The Dude Across the Street

Skyler -

The best place to start would have to be the beginning. I am skyler and I lost my mom, I have 4 brothers, a best friend, I’m 16 and have about 3 love interests. And yet while this is only a story it’s my life.

“LUKE if you don’t get your butt down here in 2 minutes I’m leaving without you!” I had to yell for him to hear me from where I was in the kitchen.

”You should really chill out skyler. It’s bad for your face.“ Jacob said quite annoyingly correct. I do scrunch my face when I yell But nonetheless RUDE! I hit him with my lunch bag before moving over to let him through the door way.

“LUKE let’s go!” every dang day we are late because of him.

“ I’m here, I’m here. Just had to make sure my hair was bouncing today like norma. Don’t worry too much it is.” He was rifling through his hair with his hands and giving me one of his you know I’m pretty, I know I’m pretty looks. I rolled my eyes and headed for the car.

With 5 kids and my dad its hard to keep everything in line. Somehow we manage. It’s Friday. Of course it’s gotta be Friday. Friday in September means sports night. Every has something except me … I drive to the sports things. Let me break it down:

Jacob : senior in high school, oldest, chill, held back a year, baseball

Alex : senior in high school, 2nd child, quite, task oriented, in love with his girlfriend, smart, soccer

Luke : junior in high school, twin for 3rd, late, pretty boy, soccer

Skyler : junior in high school, twin for 4th, organized, sweet like sugar and hard as a … brick, reader, cute, driver

Dalton : freshman in high school, 5th child, part-guy, sweet, gentleman, football

Dude : junior in high school, only child, best friends with Alex/me, lives across the street from us, amazing, beautiful, dark black curly hair, blue eyes, soccer, musical, swimming .. crush

Dad : coach of soccer team, on the board of education, heartbroken without mama

This is my family and although they destroy me scrabble and eat all raspberries the day we get them they are mine.

When I reach the car in the large driveway I can see dude leaning against it. We / I always give him a ride in the morning.

“Hey, you got breakfast?” I had to ask because he’s holding something and my idiot brothers ate all the raspberries and vanilla yogurt.

“Haha yea I got cherry yogurt. Want some?” He asks sweetly while straightening up his huge build to tower above me. Ever since 2nd grade when we met I have been the tall one until about freshman year. He went away to a soccer camp with Luke and they both came back the size of bears.

“Please!” I said a bit too eager.

We all jump into the car ready to leave with Jacob driving today and Luke takes shotgun so I am forced to sit in the back with Dude. Yes!

We have the smaller car so dad had to take Alex and Dalton in his car. Dude and I squish into the back and pop some jokes. We have our backpacks next to the windows and our bodies are close. Our legs brush every now and then some of them might not have been accidents. Jacob parks the car and we get out to head to our classes. Luckily Dude and I have 6 of 8 classes together. Heading over to band first I walk with Dude like always.

Then… the real love story starts.