I'd Do Anything

"Pierre fucking Bouvier." The words fell from my lips before I could even catch myself, as a grin spread across my face. The same strong arms and warm embrace I always knew caught me as I approached. His cologne was strong, almost intoxicating, yet I inhaled the familiar scent happily.

"Lindsey fucking Leveque." He chimed, pulling away, only to pull me back into a hug just as quickly. "It has been too long."

I nodded, finding it difficult to hide my smile as the hug ended. I glanced over Pierre, who had grown into such a handsome guy since I had last seen him. Six years, and he still radiated the same merry vibe as always. I wondered if I had changed, or did I manage to stay the same girl I had always been.

"I have to say, you were difficult as fuck to find. I almost gave up." I looked up to see him still smiling, this time his brows slightly furrowed.

"I'm surprised you were able to find me." Nothing could have prepared for the invitation I found at my door step just a few months ago. My heart raced as I saw the familiar hand writing that messily scribbled out my name and address. There was no way he could have been able to find me, I made sure of it.

After I had left for culinary school, I moved to New York, to start my life; independent from my family and friends that had spent so long protecting me from bitter realities. My mother was disappointed, but said she understood, and I always kept in contact with her. Everyone else I let slip away, except for one who had remained my best friend for so long, David... David!?

"Let me guess-"

"David blabbed." Pierre quipped quickly, before chuckling.

I rolled my eyes, and laughed. At some point in the past few years, I would have wanted to strangle David. But for some reason, back in the presence of Pierre, and surrounded by so many I once called family, I still felt at home. I realized how much my heart yearned for this place, and all of these people.

"My da.." Pierre paused, catching his words, "Dad has been waiting to see you. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to catching up with you." He glanced out towards the people that huddled in small groups and chatted over ambient music that could scarcely be heard of the humming of their voices.

I recalled the face of Pierre's dad; a man I had been my father for some period of time. He was a kind man who had accepted as if I was his own flesh and blood.

Pierre led the way, darting between people, smiling and saying hello every little bit. I found myself embraced by aunts and uncles, and promised to return once I spoke with my step-father. I became ecstatic about the idea of seeing my step-father after so much time spent alone in New York. Sure, I enjoyed the life I had, but it wasn't the same.

"Lindsey!" I heard my mom shout, as I saw her sitting alongside my step-father. She stood quickly, and made her way to me, hugging me tight.

"Hey mom, hey dad.” I smiled, nodding towards my step-father.

Just as Pierre had done, my mom took a step back and observed me, "You've grown up so much! You look great."

My step-father made his way over to us, and hugged me, "Hello, gorgeous. Long time no see."

"It's been forever," I hugged him, "How have you guys been doing?"

My mom was quick to quip, "Just crazy worried about my daughter who I have not seen in years!"

I shook my head, "I know, I know. I’ve missed everyone as well…"

My mom gave a look that said she wasn’t so happy about my decision. Over the phone she always seemed so supportive. But now I could see the worried expression that must have adorned her face the past few years. Her mouth opened to speak more, and I could just imagine that she probably felt the need to chew me out. Pierre swooped in as I felt things slowly becoming awkward.

"Lindsey, how about we go see Nana!" He took my hand and gestured for us to leave.

"Thanks for that." I muttered. Pierre turned back to me, and smiled as if saying no problem.
(FLASHBACK)
The past ten years of my life had been spent in the Bouvier household. At my core, I was as much of a Bouvier as Pierre. I wasn't flesh and blood, but Real assured me that the heart was all that mattered.

In all the years before, I had seen my biological father enough to know that he would be a distant figure. He had said he'd always love me, and that he'd keep a place for me at his home in Florida... with his new wife, and twin boys. But I was content with my life the way it was.

I was sixteen, looking forward to finishing high school, and excited to find the right guy I'd share a future with, most of the time it slipped my mind. I had my hands full with school, and working part time at an ice cream parlor. Any spare time I had was spent with my brother and his friends. All of them became my closest mates.

