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With the party winding down and most of the guests gone or getting ready to leave, Braxton and I snuck away up stairs. I shut my bedroom door, leaving most of the noise outside.

"Gah, finally I can hear myself think!" I blew a strand of hair out of my eyes.

Braxton dove into my bed. "Hey, no one threw a huge party when I turned sixteen."

"You're a boy." I said smoothing out my dress and taking a seat on the futon at the base of my bed. "I don't think boys are allowed a Sweet Sixteen."

He rolled around to hang off the foot of my bed and watch me pop the acrylic nails from my fingers. "Yeah? Like girls can't play football? You might break a fake nail."

I stuck my tongue out as I grabbed a bottle of acetone.  I guess the movement made my necklace swing forward because Braxton reached out and poked it.

"Another frog from your secret admirer?"

"Pfft." I scrubbed at my nails. "Hardly. My uncle sends me two every year- birthday and Christmas."

"Did he send you Quack?" He asked motioning to the terrarium on my nightstand.

"No, I bought him. Speaking of, could you feed him?"

I heard him move around and fiddle with the tank. "So which came first? The gifts or your love of frogs?"

"I'm not sure anymore." I muttered.

I got up and grabbed a pair of P.J.s and locked myself in the bathroom to change. I managed to unzip the back of my dress before I realized I couldn't undo all the hooks in the back of my long line bra. I groaned and unlocked the door. "Brax, come help me I'm freaking stuck!" I held up the front of the dress as he cracked the door and began the task.

"Why do girls put stuff on that they can't get off?"

"Because we like to look pretty and boobs make life difficult?"

"I'll have to take your word for it, neither I or anyone in my family has any."

"Aven would slit your throat."

"Hey, it's not my fault the tit-fairy passed her by." Braxton said finally reaching the last hook.

"Thanks." I said shutting the door in his face. "So, you know the big game is coming up..."

"Uh-huh." came his slightly muffled reply.

"And after that is the dance. Now, I don't want to go alone, but the only people who've asked me are on the team. That's bad for morale and they are pretty gross, so I told them I already had a date..."

"Uh-huh."

"I need a dude for the dance." I finished getting my clothes on and opened the door. "Brax, will you be my dance dude?"

He cocked his head back a little. "And what if I already had a date?"

"You're home schooled."

"So? Look at me. I'm a hot commodity." He grinned showing off the retainer he'd popped back in. I snorted. "Just check out these rippling abs!" He said pulling up his shirt. He poked his stomach. "No, wait, that's a chicken leg from dinner. Never mind."

I giggled and gave him a playful shove that nearly landed him on the floor. "Does that mean you're coming?"

"Yeah, I guess I'll go. Free food, dancing, a reason for my mom to take a million pictures."

There was knock on the door and my dad poked his head in. "Braxton, your folks are leaving. You going or staying the night?"

"Staying?" Braxton always got a sheepish look when he answered that question.

"Okay, well, you know where the guest room is. Tina has school in the morning so I want you in bed by eleven. Got that?"

"Yes." we answered in unison.

"Good,  I'm about to head out. Places to go, people to see, things to do. You know the drill." He said stepping in to kiss me on the forehead. When that didn't get the reaction he wanted , began smothering me with kisses until I pushed him off.

"Gah! Daddy no!" I flailed about wiping my face.

Braxton laughed at me, which got my dad's attention.

"Oh, jealous are we?"

"What?! No!" Braxton yelped, but it was too late my dad sprang on him, holding him in place as planted several loud, smacky kisses over his face.

Pulling back he pinched Braxton's cheeks and wiggled his face about. "Wook at my widdle man, he's gwoing up t'so fast! Yes he is, yes he is!" He ended by give him a light tap on the cheek. He smirked then. "Good night kids." and he left.

Braxton's face was tomato red. "Why must he do that?"

"Because he's a goober." I plopped back down on the futon. "So, we gunna watch knights slaughter dragons or what?"

He bounced off the bed to land in the spot next to me. "Maybe Sir-what's-his-name will finally get the girl."

