P I X E L

I sat on my doorstep, waiting for the guys, my phone in my hand. Bandit was laying on my lap, fast asleep.

My eyelids became heavy as I started scanning over the lines Jess had sent me.

Then, bright lights blinded me. Bandit woke up, stood on my lap, and started barking at the people who were coming out of the car.

"Damn, Pixel. Nice place ya got here," Tim complimented. I placed Bandit on the ground, his leash wrapped around my right wrist.

"Thanks, Tim," I said, bringing my left hand up to my mouth to cover my yawn. "Come on in. Oh, right; this it Bandit," I explained, pointing at Bandit. Bandit had stopped barking when he heard me calmly conversing with the three men.

I held my front door open as the men made trips to Tim's car; Max and Ross gathered up their pets and their pet's items and Tim grabbed their box of electronics.

Once the men were settled in their rooms, I showed them the sun room, bathrooms, guest rooms, exercise room, and the one room on the first floor they weren't aloud to enter.

That room was Calum's playroom, which was filled with all of his toys.

The tanned door that led to his playroom had a large red 'X' painted over it; I would paint over the 'X' after the roommates had left.

I picked up Bandit as Max and Ross set their pets free to roam around the house.

I told them I was going to head to bed and they said they were going to do the same.

Thank God I haven't hung up any family photos downstairs.

;•;•;•;

I woke up bright and early, making my way to Calum's room to wake him up.

"Morning, Mama," Calum greeted tiredly as he rubbed his eyes.

"Morning, baby boy. I have some friends staying over for the next week and we have to beat them in the race to get out of the house every morning before they wake up.

So, we're having breakfast at McDonald's today and Bandit has to stay upstairs. You also have to stay after daycare ends because that's when I can leave to come pick you up. If you want anything from downstairs, tell me and I'll get it for you.

If you hear voices downstairs, don't get scared, they are Mommy's friends, okay? Now, let's get you dressed," I explained,
using my normal volume, knowing how thick (thicc) the walls were.

After changing Calum into some day clothes, I put my motorcycle jacket on over my pjs.

It was five in the morning and I was pretty exhausted since the guys had shown up at my house at one in the morning.

As we walked downstairs—we had to go over the baby gate that I had put there to keep Bandit upstairs—I heard footsteps coming from the kitchen.

They were light, higher pitched than any of the men's footsteps, but that didn't stop me from being anxious.

Turning the corner, I saw KP strolling around the living room.

Sighing in relief, I jogged to the garage and grabbed Calum's motorcycle gear off of the coat hanger.

While I was helping Calum into the sidecar, I heard a familiar creek coming from the doorway that connected the garage to the inside of the house.

Fortunately, Calum was blocked by the family car that was parked on the left of my motorcycle, but the car didn't entirely block the motorcycle, so Ross was able to see me.

"Pixel?" A tired Ross stood in the doorway. "What are you doing up so early?" I started panicking, trying to come up with an excuse.

THINK, THINK, THINK!

"I'm running to the store to pick up some things I ran out of," I said, attempting to sound nonchalant. "Can you hit the switch on the wall? I'll be back in 20." He nodded and pushed the button before disappearing back into the house.

"Did I do good, Mommy?" Calum asked, doing his very best to whisper. I chuckled and nodded. I started the motorcycle as the garage door opened.

"You did amazing, Cal." I rolled out into the driveway and closed the garage door, peering out at the road.

•~•~•

I rode up to the garage door and stepped off my bike quickly. I typed in the code on the keypad and the garage door started opening. Looking around, I noticed Tim's car was nowhere in sight.

Weird.

When the garage door finished opening, I pushed my bike inside.

After pushing the button on the wall again to close the door, I turned off my motorcycle.

I removed the side car from the motorcycle and put it to the side.

I removed my helmet and started making my way into the house.

I found my way into the kitchen only to find Max sitting at the kitchen island eating a bowl of cereal.

"I need to catch a ride with you, Ross and Tim left me behind because, apparently, you were coming back. Fucking jerks," Max complained, muttering the last part.

"What did I say about swearing in my house, Max?! Just three simple rules and you can't even follow one of them! It's not that hard," I scolded him as I walked over to the fridge.

"You say that as if you've never sworn before," Max said. I chuckled.

"That's because I haven't. No foul word has ever come out of my mouth," I said, laughing at Max's shocked face.

"How is that even possible?!" Max shouted, surprised.

"I was always around little kids when I was younger and I never found a reason to swear," I explained before looking at the clock on the wall. "Hurry up and get ready, we leave in 15," I said, before getting up from my seat, taking off my motorcycle jacket, and running upstairs.

I jogged into my room, closed my door, and threw my jacket onto the bed.

Then, I quickly changed into a pair of mint shorts and my water color galaxy shirt.

I grabbed my Adidas drawstring bag before I checked my watch as I walked into my bathroom.  Seven minutes left.

I quickly brushed my hair and teeth while grabbing my charm bracelet off the counter.

I grabbed my bag, phone, and jacket while I walked over to the kitchen.

I picked up Bandit's food bowl and filled it up, as well as replacing the water in his water bowl.

"Baka, hurry up!" I yelled as I walked into the garage, again.

I placed my motorcycle jacket on the hanger by the door and walked over to my convertible. (I don't think I wrote this before, but Pixel has a convertible, a soccer mom mini van, and a motorcycle in case anyone is confused.)

"What did you just call me?" Max asked, walking out of his temporary room.

"Baka."