"Stop that." I hissed at them.

"Stop what?"

"That. Stop that."

"What are we doing?"

"Staring at me. You're making me nervous."

Obviously, they didn't listen to me. They just stared at me with wider eyes and grins on their faces. I rolled my eyes and looked away from them. Even though I could feel their stares on me, I did my best to ignore them. 

This is it, Naomi. I only have one shot at this. This is a matter of life and death. I'm not kidding. Life and death. Either they go or I'll get kidnap. They're still thinking of that as a back-up plan unless this doesn't work. Hopefully it will. Hopefully.

I took a deep breath. Then I began dialing the numbers one by one. It must have been taking agonizing long from the looks of the others. Finally Jordan threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Just hurry up already!" He exclaimed.

Startled by him, I accidentally dialed the call button early. Soon my phone began ringing on speaker. I glared at Jordan.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked. "I was making a life altering call and taking a really long time for dramatic effect."

"Well do you really have to take that long?" Jordan asked. "We don't have all day you know."

"Actually, we do," Bennett pointed out as he flipped through the channels, respecting that I don't want them to stare at me while I call. "The dinner starts at eight."

Jordan groaned, he was sitting at the back of the couch, facing away of the TV. He fell backwards and landed on top of the couch, his legs propped up the couch.

"Just hurry up. Or else I'll call her and use my Jordan charm," he offered. I could hear the smirk in his voice.

Declan snorted as he grabbed the remote from Bennett's hand and changed it to the sports channel since Bennett couldn't decide what to watch. "Yeah, as if that's going to be much help."

"Oh yeah? And what will? Your grunting with the 'too good for these people' look?"

"That's Bennett's look." Declan retorted, receiving a glare from Bennett. "I have more of a 'better than Jordan can ever wish to be' look."

"As if there's such thing as-"

"Hola?" A voice asked coming from my phone. 

I looked down at it in realization. I forgot that it was still dialing. I obviously couldn't hang up. It's both rude and they would think I'm some prank caller then they would ask the police to track me down from my number. So I decided it would be best to just explain I made a mistake.

"Shh," I hissed at him, then placed the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hola?"

I instantly forgot I put the phone on speaker. I held the phone in front of me for the boys to listen in too.

"Hi, I'm sorry, but I accidentally-"

"¿Quién es este? ¿Por qué llamas?" The lady asked in rapid Spanish, asking me who this was and why I was calling.

I blinked, my brain slowly processing she's speaking Spanish. And most likely won't understand English. Before I could reply, Jordan grabbed the phone from my hand.

"What are you-?"

"Don't worry, I got this," he assured me, then he put my phone close to his face and began to speak really loudly and slowly. "Do not worry. Me speak English. You speak Spanish. Me friend make wrong number. She stupid, don't blame-"

I grabbed the remote from Declan and bonked him at the head. "First of all, I am not stupid. It was an accident because of you. And give that back to me-" I said, snatching my phone back. "She's not deaf, she just speaks Spanish."

I put the phone not on speaker anymore and placed it next to my ear. "Señora? " I asked, hesitantly. "Perdón por molestarla. Pero cometí un error y marqué el número equivocado." I said, apologizing for bothering her and explaining that I made a mistake and dialed the wrong number.

I ignored the dumbfounded stares at the guys, with their jaws dropped. 

"Oh, ya veo." She replied, getting it. "No te preocupes, es un error común." She assured me that I shouldn't worry, and that it's a common mistake.

"Gracias," I said, thanking her, unconsciously smiling.

"De nada." She said, telling me you're welcome before saying, "Tengo que ir, estoy cocinando la cena en la cocina." Saying that she has to go because she was cooking something in the kitchen.

"Lo siento," I apologized again. "Que tenga un día agradable, señora." I told her have a good day before hanging up the phone. 

I turned around to see the guys haven't move an inch. All three of them were still staring at me in disbelief.

"What?" I asked innocently. "I took Spanish in freshman year, it was one of the requirements."

"But you said it so fast. It was actually scary," Jordan muttered.

I shrugged. "I got tired having to say, yo no hablo español, meaning I don't speak Spanish. Which is ironic since I'm actually saying that I don't speak Spanish in Spanish."

"But you said it so fast. It was actually scary," Jordan muttered.

I rolled my eyes as I dialed my mother's number. Right this time. The phone began to ring and I placed next to my ear. Soon I heard the line pick up.

