Sometimes, I hate my brother and his three best friends. They're always ruining my life, like the time they destroyed my first and only car while playing street hockey, shattering my windshield with one hit of the puck. Another time, they embarrassed me in front of my crush, making him never talk to me again. Most of all, though, they haven't picked me up at LAX like they said they would. I've been waiting here for over an hour, trying to call Logan, my brother, but he hasn't picked up a single call. This is so why I hate them: they only think about themselves and their band that's supposedly famous or whatever. None of them care about me anymore.

Thankfully, Mrs. Knight, Kendall's mother, answered her phone when I called her earlier, begging her to come pick me up. She said that she would try to get here as soon as possible and didn't know where the boys were at all. I am a little surprised that she doesn't know where they are at all since she always used to be a little controlling and she's watching over three other boys who aren't her own. Apparently, I am wrong.

My phone buzzes in my hand, alerting me that I'm getting a call. I immediately answer the call and say, "Mrs. Knight, that better be you."

"It's not," a younger girl's voice says. "It's Katie. She told me to tell you that we're here out front."

"She couldn't call me herself?"

"Would you trust her talking on the phone while driving?"

"You're right. I'll be right out there."

"Alright."

I hang up on her and stand up from where I was sitting on my suitcase since there weren't any available seats anywhere here. I'm small enough to fit on it, which is great, but it's not that comfortable, especially because I've been sitting on it for over an hour. 

Directing my gaze down at the ground, I hurry through the airport, anxious to get out of here. Logan did tell me that there's a lot more people here in Los Angeles than in Minnesota, but I didn't really believe him that much. He is right, though, because there has been a steady flood of people going in and out of LAX since I got here, and most of them are very creepy looking. I hate it here so far, which isn't good because I'm an aspiring actress.

Slices of sunlight shine down upon me as I exit LAX. I block my vision from the burning rays, trying to find Mrs. Knight's car. It isn't that hard to find, though. As I step off the sidewalk, I spot Katie waving frantically at me from the front seat of a car parked near me. She looks very excited to see me.

"Julia!" she calls happily, hopping out of the window without bothering to open the door. She crashes into me as she throws her arms around my waist, nearly knocking me down. Her head is close to reaching my nose; when did she get this big? "I'm so glad you're coming to live with us! I can finally have a girl to spend time with!"

"Hey, you have me there, too," Mrs. Knight says as she opens the trunk for me to put my suitcase in there. "You're not exactly lonely, Katie."

Katie peels herself off of me at Mrs. Knight's pestering. She rolls her eyes at me, like she can't possibly stand her mother. It's been like this for as long as I've known her, though, so it's nothing new to me. Katie is a hard person to please because she has these impossibly high standards. I understand, though.

"We have so much to talk about," Katie tells me as she grabs my hand and pulls me toward the backseat of Mrs. Knight's car. I look back at Mrs. Knight, who's still trying to shove my suitcase into her trunk, and she just smiles at me. I wish I could help her, but Katie is very insistent that I get in the car because she keeps saying, "Come on, come on, come on!"

"You're still as bossy as ever," I say, laughing. I slide into the backseat with her. "You haven't changed a bit. Well, besides your height! When did you get this tall, Katie?"

"It's been a year and a half since I came out here with the boys," Katie says with a quick roll of her eyes. Apparently, she's in that early preteen years where she has to roll her eyes at everything. I'm not sure how I feel about it. "I'm a growing girl, you know."

"Well, yeah, but you've always been short. Now, you're almost as tall as me."

"That's because you're short, too."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The drive to the Palm Woods is filled with Katie and Mrs. Knight asking me questions about Minnesota and me asking them questions about California. Later this week, Katie is going to show me the best restaurants around the Palm Springs so I can get some good California food. She can't wait to show me around. Me either.

"I'm sure you want to find your brother," Mrs. Knight says as we parked in the humongous parking lot, "Katie and I will bring your stuff to the apartment."

I'm surprised that she says that to me, and when I glance over at Katie, I see that she's surprised as well. She probably doesn't want to carry my things up to the room, so I say, "No, it's fine. I can help."

"Honey, you haven't seen your brother in a year and a half. I think he's more important than your clothes."

"I guess he is."

"Go on. We'll be fine here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Knight!"

I hop out of the car before Katie can latch onto me again. Though I'm mad at Logan and the other boys, I still do want to see him again. We talked once every week for the past year and a half, but that's not good enough. 

I follow the sound of most of the people through the entryway of the Palm Springs and out another door, heading toward a large pool. There's a ton of people chilling around the pool where I see my brother and the rest of his band in the center of the attention. Of course they are. They're shouting about something, but I don't listen to what they're saying. I stand to the side and wait for them to notice me here.

