Oh Brothers

Chapter 10

I always forget about Carter's first day of school tradition. It's horrific and emotionally scarring but he does it every year.

He wakes me up by blasting screamo music in my ear.

This year they decide to record it. This lovely morning, I woke up to see all of my brothers watching and laughing at me.

"Ha ha very funny," I mumble and storm past their arrogant faces and into my bathroom.

I get ready for school, wearing my allotted first day of school outfit that took forever for them to agree upon.

I'm wearing one of those dress things that ends in shorts. I think it's called a romper? Eh, I don't know what it's called but I like it.

I walk into the kitchen, new backpack in hand, and see Jason making me chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream on top. Heaven!!

Jason's semester doesn't start for a few weeks but he'll be studying when we're at school. Turns out Mom and Dad's transfer of colleges might make him have to stay in school another year if he can't work out a way to get his credits to transfer.

Jason was going to drive us to school but Ryder has his first football practice after school so we're all staying until four. Ryder drives us and parks in the senior lot.

We walk up to the main entrance and stop before the front door. Ryder and Scott enter first and then Thomas. Carter waits for me.

"You ready, Ara?" he asks. I take a deep breath and smile.

"Let's go do this high school thing," I step inside the building and my eyes scan my surroundings. This school looks a lot more, preppy than my old school.

I follow my brothers down the hall and from the corner of my eye I see all the girls stop and stare at them. Will this ever not happen?

Ryder stops walking and asks a girl with red hair, green eyes and thick glasses where the front office is. She stares at him wide eyed for a second.

"Uhhh...it's right there," she points down the hall to the main door down the hall.

Ryder flashes her his award winning smile, "Thank you."

He continues down the hall and I want to slap all my brothers in the face. They're all wearing amused expressions because they're familiar with their stupid affect on women.

We get our schedules and I compare them to see I have gym and music with all my brothers and Carter's schedule is identical to mine. This will be an interesting year.

We exit the front office and look at each other.

"Well, team, this is it. We'll regroup in third period, music, yes?" Ryder scans all I our faces and we nod. I nervously look down at my feet. I have no idea how things are going to go.

"Ara," Scott calls me to attention, "stop worrying. Just show everyone the girl we see and they'll love you like we do."

I nod and grin, "thanks Scott."

"Group hug!" Ryder enforces and grumble as my brothers use this as an excuse I squeeze me in the middle of them.

"Alright, I'm getting out of this mess," I push my way out of the huddle and start walking away.

"Make good choices!" Ryder exclaims. I turn around and stick my tongue at him while walking backwards. I feel myself ram into something or I guess someone and I steady myself before I can fall.

I turn around and come face to face with Will.

"You," we say and point at each other at the same time.