Trouble-Maker

When I walked into my Dad's house I grinned, seeing my Dad's band mate and best friend there. "Uncle Jay," I greeted warmly as I rushed over to hug the man, "Are Hunter and Miles here too?"

Jay nodded as he wrapped his arms around me. "They're out in the pool."

"Awesome," I cheered as I waved and turned to head for the back door. "That's where I'll be then." I hurried up, trying to get back outside to find the two guys that had pretty much been like younger brothers growing up.

"Hunter!" I screamed excitedly when the twenty year old came into view. He was standing shirtless in the middle of the inground pool with little Nico in his arms.

He turned around quickly and when he noticed me a gorgeous smile came on his lips. "Atticus!" he shouted back, mimicking me.

I rolled my eyes and hurried down off of the deck to the cement floor that surrounded the pool. I slipped my shirt and shorts off before jumping into the deep end, which was about eight feet. When I resurfaced it seemed that they had all come together. My brother, sister, Nico, Hunter, and Miles were standing sidebyside in the water.

"Miles!" I cheered as I threw myself at the 18 year old, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He just laughed and hugged me back. "It's good to see you again," he said as I pulled away and hugged his brother next.

I nodded quickly. "Why are you guys always so busy? You never have time to come visit anymore!"

I heard a few chuckles and when I looked up to the deck my father, Jay, and their other best friend Greg Graffin who just so happened to be the vocalist in my Dad's band Bad Religion. "Hey uncle Greg!" I shouted up to him as I waved, "What are you doing in town? I thought you were still up teaching classes at UCLA?"

He shook his head as he yelled down to me. "It's summer. Even I deserve a break sometime!"

I laughed and nodded knowing that was true. Greg had once been deemed "The smartest man in Punk Rock" and he sure showed it. He had never been married and didn't have any kids but he spent his life teaching them and writing books. He wasn't the typical rock star in anyway.

Jay, on the other hand, was your all-American music guy. He hadn't set foot in a school since graduating unless it was to talk to teachers who were either complaining about Hunter's attitude or raving about Miles' grades. While his oldest son was following in his music-related footsteps his younger one, Miles, was choosing the other option. Miles had been accepted to every college he applied to but he had his heart set on UCLA.

Both of the boys had brown hair like their father. Miles' was cut short, barely an inch long on his head. Hunter had let his hair grow out more and it now framed his face. Their eyes were green and identical. Most people thought they were twins when they first met because of how similiar they looked overall, but Hunter was two years older than Miles.

"Dad! Are the rest of the guys coming?" I questioned as I pulled Nico from Hunter's arms.

"No, they couldn't make it. But Gina should be home within the the next ten minutes." A smile came over my father's face at the mention of his wife.

I nodded and then turned back to face the group that was standing in front of me. "So, what do you want to do?" I asked with a laugh, knowing that the boys would come up with something completely outrageous.

"Well," Hunter murmured, looking up to the deck, "I wouldn't mind jumping off of the railing and hopefully landing right there." He pointed to a spot in the deepest end of the pool.

My eyes grew wide as my brother agreed excitedly. "Yeah!" he shouted, "Oh hell yeah."

"No!" I yelled, "No way, you'll both get hurt!"

Hunter rolled his eyes at me. "I'm an adult. I can do what I want." With that he swam over to the side of the pool and pulled himself out. I watched in horror as he wandered up the stairs and over to the table where the deck fanned out and became round. I grabbed onto Max's arm tightly as he tried to follow after.

"Don't even think about it." I demanded as I covered my mouth with one hand, watching as Hunter climbed up onto the wooden railing, our fathers shouting at him to get down.

"Hunter!" Jay shouted as he rushed over to grab onto his son, "I mean it, get the hell down from there right now!"

Before Uncle Jay could yank Hunter off of the ledge, he jumped. I squeeked and closed my eyes, afraid to watch as his head hit the pavement. But when I heard a splash, I peaked over to the other end of the pool and sighed silently when I saw Hunter reaapearing from under the water with a smile on his face, ignoring his father as he screamed from the deck.

"What a rush," Hunter laughed as he and Max bumped fists.

I reached out and smacked the 20 year old.

He hissed as my hand had contact with his wet skin. "That hurt, Atticus!"

I just glared and handed the baby back to him before striding over to the edge of the pool and helping myself out. I went and sat on a lawn chair after I grabbed my cell phone.

"Frida!" I called, "Come take a picture with me!"

The younger girl nodded excitedly and got out of the pool. Her swim suit was a bikini too although it was colorfully striped. Frida wrapped her arms around my waist as my left one went over her shoulder. I used my right hand to take the picture on my phone. Frida was smiling as I stuck my tongue out at the camera.

"It's cute!" Frida squeaked happily as I showed it to her.

"Yeah. We look good!" I laughed as she nodded.

I smirked as I sent the picture to Ronnie. I left my cell phone on the chair as I wandered into the house to get a few towels from the hall closet. I grinned when I found my pink beach towel. The words "It's alright, everything is going to be amazing" where written in black font across the front. I grabbed that one, Frida's zebra one, and then a few others for the guys.

