Labeled

Three Sugars.

The ride home was quiet, besides the music blasting from the speakers. I snuck glances at Chase, as he was nodding his head and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Chase pulled the truck in front of the house, everyone but Chase got out, Vance came around the front and jumped into the passenger seat. Curiosity got the best of me, but they took off without much of a say in where they were going. I followed behind Vin as he walked into the house and debated on going to the garage. I desperately wanted to go into the shop and order my parts, even knowing that they wouldn't be shipped out for a couple days but at the same time I'm okay with putting it off for a bit if Chase is willing to take me to school in the morning. I was giddy with the idea of spending just a little more time with Chase. The rest of my day was extremely uneventful. I bummed around the house after showering, did my laundry, and took a nap.

Later that night, before dinner, I was in my bedroom talking with Taylor on the phone. My brothers were downstairs watching some sports game on TV with dad, while mom was preparing dinner. I had filled Tay in on everything, and she was so ecstatic which transferred to me, making me excited and nervous. My face was hurting from smiling and laughing so much. I heard the hum of a vehicle and rushed to the window, since my room was towards the front of the house. It was Chase's truck, and instead of pulling up to the front door to let Vance out, he parked near the garage. I watched as they both got out and walked to the door near the garage, which connects to the kitchen.

"Oh my gawd Tay. They just got home, and Chase is coming in the house."

"Are you presentable?" she asks, and I can tell she's amused.

I glanced at myself in the mirror and sighed. Sweats, a band shirt, and wild hair.

"That bad huh?"

I laugh, "Eh, he's seen me at my worse." Remembering my very awkward pubescent years.

"And he still likes you? Wow. He must REALLY like you."

"You like me." I point out.

"Yes. That's true, I do..but I'm not trying to hit that..."

"OKAY!" I interrupted her before she could finish that sentence. Her loud laugh carries through the phone. "Alright. No more."

"Go get em tiger." then she does her infamous purr.

"Riigghhtt." I laugh, "See you tomorrow."

"Byeee."

I hang up, toss my phone on my bed and look at myself in the mirror again. I'm comfy and it's not in my nature to change myself so others will like me. Despite that, I throw my hair up in a pony and shrug. What's that saying? "If you can't handle me at my worse, then you don't deserve me at my best." Yes. If he likes me in sweats an looking like a hot mess, that speaks volumes to me. I whip open my door and head down the stairs. The beautiful smell of dinner invade my nostrils. I look at my two brothers and my dad in the living room, none of them look my way, so I continue into the kitchen. Chase and Vance aren't in the kitchen yet.

I hum my approval. "Yum. What are you making?" I ask my mother who is pouring milk into a large pot of steaming potatoes.

"Meatloaf's in the oven."

The garage door opens and in walks my brother, followed by Chase. He's changed since the junk yard, wearing a simple gray v-neck tee, nice and snug, and some jeans. He looks good, and I look like...blah. I remind myself of what I said moments before I left my room. He smiles wide when he sees me, and it causes me to smile in return. He is so hot, it's almost illegal. He could be in one of those army calendars,"Hot Soldiers Who Serve Us."

Mom turns and greets them. Vance informs us that he's gonna go take a shower, and walks out of the kitchen.

"Chase you staying for dinner?" she asks him.

"I'd love to, if there's room."

"Of course!" she waves her hand at him, "Vic and Melissa should be here soon."

"Vic's coming!" I say excitedly. I miss him dearly. The house isn't the same since he left, and some days I hate Melissa for stealing him away. I don't look forward to the day when all my brothers leave, even if they're cavemen sometimes, but I don't see that happening any time
soon.

"Yes. Veronica, can you set the table." She asks me and starts to smash the potatoes. I move about the kitchen grabbing plates, and getting the forks out. A body moves close, and his deep voice slightly startles me, "Let me help." His hand covers mine, that are holding the forks, pausing before gently taking the forks from my hand. To anyone else, it looked like he was simply taking the forks from my hands, but it was so much more. Warmth spread throughout my body, and I had to take a deep breath before turning around. He was placing the last fork
down when I approached the table with the plates, I didn't look up, and he didn't move away. It wasn't until I rounded the table, to the last place setting, that I was forced to look up because he still hadn't moved. His blue eyes connected with mine, and we were mere feet apart.

It was like a corny movie scene where everything else dropped away and it was just the two of us. If this were a movie, I'd drop the plate, where it'd shatter into a million pieces. He'd grab the front of my pants, pulling my body roughly to his, allowing me to feel every solid inch of him. His hand would slowly move across my hip, leaving little goosebumps from his touch, to my side then upward grazing my breast. His hand would continue upward until it was in my hair, grabbing a fist full then gently pull causing my head to tilt back, after his eyes scanned my face, his mouth would be on mine.

"You okay?"

My daydream cleared at his words, and I knew my face was bright red. This wasn't a movie, and that would never happen under this roof, with my brothers in the next room. He looks amused.

"Yeah." I mumble placing the plate on the table.

"You sure? You look a bit flustered. What's going on in that pretty head of yours."

"Nothing." I say quickly.

"You're a terrible liar." He smirks, watching me for a second before turning his back to me and walking out of the room, through the kitchen and into the living room. I gather myself and one thought dawns on me. He called me pretty.

I walk the short distance into the kitchen, "Mom, I'm gonna go get change." If it were just the few of us, I'd just wear what I have on, but with Vic and Mel coming. I don't want to look like a complete slob. I run up the stairs just as Vance is coming out of the shower, with a towel wrapped around his waist. When Vance was in school, he was a full on jock, and always at the gym. I know he still goes to the gym, and even does work outs at home but not nearly as much as he use to. I like to pick on him about him slacking on his physic, he's still in great shape but it gives him a complex, and I find that extremely funny.

"Better lay off the beers Vance, you're starting to look like dad." I smile knowingly.

His stomach goes in slightly, like one would suck in their stomach. I start to laugh, and go into my room. I switch out my sweats, and band shirt for black leggings and a nice red tee with lace capped sleeves. I slip my feet into my black flats and skip out the door. Just as meet the bottom step, the front door opens and in walks Vic and Melissa.

"Vic!" I yell and rush towards him. I jump up and he catches me, hugging me while my feet dangle.

"Has someone missed me?" he laughs.

"Yes!"