Summer Lovin' - Started - FULL

Spoiler

Hudson beat me to posting by like five seconds xD Let's just say Howie was hovering in the background while things were getting fixed up.

Poor Howie... Timber is only good for forcing him into awkward socialness lol

Howie

I am impressing myself by making small talk with not one girl, but two. Opal and Mae seem nice. Chase is okay too, I suppose, but he's even less willing to socialize than I am.

Then several things happen at once. A slightly younger girl, Anne, drags Mae away and yells at her. Timber, not appreciating the noise, dashes after them, looking like she's about to go into herding mode and start biting.

"Timber!" I chase after her - she stops and looks at me, as does Anne.

"Bad dog," I mumble, fumbling for her leash. For a minute, she appears to calm down. This doesn't last long; her ears pop up as if pulled by invisible strings and she jerks herself free, racing into the house.

"Craptastic," I mutter. The house is in chaos. Archer is trying to cool down a steaming Anne, and then there is a scream from upstairs and the golden starts barking. I can see Timber standing over a prone form, while the retriever raises her tail, warning my mutt to stay away. Timber, being an idiot, tenses and puckers her lips like she's eating a sour lemon - a definite challenge. Oh perfect. Someone just fainted and two dogs are about to have a vicious fight over his body. This is gonne end awesome.

I dash up the stairs, ignoring the thud and a small squeal of pain. Too breathless from chasing my nincompoop dog to yell, I clap my hands loudly. It works: both Timber and the retriever pause in glaring at eachother to look over at me. I grab Timber's collar and drag her away, shaking with relief. Nobody seems to realize what almost just happened... Probably because Hudson is twitching on the floor.

I slink down the stairs, feeling like I shouldn't be seeing what's going on around here. A girl (Ash, I think) is lying on the couch, blood dripping down her forehead. A boy (Allie? Ozzie?) is tending to her, so no need for my assistance. Heck, there are like a million kids here. They can all, uh, help each other or something, because I'm getting out of here.

Timber glowers up at me, as if reproaching me for my cowardice. She barks, once.

"Shush! You've gotten me in enough trouble!" I hiss at her, clipping on her lead. As I walk out the door, I turn and look back on the scene. Anne is watching me. She looks angry - I can't tell if it's because of all the drama, or if they really can use my help for... whatever and she's ticked at me for running off. Oh well! I'm planning on hiding from them for the rest of the summer, anyways.

Closing the door behind me, I don't take two steps off the porch before Opal
confronts me.

"Is everyone all right?" She asks. Chance is no where to be seen.

"Erm, uh, I don't actually know." I mumble.

She gives me a weird look. "Well, I'm just going to make sure."

I nod awkwardly, unsure what to say and feeling pretty lame for some reason. Opal disappears inside the house. Timber looks at me again, a wise look on her face. You should make sure too, ya wuss.

"Fine," I mutter. "But you're staying out here." I tether her to the fence, and, with a sigh, creep back inside.

Gram must be pretty dang happy right now.

Spoiler

I won't be able to write again until Friday, just a heads-up since this thing is speeding along so.

Amber "Am"

The information came so fast, my hands shook with fear holding Lola's papers. Once his seziure started, so did the madness. Maybe I screamed as he fell, but I was so caught up, I wouldn't have realized it. I did what Hudson had told me, and eventually slid down the wall and cried, arms wrapped around me. I couldn't watch it. Mrs. Tyler walked in, sending everyone away quickly. I forced myself to leave them, my body heavy with each step.

The wait seemed forever, and I really wish it hadn't. This time had given me the time to actually think over the whole situation. Hudson was just, Hudson. It's hard to describe. He cooked, he was laid back, funny, sweet, athletic, and everything anyone could ask for. Maybe it was the view of myself that made me feel this way, but he was, well, to good for me. Archer was cute, comforting, and a ladies man, but I couldn't see myself lasting with him. I hate to say it, but Archer was just a good time guy, it seemed.