"Doesn't it suck having to take your baby sister everywhere with you? Don't your parents have a baby sitter for her, or do you get stuck with all the grunt work?”
I glared at Chuck who was comfy in a recliner, with an avocado mask spread all over his face. Pierre couldn't help but laugh, earning a playful punch in his upper arm.

"I'm not a baby!" I shouted, "Besides you guys are always begging me to tag along. I am the life of your sucky party."

Seb, who was sitting on the floor, gave me a shy smile, "Hey, Chuck, what is it that you were saying about Lindsey and her ass the oth-"

Before Seb's sentence was finished, Pierre jumped up and flung himself on top of Chuck, "How dare you fucking talk about her ass, you perve!" Pierre then began to wail on Chuck. The two fought, almost tipping the chair over countless times. I sat back, half laughing and half cringing at the fact that Chuck would even think of me in that way. He wasn't exactly my type.

It was comforting to know that I had someone like Pierre as my step-brother. He always looked out for me, even though we both knew that I could take care of myself. I could recall when I first met him, and believed he was the coolest kid in the world.

"You no good fuc-" Pierre and Chuck paused as the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" I hoped up from my seat and quickly made my way to the door way. I assumed it would be David or Jeff, since they were only other two to ever come over. I was caught by surprise as I opened the door and saw Bryen standing there with a goofy smile on his face.

Bryen was the guy I had been dating for about six months. He had dark hair, and bright blue eyes. He had a killer smiled that had attracted from the first day I saw him. He was the type of guy that most girls threw themselves at in order to keep him. But he liked that I was different, and wasn't afraid to chill with guys and get into trouble.

"Hey, want to come in and watch my brother beat the fuck out of his friend?"

Bryen laughed, shaking his head. "As fun as that sounds... I was actually hoping you'd be free to go on a walk or something."

I nodded, "Of course... Let me just tell my brother."

I went back into the living room, where Pierre and Chuck were now wrestling on the floor. Half of Chucks mask was smeared on Pierre's shirt.

"You two are a riot." I chuckled, slipping on my flats, "Anyway, that was Bryen. I'll be back."

"Whoa!" Pierre shouted, "Where the fuck do you think you are going?"

"Be back soon." I yelled, and rushed out the door, grabbing Bryen's hand. We both could hear my brother shouting, along with Chuck's cries of agony.

"He always seems to flip out whenever you tell him you're with me." Bryen adjusted his hand, so he could hold mine firmly.

"He hates your guts for some reason."

It was a mystery to me why Pierre hated my boyfriend so much. From the very moment I spoke of Bryen, he seemed to harbor negative feelings. Of course Pierre could never tell me why he felt that way, because honestly there wasn't a good enough reason. Bryen was honestly a good guy. Pierre had even confessed, while he was drunk, that he couldn't find anything wrong with the 'prick' and that made him hate the 'punk' even more.

It was quiet between Bryen and me, yet I stayed quiet, assuming there was something he wanted to talk about. Minutes passed before I could see in my peripheral that he was looking at me.

"What?

He shook his head, "Nothing... I just like your face." He stuck his tongue out at me, chuckling just a bit. "Actually, I was thinking we should do something this weekend."

I nodded, "Alright... What are you thinking of doing?"

Bryen shrugged, looking towards the path ahead, "Anything really. It's been a while since just the two of us have done something. Your brother and his friends have a way of chaperoning us."

It was true that somehow Pierre and David always found a way to tag along on my dates with Bryen. At theatres, they'd be seating not too far from us, and during the film I could hear them yelling at Bryen not to get too frisky. I honestly didn't mind, and found it funny that they watched out for me. Bryen on the other hand seemed bothered by the notion.

"They mean well. They're mostly just doing it to be annoying. But I will tell him to stop."

Bryen smiled, "Good… and about this weekend. I think I have an idea of what we could do."

"Oh? What is it?"

"It's a surprise."