New Step Brother, New Family, New Life? Thanks for Nothing, Dad

McCartney's POV

Josie, Trent and I decided to stay up and wait for Ethan and Smokey to get back home. It was taking hours, so I decided to go get something to drink in the kitchen. Lemon blue tea happened to be my favorite of all the teas, so that's what I chose.

I skipped back to the family room where Josie, Trent and I were waiting, careful not to slosh my tea everywhere. Only to drop the mug and let it shatter to the hardwood floor of the entry way.

Trent and Josie. Together. On the couch. Kissing. So you can imagine my surprise. They pulled apart and stared at me, wide-eyed and surprised. Shaking my head, I smiled slightly and turned to grab a towel from a nearby laundry hamper.

"Sorry, sorry," I muttered, scooping up the spilt hot tea and broken ceramic mug. Josie jogged over to help me, biting her lip nervously.

"Mick, there is something you oughta know. Trent and I have been talking and we decided... Well..." Josie tried, trailing off as I looked up at her.

But Trent came to her rescue, kneeling in front of us. "When we met, Josie and I, we clicked. What she's trying to say is that Josie and I are going to start our relationship, and we want to know if you are at least okay with it."

I knew I couldn't tell them not to date, and I didn't really want to. As fast as they got together after Trent and I broke up, I knew when they looked at each other, they looked so happy. Wow, I sound like I'm talking about newlyweds...

Anyways, I smiled brightly and nodded. "You guys are perfect for each other." Josie's face lit up and she hugged first me, then Trent. I finished cleaning the mess and returned to the room, sadly without tea.

On the 'Smokey-and-Ethan' side of the story, it took, literally, until 3:34 A.M. for them to finally walk in through the front door of the farm house. Josie, Trent and I were still sitting in the family room right off from the foyer, so we knew exactly when Ethan and Smokey showed up.

"Took you guys long enough!" I shouted, surprising Ethan and causing Smokey to jump. When the happy couple noticed me, they shot me death glares. Ones I would have flinched away from if I wasn't so happy for my bestest buddies.

"Yeah, so we're a bit late. What of it?" Smokey replied with a sigh. She and Ethan walked into the family room and sat down on the love seat. Ironic. Trent and Josie were on the couch and I was comfortably placed on a bean bag in the center of the room.

"So, are you two together?" Josie asked suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows and gesturing in between Ethan and Smokey.

Ethan rolled his eyes and replied, "If you must know, Smokey and I are going on a date this Saturday."

"That's great, cause Josie and I are dating too," Trent replied with a smile. Smokey and Josie jumped up, squealing and jumping up and down in happy dance form.

I laughed and stood up. Prancing over to Smokey and Josie, I pinched their cheeks, "My little Smoke and JoJo are growing up!" They rolled their eyes and pushed me away.

"I will never understand chicks," Ethan muttered, shaking his head, but smiling. Smokey laughed and plopped down beside him again, leaving Josie and I to sit on the couch by Trent.

"Now all we need to do is find McCartney a boyfriend and we'll all be happy," Josie exclaimed, poking my side. I chuckled and shook my head.

"I'm perfectly fine being an independent chick," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Sure," Smokey commented, "Just keep telling yourself that." I sighed and leaned my head back against the plush couch pillows. In my mind, I knew Smokey and Josie probably wouldn't give up on the 'boyfriend' thing.

This could be interesting.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Fourteen days and counting!" Dad and Anne shouted in unison, barging into the living room where I sat, reading a book. I looked at them, tilting my head in confusion.

"Fourteen days until what?" I asked slowly. Anne giggled and my father rolled his eyes.

"Fourteen days until the wedding, silly goose!" Anne replied with a huge smile, kissing my dad on the cheek. I mentally gagged and sighed. Fourteen days. Was that really all that was left? I mean school started only a few days after the wedding.

"Darwin High School. Ick," I muttered. Dad just rolled his eyes.

"Oh!" Anne exclaimed with a smile, "I didn't know you went to the same school as Ethan and his friends." I tilted my head, thought for a moment and then burst of laughing. Dad and Anne shot me weird looks.

As soon as I could stop laughing, I replied, "I guess I didn't know that either."

"Didn't know what?" Ethan asked, walking into the living room with the whole gang behind him: Alexandra, Josie, Smokey, Trent, Kris and Tyler.

"That we all go to the same school. Did you guys know that?" I asked, glancing between Ethan, Trent, Tyler, Kris and Smokey. Of course, Josie and Alexandra didn't go to school with us. Josie went to the senior high where she lived and, as far as I knew, Alexandra had always been home-schooled.

"Wait, how did you not know we went to the same school? The guys and I are all well-known athletes at Darwin High," Tyler asked.

"Smokey and I don't really pay much attention to the athletics at school," I replied, shrugging.

"They don't really pay that much attention to school at all," my dad muttered, leaving the living room with Anne at his side like a lost puppy.

"Ok... Then how did Trent and Kris not know each other before? Both are basketball players, right?" Smokey asked, glancing at them.

"I haven't played for the school team since Freshman year," Kris said, "I play for a national team. You know, travelling to different states and what not."

"Oh," I said slowly, lengthening the word much longer than it needed to be. Kris rolled his eyes at me.

"My daddy is going to let me go to public school this year. Says I need to build up social skills," Alexandra piped up with a smile. I chuckled a bit and fist-pounded her.

"That's awesome! Now you get to join the gang!" I said excitedly. "This is totally going to be the best junior year ever!"