Testing the Water

I sat on a lounge chair in the backyard. I had my oversized sunglasses pushed up on my face with my eyes closed. It was completely silent aside from the odd bird chirping.

Wait. What? When was it ever silent in the Staal household?

Thinking this, I sat up from my previous lying position. I put my finger to my chin in a thinking motion as my eyes scanned the yard; no one in sight. A confused groan escaped from my lips as I got up and started my search.

I walked to the far part of the yard to check the barn: nope; no one. Then I made my way through the house. Living room? Check. Kitchen? Check.

Where else would four teen/mid-twenty year old boys be? I placed my hand on my hip as I continued to pass through the house. After making my way through the basement and the upstairs, I decided they weren’t anywhere in this house. So I sided on going for a little walk.

I slipped on a pair of sandals and walked out through the front door. I started down the street, but paused when I heard voices in the distance shouting and laughing.

That sounded a lot like my brothers.

I spun around and something caught my eye. There were five bodies over at the lake. I walked a bit closer to confirm my prediction: Tayna and my brothers were over there swimming.

“Jerks!” I called out. The five turned to look at me as I drew closer. When I was finally up to them I spoke again, “Came out here to swim and left me alone? I am not impressed,” I shook my index finger in a mock-menacing fashion.

A quick blush came to Tayna’s cheeks. “My bad!” She squeaked; she could get embarrassed so easily sometimes. “I told Eric not to get you because I didn’t want to interrupt your tanning time. I know I hate when people do that to me so...”
“Aw, Tayna! You’re so sweet!” I gave her a big smile and she let out a small laugh.

“So anyways...” Marc started. I didn’t even notice he slipped out of the water and was standing behind me. “Wanna go for a swim?!”
Before I could respond I was thrown over his shoulders and then dumped into the cool water. I quickly regained composure on the surface of the water and spat out the mouthful I had gained.
“Urgh, Marc!” I screamed as he lay on the sand laughing his heart out. Of course I get thrown in the water with my clothes on, when my swimsuit is in our house...a 2 minute walk away. “Fuck you.” I flipped off Jordan and Jared who were laughing as well. I decided to shrug off the fact that I had my clothes on and swam over to Eric. “See this is why Eric is my favourite.” I announced to the group, “He’s actually somewhat mature!” I smiled up at my eldest brother who was in water up to his shoulder, and had his arm wrapped around his girlfriend’s shoulders.
Jared cracked up, “Eric?! Mature?! What have you been smoking Nicki?”
I scoffed, “At least he’s more mature than you three.”
He rolled his eyes and laughed.

*

“I don’t know what drives you two so insane. I’ve told Tayna a thousand times how crazy she is for getting involved in my messed up family, and now we have another one? I feel for you Anna; I really do.” The two girls beside me laughed, “But hey, at least you’re not dating Marc!”

I heard an offended “Hey!” Sound. My guess is Marc heard a portion of our conversation.

It was July 4th, and Anna had finally got into town. She easily fit in with Tayna and my “all girls’ group.” Like Hell, who wouldn’t want a “girl group” around here; we were dramatically outnumbered! So now here we were, chilling out in oversized chairs in the Staal basement. The boys were on the other side of the basement playing a game on the Xbox.

“So now that you’ve pushed your dramatic opinion of our love lives onto us, let’s hear about yours!” Anna exclaimed.
I just shrugged, “Nothing overly interesting on my part.”
“Did she tell you about how she broke up with her boyfriend?!” Marc exclaimed from his position near the television.
Anna stared at me with wide-eyes, letting me know she wanted to the story. But before I would talk to her I had something to say to my brother. “Marc!” I yelled out, “Stop trying to be such a Hell raiser, alright?!”
He bellowed out a laugh, “I’m not my dear sister.” ...Smartass.
“So about the breakup...” Anna hinted.
I shrugged once again. “It was nothing really. I thought he cheated on me so I broke up with him; it didn’t go over well. But eventually I found out he didn’t cheat, but I thought we’d be better off as friends anyways. Simple as that.”
“And how’s that been working out?” Tayna joined the conversation. I haven’t told her too much aside from the main details up until now. Damn these girls; got me spilling my heart out.
“Alright I guess. Like the past little bit’s been hard since we’re kinda nine hours apart and all. But the time in Pittsburgh wasn’t too bad.”
Anna had more questions up her sleeve “Who was your boyfriend anyways; got a name?”
“Tyler Kennedy.” I answered simply. She’d have no idea who he is anyways.
“Seriously?! Tyler Kennedy, #48 of the Pittsburgh Penguins!? That explains it!”
I looked at her with shock written all over my face. “Okay, my brother has officially taught you too much about hockey! A few months ago you didn’t even know who the Sudbury Wolves were, and you live there!”
She blushed slightly and laughed, “Well your brother’s taught me a lot of things.”
“Okay ew!” I shouted covering my eyes. “That sounds strangely sexual and I don’t wanna hear it!”

Anna and Tayna laughed and I quickly joined in.