"Mid-season? No way."

I awoke the next morning when the light flashed on in my eyes. I heard my mother groan.

"I don't know why I even bother to keep that guest room clean."

I felt the bed move next to me as Braxton sat up rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, we were talking about the show and I guess we fell asleep. The sounds of the wilderness didn't help."

"Well, go across the hall and take a shower, you've got clean clothes in the closet. I'm not sending you home stinking. Breakfast will be done by the time you're dressed." She sighed. "You two are getting a little old for this. "

As she left I sat up. Braxton's eyes were still squinty. "I don't stink, do I?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Your breath does."

He exhaled into his hand and made a face. That is when I noticed that his cheek was moist as was the giant frog plush he'd used as a pillow.

"You drooled on Mr. Peebles!" I shrieked snatching up the toy and bopping him on the head with it.

He scrambled out of bed grabbing his shoes and making for the hall. "I'm taking a shower, you maniac!"

We met up in the hall after our showers and hurried downstairs where the scent of home cooking greeted us. Faith was already at the table.

"So, Braxton, she rope you into another dance?" Faith asked.

Braxton grinned as he sat down. "I don't mind, only chance I get at school dances are the ones I go to with you guys."

"How is she gunna get a boyfriend like this though?"

I pouted my lips. "Just what do I need a boyfriend for anyway?"

Faith pantomimed a make-out session with an invisible partner.

"Faith!" My mom warned.

That's when we heard some panicked foot falls followed by, "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Ajay hit the chair next to Braxton like an atom bomb scooting the whole table forward.

"Breakfast! Did I miss breakfast?!" He pointed at Braxton "Did he eat my breakfast?!"

"Ajay, where do butts go?" was my mother's reply.

He looked down at where he was kneeling in the seat. "Chairs?"

"Sit kiddo, you haven't missed out. I swear, you act like we starve you or something."

Ajay sat down. "I had a dream that all the food was gone and I woke up hungry."

"Have you ever missed breakfast?"

"No."

My mom gave him a meaningful look before going to the fridge and taking out several drinks for the table. Ajay  grabbed up a jug of juice and filled his glass as the rest of us filled our own.

"Can I get ice?" He asked staring into his drink.

"I don't know," My mom muttered "can you?"

He thought for a moment. "May I?"

"Yes, Ajay."

He started to get up when Braxton stopped him. "Don't worry buddy I've got you covered."
I watched as he made a fist. Ajay frowned picking up his glass and turning it upside down, it was frozen solid. "Ha ha. Very funny."

"Just messing." Braxton grinned and once the glass was back in place he relaxed his fist
and did a few more fancy hand movement causing several drops of juice to rise up and freeze before dropping back into the glass with a splash.

"Don't leave me any magical messes." Mom said turning around and placing our plates on the table.

Mom always made a spread and today was no different, there was plenty of waffles, eggs, and bacon to go around. We began munching happily. I was enjoying my scrambled eggs before Ajay started up again. I loved the kid, but he sure could rattle on for ages.

"This guy, in my class, he's got his hair in like these twisty things and it looks really cool and I kinda want to do that. Do you think that would be okay? Can I do that?"

Mom looked up from her plate. "Ajay, baby, it's your head. Ask the guy where he got it done, get me a picture or something and I'll take you into town."

His eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning, then he shoved a whole waffle in his mouth.

Ajay really hadn't done anything with is hair since the beginning of the year. That was the last time Kim, his birth mother, had come for a visit. Mom had Ajay's hair in braids at the time, but Kim decided they weren't right for whatever reason and undid all of my mother's work to do it her way. Hours later when she left without saying goodbye to her son, Mom found him up in his room. Kim had braided his hair so tightly that is scalp had literally started to bleed and tangled the elastics so bad that she ended up having to cut them out and shave his head.

Ajay came to live with us when he was four and a half, he had no records, had never been to a doctor of any kind, and had pretty much been raised on chips and soda. Mom and Dad took over everything, but Kim still shows up out of the blue several times a year to tell them what a horrible job they are doing. My parents often discussed what to do about her, but end up doing nothing for fear of hurting Ajay.