"Naomi?" She asked me over the phone.

"Hey mom," I greeted.

"Hi sweetie, aren't you supposed to be at school?"

My eyes widened at the sudden realization. I automatically looked at the digital clock that hung on the wall. School started about an hour ago. And I wasn't in school. Thankfully, Jordan already made sure that was true. After covering me for three days straight, he got used to doing this like a habit. He left a few minutes ago to use Bennett's laptop to do his "magic". He came back seconds, and I mean seconds later, telling me he did the deed.

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, it's a free day in class, and I asked my teacher if I could call you for a quick second."

Jordan cleared his throat and said in a raspy, old lady voice, "Lorraine, hurry up with that phone call."

"Yes, Mrs. Davis," I replied back sweetly before going back to the phone with my mom.

"Well, is something the matter? What did you want to ask me? I don't want to get you in trouble-"

"Don't worry mom, I'm not. I just want to ask you something."

"Yes?"

I took a deep breath before asking, "Can I bring friends over for the dinner?"

My mom was silent for a moment. I cringed in advance, knowing that she was probably going to tell me no. That this was a time for only them and the Myers. But instead, it was the whole opposite.

"Of course you can sweetie! This is great! The more, the merrier, they always say." She laughed to herself. "How many will it be?"

"Three, only three," I said. "And before I forget to tell you, they're-"

"Oh, three friends! I'm so happy for you, Naomi! I can't wait to meet them. What are they like?"

I hesitated for a moment. "Well-"

"I have to cook for more then," she said in realization, interrupting me. "I'll be meeting them anyway at the dinner, so I'll get to know them. I need to go and cook more food now that I know we'll be having dinner with nine. Nine, wow this will be quite a challenge!"

"Mom..."

"Maybe I should buy two ducks? And twice as many cinnamon rolls?" She thought aloud to herself.

I bit back sigh. "How about still making the duck, but with beef casserole to even out poultry and meat. And including the rolls, make some of your peach cobbler. I don't know how Mrs. Myers will beat your courses since the next time she'll host the dinner, it'll only be for six instead of nine."

"Oh Naomi, you're a genius! Tell your friends that they are more than welcome to join us, as long as their parents are okay with it. I have to go now. Bye, see you later!"

"Bye-" She hung up before I could finish my sentence.

I placed my phone into my backpack. I looked at the guys who were back to staring at me.

"Well?" Declan asked. 

"First of all, it's difficult to talk to my mom. I can barely talk to her except when recommending what she should cook."

"Yeah," Jordan said dreamily as he patted his stomach. "I know. I can't wait until I taste that cobbler."

Bennett opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and slightly looked away. His bangs covered his eyes, as if he was trying to hide his embarrassment for trying to say something in the first place.

Declan sighed. "No, I meant what's her answer?"

I cleared my throat and pointed to Jordan. "Drum roll please..."

“There’s an app for that,” Jordan said as he took out his phone. He then clicked on some app that began to play a drum roll then ended it with a cymbal.

"She said..." I looked down at the imaginary card. "Yes!"

Declan and Jordan jumped off the couch, throwing their arms into the air. Only Bennett didn't get off the couch. but instead watched them do this in amusement. I smiled back at them as Jordan talked about how much food he'll eat while Declan talked about how much bruises he'll give. To Raymond of course.

I frowned at the thought. Will this plan actually work? I mean, it seems fool proof. But we all thought the same thing that Monday. We all thought that we'll go through the whole day fine. But Bennett and Jordan were dragged to the principal's office just before first period started. And Declan completed the package during lunch. Having me be served on a silver platter to Raymond and his goons. Will the plan fall apart like back then? Will they go one by one until I'm left to my own defense? I didn't like this at all. I went back to reality when Declan asked something.

"So now that we know that we're going," Declan said. "What are we going to do?"

"Eat?" Jordan offered.

"Watch a movie?" I put in.

"Play some video games?" Declan asked.

"Or we could prepare," Bennett said.

Jordan groaned. "Ugh, I don't want to prepare. Preparing is for boy's scouts."

"Well then look at it like this," Bennett said. "Do you really want to repeat what happened Tuesday?"

Jordan frowned at this and looked away. "No," he muttered.

"Then we have to prepare." Bennett said. "Not only do we have to keep Raymond away from Naomi at all times. We're making a first impression with her parents. We got to make profiles, make background stories-"

"Wait," I said, interrupting him. "You sound like you've done this before."

