Charlotte & the Seven Frat Brothers

2

Re-written 05/2022

****

I glance at the clock hanging in the kitchen and sigh. It took me three hours to get the house clean and smelling of anything but sweat. These frat brothers probably haven't cleaned anything besides their room in a while. Now, it's time to make a dinner to feed eight, but then again I think I should make enough for a herd. They are football players after all. My phone buzzes on the countertop.

Raven: Haven't heard from you, are you ok?

Charlotte: Yup, about to make dinner. All the cleaning is done finally.

Raven: What are you making? Pot roast? Shrimp? Chicken?

Charlotte: Grilled chicken, red potatoes, and asparagus.

Raven: Yummers!

Charlotte: Ttyl

Raven: Caio

I place the phone into my back pocket and looked around the kitchen. I begin to take out the ingredients and prepare to make the best meal these guys have ever tasted. I have to make sure this meal comes out great. This was the first meal I ever learned, thanks to my parents. Both of them are chefs and pretty damn great ones at that—in a way, I feel like that's why I chose to be a chef as well. I see an iPhone dock in the corner on the counter, and a little music while I cook, and it sounds like a great idea.

An hour later I'm prepping the table, I was thankful to see they had a dining table one big enough to fit all eight of us. The sound of Kelis's Milkshake vibrates off the walls as I began moving from the kitchen to the dining room with the food. The smell of the food hits my nostrils and I'm in food heaven. I dance a little carrying the tray of the chicken to the table.

Walking back to the kitchen, I place the potatoes on another tray, swinging my hips from side to side.

"Something smells delicious."

I jump turning around to see the guys peeking in the doorway.

"Haven't your mothers' taught you not to sneak up on people? I could have hurt myself or even worse dropped the food." I glare at them.

"Sorry dol-Charles, it's been a while since we come home from the field and there is a cooked meal." Everett walks into the dining room, I follow behind him and the rest of them follow behind me.

"Oh, so you guys had a cook?" I ask. That's interesting.

"Nah, Chase was banging some girl last year and she loved to cook." He shrugs his shoulders and takes a seat. I look behind me at Chase and he seems like he wanted to rip Everett's head off. The guys gather around the table and I look at them all like they were crazy, they had to be. Growing up my mother would always reprimand me for sitting at the dining table dirty. If I was outside playing, I would time myself to come into the house ten minutes before dinner. Always at the table on time with fresh clothes, mud, and dirt free. So cleaning yourself off before dinner is something I can never stray from and I always try to encourage others to do so. I think Raven hates it in a sense too. She always tells me I reminded her of my mother at times.

"Uh guys, don't you think you should freshen up before sitting down to eat?"

Vincent looks at me and stands up. "Sorry." I smile as he walks out of the room, followed by everyone but Chase. He sits at the head of the table watching me intensively. I see he is just going to make this difficult.

"Are you going to join them?"

"No."

"Then I guess you won't be eating," I say walking towards him, taking his plate and utensils from the table. He grabs my wrist and tiny little lightning bolts spread throughout my body. I try to yank my arm away, but that makes him hold on a little tighter. "Let go."