Personally I think he's old enough not to have the world sugarcoated for him, but my parents think otherwise. I think Kim and the friction she causes is a big part of the reason I have trouble seeing him as my little brother.  I mean, it was never an issue for Faith and I.

"Maybe someone is so hungry because they were up late creeping on Aven..." Faith teased between bites.

Ajay's eyes went wide. "Did she see me? Did she say anything?"

Braxton smirked "Oh yeah, she said 'I do declare, that Allen James is the hottest thing on two legs!"

"Really?!"

"No."

The smile fell from his face. When we first introduced the two the first question out of a six year old Aven's mouth was, "Ajay? Does that stand for Allen James?" We all thought it was hilarious and the nick name stuck, that was also when Ajay's obsession with Braxton's little sister began.

"Ajay, there are two ways to get a girl to notice you. A- ignore her completely or B- talk to her. I'd suggest B." Braxton explained.

"I don't know, can she afford to be seen speaking to a twelve year old?" Faith added.

"I'm only twelve for another month!"

"They come by every weekend, maybe next week you can come out from behind the couch?" My mom suggested.

Ajay looked terrified by the idea.

"So," I said "I've got practice this evening. What should I do about a ride? I don't want to keep Faith and Ajay waiting all afternoon."

My mom opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Ajay shouting , "I can ride the bus, BUS!" He punctuated his statement by throwing his arms and legs in the air, kicking the table, and nearly knocking everyone's drink over. I shot him a glare passed Braxton; why did he have to be so hyper?

"Is Bryan Marsh still on the team?" Faith asked.

I shrugged. "He was as of last week, why?"

Faith's lips curled into a strange grin. "No reason. I'll stay over and work on my project while y'all practice."

Mom arched an eyebrow. "This isn't the type of guy your father will end up yanking out of a car or throwing from a window is it?"

Faith rolled her eyes, "Gah, Mom, no. I don't want him. I just want to look." She stroked the air with a dreamy expression. "Besides, I think he has a girlfriend."

Braxton leaned forward. "Has that ever stopped you?"

"When and if you ever get a girlfriend, you can speak." She leaned on the table then. "Besides, I have this stupid project to worry about. I am so sick of mythology right now. Who around here is good with that stuff? I need a sounding board like I had for the World War Two project last year."

Mom took a sip of milk before speaking. "I don't know, how about picking up a book?"

"What is this eighteen ten? Mom, only books I see are magic books. Schools don't have books anymore."

I smirked. "But I hear tale, that on dark stormy nights, if you look hard enough, there is a room within the school that holds tons of paper books." I wiggled my fingers and added spooky noises for effect.

Faith made a face at me.

"Hate to break up the party kids, but it's about time you hit the road." Mom said. "Braxton, I guess you're stuck with me until your dad gets up at the crack of noon to pick you up."

He looked over at me wide-eyed. Who knew what my mother had in store for the poor boy.

"Can I take the Mustang?" Faith asked batting her eyelashes.

"You know your father would shit a gold brick if you even got near the Mustang. You'll drive what you always drive. Now get a move on."

"Fine. The hooptie it is." Faith groaned grabbing the keys from the rack.

The "hooptie" was a five year old Ford sedan that had so many air bags it could survive a fall from space- or my sister's driving. We entered the garage and passed much fancier cars to reach the very modest ride we were taking.

"Oh God," Faith moaned feigning weakness and placing the back of her hand to her head. "so... ugly... feeling... faint..." She slumped down slowing and blocking the rest of us. "Ajay... I can't... go on-"

Ajay laughed as she collapsed allowing him to catch her. I sighed as he hoisted her up into his arms and ran around the garage cackling before propping her up by the car door.

Goobers. The lot of them.

A pleasant breeze came in as the garage door went up. The sun was bright, but not too hot. It was a beautiful day. Too bad the rest of the family couldn't enjoy it.