When I walked back outside I noticed Hunter standing near my chair with my phone in his hands. "Hunter!" I screamed, "Put it down right now!"

He looked over to me and smirked. I ran over and grabbed it from his hands after I dropped the towels onto the chair.

"Who's Ronnie?" he questioned, "Because he thinks you look hot."

I glared. "Shut up right now, Hunter," I said as I went back to the message that Ronnie had sent in reply. I smiled at it before glaring at Hunter once again as my brother and Miles walked over.

"Why're you so mad?" Max asked as he stopped near Hunter.

"Nothing," I said as I gave Hunter a warning look. "Hunter just wants to catch up with me. So we're going to go in the house, alright? Watch out for the baby." I grabbed onto Hunter's arm and yanked him with me. I grabbed my towel and a random yellow one for him. He followed me up the stairs in the house and into the room that was mine when I was younger. We sat down on my bed.

"So?" he questioned, "Who's Ronnie?"

"He's my friend but my Dad can't know about it, alright?" I asked, worried that Hunter might actually go and metion it.

Hunter looked suspiscious. "Why not?" he asked, "Is he some convicted fellon or something?"

I was about to disagree but then I closed my mouth. Hunter's eyes grew wide and he shot up from my bed. "What the hell, Atticus? You should know better than to get involved with guys like that! Where'd you even meet him?" he ranted with an angry look on his face.

"Hunt! It's not like that! Sit down and I'll explain!"

Hunter studied my face before actually sitting down and looking at me pointedly.

"Well," I started, "He was in prison but it was just because a friend of his killed someone when they were together. Ronnie didn't do anything! I promise."

Hunter didn't look anymore relaxed. "Where'd you meet him?"

I closed my eyes as I spoke, nervous about what his reaction would be. "Epitaph."

Hunter huffed and threw himself backwards on my bed. "Great, so he's a fellon and in the music business. Brett is going to love that."

"My Dad is not going to find out, got it? If he does you're in big trouble!" I whisper-yelled in a threatening voice.

"I'm not going to be the one to tell him, Atti. But what's going on with you and this guy?" he inquired as he sat up and looked at me.

I shrugged. "Nothing really. He's really cool and honestly, we're friends."

Hunter chuckled as he brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. "Friends who sent pictures of themselves in bikinis."

"It was a cute picture!" I defended, throwing my hands in the air. "Plus, you really need to stop touching other people's things. I thought you grew out of that when you were young."

I smiled as another text came in from Ronnie.

"What's it say?" Hunter questioned, trying to peak over my shoulder at my phone.

I shoved him away. "What part of 'mind your own business' don't you understand?" I questioned as I held my phone away from him.

"I just want to know what he said!" Hunter laughed as he reached over me, trying to get my phone.

"No!" I shouted as I tried to roll away from him, "Get away from me! Hunter!" I shouted as he strattled me and pushed my shoulders down onto the bed so that I couldn't move away from him.

"Maybe we should take a picture of us like this and send it to him. Get him a little jealous, yeah?"

My eyes grew wide as I tried to move, to push Hunter off of me. "Don't you dare, Hunt," I growled as I tucked my phone under me.

Hunter laughed and tried to get my phone again, releasing my shoulders. When I could move I reached up and put my hands on his chest and pushed, knocking him to the floor. I laughed as he hit the ground but stopped when he looked up to me and glared.

"Oh shit," I murmured before hopping over him and racing out of the room, leaving my towel in there as I held onto my phone tightly. I raced down the stairs two at a time but I could hear Hunter catching up to me.

"No!" I shouted as I quickened my pace, running under the stairs and back out to the pool. "Uncle Jay!" I screamed as Hunter caught up to me, reaching out to grab onto my arm. "Help me!"

The adults just laughed as Hunter yanked me to him by my arm. I noticed Gina sitting at the table as well with a smile on her face as she held Nico, who was wrapped up in a big pink blanket.

"Dad!" I screamed, "Are you just going to let him take me?!"

Dad laughed but stood up. He walked over and rested his hand on Hunter's broad shoulder. "Alright, that's enough," he said between chuckles, "I think Atticus is all partied out."

I glared at Hunter as my Dad pulled me away and over to the table to sit down with the rest of them. I placed a kiss on Gina's cheek before sitting down in the chair next to her. Her midnight black hair was down to her shoulders and she smiled up at me.

"I haven't seen you in a few days, Att, where you been?"

I shrugged, "Been pretty busy."

I glared as Hunter tried to hide his chuckles.

"What have you been up to?" Gina questioned as she ran her fingers through her sleeping daughter's hair.

"Just helping out a friend," I said, "But how are you?"

Gina smiled, oblivious to the fact that I had changed the subject intentionally. "I'm doing real well, thank you."

