What Has Become Of Me?

“Did we ever decide on a movie?” Chase asks me as he and Jett carry the lounge chair I’ve sprawled myself over to its original spot.

The living room is slowly looking like it did before our game of Twister that forced the boys to move all the furniture up against the walls.

“Nope” I reply, popping the p.

“You’d better pick soon,” Jett says thoughtfully, “Otherwise there will be chaos.”

“Fine”, I reply with a sigh getting off my comfy spot after the boys set the lounge down.

“I’ll help!” Seb yells trying to jump over the lounge to follow me but his foot gets caught causing him to crash to the floor.

“Never in my life have I known someone who can pull such attention to themselves”, I say shaking my head as Seb collects himself and races past me headed for the movie room.

Here I was under the impression no one in this house actually wanted to choose a movie. The reason for this, I learnt the hard way, is that no one actually agrees with what the person choosing picks.

“Iron Man is a good film” I suggest with a smile.

I pluck the DVD case off the pile of films I had brought out of the room to present to the guys. Only Chase nods. Apparently it is impossible to watch the movie if even one person disagrees. Everyone has to agree for the film to be watched.

“Fine” I grumble placing the film in the ‘no’ pile to my left which is quickly growing.

“Next” Nathan calls shoving a spoonful of peanut butter into his mouth.

“The Lost Boys” I hold up the case.

Everyone wrinkles their noses in disgust and without a moment of consideration I already know to place it to my left.

“Matrix?” I ask.

“Which one?” Jett asks brightly.

Everyone smiles and I think I found the movie they all will like.

“The second, I think” I say studying the cover.

“Damn, I only like the first” Jett sighs sinking back and everyone’s smiles drop.

“I can go get that” I say already jumping up to my feet.

Finally, I’ve found the movie they will all agree on. It must be a miracle! Running my fingers over the titles quickly, I pick out the first Matrix film and race back into the lounge room.

“Got it!” I grin in triumph holding the case over my head and running over to the DVD player to put the disk in.

I hear a laugh behind me but ignore it. Placing the disk carefully on the tray I then step back snatching up the remote. Blue replaces the TV screen with a small sentence in black.

“Disk error?” I repeat, reading the screen.

A collective laugh rumbles from the guys and I turn around furious.

“That disk hasn’t worked since Seb decided to play Frisbee with it” Brian explains chuckling.

“You all suck!” I declare, stamping my foot.

After the laughter has diminished all eyes turn back to me.

“Anyway, back to what you were doing” Jett prompts.

I cross my arms over my chest shaking my head. No way in hell are they going to get by without at least apologising. Chase gets to his feet and immediately I take a step back.

“Anika” his tone of voice suggests he is speaking as if not to frighten a wild animal; it’s enough to make me completely paranoid.

Taking two steps back, I find myself nearly against the large TV. Chase takes a step forward and repeats my name in that same scarily calm voice.

“Chase” I try to mimic his tone.

“I need you to sit back down” Chase takes another step forward.

When did this turn into a show down? Confusion causes my reaction time to slow just enough for Chase to be able to leap forward and wrap me up in his arms.

“Let me go!” I demand struggling.

“Not until you find me a movie!” Chase yells back grinning as he walks me back over to my seat.

I shake my head refusing.

“I’ll never give in to your demands! I don’t negotiate with terrorists!” I yell at Chase now starting to fall into the boys’ joking nature.

Wow, it really is contagious. Chase sits back down in my spot with me on his lap.

“Next” Nathan says using the same tone as last time and yet again he shovels more peanut butter into his mouth.

How much peanut butter does that man eat? Grudgingly, I pick up the next movie.

“A Knight’s Tale”

“I love that movie!” Brian yells.

“I’m in” Chase says.

“Not watching it, I refuse.” Dom says crossing his arms over his chest.

This came as no surprise to me; I’d gone through a phase of loving that film but Dom never watched it with me. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the next movie. My pile was really dwindling.

“What about the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy?” I ask.

“Aye, aye!” Seb exclaims which I guess means he agrees.

“I’m in” Dom agrees.

“Sure” Jett shrugs.

“I guess” Chase sighs dragging out the word.

This only leaves Brian. I’m so close to being rid of this duty I can taste it.

“How about it, Brian?” I ask “Watch a good ol’ pirate film with the lovable Johnny Depp, you guys can ogle Keira Knightley.”

“I’m offended,” Brian sniffles, “My family were killed by pirates.”

Brian turns around so his back is to me. I sigh and try to sit up. Chase clutches me tighter.

“It’s a trap” Chase whispers, “His family actually lives in a cosy town somewhere in Tasmania, Australia.”

Brian whips around.

“Hey! I thought we agreed on no foiling a brother’s plot” Brian whines causing me to laugh.

“A brother’s plot? Are you serious?” Chase asks.

“Anyway, I only agree to watch the film if I can have the couch with Anika” Brian reasons crossing his arms over his chest.

I open my mouth to fire something back but Chase beats me to it.

“No way, I’ve barely gotten any time with her” Chase whines.

“You carried her around and were alone in the movie room” Brian accuses.

“Yeah, but” Chase frowns unable to think of anything.

They speak of me as if I’m just some sort of toy.

“Got ya! Now hand her over” Brian says smiling.

“Like Hell! You’ve had equal time with her, it’s my turn” Jett says putting his name into this apparent race, or contest or something like that.

“No way, you can’t just suddenly jump in” Chase says.

“Exactly! That’s queue jumping, Chase and I have been interested so much longer than you” Brian joins Chase who is trying to get rid of Jett’s claim.

This is so humiliating.

“I’m right here, you know!” I might as well be talking to a brick wall for the amount of notice I’m paid.

“You so haven’t been interested longer, I liked her the first time Dom told us about the babe he met” Jett defends.

Dom told them about me while it was just the two of us? Friends without any of this wolf or pack business but he was just reporting back to them? I glare at him. He had better have one good explanation or he is so dead.

“What about me?” Seb demands, “She’s closer to my age, with you guys it is so wrong I’m not even going to begin to explain it.”

“That’s just human standards, you know they don’t apply.” Chase defends.

“It was worth a shot” Seb replies.

“Fellas, fellas shut the hell up” Nathan interjects, “I’m alpha and I call responsibility over who Anika spends time with tonight.”

“This is so wrong!” I exclaim launching myself from Chase’s arms.

Strong arms wrap around my shoulders.

“Settle, petal” Brian says in a calming voice.

I shrug him off.

“Don’t petal me! You all act as if I don’t have any choice over what I do or who I spend time with.”

Nathan sighs pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

“If you had just waited, I was about to ask you who you wanted to spend time with” Nathan sighs, “These idiots won’t listen to anything more then an alpha though.”

I sit down on the floor with a huff thoroughly embarrassed. A moment of silence passes.

“I don’t feel like watching Pirates” Jett decides.

I gape up at him. He must be joking.

“That’s it! I refuse to pick a movie” I say throwing my arms in the air.