In the time we had of anxious waiting, I grabbed some paper and a pen. I knew what I was going to do. Setting Lola's papers down, I began writing. He had to know, and there wasn't anyway I would be able to tell this to him in person without breaking down.

Hudson,
I'm sorry. So very sorry I caused all of this. I'm going to be completely honest with you, starting from the beginning. Ever since we were little, my eyes have been this way; every time I thought I could confide my problem to someone, they pushed me away. You've been one of my favorite people for years. I love how you're so laid back, and you can make me laugh at any time you try. You're sweet, crazy, cute, funny, athletic, and a great chef. In a nutshell, you're perfect. No, I don't think you're shallow, I think you're to good for me. Nothing is going on between Archer and I. I promise. Oh, and I didn't bring everyone up there.
-Am

The letter wasn't very long, but I didn't know how much time I had. I straighted up, hearing steps down the stairs. When Hudson walked down the stairs, the breath I had been holding finally found it's way out. I set the letter on top of Lola's tags and certifications. He would notice eventually, right?

"You guys didn't eat all the purple popsicles while I was gone, did you?" I heard a few weak laughs, and I stepped forward and gave him a hug.

"I thought you already did." I smiled as I let go, handing him the papers. No turning back now.

Eve

‘I would really like to faint right now.’ Eve thought, although that probably wouldn’t have helped in that situation. What Eve would have really liked, she thought looking at Archer, Hudson, and Amber clumped together apologizing. Was to talk to her sister. Ever since they were little, Eve had always looked up to her sister and considered Amber her closest friend and confident.

Now, when her sister needed support, Eve was too busy being afraid to bring attention to her-self. She sighed, and slid down the wall till she was sitting on the floor. She looked at everyone in the room. The new girl with the pretty white hair, Howie, and Oly were taking care of poor Ash. Mae came up and began to chat with them.

Molly, Brown, and Shaun were arguing about underwear or George Washington she couldn't really tell.

Must be nice, Eve thought wallowing in self-pity, to always have someone to talk to.

Spoiler

It's the year of the sheep. The angst sheep. ANNNGGSSST.

Anne

After Sullivan had run down, I didn't know what was going on. I really didn't. Everything happened so fast, and I was so shocked to see Hudson on the floor, twitching and Lola barking. I saw Howie coming in, and leaving. I looked at him with my angry eyes. But I wasn't angry at him, I was thinking about Archer.

Lies...

I couldn't get myself straight at all, and I heard voices speaking to me. Then, I saw Archer coming towards me and saying a few words, tapping my head lightly. I frowned. Aunt Beck came in, pushing me aside. She told everyone to back off, and out of the room. I looked at Hudson with my worried eyes, for one last time.

I left the room, closing the door gently. I went down stairs, and saw Ash, her hand on her forehead. Oly was beside her, assisting her. Maybe I should cool off. I didn't exactly hear what Archer told me, and I didn't want to. Then again, I saw the white haired girl that I had seen next to Mae and Howie.

"Opal" her name was. I just heard Mae calling out her name. I was looking at her when I saw Hudson coming down the stairs, smiling a little.

"You guys didn't eat all the purple popsicles while I was gone, did you?" Hudson asks, as Amber steps in and gives him a hug.

"I thought you already did." Amber says and gives him some papers and certificates.

Just then, I saw Archer walking up to him and speaking to him. Hudson looked at the ground and then on to Amber's face. I didn't want to interrupt so, I just turned away, frowning to myself. I turned to find Opal in front of me. I turned my frowns upside down and extend a hand out.

"Hi there." I say as she takes my hand and shakes it. "I'm Anne."

"Ah! The famous Mae's little sister? I've heard a lot about you from Lore." Opal says as he charms me with her smile.

"My mom talks about everyone in our family." I say, looking at the ground.

"I'm Chance, by the way and that's my brother Chance, there." she says, pointing at Chance at who I turn to look.