Bennett paled and began looking flustered. "I, uh-"

"Oh, he hasn't," Jordan assured me. "He watches a lot of cop shows and he's excited for finally having a chance to do what they do."

I looked at him. "Really?"

He glared at Jordan for a second then mumbled. "Yeah, cops are... cool." He choked out the last word as if it was poison on his tongue.

"Okay," I said awkwardly before looking back at the guys. "He has a point. I think you guys will be too... extreme-" Jordan laughed at this, receiving a glare from me "-for my parents. Maybe you should work some things."

Declan snorted. "So much for the saying, 'be yourself'."

Yeah, I always told myself to be myself. A lot good that did for me. But I didn't tell them that. That'll just change the mood, making them look all depressed and ruining the moment. Instead I just I laughed along with the others. 

"So let's start with Jordan," Bennett said. "Maybe he should calm down on the-"

"Calm down on what?" Jordan demanded. "Cause Declan's the one who needs a lot more than calming down."

"And what does that suppose to mean?" Declan retorted.

Jordan raised his hands in defense. "All I'm saying is that you should calm down like right know."

"You have no say in telling me whether I should calm down."

"Oh right, your therapist does that for you."

"Why you little-"

Something tells me this is going to take a while.

-

We were sitting at a bright blue four-drive Ford Mustang with a white stripe right over it. When we went to the garage of the condo a few minutes ago, there were cars of different colors, companies, designs and sizes row by row with each other. Like it was some sort of car show.

My mouth dropped as soon as I saw it. I was eve on the verge of fainting if it weren't for Jordan who let me take a seat and fan me with his hand. Bennett, amused by my reaction opened up a locker filled and organized car keys, and told me I could do the honors. I instantly chose the Mustang. Obviously, I didn't have my license yet, so Bennett had to drive. But one of these days, I will drive one of those cars...

All day we've been sitting around the coffee table going through the guys's profiles. We've ordered pizza after pizza as we talked. At first we argued over their profiles. We have to keep things simple, but at the same time different. Raymond will be there, so they can't change their looks or their personalities. They still have to intimidating for Raymond, but nice for my parents and his. Soon after pointing out this, they begrudgingly agreed to one thing after another. Soon we finished all of the profiles just an hour before the dinner.

And now here we are. Sitting in this beautiful car that I own in my dreams, freaking out a bit.

"What if I mess up?" Jordan asked nervously.

"Oh great," Declan groaned. "This idiot here is going to mess everything up."

"I said if I mess up. What if I mess up?"

"You're not going to mess up," I assured him. "Neither of you will."

"You guys did this before, tonight won't be any different."

"Whoa, we never did this before." Jordan said, chuckling nervously. "Like I said, Bennett said we should do the profile thing because cop shows he watched."

I bit back an urge to retort that I'm not stupid, but gave in and played along. "Oh right, whoops my mistake." I smiled innocently at them.

They smiled back at me. At the back of my mind, I wanted to wipe the smiles off their faces. Telling them I know things. But I couldn't. Not now anyway.

"So you guys remember everything, right?" I asked just one last time.

"Yup."

"Yeah."

"Yes."

"Just remember. We kept it simple, nothing to complex. Be yourself, but not too much. Have Raymond be scared of you, and the adults like you." I felt a bit professionally when I said this. Like I was the strategist or something.

"Man," Declan muttered. "A lot could change if you were part of the-"

Jordan kicked Declan's seat who was sitting at shotgun, making him lurch forward. Declan whipped around to glare at him but received a glare from Jordan himself. I couldn't help but stare. I never seen Jordan like this. Suddenly, Jordan turned to me and smiled, as if that death glare never happened. Declan looked away, muttering something incoherently to himself.

"What time is it?" Bennett asked us.

I checked my phone. "It's almost eight. The Myers are here already, that's their car on our driveway."

"We should head inside then," Declan said, looking back at us. "We can't keep them waiting."

All four of us opened the car door's simultaneously. Each of us got out of the car as if we practiced this. Which I can assure you, we didn't. A lot. Declan and Jordan went to the street side of the car next to Bennett and me. We all stared at the house I grew up in.

