Living a Million Miles an Hour

“Only invited them, huh?” Ben grunted crossing his arms after I had informed Sam,Cameron and James were invited to dinner with my family. We were standing in the living room and I had strange sense that he was feeling left out.

“Would you like to come too, Ben?” I asked him

Ben shrugged his shoulders as an attempt to be indifferent “I guess so”

“So know everyone gets to go besides me!?” Danny stated

“Oh you of all people, Danny?” I scoffed. He acted like he hated me and now he wanted to have a meal with me.

“What's that supposed to mean?” He questioned squinting his eyes at me

I sighed “Fine Danny, if you would like to come then go ahead”

“This is going to be awesome. I love American food” Cameron cheered

“This will be interesting” I muttered to myself



“So, I hoped you cooked enough food” I told my grandmother when I returned home. I informed her that there were a few extra guest attending tonight's dinner

“That’s fantastic!” Grams exclaimed at the news

“Alpa, how could you invite all those boys over here!?” My mother scorned

“Do want me to cancel?” I asked

“No, it’s too late now. You already invited them” She huffed

“This will be good! Don’t worry. I certainly will have enough food.”

Dylan ran inside from the back door, the boy I saw him with this morning was behind him

“Can Corey stay for dinner?” Dylan asked

“Dylan, n-” My mom started to say but Grams cut her off

“Of course, Dylan. Alpa’s having a few friends over as well.”
“Cool!” Dylan said “C’mon, Corey. I’ll show you my room”



I was walking down stairs as I gathered the bottom of my floral long maxi dress. I attempted to look somewhat decent for this occasion. I had even straighten my hair (which I never do) and put on makeup. There was a knock on the door, “That must be them” I muttered as I rushed down the stairs as safely as possible. Surprisingly, my mom had beat me to the living room answering the door. There stood Sam, Cameron and Ben. All of them nicely dressed and black or dark skinny jeans without holes and nice shirts. “Hey guys!” I said from behind my mom and stepping slightly in front of her.

“Sorry, Danny decided not to come and James left for L.A” Sam explained once inside. Sam was rocking a clean shave instead of his usual shaggy stubble. He was also wearing a nice dark grey long sleeve crew neck sweater paired with nice jeans

“L.A, huh?” I questioned somewhat confused considering Danny always complain about have so much to do for the album and for James to just up and leave.

“He said he need to see Brandi and should be back in a few days” Cameron added. His hair was slicked back. Tonight Cameron was wearing a red shirt with a few holes, a black sports jacket and some relaxed fit dark denim pants.

“So, James and Brandi are still together?” I attempted to ask without my hurt feelings surfacing

“That, we are not sure of. They have always been off and on” Sam answered.

“Ahem,” I heard my mom clearing her throat from behind me

“Oh, um” I said clearing my throat. “Mom these are my friends Sam, Cameron and Ben. Guys this is my mom” I awkwardly introduced them. I was never good these formal sort of things. My mom smirked and walked away. I invited the guys into the sitting room that was adjacent to the dining room and across of the kitchen. I could see Dylan and his friend set up the table through the archway. Thorton playfully barked and trotted over to Cameron. He kneeled down to pet the old dog.

“Wow,” Grams says somewhat impressed. I haven't seen Thornton that excited in years.

“So, you guys are boys next door” my mother says redirecting the conversation completely ignoring what her mother just said. Grams rolls her eyes and goes back to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to the food

“Actually we're across the street” Sam said matter of factly. I gave him a warning glance. “I mean yes, we are the neighbors.” he said smiling.

Oh this is just going to be an awkward night. I excuse myself and follow my grandmother into the kitchen.

“Please tell me the food is ready so we can get this over with” I groaned standing next to my grandmother who was pouring some green beans in a serving dish.

“Actually everything is ready I just need help putting these dishes on the table.” Grams said. I stared at the kitchen Counters that was full of serving dishes filled with food. It looked better then any feast I had been too. Pork chops with gravy seemed to be the main course. There was green beans, scalloped potatoes and corn bread. There was also a big bowl of salad made. Dylan walked into the kitchen his friend, Corey, following behind his closely.