Wow.

She gives me a funny look, as Chance heads our way. He looks at Opal for an explanation. "This is Mae's younger sister, Anne. Say "hi", Chance!" she exclaims.

"Hey." He grins at me.

"Hi." I say back.

*psst. Opal is the girl, Chance is the boy *

*Total Embarrassment*
Thanks a lot for that. ;P

Sullivan:

"Come here baby sis." I said to Ash, checking out her forehead. I could never help Hudson when he had his seizures, but I could help Ash now.

Spreading some ointment over the cut, I apologized, "Ash, sorry I knocked you down the stairs. Then left you there....I had to get mom. You know."

She nodded. Of course she knew. She knew better than anyone.

"Oh." I added with a mischevious smile, "I think I heard some of the girls talking about a big girl sleepover?"

Eve

Eve stared into the fridge pouting a bit. They were out of apple juice. She shut the door and sighed, adjusting the hat on her head. It was a knitted cap in the shape of- you guessed it, an apple. (Brown had always said Eve really did live up to her name). It had been the very first piece of clothing Eve had ever created, she’d been so excited Eve had even given it a name; Professor Crunchy.

It had become a security blanket over the years, Eve could just pull it over her eyes when she was upset. Nowadays, however, Professor crunchy was reserved for sleep wear only.

Eve started to go back upstairs were the other girls were waiting to begin a game of “truth or dare”. Just before she reached the door, her brother and Shaun came up to her.

“Hey, Brown said you looked upset because we didn’t have any apple juice.” Shaun said, handing her a bottle of lemonade. “A fruit is a fruit, right?” he grinned.

Eve took her place on the floor between her sister and Anne. ‘That was weird’ she thought, taking a sip from the bottle. ‘Tastes alright though.’

*I typed all this, and then hit submit, then TickSeed posted LOL. Hope it's okay*

Opal

"Hi there." One of the girls say, shaking my hand, "I'm Anne."

"Ah! The famous Mae's little sister? I've heard a lot about you from Lore." I say, giving her a large smile.

"My mom talks about everyone in our family." She says, looking at the ground.

"I'm Opal, by the way and that's my brother Chance, there." I say, pointing out Chance.

Anne turns to look, and her expression....waa?

Chance starts coming over, giving me a strange look, "This is Mae's younger sister, Anne. Say "hi", Chance!"

"Hey." He says, grinning at her

"Hi." She says back.

Smiling, I say, "I'mmmm gonna go talk to that guy over there."

I walk over to Archer, and say, "Hey, you know what would be ironic?"

He raises and eyebrow, and I smirk, "If you sucked at archery."

Chance:

Opal flounced away, leaving me and Anne by ourselves. Looking down at her, I give her a shy smile.

"Um. My name is Charles Charleston. So I just go by Chance."

I felt my cheeks flush, and I say, "I don't even know why I told you that."

Ash

"That's what I heard, too," I said, in reply to Sullivan's comment. "I don't know any details yet, but I'm guessing we're taking over the sunroom, or something like that...I hope Hudson doesn't eat the rest of the purple popsicles before then."

Sullivan smiled as he put the top back on the bottle of ointment. "There ya go," he said.

"Thanks," I replied. "And don't worry about running into me. I've been hit harder." I reached up and touched my forehead lightly, feeling for the edge of the cut. "Crap," I muttered. "I hope this heals fast...that's right where my helmet sits..."

Shaun

I followed Sullivan as he put the ointment away, and then caught up to him as he was walking back to the living room. "Hey," I whispered. "Did you hear about the sleepover, too?"

"Yeah, I did," Sullivan said. "Why do you ask?"

"Because this," I replied, grinning mischievously, "would be the perfect opportunity for a practical joke. Seriously, this could be the prank of the summer."

