Family "Friends"

1

Fact. I am done with school boys. Granted, there are only 100 kids in our grade. It's a small school. There's only so many crush worthy guys in that small of a grade especially when we've gone to school together for five years. It's the end of the summer before eleventh grade and I've come to the decision that this year will consist of academics, and academics only. I've had my fair share of crushes in the past, but I've run out of boys. My sixth grade self would be so disappointed. I used to fantasize that in highschool I would get to date all my middle school crushes. Well that didn't totally work out. So I'm calling off school crushes. That doesn't mean outside boys are off limits, but I highly doubt I'll meet any cute guys. I'm a dancer, and to make matters worse for my love life, a ballet dancer. It's not all that often that a hot guy takes a ballet class. Stereotypes suck. Anyway, that's not a great introduction. Hi, I'm Shayna, but everyone calls me Shayn. The reason all this boy stuff is on my mind is because I am currently sitting at home, scrolling through Instagram, and seeing all my past crushes and their summer girlfriends having the time of their lives in Aruba, Mexico, and other paradises. You know what, it's fine. I'm fine. I just have to make it through Junior and Senior year and then I'm out of here. Just as I'm about to open another romantic post, I hear the door of my room open. My mom walks in dressed in a yellow tank top and black capri leggings.

"Hey Sweets," She says in a sing-song tone.

"Hi Mom," I reply, not matching her happy voice.

"You should really start getting dressed dear," I look down at my avocado pj shorts and black shirt.

"Why what for?" I ask, confused. I'm probably gonna spend the rest of the day in my bed anyway.

"Well first off, it's 4 in the afternoon," I look at my clock: 4:06 pm.

"Oh, well, I was planning on spending the whole day in bed,"

"Did no one tell you?" My mom turns her head as if to scold my father who is absent from the room.

"Uh, tell me what?"

"Well..." My mom sits down on my bed, "Our close friends from New York are moving here to Philly. Actually, they are gonna be our new neighbors."

"Oh that's cool I guess."

"And they have a son your age who will be going to school with you this year,"

"Ok and what does that have to do with me getting dressed?" I ask.

"They are coming over for dinner tonight," I drop my phone.

"Tonight? When?" I'm so confused why no one would tell me this.

"5:00," Great, just great, "We wanted to give them a nice welcome,"

"Yeah," I mutter and walk my mom out of my room. She's about to say something but I shut the door in her face. Ok, yes, that probably wasn't the nicest move, but I'm a little pissed off here.

I pull on my wide cargo jeans and a brown ribbed shirt. I walk to my bathroom and look in the mirror. My hair looks like a bird's nest. I glob my product into it and tame my brown curls. I put on a little mascara and then plop down on my bed.

It feels like only a few minutes pass, but I look up at my clock and see it reads 5:01 pm. I hear my mom call me downstairs. Deep breaths Shayna, I try to assure myself.

I walk slowly down the stairs and first see the parents. My mom hugs a woman with stick straight, dirty blond hair. I see a man with grayish black hair and bright blue eyes smiling. I reach the bottom of the stairs and that's when I see him. The boy my mom said was my age. He's tall and tan. He wears a white shirt that hugs his toned arms and black shorts. All right, Shayna, time to act nice, I remind myself. I shake hands with his parents and smile. Then, I look at him and smile.

"Hi, I'm Shayna. Nice to meet you," He combs his hand through his brownish-blond hair, sprinkled with curls.

"Ok," that's all he says. Ok. Who introduces themselves with an 'ok'? I'm sure my dad's gonna say some corny joke like "Your names Ok?", but I don't get to hear it cause I'm already back up the stairs.

Asshole, I mutter once I am in my room. I didn't even want to have them over in the first place and now this kid I'm supposed to befriend is acting like an ass. Fine, I'll stay in here all night, I think stubbornly.

I grab my phone to occupy myself but find it inconveniently dead. Great. I walk over to my overflowing bookshelf and grab my favorite book. The Song of Achilles. I've reread it three times and it never gets old. I sit back down on my bed and open it to the first page. As I read the lines that I've read so much I've memorized them, I sink into comfort. It's definitely my comfort book even though I bawl my eyes out at the end every time. Time flies by and I'm on page fifty when I hear a knock at my door. I'm convinced it's my mom coming to yell at me for ditching family dinner. Maybe that means that boy has left already. But it's not my mom, it's the boy. Great.

"Get out," I say as calmly as possible.

"Your mom was gonna come but I volunteered to. Considering that I probably was the cause of all this," He gestures with his hands. Asshole.

"Well I guess that's one word to call it," shit, I didn't realize that I had said that out loud.

"Get out," I say again.

"Why do you hate me so much? We've just met," he says and I roll my eyes.

"Why do you care?" I retort. I pick up my book and continue reading.

"Hey," he says and I look up, irritated.

"You're still here?"

"Are you reading The Song of Achilles?" He asks.

"Yeah for like the fourth time. Why, have you read it," I'm hoping he'll say his answer and leave.

"Have I read it? It's my favorite book ever." Ok, a man with good taste. At least he's not illiterate.

"Correct answer, I guess I hate you a little less," He gives me sarcastic puppy eyes.

"And stupid me was here thinking that you'd fall in love with me for that one." I have to laugh.

"Wow, you think it's that easy,"

"Is that a challenge?" Hell no. "You know, I have a challenge myself. By the time I'm done, you won't hate me a bit."

"Yeah, right," I can hold a grudge if I want to.

" Here, let me start over. Hi," He holds out his hand, "I'm Sam, nice to meet you," I look at his open hand, contemplating whether or not to shake it. I decide no.

"You're supposed to shake it," Sam says.

"And you're supposed to say more than 'ok' when someone introduces themselves," I reply angrily. Sam sighs and lowers his hand.

"I guess you're right,"

"I'm always right,"

"We'll see about that," I cross my arms. Why's this boy so set on changing me.

"For the final and only time, get out," I say, pointing to the door.

"Ok, ok," Sam walks out of my room leaving me alone and frustrated.

Later that night after dinner, which consisted of Sam giving me looks as I plotted his death in my head. I guess he could see it in my eyes. Anyway, once Sam and his family had left I went to go complain to my mom.

"Mom, we are never having them over again," I say.

"Well, you're gonna have to put up with it because we are having them over next week," I groan. "Listen, we really like the parents so you are just gonna have to become friends with Sam," She says giving me a look that tells me I have no say in the matter. I sigh, exasperated, and go upstairs to wash up before I go to sleep.

A/n: guys I'm so excited to be writing this. I have been thinking about writing this story for a while so here goes nothing. <3