“Tell her you’re playing for the other team and girls just don’t do it for you,” shrugged an unconcerned Noah. “Or get a girlfriend.”
“She has a habit of chasing away anyone I like,” groused Gabe. “Girls tend to be turned off by a guy who comes with his very own stalker.”
“Well I’m out of ideas,” Noah grabbed a handful of assorted nuts and shared some with Jake. “Where is Michael?”
“Stuck with the old dudes talking shop,” Jake crunched loudly. “I saw them in the study.”
“He’s supposed to bring the drinks,” complained Max.
“How’s he going to sneak them past your mom?” asked Henry as he popped open a container of chip dip. “Aunt Rachel has eyes in the back of her head. She misses nothing. Once I tried to bring in a turtle we found on the beach and she knew instantly. There was no way she could have seen it, it was under my shirt!”
“Michael would have made you put the turtle back anyways,” Max advised his cousin as he looked through their depleted supplies, choosing to open a pack of red licorice.
“Can we get back to the issue at hand?” Gabe opened an eye, removing his arm so he could see his cousins.
“What issue is that?” asked Michael as he entered the room, shutting the door behind himself.
“We’re thirsty!” Max pointed out. “There’s nothing to drink.”
“Gabe has a girlfriend,” added Jake with a cheeky grin.
“Britney Crawford is not my girlfriend!” Gabe declared hotly, his face flushing a little at the thought.
“She’s more of a stalker,” clarified Noah.
“Soda and cups are under the bed,” Michael said mildly as he took a seat at Noah’s desk. “I snuck them in hours ago when Mom was distracted.”
“Just soda?” Henry cocked an eyebrow from his seat in the beanbag chair.
“Just soda,” said Michael firmly to the group of teens.
“I can’t wait to be a grown up,” spoke Jake, finishing his candy bar. “College parties are going to be so much better than high school ones.”
“They were about the same,” shrugged Michael. “Only the alcohol is bought legally.”
“Somehow I don’t see you as the partying type,” frowned Jake at his oldest cousin.
“Guilty,” Michael easily responded. “Being an adult means being more responsible.”
“May I never get that dull,” Max offered Michael a piece of licorice which he accepted.
“When I’m an adult I can get a restraining order,” Gabe muttered darkly.
“She’s not all bad,” chuckled Henry. “I thought the song she sang for the talent show was kind of funny.”
“It was embarrassing!” Gabe put a pillow over his face.
Max fell into a fit of laughter. “It was great. She can’t carry a tune.”
“Plus, everyone knew she was singing about you,” chortled Noah as he pulled out bottles of soda from under his bed.
“You should have seen it Michael,” Jake told him. “Everyone loved it.”
“Except me,” noted Gabe with a muffled voice.
“Have you ever just sat her down and nicely told her you aren’t interested?” suggested Michael.
“Only every day of my life,” lamented Gabe.
