"Did you little shits throw a party in my house?!"

Abby, Max and I exchanged cautionary glances. Dad was waiting in the foyer as soon as we stepped inside and he looked pissed. Flynn beelined straight for the rec room. 

"Hey how's it going, Flynn?" Dad said.

Flynn nodded but kept walking. "Good thanks, Mr Lahey."

The three of us dropped our back packs beside the door but kept quiet when our father's furious glare was on us once again. He crossed the hardwood floor of the foyer and stopped with his arms folded. "Well?"

Nothing but silence followed. We'd gone over this. We promised each other we wouldn't fold. There was no chance he was going to get a confession because sibling solidarity ensured we would all go down together.

"How did you know?"

Max and Abby groaned, their shoulders slumped and they stared at me with distaste. It was clear the two of them were disappointed that I had fessed up. But I wanted to know how the hell he found out.

"I didn't know. Now I do," dad shook his head and laughed. "Too easy, Luc. Too easy."

He wandered off towards the kitchen, still chuckling to himself. We all  followed him. He pulled open the fridge and peered over his shoulder at me. "Do it again and we'll be squaring up. Got it?"

I tugged at my tie and pulled it off. "Why the hell is it aimed at me? These two were there as well."

"I was in my room," Abby chirped as she skipped towards Dad and gave him a hug, settling into his side. She's such a fucking princess.

Never mind the fact that she was in her room because I found her pissed as hell and had to lock her in there so no one could take advantage of her.

"I'm aiming the warning at you," Dad said. "Because I bet it was your idea. Bet. I'll bet a hundred bucks right now."

"What are we, fucking ten? I'm not betting cash on something you can't prove."

"It was his idea," Max and Abby spoke in unison.

I stared at them in disgust. The traitors. Max gave me an apologetic shrug and sat down at the breakfast bar with a cold water. 

Abby seemed to be at war with herself before she sighed. "But we did help him get the word out. So I suppose he's not all to blame."

"Cough it up," Dad held his palm out.

I pulled my school shirt off and scoffed. "I didn't agree to shit. Check it out."

He came around the island to inspect the arm I was extending. He took a closer look at the fresh tattoo and nodded with approval. "That shading is perfect. Was it Tyler?"

I shook my head. "Pete this time. He said hi."

Max as usual was hunched over the island on his phone. He and I were the same in physical aspects. We had the same sun kissed skin and mouse brown hair. I was a hint more built in the muscle department but that was for the sheer fact that I worked out a hell of a lot more than he did. He was still sporting a decent six pack and shoulder definition. But in all other areas, we were opposites. He was quieter. More reserved. He'd always been a commitment sort of person and according to Mom, I inherited Dad's lack of social etiquette.

Dad dropped his hand on to Max's shoulder as he walked past him. "Your turn for a tat next?"

Max chuckled but didn't look up. "Mhmm sure."

"I want one," Abby said while she fixed herself a herbal tea. Gross. "I want an arrow inside my wrist. Or a cute little owl."

"Generic," I scoffed. "Get a new idea."

Dad gave me a warning look but he didn't argue with me. "You should come up with something that has more meaning. Personal meaning."

She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. "Fine. What about Lucas on a pike. That would be meaningful."

Dad recoiled. "That's a bit morbid."

She mumbled something incoherent to herself so I walked around and threw an arm around her shoulder, pressing a fat kiss on her cheek. "I know you love me."

Her brows were still knit together but she was fighting a grin. "Piss off."

"How are you a model," I questioned, pulling her head against my chest as I stood up straight. "You're so small."

"I'm an average height!" She shouted, attempting to twist out of my hold. But I kept my arm around her head, laughing as she pushed and fought. "You and Max are just tall. Besides, short models exist. Let me fucking go."

She got free and stepped back, her hair static and standing up as she huffed with frustration. "Moron." She picked up her steaming mug and cradled it between her manicured fingers. I don't know how the fuck she got anything done with those talons on.

"I'm going to get homework done," she pressed a kiss on Dad's cheek as she walked past him reading through some mail.

Max stood up as well. "Yeah I've got an assignment. Plus I might call Kyla."

He met my gaze across the kitchen and I questioned him.

Are you going to talk to Dad about football?

Not right now, don't tell him.

I nodded and he left the kitchen, slipping his phone into his pocket. I didn't know what had him so worried. Mom and Dad were supportive as hell about what we chose to do with our lives. The only thing that would have them up in arms would be Abby coming home knocked up. That wasn't going to happen. Even if I couldn't keep men out of her pants, she wasn't going to let herself get pregnant when she had her future mapped out.

