The Next Day
We were all at AJ's place hanging out in his backyard. All meaning me, Allie, Angela, AJ, Nick, Kevin, Howie, and Brian. Oh and Kevin's girl Monica. And Howie's girl Rachel. They were both real nice girls. Life couldn't be better for me. We were all sitting on the grass. I was sitting in AJ's lap, and enjoying it. I liked him so much. And was afraid to admit it, but I think I'm falling in love with him. I haven't been in love since my boyfriend Matt. We'd been together on and off for years. But we decided to keep it as friends in my senior year while he was a freshman in a community college nearby. Angela and Nick were playing one on one in basketball. Angela was real athletic but never joined any teams in high school because she wanted to dance more than anything. Everyone else was talking.
"So you and Angela are joining the talent show?" Howie asked me.
"Yeah we are. Which means we gotta practice. I haven't done that routine since the senior talent show."
"I remember it. You guys did great." Allie commented.
"Allie do you dance?" Monica asked.
"Me? Dance? Please I have 2 left feet. I can't dance if my life depended on it."
"You can't be that bad." Brian told her. I could see something between them. They would be cute together. It would help Allie with her break-up with Anthony, who just happened to be my twin brother. Nick and Angela snapped me out of my thoughts when they sit by us.
"Nick, good game." Angela said to him holding her hand out.
"Yeah yeah whatever."
"So who won?" AJ asked.
"I did. But it was close." Angela said. "We played to 10 and final score was 9-10."
"So Nick how does it feel to get beaten by a girl?" Brian asked.
"Shut-up Brian." Nick snapped.
"Talk about a sore loser." Angela said. Obviously these 2 didn't hit off like AJ had planned.
"I'm not a sore loser!" He defended.
"Oh Nick shut-up! It was a little game that you're getting mad about. So what if I'm a girl standing at 5'6" and you're a guy standing at 6'1" and I beat you." She said with a laugh.
"Shut-up!!" He yelled.
"Oh just calm down." Angela said sitting down.
She wasn't afraid of any guys. She had a brother who was 2 years older than her. But he was never the protective type. And her dad wasn't either. So she learned to deal with guys on her own. Though her half-brother was protective. He lived too far away. So she learned to deal with guys on her own. Angela and I had been best friends since 3rd grade. Almost 10 years. Allie had been our best friend since 4th grade. It was always the 3 of us.
We'd go everywhere together. Malls, movies, family trips, school trips. We were always there for each other. When one of us just started going out with her crush, or had just had a bad break-up. When parent's got divorced, or re-married. When people would tell us off (which barely happened) or we had people to tell off. We always had each other's back. When a newborn came into this world or a loved one passed away. We always counted on each other for comfort instead of our own family.
"So tell us about yourselves." Rachel said speaking of the 3 of us.
"OK, I'll go first." I said. "You all know my name, Antonia or just Toni. I'm 18 years old. Graduated from high school in May. I used to live with my mom, step-dad, twin brother Anthony, and my other brother Tim who's 6 years older than me. My dad lives in Naperville ILL and we're real close."
"So your brother is Anthony. You guys are Tony and Toni." Monica said.
"Yeah. I thought that joke died down when we turned 10. We decided that I'd be Toni and he'd be Anthony."
"That's cute." Rachel said. "What about you Angela?"
"Well. Same as Toni, I'm 18 and graduated in May. I was Validictorian. Which I worked very hard to get at. I have a brother who's 2 years older than me. And my dad has 2 kids from a previous marriage. A half-brother and sister that our married and my brother has a baby boy that I'm the proud godmother of. They live in Georgia. My parents are still together. 23 years. Talk about a happy family."
"Allie, your turn." I said to her.
"Alrighty. My name's Allison. Call me whatever. Allison, Allie I don't care. Except Al, because only AJ's allowed to call me that." AJ winked at her. "I have a younger sister my mom, step-dad. My dad remarried when I was 15 and him and his wife have a 2-year-old boy. Which is my step-brother I guess. I don't care about that side of the family."
"What about you 2 girls. We already know all about the guys." Angela said.
"Well Rachel and I are cousins. My mom and Rachel's dad are siblings. I'm 25 and I have 2 sisters and 1 brother. And my parent's are still together. Happily married for 30 years." Monica said.
"Rachel, your turn."
"Well I used to live with my dad and step-mom. Because living with my mom 2 brothers, 1 sister, step-dad and his 3 girls along with 2 dogs was way too hectic. So I moved in with my dad, step-mom and step-brother. It was much better. And I'm 24. Monica and I are part of the small families in our big family. We're Italian. So you know how it is."
"Yeah I know what you mean. I'm part Italian." I said.
We all continued talking about ourselves. Getting to know each other a little more than before. And we all got along great. Something told me maybe Angela and Nick were hiding their feelings for each other. They would make a cute couple.
"Nick! You're such a retard! Shut-up!" Angela yelled.
"I'm a retard? Good one." Nick retorted. OK maybe not. But we'll see. I'm usually right about this kind of stuff. Well...usually.