"If he wants in with a Rossi, he needs a true lesson in sibling fun."
Oh god, he means our pranks.
Kalen’s blood curdling scream fills the house. I shoot a quick disapproving look at Aadi and run up to the bathroom. Chelsea is close behind me.
Kalen screams and pleads for someone to help him. I push the bathroom door open. Someone is standing behind the door, and before I can get one step inside, Kalen shoots out of the room.
"It’s behind the door! It tried to kill me!" he cries. I know Kalen’s a massive drama queen and my brother’s pranks are mostly harmless, but there’s real fear etched on his face.
I step into the bathroom and look behind the door, expecting to find a spider or some kind of bug. Instead, I find a very tiny girl smiling back at me.
Kalen’s issue with that? She’s dressed like a clown.
"Katie?" I ask, and she nods.
"Have you killed it yet?!” Kalen cries.
I exit the bathroom and Katie follows behind me.
"No, it's just Katie."
"Get it away from me!” he cries.
Chelsea now has a sobbing Kalen in her arms, facing him away from the innocent looking girl dressed as a clown.
"Sorry. I lost a bet and this is what they made me do,” Katie says, pulling off her clown wig. She walks back into the bathroom to get changed.
I turn back to see Kalen has composed himself a little. Chelsea points at Smalls and Aadi and gives them a ‘follow me now’ look. Chelsea may be a sweet woman but when she is mad, you will feel the wrath.
"I think I pissed myself a little," Kalen grumbles. His face still red from the terror my brother forced on him.
"I'm sorry about that, but if Aadi is pranking you it's a sign of endearment for us Rossis.”
"So we are brothers now?" he asks hopefully.
"I wouldn't go that far, but you are growing on him."
"Like a damn fungus," Aadi groans, joining us back upstairs. "We’re heading out in about half an hour if you're still up for it."
I stare up at my brother. "No more damn pranks.”
"Scout’s honour."
"You were no damn scout." I laugh and so does Aadi.
He doesn't wait for Kalen to respond to his invitation when the sound of a girl’s voice catches his attention downstairs.
"You don't mind if I go?” Kalen asks.
"Of course not. Just take your phone, and if you need me, call. If they’re really giving you a welcome to the family it could go either way for you."
"I'm game. He pulled out the clown card early, so it can't get much worse than that."
I smile at him indulgently. He has no idea how much worse tonight could get for him. Knowing his luck, they will get him blind drunk, tie him up naked to a pole somewhere public and probably shave off his eyebrows too.
Katie slips out of the bathroom freshly showered. "I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but Crystal and I are having a girls’ night along with a few others if you want to join us?”
"Sounds fun. I'm in." I grin. While I never really did the girly thing before going to England, I miss Elsie, and some female company could be just what I need. Otherwise, without Kalen around to entertain, I’d probably spend the entire evening obsessing over Onyx and texting the others back home to find out how hereallyis.