Description
With the party winding down and most of the guests gone or getting ready to leave, Braxton and I snuck away up stairs. I shut my bedroom door, leaving most of the noise outside.

"Gah, finally I can hear myself think!" I blew a strand of hair out of my eyes.

Braxton dove into my bed. "Hey, no one threw a huge party when I turned sixteen."

"You're a boy." I said smoothing out my dress and taking a seat on the futon at the base of my bed. "I don't think boys are allowed a Sweet Sixteen."

He rolled around to hang off the foot of my bed and watch me pop the acrylic nails from my fingers. "Yeah? Like girls can't play football? You might break a fake nail."

I stuck my tongue out as I grabbed a bottle of acetone.  I guess the movement made my necklace swing forward because Braxton reached out and poked it.

"Another frog from your secret admirer?"

"Pfft." I scrubbed at my nails. "Hardly. My uncle sends me two every year- birthday and Christmas."

"Did he send you Quack?" He asked motioning to the terrarium on my nightstand.

"No, I bought him. Speaking of, could you feed him?"

I heard him move around and fiddle with the tank. "So which came first? The gifts or your love of frogs?"

"I'm not sure anymore." I muttered.

I got up and grabbed a pair of P.J.s and locked myself in the bathroom to change. I managed to unzip the back of my dress before I realized I couldn't undo all the hooks in the back of my long line bra. I groaned and unlocked the door. "Brax, come help me I'm freaking stuck!" I held up the front of the dress as he cracked the door and began the task.

"Why do girls put stuff on that they can't get off?"

"Because we like to look pretty and boobs make life difficult?"

"I'll have to take your word for it, neither I or anyone in my family has any."

"Aven would slit your throat."

"Hey, it's not my fault the tit-fairy passed her by." Braxton said finally reaching the last hook.

"Thanks." I said shutting the door in his face. "So, you know the big game is coming up..."

"Uh-huh." came his slightly muffled reply.

"And after that is the dance. Now, I don't want to go alone, but the only people who've asked me are on the team. That's bad for morale and they are pretty gross, so I told them I already had a date..."

"Uh-huh."

"I need a dude for the dance." I finished getting my clothes on and opened the door. "Brax, will you be my dance dude?"

He cocked his head back a little. "And what if I already had a date?"

"You're home schooled."

"So? Look at me. I'm a hot commodity." He grinned showing off the retainer he'd popped back in. I snorted. "Just check out these rippling abs!" He said pulling up his shirt. He poked his stomach. "No, wait, that's a chicken leg from dinner. Never mind."

I giggled and gave him a playful shove that nearly landed him on the floor. "Does that mean you're coming?"

"Yeah, I guess I'll go. Free food, dancing, a reason for my mom to take a million pictures."

There was knock on the door and my dad poked his head in. "Braxton, your folks are leaving. You going or staying the night?"

"Staying?" Braxton always got a sheepish look when he answered that question.

"Okay, well, you know where the guest room is. Tina has school in the morning so I want you in bed by eleven. Got that?"

"Yes." we answered in unison.

"Good,  I'm about to head out. Places to go, people to see, things to do. You know the drill." He said stepping in to kiss me on the forehead. When that didn't get the reaction he wanted , began smothering me with kisses until I pushed him off.

"Gah! Daddy no!" I flailed about wiping my face.

Braxton laughed at me, which got my dad's attention.

"Oh, jealous are we?"

"What?! No!" Braxton yelped, but it was too late my dad sprang on him, holding him in place as planted several loud, smacky kisses over his face.

Pulling back he pinched Braxton's cheeks and wiggled his face about. "Wook at my widdle man, he's gwoing up t'so fast! Yes he is, yes he is!" He ended by give him a light tap on the cheek. He smirked then. "Good night kids." and he left.

Braxton's face was tomato red. "Why must he do that?"

"Because he's a goober." I plopped back down on the futon. "So, we gunna watch knights slaughter dragons or what?"

He bounced off the bed to land in the spot next to me. "Maybe Sir-what's-his-name will finally get the girl."