I walked out to the kitchen with Sullivan, so that the girls wouldn't hear us. "What could we do?" I mused, talking to myself as much as Sullivan. "It can't be too complicated...has to be something we can actually pull off...so that pretty much rules out one of us snapping and killing someone. Ash would never fall for that. Eve might, but... Maybe..." I paused, and opened the fridge in search of apple juice. There wasn't any.

Then I got a brilliant idea. "That's it," I muttered, my smile growing wider with each passing second. "Mike's hard lemonade. Yeah!"

Then, right on cue, Eve came tiptoeing into the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of lemonade and walked toward Eve.

"Hey," I said. "Brown said you looked upset because we didn't have any apple juice." I held out the bottle of lemonade to her. "A fruit is a fruit, right?"

I could barely contain my excitement as Eve took the bottle. She murmured a thank you, and then went back upstairs. Once she was out of earshot, I burst out laughing. This was going to be epic.

Anne

Opal looks at us, at smiles saying "I'mmmmmm gonna go talk to that guy over there."

Opal, leaves us, just me and Chance as walks off. I look up at him. How tall is this guy? Gosh, Opal is already a heck taller and there comes her brother, who is... WOAH!

"Um. My name is Charles Charleston. So I just go by Chance." he says, which was a tad weird before he realizes.

"I don't even know why I told you that." he said, flashing me a smile.

"That's alright. It kind of happens to me too." I say.

Eve comes and stands next to me, murmuring "That was weird." she takes a sip. "It tastes alright, though."

I look at her. She has lemonade in her hand and Chance was looking at her too. "What was weird?" he asks.

She turns to him. "There was no apple juice in the fridge so, Shaun came up to me, and handed over the lemonade. And he was saying Brown said that I was upset about that. The thing is, how did Brown know?"

I look at her wide-eyed, and I see Chance glancing at me. Wait. Wait. Shaun? This was getting a little weird and mysterious. Shaun's always doing something or the other.

This time, Eve and Chance were looking at me which freaked me out. "Guys, stop staring at me like that!" I say, laughing.

Eve gives a tricky smile and goes to the kitchen again, taking another sip of the lemonade.

"So, where do you live?" I ask Chance, and he turns to me to give his answer.

Archer

“You know what else would be funny?” Archer says, taking a strand of Opal’s long white hair between his fingers. “If your birth stone was a ruby.”

“But I don’t think we’ve properly introduced ourselves yet. I am the amazing Archer Sears. I know all, see all, and embarrass all!” He says grandly twirling Opal around, and dipping her. Archer let’s go and takes a deep bow.

“And might I say, you look…HRMPH.” Archer flinches as his sister Mae elbows him in the side.

“Keep it in your pants.” She says smiling at him. The youngest, Anne runs up to Opal smiling excitedly.

“Hey Opal, all the girls are having a sleep over tonight, do you wanna come too?”

And after a whirlwind of shenanigans, somehow Archer got roped in by Brown and Shaun to help them spy on the girls. On the bright side, though his crazy amazing persuasive skills, he managed to drag Oly, Howie, and Chase into the mix. The shyer boy were obviously nervous. Archer was enjoying watching their uncomfortable looks.

Howie

I pull into the garage, gravely disappointed. An hour ago, my boss had urgently requested my presence. When I got there, he decided he didn't need me after all. This was the second time he'd done this. In one week.

Sighing, I take my toolbox out of the backseat of my little Honda Civic and give the door a hard slam, just to show it how angry I was. How the heck am I supposed to get any experience if my stupid boss won't give me any hours? Hmph.

"I'm back!" I yell, letting myself in. Gram and Gramps are sitting on the couch, watching some Soap opera. The thing about Gramps is, he loves his soaps as much as Gram. They spend every evening together on that couch, watching "My Hear'ts Joy". That show is one big love parallelogram.

"Howie?" Gramp looks up, pausing the show. "What are you doing back so early?"

"My stupid boss is stupid," I mutter, heading towards the fridge. "Are there any leftovers from dinner?"