“Granny, who are all those scary looking guys?” He asked

“Hey those are my friends, knucklehead” I scold my younger sibling shoving the dish of potatoes in his hands. He squinted at me and walked away on the dining area.
“Corey would you be so kind to help us?” Grams asked the young boy nicely to which he agreed in no time all the food was on the table.

“Alright Dinner is ready!” Grams exclaimed to the household. The guys darted towards the dinning room. Cameron was the first to sit down, eagerly looking at the food ready to dig in. Sam calmly followed behind me.

“Hang on just a minute” Ben said as he awed over the wine self that was on the wall of the dining room. He pulled out a bottle and blew some of the caked on dust and wiping some away. It was probably the first time he spoke since he arrived. Ben was probably the most underdressed wearing a plain white t shirt and a pair black skinny jeans and probably the most underwhelmed that was until he said my grandmother's vintage aged wine collection.

“Help yourself young man” my grandmother smiled. “I hardly drink that stuff nowadays. It was mostly my late husband collection anyways.” She grabbed a few wine glasses everyone had one besides the kids, Corey and Dylan, and herself.

“Don't mind if I do” Ben said with a shit eating grin on his face.

At the head of Table sat grams proudly watching everyone devour her food. To the left was myself, close to grams, Dylan and Corey. Across me was Sam, Ben in the middle and Cameron close my mother who was at the other end of the table.

[Grams]
Head of Table
[Sam] [Reneé]
[Ben] [Corey]
[Cam] [Dylan]
End of Table
[Mom]

Everyone happily rotated the dishes everyone was getting seconds. Cameron was getting thirds in the midst of chatting my mom up.

“This has to be one of the best meals I've ever had in America” Sam told my grandmother she smiled and thanked him. Then excused herself to get dessert.

“You haven't touched the wine, Sam” I say to him. He shrugs.

“But the biggest wine fan I guess” Sam shrugged picking up that glass

“Let me help you, mate” Ben slurred taking the glass away from Sam. Ben had already down a bottle to himself. I had one glass, Cameron had three and my mom had five. Ben threw back the wine in Sam's glass.

“I was gonna drink that” Sam said annoyed by his bandmates drunken state.

“You said you didn't want it.” Ben retorted

“I was going to drink it out of respect because it was given to me. But obviously you don't even know what respect is” Sam was getting clearly aggravated.

“Whatever, pussy” Ben said dismissively

“Um, language!” My mom raised her voice at the drunk man before he stumbled out of the room to the front door.

My grandmother stood the archway holding a red velvet cake watching Ben drunkenly leaving the front door wide open and almost tripping on the porch stairs.

“I should go after him” I saw starting to get up.

“Don't” Cameron and Sam say at the same time

“He'll be fine.” Sam said shaking his head

“Unfortunately this isn't the first time Ben has made a drunk fool out of himself in front of guest. I apologize on behalf of my friends behavior” Cameron says.

“Is that cake red Velvet? It one of my favorites? Ben says attempting to lighten the mood to my grandmother who nod's.

“It's my own recipe.”



After dinner I told the guys I'd hang out with them for a bit. We walked outside to the porch.

“This house is so old but it has a certain charm to it” Cameron says sitting on the swinging bench

“I agree,” Sam adds “it look like it needs a bit of work done on it though” he chips a piece of paint off one of the

“ Yeah, I need to like cut the grass or something before snakes become a problem.” I said.

“We can help with that” Cameron sits up from the bench.

“Yeah I mean it's the least we could go after that meal. Your grandmother seems lovely.” Sam agreed.

“I'm sure she’d love appreciate the help but I think for tonight just helping out with the dishes will suffice. Mainly because I don't wanna do them and one of novelties of living in a old house. No dish washer.

The guys laughed and went back inside to help with dishes. Grams and my mom were almost done clearing the table off and wrapping up leftovers in the fridge when I noticed one single slice of red velvet cake left. I thought about Ben, and felt a tug of guilt and sadness in my gut. I tool the last piece of cake that was already saran wrapped grabbed a fork and headed across the street.