"Mid-season? No way."

I awoke the next morning when the light flashed on in my eyes. I heard my mother groan.

"I don't know why I even bother to keep that guest room clean."

I felt the bed move next to me as Braxton sat up rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, we were talking about the show and I guess we fell asleep. The sounds of the wilderness didn't help."

"Well, go across the hall and take a shower, you've got clean clothes in the closet. I'm not sending you home stinking. Breakfast will be done by the time you're dressed." She sighed. "You two are getting a little old for this. "

As she left I sat up. Braxton's eyes were still squinty. "I don't stink, do I?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Your breath does."

He exhaled into his hand and made a face. That is when I noticed that his cheek was moist as was the giant frog plush he'd used as a pillow.

"You drooled on Mr. Peebles!" I shrieked snatching up the toy and bopping him on the head with it.

He scrambled out of bed grabbing his shoes and making for the hall. "I'm taking a shower, you maniac!"

We met up in the hall after our showers and hurried downstairs where the scent of home cooking greeted us. Faith was already at the table.

"So, Braxton, she rope you into another dance?" Faith asked.

Braxton grinned as he sat down. "I don't mind, only chance I get at school dances are the ones I go to with you guys."

"How is she gunna get a boyfriend like this though?"

I pouted my lips. "Just what do I need a boyfriend for anyway?"

Faith pantomimed a make-out session with an invisible partner.

"Faith!" My mom warned.

That's when we heard some panicked foot falls followed by, "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Ajay hit the chair next to Braxton like an atom bomb scooting the whole table forward.

"Breakfast! Did I miss breakfast?!" He pointed at Braxton "Did he eat my breakfast?!"

"Ajay, where do butts go?" was my mother's reply.

He looked down at where he was kneeling in the seat. "Chairs?"

"Sit kiddo, you haven't missed out. I swear, you act like we starve you or something."

Ajay sat down. "I had a dream that all the food was gone and I woke up hungry."

"Have you ever missed breakfast?"

"No."

My mom gave him a meaningful look before going to the fridge and taking out several drinks for the table. Ajay  grabbed up a jug of juice and filled his glass as the rest of us filled our own.

"Can I get ice?" He asked staring into his drink.

"I don't know," My mom muttered "can you?"

He thought for a moment. "May I?"

"Yes, Ajay."

He started to get up when Braxton stopped him. "Don't worry buddy I've got you covered."
I watched as he made a fist. Ajay frowned picking up his glass and turning it upside down, it was frozen solid. "Ha ha. Very funny."

"Just messing." Braxton grinned and once the glass was back in place he relaxed his fist
and did a few more fancy hand movement causing several drops of juice to rise up and freeze before dropping back into the glass with a splash.

"Don't leave me any magical messes." Mom said turning around and placing our plates on the table.

Mom always made a spread and today was no different, there was plenty of waffles, eggs, and bacon to go around. We began munching happily. I was enjoying my scrambled eggs before Ajay started up again. I loved the kid, but he sure could rattle on for ages.

"This guy, in my class, he's got his hair in like these twisty things and it looks really cool and I kinda want to do that. Do you think that would be okay? Can I do that?"

Mom looked up from her plate. "Ajay, baby, it's your head. Ask the guy where he got it done, get me a picture or something and I'll take you into town."

His eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning, then he shoved a whole waffle in his mouth.

Ajay really hadn't done anything with is hair since the beginning of the year. That was the last time Kim, his birth mother, had come for a visit. Mom had Ajay's hair in braids at the time, but Kim decided they weren't right for whatever reason and undid all of my mother's work to do it her way. Hours later when she left without saying goodbye to her son, Mom found him up in his room. Kim had braided his hair so tightly that is scalp had literally started to bleed and tangled the elastics so bad that she ended up having to cut them out and shave his head.

Ajay came to live with us when he was four and a half, he had no records, had never been to a doctor of any kind, and had pretty much been raised on chips and soda. Mom and Dad took over everything, but Kim still shows up out of the blue several times a year to tell them what a horrible job they are doing. My parents often discussed what to do about her, but end up doing nothing for fear of hurting Ajay.