"Oh, I'm sorry dear," Gram says sweetly, not bothering to get up from the couch. "When you said you were going to be working tonight, I decided not to make dinner."

"I'l just have cereal."

"We're all out." An evil smile spreads across her face. "Why don't you go have dinner with our neighbors? I'm sure they'd be happy to have you!"

I groan. "Gram, there are like fifty of them and they're always flirting with each other and hitting me in the face with volleyballs." I touch my purple nose. It still hurts.

"Howie, you need to make friends."

Grumbling, I put my shoes back on and walk - as slowly as possible - to the summer house. Archer meets me at the door.

"Howie!" He says, looking much happier to see me than I am to see him. "You're just in time. We were about to spy on the girls' sleepover!"

Oh no! No way! I'd rather starve to death than do that!

Somehow, all I end up saying is "Sweet" or something idiotic like that. I follow him, Chance, Shaun, Ozzie (I can't for the life of me remember his name) and some other kid up the stairs. I look at the door: maybe I can disappear and no one will notice and I can just make dry toast for dinner. Then I can get up at five in the morning so I can be long gone by the time they wake up.

"What's wrong Howie?" Shaun teases. "You look scared."

I frown. Indeed I am scared. But foolish pride surges up in me, and I don't want them to think I'm a chicken. Now it's definitely too late to escape.

What have I gotten myself into?

Spoiler

I'm trying to think of some angst for Howie... Getting hit in the face wasn't enough xD

Brown

You know, over the years there had been some traditions firmly rooted in the summer house. The yearly sleep over the girls always had, and the legendary games of truth or dare that occurred. At some point, the yearly “Spy on the girls sleep over stake-out” had also been established.

It was a celebration everyone held close to their hearts. The stake out was held in the bed room closest to the sun room, where the girls stayed. This year, it was occupied by Sullivan and Oly. Usually, Oly and Sullivan didn’t participate but they respected the tradition. For the first time, all the boys had joined together to eves drop on the girls. And it was awesome.

Shaun and Brown would shimmy into the vent that joined the two rooms to watch the girls. This year though, Brown thought smiling to himself, he’d sit out and harass Oly.

He looked over to the quiet boy who was sitting off in a corner on his own looking dejected. Brown plopped down next to him. “You know, Eve doesn’t realize that you have the hots for her. Everyone else does, but my Sister is kind of an idiot when it comes to these things.” Archer came up and sat on the other side of Oly, sandwiching the poor boy between them.

“Sullivan doesn’t know either. And that’s half the battle. Eve doesn’t know she like him, and she doesn’t know you like her. So the first one to catch her attention wins.” Archer says, taking a swig from his tenth bottle of root beer.

“And anyway, you don’t even know if Sullivan likes her, so it’s fair game. I’ll even help. Ya know, if you help me out with Molly.” Brown grins and looks up at the vent.

“Actually, she’s probably pretty drunk right now, so Eve will probably say yes to anything. Not that I’m advising you to take advantage of my sister or anything.”

(Sorry about the short post D:)
Amber "Am"

After hugging Hudson rather tightly, I made my way up to the sleepover room. I wasn't really sure who normally occupied the room, and had no way to tell since the door was open and people were flooding in.

When I was just about to walk in, I thought about something. My guitar. Halfway skipping to my room, I thought about the sleepover we had every year. Of course the guys were listening, there was no doubt in my mind about that. I think the sleepover was just an easy way to reveal feelings that you wanted to tell one of the guys, but were scared to. After all, they would love the idea of finding it out themselves, right?

Not everyone was settled in the room when I got there, so I set my guitar bag down, and stood up. It was only the first day, and we were out of popsicles, not just the purple ones. Not everyone was quite in the sleepover room, so I decided to find a ride to the store. Walking into the room next door where I knew some of the guys were, I asked. "Can someone drive me to the store? We're out of popsicles."