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

The morning came bright and early with the annoying beeping of my alarm clock. I sighed and sat up, yawning and stretching. All the girls had slept in Smokey's and my room, two to a bed. It didn't take long for the four guys to burst through the door in attempt to wake us up.

"No! Ethan, I'm tired!" Smokey complained, her voice muffled by the pillow she put over her face. Ethan was poking her cheek.

"Get up! We need to start so the guys can win! Please!" he whined, though ceased poking her. Instead, he removed the pillow and pecked her right on the lips in front of everyone. Smokey immediately sat up, eyes wide and a blush brightening her cheeks. "Ha! I knew that would work!" Ethan exclaimed excitedly.

Smokey just rolled her eyes and slid out of bed, her neon yellow tank top and orange tiger-striped sleep pants.

"So neon!" Tyler yelled, falling across the foot of my beed over Alex's and my legs. Smokey frowned and walked into her walk-in closet to change.

"Tyler," Alexandra muttered, "Get off me!" Tyler ignored her, and apparently so did the rest of the guys because they all ended up laying across my bed on top of Alex and I.

"You guys are sooooo annoying!" Josie complained, moping over to our bed and laying across it in between Tyler and Trent.

"And you guys are sooooo heavy!" I said, slowly slithering out from underneath the guys and Josie.

It took lots of complaining, crawling from bed, showers, getting dressed and almost an hour for everyone to get ready and meet outside at the next event. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my hoodie, fending off the cool morning.

"Ok, here's how Climber works. The player must sprint to that marked tree," I began, pointing to a large oak wrapped in checkerboard fabric with low branches, "And climb to the second marker to grab your team colored flag. Then, they must climb back down and sprint back here. First person to cross the finish line designated by this tape line here." I finished, pointing at the line beneath my feet.

"Ok, so let's pick our players!" Trent said excitedly, huddling up with the other three guys. I rolled my eyes, as I noticed Josie did too. We circled up and put our heads together.

"Alexandra is light on her feet and has enough balance for this challenge," Josie said, gesturing to our Italian friend. I shook my head.

"Sorry, Alex, I know you are amazing and all, but Smokey has been a tree-climber since she a toddler. So, I vote her," I commented, shrugging nonchalantly.

Alexandra nodded to Smokey, "Yeah, save me for the last challenge. Smokey can do it, I'm sure." Josie sighed and nodded, looking to the guys group.

"Ok, girls. Let's do this. Triple win right now," Alexandra said happily, shrugging one shoulder. We nodded, taking our places on the side lines as Smokey stood at the starting line.

"Hurry up and decide boys," Smoke complained, crossing her arms over her chest, "We don't have all day."

"Technically, love, we do," Ethan said, joining her on the starting line and kissing her cheek. Smokey just rolled her eyes and grinned. "Be careful," Ethan added sweetly before joining the girls, Trent, Kris and I at the side lines.

That's right: Tyler is the guys' Climber.

I had to admit, I was nervous. This was the most dangerous event of the whole games. Smokey and Tyler were both two of my best friends. If anything happened to them in this game, it would be my fault.

"Go!" Trent's loud yell cut me from my thoughts as I watched my best friends race towards the tree.

It wasn't a surprise that Smokey reached it first. She was leaner and all together faster. Smokey jumped and grabbed a low hanging branch and swung herself up. But Tyler was right behind her. He to swung himself into the trees. From there, we couldn't see anything else. The branches blocked all view of the race.

I stood, tense, waiting. Minutes passed and I began to freak. "Holy crap. This is all my fault. Let's go get them--" I was cut off by a loud crack coming from the tree. With that, Tyler fell from the tree, landed lightly on his feet and sprinted through the finish line, flag in hand.

He was panting, but I caught his eye and he understood my concerned expression. "Don't worry," Tyler said, "Smokey's coming. She's fine."

As if on cue, Smokey jumped from the tree and jogged back. "Sorry guys. I accidently broke a branch with and bird nest on it with baby birds and stuff so I had to move the nest to a sturdier branch," she said with a smile, handing me the flag. I rolled my eyes.

"The reason you let us lose is birds? Smokey!" Alexandra whined, lightly punching her shoulder. We laughed, and Ethan leaned over to lightly peck Smokey on the lips.

"Thanks, love, for letting us win this one," Ethan spoke with a wink. Smokey blushed and shrugged, causing everyone to laugh once again.

"Well, I guess the guys have this one," Josie said with a sigh, holding Trent's hand. I had to admit, those two looked adorable together.

