XPLR | Colby Brock

~124~

Logan's family is loud, and not at all what I would've expected. Granted, I didn't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't dozens of people of all ages but matching volumes. Logan even got louder with them. 

But he was always careful to make sure I was alright, that I was happy. And I was. His family is so kind, they didn't even hesitate to include me in everything. They didn't do gifts, either, which I found odd but was thankful for. Of course, they all thought I was Logan's girlfriend. 

"I'm Rose," I had introduced myself to Logan's teenage cousin. "Nice to meet you, Nico," he said. He reached out and shook my hand, and Logan glanced between us and gave me a smile. "Gee, thanks, Logan, for introducing me to your new girlfriend." 

"I'm not his girlfriend," I said quickly. "Just his friend from LA. Logan was nice enough to invite me to spend Christmas with you guys since I wasn't going home for the holidays." 

Nico raised his eyebrow at me. "Oh, okay, Rose, Logan's not-girlfriend," he said, smirking he took a step closer to me. "Does that mean I've got a chance?" he asked. He was joking, prodding at Logan, and I could tell by the playful glance he shot at him. Logan smirked and pushed him back a little. "Watch it, bub, she's already off limits," he said, becoming mockingly, stereotypically  white. "Now you just wait a minute there, buddy," Nico said back, and before you know it Logan had Nico in a "brotherly", for lack of a better term, head lock. 

The old me, LA me, might have been annoyed or off put by this, but the new Rose laughed. I thought it was funny, and I was even a bit jealous. I wanted a relationship like them, a sibling one. I never really knew my extended family. 

Logan let go of Nico, and he smiled when he saw I was laughing, watching them. Nico's hair was ruffled up, and he was about to say something whenever we heard his name called from somewhere else in the house. This is a house. I smiled at him and said, "It was nice meeting you," I said. Nico nodded and turned to leave, returning the goodbye. 

Logan turned to me and grinned, this cute, boyish grin. "Sorry about that," he said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me to him in a side hug, almost, but he kept me there. "No, that was perfect," I said, smiling up at him for just a moment. "Your family is fun," I said. He nodded, and he looked up when Nico came back around the corner. "We're about to play the game (which you just lost. -deodee)," He said, "Are you coming?" 

I looked at Logan for more context as he let go of me. "Oh yeah, we're coming," he said. 

It turns out "the game" was a nickname for a dice game the group played. Family gambling is what it is under the surface. You take three dollars and three dice, and there were two 'L' for left, two 'R' for right, and two stars for the center. You pass your dollars respectively. It's a simple game, and it was fun. Each sub-family were teams and placed themselves strategically. Nico sat between me and Logan, but Logan quickly nudged him out of the way. "Watch it," he said with a chuckle. 

While we played the game, laughs were shared, jokes were made. I love this. God, I love this! 

At Friendsgiving with Colby and company, it was fun. I loved that too, but this is different. Here, the people are one. They share stories and laugh. I love it. 

Though, I will admit, I miss Katrina and Tori and Devyn. And I mean everyone. Even Colby. 

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt a hand on top of mine. I looked over and saw Logan was already looking at me. He gave me a sweet smile, squeezing my hand. He must've saw me zone out, and guessed what I was thinking. 

I didn't say anything, but I didn't take my hand away either. 

The game was getting heated. In fact, the only people left were me and Logan's uncle, Nico's father. According to Logan, Nico's family win every year. Occasionally someone else won. In the middle, where most of the money now was, besides me and Mr. Steiner's combined five dollars, was around fifty dollars. 

Mr. Steiner and I sat across from each other now, and he narrowed his eyes at me as if this were a stand off. He had three dollars, I had two, and he held his three dice in his hand. He glanced at his family, then around the room, and he said, "Come on, come on... Gary needs a new pair of shoes!" 

The dice all landed on stars. 

There was so much noise around me that I thought I was in the main performance hall back in LA, like I'd just performed a show stopping performance of Little Red Riding Hood. 

Everyone had jumped up by now, and Logan's hands landed on my shoulder and shook me a little, just as he looked to Mr. Steiner who was still groaning. "Uh oh, Mr. Steiner, eels!" he said, laughing. 

Needless to say, I had a wad of fifty-five one dollars bills tucked away in my purse that day. 

Sunset was upon us when Logan and I were saying our goodbyes. I was still getting congratulations and "we're so happy you came!"'s. I laughed at that. 

The entire afternoon I'd been eyeing a beautiful old piano that sat in the den of their home. Logan walked up beside me, hands in his pockets, when he said, "Want to play something?" 

I'd been dying to play a real piano for weeks now. I've been playing on my keyboard, but that will never be the same as the real thing. I nodded and sat down at the piano. 

All I played was simple Green Sleeves.