DC?" I asked him.

"We'll be there." my dad assured me. "I don't have to go back to DC until Sunday night. Then I come back on Saturday and I'm off for a full week."

"Nice." I smiled as the alarm system chimed.

"I saw a white Audi in the driveway!" Tatum's voice yelled from the foyer. "Where is my Neely?"

My little sister ran into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around me.

Tatum had curly brown hair in a high ponytail with a sparkly pink bow. She looked so cute her in school uniform and pink converse. 

"Hi, Tay-Tay." I greeted my little sister. "You're acting like I just didn't see you on Sunday."

"I miss when you used to drive me to school. Mom never wants to stop for fro-yo." Tatum complained.

I smiled as I looked up at my mom. "Bad mom."

"Tay, I'll try to come to pick you up soon. It's almost time for Ash to get his permit anyway." my little brother (who was taller than me now) gave me a side hug.

"Want some pasta before practice?" my dad offered my brother. "If Nat and I didn't eat it all."

"I'll take some." Ashton sat down next to me.

Tatum skipped off to the pantry and came back with fruit snacks.

"Speaking of baseball, I saw someone on Nat's Snapchat story. How do you know Beau Aydin? He's already the number one draft pick for the MLB next year." Ashton brought up.

In front of our parents.

I didn't know that he was that good at baseball. It was Ashton's dream to go to the MLB.

"Mhm." I looked at my little brother. "We're just friends."

I refused to lie to them.

"Is this Beau a boy?" my dad questioned me.

"It does mean handsome in French and he plays baseball." my mom stared at me.

"Just friends." I reminded them.

My dad slid my brother his pasta. "So kids, your mom and I need to tell you something."

I looked at my siblings and they look just as clueless as I did.

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