Mom appeared in the kitchen wearing sweat pants, slippers and an expensive looking blouse. Odd outfit. She noticed me watching her with confusion. 

"I was on a Skype meeting," she explained. "We're organizing an event for the charity in the next few months. Perhaps a ball or auction."

Mom ran an organization for woman that needed to undergo IVF to conceive children. It was something she became passionate about when she couldn't carry her own kids. Of course, Abby was the little miracle and she likes to remind us of that on a regular fucking basis. But by DNA, we're all the same, so even though Mom doesn't consider any of us as favorites, Abby is definitely a daddy's girl. It doesn't bother me though. I'd hate it if Dad questioned my every move whenever I left the house.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Mom questioned as she strolled towards Dad and sat in his lap.

"Because he thinks that anyone in this house gives a shit about seeing his six pack," Dad laughed, wrapping his arms around Mom.

"Just because you're all flab and no ab old man."

"Should we settle this on the bench press?" He said. I scoffed but ignored him. He was old, but he was still shredded.

"I'm not wearing a shirt because it's seven thousand degrees out and—"

I held up my arm to show Mom the tattoo and she tilted her head, smiling as she admired the sketch of her three children. I could imagine her making some comment about the good old times, when we were still innocent and the house wasn't echoing with curse words every five minutes.

"Aww," her bottom lip jutted out. "Such a precious time."

"Yeah yeah," I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

Dad looked at Mom. "We could try for another one. Right now?"

"Ew fuck off," I snatched my shirt off the breakfast bar and stormed out of the kitchen while my parents started behaving like a couple of teenagers. It never fucking ended with those two.

I took the stairs two at a time and shouted as I walked down the hall. "Mom and Dad are about to fuck in the kitchen. No one go downstairs."

Sounds of protest came from closed bedroom doors. I kicked mine shut behind me when I was inside and threw my shirt over my desk chair. Relief came in the form of getting my pants off so that I was just down to my Calvin's and stood in front of the air conditioning. 

I laid down for a while and let my mind wander to Amalia. She was so damn beautiful. There was no doubt I wanted her. Bad. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the dudes in our grade did. She was exquisite.

"Fuck," I jumped up, remembering that Flynn was downstairs in the rec room. It wasn't a big deal. He'd just be watching a movie or jamming the Xbox. But I pulled on a pair of sweat pants and headed down to find him.

When I walked into the rec room, the door was open and Flynn was laid out on the ground with Abby beside him. Their text books were open and she was giggling while he pointed at the page with his pen. Both of them began to laugh and I wandered further in.

"It's not too hard. It's just remembering the equation. It trips me up as well," Flynn explained.

"Since when was AP calc so amusing," I fell into the love seat beside them.

Both of them looked over and Abby scowled. "Since some of us have a sense of humor, Lucas."

"What's with the attitude this afternoon?"

She was on her stomach, but she pushed up and sat on her hip. "Since you decided to bowl Tanner up and threaten him after school. Mhmm, he told me. Stop. Fucking. With. My. Love. Life."

"Love life," I scoffed and put an arm behind my head. "You met him yesterday dumbass. Besides, Flynn was there and I didn't even touch the dude."

"Yeah Flynn and I already had a chat. He apologized. He told me he only stepped in because he thought you might get hurt."

I glanced at Flynn with boredom. That was a blatant lie.

"But Tanner isn't a caveman like you. Stop interfering, Lucas. Please. It's super frustrating."

She stared at me with sincere pleading. For the first time in a while, she wasn't snapping and threatening me about it. I almost felt bad. I wanted to tell her she should go ahead and do what she wanted. But then I remembered how Tanner spoke about her and I felt my fist twitch.

"Alright," I sighed and let the lie slip off my tongue. "I won't butt in. I just want you to be safe and happy. But I'll let it go."

She exhaled and smiled. "I love you Lukey. And don't stress. He's a nice guy. I swear."

"Mhmm," I gave her a tight smile.

She laid back down and Flynn shook his head at me with a disapproving look. Sure, I was going to do what I could to keep them apart. But she didn't need to know that. 

She gave me a pointed look. "We're doing homework. You should do the same."

I stood up and slipped my hands into my sweat pockets. "You're absolutely right."

I strolled upstairs with no intentions of doing anything other than finishing what I started when I thought about Amalia. I could feel my dick twitching as I headed for the bathroom.