What Has Become Of Me?

“Got Anika!” Chase yells as he scoops me up in his arms.

“No!” I yell just as loud as him as he starts running through the house.

Only ten minutes after I've recovered from Brian’s little cruel trick on me and Chase grabs me.

“Quick!” Jett yells from nearly the other side of the living room, “Chuck her here!”

“I’m not a footb-!” before I can finish the rest of my protest, I’m sailing across the room.

I squeeze my eyes tightly shut awaiting the impact but instead warm, strong arms close around me.

“I hate you” I barely finish before I’m flying again back towards Chase.

Thankfully his arms wrap around me for momentary safety.

“I’m open!” Seb yells, throwing his arms about.

I shake my head fiercely.

“No!” I exclaim clutching Chase’s shirt for dear life “Seb will drop me.”

Seb’s infamous pout appears yet again. What is it with that boy and pouting? Chase smirks at me.

“So you want to stay with me tonight?” he asks me.

I shake my head slowly, frowning at him. What is he on about? Chase then drops his smirk and shrugs.

“Fine, go to Seb” he pulls his arms back ready to throw me again.

“Wait!” I yell making him stop and yet again smirk.

“Make up your mind” Jett sighs, shaking his head.

“Either spend the night close to me or I am throwing you at Seb” Chase grins.

“I want to be put back on the ground” I argue.

“But that isn’t one of the options, come on give me a chance” Chase tempts, “Brian is nothing compared to me, his act is no sweat to follow.”

What is up with Chase? Is he jealous now that he thinks something happened between Brian and I? I definitely don’t need this.

“So what’s it going to be? Me for the night or a quick throw to Seb before everyone begins the battle for your attention?”

Chase grins as I scramble to find a way out of his scheme. Suddenly the front door is opened and Dom makes a wild dash for the kitchen with numerous shopping bags weighing down his arms. Chase, Jett and Seb all freeze, giving each other a quick staring contest. With some sort of sign I must have missed, all three suddenly scramble to try and make it in to the kitchen first. Chase thankfully drops me on the couch as he races the boys to the kitchen. Jett looks like he’ll be first but Seb ducks easily under the taller man’s arm.

Rustling of plastic bags follows and I carefully get off the couch a bit confused as to what just happened.

“You bought it!” I hear Seb yell excitedly.

“Oreos!” Jett yells over the celebrating Seb.

The sound of rummaging continues and curiosity gets the better of me. I walk into the kitchen. Dom is sat up on the bench whilst the other four boys, I didn’t even see Brian enter the room, search through the shopping bags he brought leaving dozens of items of junk food all over the bench.

“Anika!” Dom greets cheerily and jumps off the counter top to give me a hug.

“Hello” I respond but my attention is focused on Seb.

The small man is dancing around the kitchen with a bottle in each hand and singing to himself so fast I can’t catch what he is saying.

“What is he doing?” I ask as Dom returns to his perch up on the bench.
“His happy dance” Jett replies momentarily tearing himself away from the bags and his precious Oreos.

“Why?” I ask still confused.

“Because I got my Krazy Lemon!” Seb cheers suddenly dancing around me in a circle dangling both the bottles in my face.

“Slow down” I say grabbing his shoulders.

I read the labels on both bottles to find they are some sort of drink named ‘Krazy Lemon’. Never before have I heard of this drink.

“What is it?” I ask snatching a bottle from Seb.

“What is it!” Seb repeats incredulously, “Only the best ever lemonade drink in existence!”

Then his happy expression turns to his trade mark pout.

“Dom!” He whines dragging out the word, “Annie snatched from me!”

“Anika, you shouldn’t snatch” Dom chides.

“Well benches are or glasses not for asses, Dom” I retort handing back the bottle to Seb.

Seb grabs the bottle and runs around the room again, continuing his happy dance.

“Touche” Dom responds clicking his fingers at me with a thoughtful expression.

I just roll my eyes, “Dom I bet you don’t even know what touche means.”

“I so do!” Dom argues.

“Then enlighten me” I dare.

After a long pause Dom finally responds.

“Touche.”

I roll my eyes yet again.

“You know Anika, you can get head spins from rolling your eyes too much” Jett comments.

“Yeah, that is so not fun. Trust me” Seb pipes up.

“Who’s picking movies?” Brian asks as he starts to spread out the newly bought treats in some sort of order I can’t decipher.

All the boys share yet another look similar to the one they shared when Dom entered. This time, instead of racing off to wherever movies are kept, they touch their index fingers to their noses quick as they can. Even Brian kept a finger on his nose as he continued setting out the snacks. I was the only one in the room not touching my nose.

“What am I missing?” I ask.

“You get to pick the movies” Dom tells me brightly.

“Okay” I say slowly, “Why are you touching your noses?”

“So we don’t have to” Seb says as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

“What’s so wrong with picking movies?” I ask now wary.

“Nothing” Jett replies much too quickly, “Good job getting to pick any movies you like for the night.”

Still it doesn’t feel like a good thing. Shouldn’t the guys be arguing over who picks? Not fighting for who gets to not pick? Is there anything normal about these guys?