The Boys

Casey stood just outside of the swinging door that led into the kitchen. On the other side, she heard the bustling of people, footsteps, and the clinking of dishes. She placed her hand on the door, ready to push. It’s now, or never, she thought.

Casey stepped into the kitchen. There was a table set for seven, with three people already sitting at it. There were two young boys, one about seven, the other about ten. Both looked very similar, with short blonde hair, the younger one being a bit pudgier than the older one. The third boy sitting at the table was older, and was a spitting image of Sean – same face, same build, and same hair. Except that this one had black hair that, Casey assumed, was dyed to look that way, and he had a shiny metal stud through his lip and his eyebrow. Another difference was the way this one was dressed. Sean was sporting faded jeans and an Abercrombie t-shirt, while his double was wearing darker jeans, a faded black Metallica shirt, and a leather band around his wrist. Casey took in the scene – the boys at the table were staring at her as she stood there, Sean was rummaging around in the fridge, Jeanie stood over the stove, and Paul, as Casey would assume, seeing as she hadn’t seen him in years, was outside on the deck barbequing. Sean closed the fridge, noticing Casey standing there.

“Hey, Casey,” he smiled. Hearing this, Jeanie turned around and smiled.
“Casey!” she squealed. Casey noticed, that Jeanie had been very excited for Casey to be here, with the way she kept squealing her name, and all. “Boys, introduce yourselves to Casey!” When they all just sat there, staring at each other, Sean stepped in.
“That one on the end is Patrick,” Sean said, point to the youngest boy. Patrick, still being young, and innocent, smiled at Casey. “that’s Tyler,” he pointed to the one in the middle, “and that’s Jamie, my twin brother,” he pointed to his counterpart, then added under his breath, “if you can believe it.”
“Hi, Jamie,” Casey added, in an effort to befriend her new “brothers”. Instead of returning the gesture, Jamie just scoffed, and then raised his eyebrow with a smirk. That was definitely not the reaction she was expecting. Casey sat down at the table directly opposite of Jamie. “So Jamie,” she said, eagerly. “We’re going to be in the same class come September, right? You and Sean are going to be seniors?” Silence.
“Yes,” Sean stepped in again. “All three of us are going to be seniors.”
“Hey, Casey!” Paul greeted as he stuck his head in the sliding glass doors leading out from the kitchen to the deck. “Sean, could you help me for a second?” Sean went outside, closing the door behind him as he left. The kids had left the table a few minutes ago, and Jeanie had gone to finish some laundry before lunch, leaving just Casey and Jamie at the table.
“So, Jamie, what courses are you taking this year?”
“Listen here,” he said, Casey hearing him talk for the first time. “You can stop with the act. It might work for the rest of my family, but it’s not going to work on me. We don’t want you here just as much as you don’t want to be here.”
Jamie got up from the table, leaving Casey by herself. Casey was fuming on the inside. Where does he get the nerve to talk to me like that? Casey thought. If this is how it’s going to be, then let the games begin.

After lunch, and after the tour Casey was given, the whole Johnson family (including Casey) was in the backyard. Patrick and Tyler were playing Marco-Polo around the pool, Paul and Sean were kicking around a soccer ball, and Jeanie and Jamie were both on their separate lounge chairs in the pool. Casey, however, was lounging in a chair on the deck in her bathing suit top and a pair of shorts, reading a book. Jamie had his headphones in his ears, and kept shooting weird looks at Casey.

“Heads up!” Casey tore her eyes from her book just in time to catch the soccer ball coming straight for her head. “Sorry, Case” Casey looked up to see Sean standing right in front of her, grinning, the sun shining perfectly on his golden hair, and toned stomach. All Casey could do was smile and muster a “No problem,”

Later that night Casey was sitting at her computer, chatting with her best friend.

JJJenny: So tell me everything!
CoolCasey: Well, the oldest boys are twins. I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes off of Sean, Jamie has been so rude.
JJJenny: Aw, that’s not cool.
CoolCasey: Yeah, he basically told me that he thought I was being fake, and that nobody wanted me there.
JJJenny: I doubt anybody thinks that. Besides, he’s probably just frustrated because he can’t keep it in his pants and is insanely attracted to you. Lol.
CoolCasey: Whatever.

In the middle of Casey and Jennifer’s conversation, there was a knock on Casey’s bedroom door.

“Hey, Casey. Can I come in? It’s Sean!” he called from outside her door.
CoolCasey: OMG! Sean is outside my bedroom door right now!
JJJenny: Well, let him in!

“Come on in,” Casey called. She minimized the conversation window on her screen as Sean sat on her bed across from her.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me,” Sean said.
Casey choked on the oxygen she just inhaled. “What?”
“I mean, I’m going out to a friend’s house for few hours, and wanted to know if you wanted to come,” he explained.
“Oh,” Casey said. She looked at her clock and it read 11:39 pm. Curfew was at 12:30, but Casey didn’t care if it meant hanging out with Sean. “Sure. Just let me get dressed.”
“Sure, meet me downstairs in ten minutes.” He said, standing up. “And try not to make too much noise, you know?”
“Right,”

CoolCasey: We’re sneaking out to go hang out with his friends! What do I wear?!
JJJenny: Something hot!
CoolCasey: Right.
JJJenny: And I want the details tomorrow!
CoolCasey has signed off.