I nodded in reply and listened for awhile at the adults spoke. Eventually they got onto the topic of Miles and how he's been pretty upset since his breakup with his longtime girlfriend Linnea. They broke up once high school ended seeing as Linnea wanted to travel the world but Miles said he would be happy just staying right here in California for the rest of his life.

"He just needs to find someone who shares the same interests as him," Uncle Jay spoke as he glanced down to the pool at his youngest son. "He needs a good girl. Someone like Atticus here," he added with a smile.

My Dad got a grin on his face. "Or maybe just Atticus herself."

"Ew, Dad no. Miles is like my brother."

Dad shook his head, "You need someone like Miles, Atti. He's smart, talented, and he knows how to treat a girl."

"He's also six years younger than me, Dad," I added with a sigh, knowing that if I didn't stop this conversation right here, sooner or later Dad and Jay would be trying to plan our wedding.

"Age is just a number, Atti," Uncle Jay said hopefully, "Can't you just go out with him one time? As friends at least. Get him out of the house."

"Uncle Jay, I'd love to hang out with Miles but I just refuse to date him. He's like my little brother, it'd be weird," I said in a caring voice, hoping that he would understand.

My Dad spoke next, "Does this have anything to do with that Frankie guy that you were with last night? I thought you said you were just helping him with his son or whatever?"

"No Dad, this has nothing to do with Frankie. I just don't want to date Miles," I said again, getting anxious.

"He's not her type," Hunter told them with a flick of his wrist.

Dad's eyes narrowed. "He should be. He's perfect for her."

Hunter just shrugged, "I'm just stating what I've observed."

I wanted to kick Hunter as hard as I could right there but I was too worried that I'd end up kicking someone else so I held back and glared instead.

"And how did you observe that?" Jay questioned his son, a confused look on his face.

Hunter just shrugged, "They say that most women end up dating people like their fathers and Miles is nothing like Uncle Brett."

"Ew," I murmured under my breath, a mental image of my father and I getting married automatically popping into my head.

Dad said, "Atticus is not going to date anyone who has done what I have. I've already told her time and time again that she needs to marry someone smart with a stable job, not someone who is traveling the world and playing shows every night before heading back to the hotel every night with a different woman." I knew that he was refering to what he did when he was with my mother, in his younger years while Bad Religion was still touring.

"I know Dad," I said tightly, "You have told me a thousand times."

Dad nodded once curtly before speaking again. "What about you, Hunter, anyone in your life?"

Hunter smirked before shrugging. "There've been a few."

"Oh, nasty," I gagged, knowing what he was refering to. "Hunter, you're disgusting."

He blew me a kiss with a smirk on his lips. "What can I say? The ladies love me."

I nodded, "I'm sure they do."

The adults were chuckling over our little banter, not caring about what we were talking about. After about another hour all the kids were done in the pool and dressed back in normal clothes, me included. The guys, Max, Hunter, Miles and I wandered into the living room as Dad and Gina ordered a few pizza's.

I kept my phone tucked into my back pocket as all the boys and I played Mario Kart on the Wii. When it began to ring I paused the game and pulled it out, aware of all the guys watching me. Jacky's name flashed on the screen and I hit talk quickly.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered.

"Ronnie wants to know if you're coming tonight?" Jacky asked into the phone, his voice quiet but direct.

"Uhm," I replied, "Hang on." I turned my to look over the back of the couch and shouted for my Dad.

"Yeah?" he yelled back.

"Do you have any plans for the night or am I free to go?"

Dad walked into the room and looked at me in an odd way. "Why, what have you got planned?"

I shrugged, "Just probably going to go home and sleep. I've got to work tomorrow, you know."

Dad shrugged too. "You can go if you want the pizza's on the way but that's alright."

I nodded and then turned back to the phone as my Dad walked out of the room. "I'm free. Have him pick me up at my place later, alright?"

"Okay, see you later."

"Yup! Bye." I clicked the end button and turned to the guys who knew what I was up to.

"You just lied to Dad," Max said, his eyes wide with shock, "And I thought you were little miss goody two-shoes.

Hunter scoffed playfully causing Max to look to him. I glanced down to my phone as my text ringtone sounded through the room.

"I'll be there at eight, baby." It read causing me to smile feel slightly giddy inside.

"Alright yeah, so what. Let's get on with the game. I pressed the start button and watched as all our characters roared to life and took off down the Mario track. I laughed as I passed my brother to take first place. When the round ended the pizza was here so the guys and I rushed into the kitchen and each took some for ourselves as Gina and Frida tried to feed the barely-awake baby.

I sat down at the table as I stared at my family. Growing up with these people was the best. I always felt like I had three fathers who were there to look out for me. They made up for the fact that my mother, Maggie, wasn't around. Hunter and Miles were there to keep me entertained as we grew up and Frida and Max were there to bug me like normal little siblings. I grew sad at the sudden thought that passed through my head.

If I were to date Ronnie then I'd have to give up all of this. My father would never speak to me if I went against his will and I'd lose all these people. Then a second thought forced itself into my head. I had to choose one of them.