When Logan finally sees me, he jumps up from the poolside, sprinting over to me. For the second time today, I nearly fall down because of the force of his embrace. "I've been warming your welcome hug up for a long time, Julia!" he says, squeezing me tight. 

"For over an hour?" I say sourly, pulling away from him as quickly as I can. I cross my arms over my chest, glaring at him and the rest of the boys who have crowded around us finally. "Because that's when you should have picked me up from LAX."

A look of horror crosses his face. "I totally forgot about that!" he says, glancing at the other boys. "Why didn't you all remind me?"

"I did," Kendall says, grinning at me. My heart thuds against my chest at the sight. Have I also mentioned that I'm basically in love with my brother's best friend? "You didn't listen to me."

"Or me!" James chimes in. "I remembered, too. Especially when she called me."

"You didn't answer my phone call!" I say, narrowing my eyes at him. "What's wrong with you, James?"

"He was too busy staring at himself in his pocket mirror," Carlos tells me. I see that he's still wearing that ridiculous hockey helmet on his head. 

"The one I gave to him for Christmas three years?" I ask him, incredulous.

"The exact one."

James wraps his arm around Carlos's neck, slapping him upside the head. I don't know what I was expecting, but I really did want them to have matured more since they've been working on music. That's not the case. They haven't changed at all in the last year and a half. 

"The reason I forgot about picking you up is because the boys and I were setting up a surprise picnic," Logan says quickly, drawing my attention back to him instead of the two fighting boys and the one who has been in my every waking thought since he left for California. "It's in the park."

"You left it alone in the park?" I ask, raising my eyebrow at him. "Didn't you say a dog lives here?"

"Lightning!" Logan yells, bolting toward wherever the park is. 

Carlos and James run after him, presumably to save the food they had prepared (most likely bought, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt) for me. However, Kendall stays with me with that grin still on his handsome face.

"He's one of the smartest guys I know," I tell him, shaking my head, "but he is not that bright at all sometimes."

"He's book smart, not street smart," Kendall says with a laugh. "That's what the rest of us are here for."

"That's so true."

"I guess we should go find them and check on your food."

"Yeah."

The two of us walk side by side toward the park. I have no idea where I'm going, so I'm glad Kendall is with me. Well, that and because I have feelings for him. It's been so long since we've seen each other, and he's just as cute as ever. Why couldn't he have gotten ugly or something? Then I wouldn't have these feelings for him and I wouldn't make my brother angry at me for wanting to date his best friend. 

"How have you been?" Kendall asks me.

"Good. Very busy working at the grocery store."

"You took my old job?" He sounds very opposed and offended to me taking his old job. "Julia, how could you?"

"I needed a job, Kendall," I say, laughing. "Mom wasn't going to support me forever, especially if I wanted to come down here with you guys. I bought my own plane ticket."

"Well, that's rude."

"I know. It's whatever, though."

"I'm glad you're here," he says, glancing at me. I keep my eyes trained on the tree in front of us where the other three boys are trying to wrestle with a dog over the food. I don't want to look at him right now to risk blushing. "I really needed someone level headed to help me with these crazy boys. You're the right woman for the job."

"Yes, I am."

We finally make it to the boys and find out that, yes, Lightning ate all of our food. I don't mind, though, because I'm not hungry at all. That plane ride really ruined my appetite because of all the turbulence. 

I busy myself by picking up the remnants of the picnic as someone's phone rings. Someone grabs the basket before I can, so I glance up and find Kendall helping me. He shoots me a smile, making me automatically smile back at him. 

"Boys, we have to go to Rocqué Records for sound check," James announces to all of us. "Julia, do you want to stay here while we go there?"

"Can I come?" I ask them, standing up.

"Of course," Logan answers. "You just got here, and we're spending time together. You're coming."

"Alright."

The ride over to the studio is short and very loud. The boys were arguing about whose fault it was about the food and Lightning and who should be blamed for it. I ignore everything as I stare outside at the passing scenery. Everything in California looks different than it does in Minnesota, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It'll be a change, but I want to be an actress. This is my best shot coming here. 

"Seriously? You guys brought a guest?" Gustavo asks with a glare on his face as we all walk inside the studio. He's exactly what I pictured when they told me about him. "You should know that I don't like when guests come here."

"That's my sister, Julia!" Logan says excitedly, ignoring Gustavo. 

"It's so nice to meet you!" Kelly gushes after she shoves Gustavo out of the way. I'm very surprised when she wraps me up in a hug. "Logan has been talking nonstop about you since he found out you were coming here."