"Sadly," I muttered, glaring playfully at Smokey. She just grinned. All of a sudden I had a wonderfully amazing idea. "Last one to the pond is a rotten egg!" I shouted and took off at a dead sprint. I heard the others take off behind me, but I already had a long head start.

Right as I reached the perimeter of the lake, someone tackled me gently to the ground. I rolled on my back, staring in surprise up at my attacker.

"What the hell, Tyler?" I said, narrowing my eyes. He smirked and shrugged, hands on the ground on either side of my head.

"Sorry, but I wanted to win," he said with a smile, staring down at me. His eyes hyponized me, so I stared back.

"Ehem!" someone coughed, causing Tyler to jumped and stand up off of me. He helped me up and turned to where everyone stood.

"Are we interrupting something?" Trent asked, a smirk plain on his lips. After we broke up, I swear Trent wanted me to get a boyfriend more than anything else. I guess it was the whole 'I have a new girlfriend so soon, so you should have a boyfriend so I don't feel so bad about it.'

"No, you weren't," Tyler replied simply, coming to my rescue. I shot him a 'thank you' look and turned to the group.

"Ok, since Kris and Alex are the last ones left, you two are the players of this game," I said, handing Alex a pink noodle and Kris a blue one. "You guys will swim out to that air mattress and climb on top of it. Once both of you are standing, the game begins. You will use the special noodles, which have dowel rods in the center to keep them from bending, to try and knock each other off. the mattress. Last one standing wins," I finished explaining.

"I'm game,"Alexandra stated with a grin. Kris just shrugged, but I knew he was ready for anything that involved competition. They waded into the cool water, noodles in hand, and swam to the air mattress. They both climbed up on to the unstable mattress, standing up at almost the exact same time.

"Go Alex!" the girls and I shouted. And sure enough, Alexandra swung hard and into the side of Kris's head. He almost lost balance, but stayed on his feet and blocked another one of Alex's swings.

They swung and hit and nearly fell off for what seemed like hours, but was really minutes. I have to admit it was a pretty epic battle. The air mattress drifted behind the large boulder, and we were left waiting for a victor.

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Alexandra's POV

I wasn't tired, but my adrenaline was pumping. This seriously had to be the funnest, craziest, most out of control thing I've ever done. But that's what I get for growing up under the protection of the mafia.

Anywho, I ducked back to the edge, perched on it so I wouldn't fall off. Kris stared at me and shrugged.

"You know, if I really wanted to, I could knock you off this air mattress right now," he said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes.

"Then go ahead and do it, Big Shot," I mocked, crossing my arms over my chest. Kris took a menacing step forward. I dropped my arms and stared at me, wide-eyed. I stepped forward too, just in case he actually wanted to knock me off so soon.

"Haha, scared you, didn't I?" he commented egotistically. I shrugged, glancing to the shore that was blocked by the huge rock.

"Stupid rock...." I muttered under my breath. I held on to my floatation device tightly and swung out at him. It knocked his blue one out of his hands and into the water. You might think I would be excited, except for I don't have the best grip... And lost mine too.

"Great! Now what are we going to do?" Kris asked, throwing his hands up in the air. I smirked and jumped forward, tackling him to the mattress. I stared down at him with a grin.

"Do this the old fashion way." Kris's chuckle rumbled beneath me. Out of nowhere, he flipped us over and pinned me down to the mattress. Water pooled underneath us, but neither was off of the air mattress.

He smirked down at me, chuckling once again. I met his eyes and we both froze. It was strange, like those moments in romance movies where the couple is in the most unromantic place possible, but some how their gazes meet and they're stuck, staring into each others eyes.

Eventually the guys starts to lean in, slowly, and as he moves closer the girl's eyes begin to close. And then, at the perfect moment, they share a kiss.

And it was magical.

Kris pulled back, staring down at me once again with a thoughtful smile on his face. I couldn't help but not look away.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he said softly. I smiled and an idea popped into my head.

"Let me jump off," I replied, sitting up as he sat back on his heels.

"What?" asked Kris, surprised. I rolled my eyes and then continued.

"Let me lose! If I lose it will be a tie and then girls will be equal to guys. Get it?" I asked, standing up.

"Then this competition will be others, guys are equal to girls, and I can take you on a date," Kris said quickly, playing it all out in his head with a smile. I blushed and nodded. I had liked Kris for a long time I guess, without really noticing. He was my type of guy; athletic, strong, sweet with a little bit of a dark side, stubborn. Basically the male version of me.

So I turned and jumped, splashing below the cool water's surface.