Personally I think he's old enough not to have the world sugarcoated for him, but my parents think otherwise. I think Kim and the friction she causes is a big part of the reason I have trouble seeing him as my little brother.  I mean, it was never an issue for Faith and I.

"Maybe someone is so hungry because they were up late creeping on Aven..." Faith teased between bites.

Ajay's eyes went wide. "Did she see me? Did she say anything?"

Braxton smirked "Oh yeah, she said 'I do declare, that Allen James is the hottest thing on two legs!"

"Really?!"

"No."

The smile fell from his face. When we first introduced the two the first question out of a six year old Aven's mouth was, "Ajay? Does that stand for Allen James?" We all thought it was hilarious and the nick name stuck, that was also when Ajay's obsession with Braxton's little sister began.

"Ajay, there are two ways to get a girl to notice you. A- ignore her completely or B- talk to her. I'd suggest B." Braxton explained.

"I don't know, can she afford to be seen speaking to a twelve year old?" Faith added.

"I'm only twelve for another month!"

"They come by every weekend, maybe next week you can come out from behind the couch?" My mom suggested.

Ajay looked terrified by the idea.

"So," I said "I've got practice this evening. What should I do about a ride? I don't want to keep Faith and Ajay waiting all afternoon."

My mom opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Ajay shouting , "I can ride the bus, BUS!" He punctuated his statement by throwing his arms and legs in the air, kicking the table, and nearly knocking everyone's drink over. I shot him a glare passed Braxton; why did he have to be so hyper?

"Is Bryan Marsh still on the team?" Faith asked.

I shrugged. "He was as of last week, why?"

Faith's lips curled into a strange grin. "No reason. I'll stay over and work on my project while y'all practice."

Mom arched an eyebrow. "This isn't the type of guy your father will end up yanking out of a car or throwing from a window is it?"

Faith rolled her eyes, "Gah, Mom, no. I don't want him. I just want to look." She stroked the air with a dreamy expression. "Besides, I think he has a girlfriend."

Braxton leaned forward. "Has that ever stopped you?"

"When and if you ever get a girlfriend, you can speak." She leaned on the table then. "Besides, I have this stupid project to worry about. I am so sick of mythology right now. Who around here is good with that stuff? I need a sounding board like I had for the World War Two project last year."

Mom took a sip of milk before speaking. "I don't know, how about picking up a book?"

"What is this eighteen ten? Mom, only books I see are magic books. Schools don't have books anymore."

I smirked. "But I hear tale, that on dark stormy nights, if you look hard enough, there is a room within the school that holds tons of paper books." I wiggled my fingers and added spooky noises for effect.

Faith made a face at me.

"Hate to break up the party kids, but it's about time you hit the road." Mom said. "Braxton, I guess you're stuck with me until your dad gets up at the crack of noon to pick you up."

He looked over at me wide-eyed. Who knew what my mother had in store for the poor boy.

"Can I take the Mustang?" Faith asked batting her eyelashes.

"You know your father would shit a gold brick if you even got near the Mustang. You'll drive what you always drive. Now get a move on."

"Fine. The hooptie it is." Faith groaned grabbing the keys from the rack.

The "hooptie" was a five year old Ford sedan that had so many air bags it could survive a fall from space- or my sister's driving. We entered the garage and passed much fancier cars to reach the very modest ride we were taking.

"Oh God," Faith moaned feigning weakness and placing the back of her hand to her head. "so... ugly... feeling... faint..." She slumped down slowing and blocking the rest of us. "Ajay... I can't... go on-"

Ajay laughed as she collapsed allowing him to catch her. I sighed as he hoisted her up into his arms and ran around the garage cackling before propping her up by the car door.

Goobers. The lot of them.

A pleasant breeze came in as the garage door went up. The sun was bright, but not too hot. It was a beautiful day. Too bad the rest of the family couldn't enjoy it.