"But he still forgot to pick me up earlier," I say, jabbing him in the side. He just grins at me. "I'm glad you don't have a life outside of your family."

"Whatever."

"Dogs, we're here for a sound check, not useless talking," Gustavo says, grabbing the boys by their shirts and dragging them toward a large room where they'll have enough space to dance. 

Kelly brings me to another room where we can see them through a window. I've always loved to hear Logan sing, so I can't wait for them to begin. He used to sing lullabies to me when I was little to get me to sleep. I always would stay up listening to him sing and wonder why I never had a voice like that. I grew out of that jealous phase, though, once we acted in a play together when I realized that that is what I want to do with my life.

I can't keep my eyes off of Kendall as he sings whatever new song they're working on. There's an easy smile on his face that makes my heart thud harder against my chest. The four of them spin in time with the music, and when Kendall turns back around, he locks eyes with me, shooting me that famous grin of his. I have to look away just as they finish up the song. There's no way I can tell him my feelings because Logan is going to forbid me from ever dating him. I've already come to that conclusion a long time ago.

---

All four boys pile through the door into the apartment, each racing toward the foosball table over near the swirly slide. I follow slowly behind them and shut the door so no one else will see these dorks fight each other. I'm not sure where Katie and Mrs. Knight are right now, but it seems like it's just the five of us in here right now, which is alright with me. I love spending time with them.

"You guys did a great job at sound check today," I say, standing to the side of the foosball table so I can watch the madness unfold. "I really loved that last song you sang."

"Shot In The Dark?" Logan asks, glancing at me. "I doubt we're ever gonna release that song."

"What?" I frown at them as Carlos yells something about him needing to win. "Why?"

"We have no place for it on the album."

"It's the best song I've heard so far."

"If you enjoyed our performance so much, why were you watching me the whole time?" Kendall asks me, interrupting my anger at them not releasing that song. I can feel all of their eyes on me as I glance at my feet. "Was I bad or something?"

"You weren't bad," I tell him quickly. "You were great, Kendall! Better than everyone else."

He flashes me a grin, making me really consider if I should tell him my feelings or not. Logan's here right now, and he would hate me for having feelings for his best friend. I can't help my feelings, though. I've tried to forget him for a year and a half. That hasn't worked. I tried to throw myself at guys back in Minnesota. That hasn't worked. Nothing will work until I get my feelings out for him.

"Actually, there's another reason I was watching you the whole time," I say quickly. He looks at me again, tilting his head to the side like a puppy. "I've had a crush on you since we met, Kendall. I thought my feelings for you were gone, but they definitely aren't." I turn toward Logan to find his mouth wide open, ready for bugs to fly into it. "I'm sorry, Logan. I have tried my hardest to forget about him, but I can't. If you won't allow me to explore these feelings, that's alright. I just had to get that out there."

"What in the world are you talking about, Julia?" Logan asks before bursting out laughing. I frown at him, hurt that he would laugh at me for telling Kendall how I feel. "You don't need my permission. You're an adult. I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to." After he sees the look on my face, he quickly adds, "Which I don't. I wouldn't stop it if Kendall had feelings for you."

I smile softly at my brother before turning my attention back to Kendall. "So, Kendall. You know about my feelings for you," I say to him. The lights from above us dance in his shining eyes. "Do you have anything to say to me?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

I am absolutely shocked. Never in a million years did I think he would have feelings for me like I did for him. He never acted like he had a crush on me. "Are you serious?" I ask him.

"Completely. I've had feelings for you since we met, too."

"This is the greatest day of my life!" I launch myself at Kendall, and he laughs as he catches me. I rest my head on his chest for a second before pulling away from him, grinning from ear to ear. "Of course I'll be your girlfriend, Kendall."

"Great." He smiles at me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's play. You and me versus James and Carlos."

"You got it."

"Hey, what about me?" Logan asks us. "I'm already getting kicked out of the band by my sister?"

"You can keep track of the points," I tell him with a nod. "You're always good at that."

"That's all he's good at," James says with a snicker. 

"At least I have a brain."

"Are you throwing shade at me?" Carlos asks him.

"Maybe."

"Oh, it's on."

Carlos tackles Logan like they used to do when they were younger. James glances at Kendall and me before jumping on top of the other two boys, causing them both to cry out in pain. I don't bother breaking them up; they'll figure out soon enough that they're brothers and they love each other. Instead, I turn my attention to Kendall.

"You versus me," I tell him. "Let's see who'll win."

"What happens if one of us wins?"

I tap my thin, thinking. "If I win, you get to take me out to eat for dinner. If you win, I'll cook you dinner myself."

"You're on, Julia Mitchell."

"Bring it, Kendall Knight."