When Everything Changes

Chapter 12

"Do you mind stacking these for me?" Lexi asks from behind the counter. I'm in Stoney's Record Store with Troye and Lexi. They're working and I'm helping so they can close early. It's the middle of the week so they haven't had many costumers today. I been coming here a lot the last few days.

My dad hasn't stopped coming by the house. Ethan and I are barely speaking. Ellie and I aren't on the best of terms. And my grandmother keeps taking her side every time we have a disagreement. I mean I know and I've always been able to recognize the fact that Ellie and Kelsey and George are her favorite grandchildren. Despite the fact that everyone knows my dad is her favorite child.

My brothers, my mom, my dad, and I have learned to accept that she has never really accepted us they way she has my cousins. I don't know if it's the black thing or the none Jewish thing. I thought that because she invited us all down here for the summer I had  been wrong. But lately it doesn't seem like I haven't been.

I would've been out with my brothers but they're helping Kelsey with the wedding plans and I'm just not in the mood for that, so the record store it is.

The bell above the door chimes. Letting us know someone has entered. I look up from the classic rock section and see Nick walk in. Followed by George skipping merrily through the aisles.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" I ask. Walking up to the front counter. Nick sets down a brown paper bag with an abundance of grease stains on it.

"Just bringing Lexi and Troye some lunch."
"Why is George with you?" I can't help but wonder. When George hears his name he springs at me. Running at full speed he crashes into me.

"Hey, G!" He hugs me around my waist and looks up at me.

"I'm going to the fair tonight!" He proclaims proudly. "And guess who's taking me!"

"Who would that be?" I raise an eyebrow and he smiles widely.

"You." He says it as if I should already know. I didn't even know the fair was in town. "Eleanor was supposed to take me but she says she has a date tonight with Ethan."

"A date? With Ethan?" I do my best to keep my voice light.

"That what she said." He shrugs his shoulders and steps away from me. Nick is looking at me with a confused expression. I quickly change the subject.

"Anyway," I start. "Are you guys coming to the fair with us." George's eyes light up. He, along with Matt and Dylan, has a bit of a crush on Lexi. George runs up to the counter.

"You have to come with us later!"
A smile spreads across Lexi's face. "I'd love too, little dude."
"Little man." He corrects.
"Who's going where with who?" Troye asks, coming out from the storage room.

"The fair!" George yells.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We're back home now. George is in the house begging his mom for more money. Lexi, Troye, Nick, and I are sitting in the back yard at the picnic table. Nick is letting us hear some new band he's found. Apparently they're having a show not to far from here on the Fourth of July. It's a little ways away but he wants us to be prepared.

"I like them." Troye says. He picks up the the CD cover. "The lead singer is hot. What's his name?"

"Eric. I think." He says nodding his head along to the music. A strand falls onto his face. I push it back and tuck it behind his ear before I realize what I'm doing. He looks at me with his eyebrows drawn together, then he smiles.

"Thanks." He say.
I shrug and smile back at him. "No problem."

I hear the back door slide open and out walks my brothers. Followed my Ethan.
They all walk over to the table. Dylan is about to take the seat next to me, but he then offers it to Ethan. Ethan and I aren't mad at each other, things have just been really strange, and for the life of me, I wish it would stop.