It was a simple house, bigger than it looks in the inside. At the front porch which my dad just repainted a week ago when kids from my school graffiti it. He blamed the punks, I blamed myself. There was a big front yard and a bigger backyard. At my room, there's a balcony right above the patio, where I can look out of my backyard where there is a big tree. It held a tire swing and a tree house my dad both put up for me when I was younger. I still use it, I smiled unconsciously at the memory.

"You ready? Cause I'm ready."

"Why are you asking me if I'm ready? Of course I'm ready."

"It was just a question."

"How about you?"

"Oh, ready yourself."

"And you?"

"I'm ready. All ready."

We took a deep breath and walked up to the front door. I stared at the doorbell. The possible outcomes of what will happen next were racing into my mind. What if my parents don't like them? What if Raymond does something to ruin everything? What if, what if, what if? My hand slowly rose to the doorbell, and my finger pushed down the button. The classic doorbell ring echoed throughout the house. 

"Coming! Coming!" I heard my mom's voice call out from inside the house.

"Get ready," I warned.

"This is it."

"I think I'm going to wet myself."

"Too late now..."

The door opened up with my mother in front of us. She looked at me, wearing different clothes from what I wore Monday. Even though I told him not to, Bennett ordered some clothes for me and were delivered only an hour later. When my mom would ask where I got it, I would automatically tell her my friend lent it to me.

"Naomi, you finally made it." She said, relieved. "I was getting a bit worried."

"Don't worry mom."

"Yes well-" She stopped short and her eyes finally landed on the guys.

I was short compared to the guys, so they easily towered over me. My mom didn't notice them at first, given she was expecting me the most. But she probably realized that I was bringing over friends. And she looked at the only three next to me.

"I-I uh..."

I chuckled nervously. "Mom, these are my friends," I said awkwardly. "This is Bennett Frazier-"

Bennett gave a shy wave, holding a smile to my mom. He was nervous, I could tell from the beads of sweat running down his neck. His hands automatically pocketed into the pockets of his skinny jeans. His had a white collar poking out of his black sweater. Bennett was slouching, but I knew he was doing his best to try to stand straighter for a good impression, though he was used to slouching out of habit.

"Declan Lynch," I continued.

Declan gave my mom a slight nod, giving her a charming smile I didn't know Declan had. He unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair and then let his arms fall to his sides. His denim button down which he rolled up to his elbows wasn't much help covering the muscles he had. I noticed that he was also nervous, when he shuffled from foot to foot. Finally he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his khaki jeans, instead of letting them hands at his side. His eyes stared at the ground, trying to avoid her uncomfortable gaze.

"And Jordan Wallace," I finished.

Jordan was the friendliest of the three of them. He walked up to my mom and took her hand to kiss it. My mom's cheeks reddened at this. I had to hold back an eye roll, but this was all part of Jordan's charm. He automatically went back beside me, still smiling. He wore a plain red shirt under a white button down he left opened. A dog chain hung around his neck in front of the shirt. He grinned as he pocketed one hand into the back pocket of his black jeans.

My mom was silent for a moment, staring at the guys. The only thing keeping us assured she's still with us is her blinking eyes. Then she looked back at me and gave me a nervous smile.

"Naomi, I didn't know you had such handsome friends."

"I didn't know I had such handsome friends, either." I replied nervously, my cheeks turning warm.

"You didn't?" Jordan asked in surprised.

My mom laughed then said. "Oh, if only there were boys like this when I was younger..."

My cheeks turned crimson. "Mom..."

She smiled and turned back to the guys. "It's all very nice to meet you. I'm Naomi's mom, but you can call me Marisa."

"Hi Marisa," the guys said in unison like a bunch of little kids saying hello to a teacher.

"Aw, they are just so adorable!" My mom cooed, pinching Declan's cheek lightly. "Why are we standing here for? Come inside, everybody is waiting."

She walked back into the house. The guys looked at me for guidance, now all of them were getting a bit scared. I took a deep breath and walked inside. The three of them followed right behind me. One by one.

Which will be the exact same way my defenses will go down.

One. By. One.

I decided to cut this chapter short. The second half of this will be in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this, it was fun to write. Isn't it great to have such an easy going mom like Naomi's. If my mom saw me having friends like that, she'll faint and make me go to an all-girls school. I'm serious. She told me that if she found out I was dating someone, she'll move me to another school. Talk about strict. That's why I don't date because my parents scare me. Mostly my mom, my dad's the easy going one. 

Anyway, see you all soon. And I hope you'll be patient to wait for the next chapter...

RubixCube89201