Chapter 3 River

It's Saturday morning, and of course, dad isn't at home. No big surprise there. I'm sure he is over at Martinez's. Hm, maybe he will move in with them and leave me here in this house on my own. One could only hope.

There's a big loud noise downstairs, so I walk out of my room to see what's going on.

"What are you doing here? "I ask Rock when I get downstairs to see him and some of his football friends coming in with a bed.

"Hey sis, I'm home he says."

What the heck?

"What do you mean your home, Rock? Why are you bringing a bed into my house? Where is my dad?"

"We are moving in roomie... and your dad is over at the other house helping my mom with her things."

Oh, my god this is not happening.

"What room am I going into, River? This is getting a little heavy."

"Um, back out the door and over to the room it came from. I tell him, and of course, right as my dad walks through the door."

"River Nichole Darby, that is no way to talk to your soon to be stepbrother. Rock, you will be upstairs with River. The room right next to hers is open. She will show you where that room is." My dad says in his warning tone.

"Yea, sure, where's my manners right up here?" I tell Rock. Once he gets up here, I tell him it's the door right there to the right of my door.

Rock and Brody open the door up and I can't help but chuckle.

"Damn it, River, that's not funny." Rock says, almost tripping over the toilet.

I thought it was I say... then point to the door to the left of my room for them to go in and then I go back to my room.

Five minutes later, I hear the guys running back down the stairs and out the door for, I'm sure, some more things from Rock's other room.

I hear a knock on my door. Who the heck is that? I wonder, walking over to my door and opening it?

"Hello," Brody says standing on the other side of the door.

"Hello," I say back. What are you doing here I ask him?

I wanted to come and see if you would like to get a bite to eat with me.

I look at him like he has lost his mind. "Is this some joke you and Rock are playing I ask him?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't do what Rock and the other guys do. I don't know the history between you and Rock, but I do know I think you are cute, and I would like to get to know you."

"You would!" I say in disbelief because for the past four years nobody has wanted to talk to me or even gotten to know me. Not since we have been in high school and I became the water girl.

"Yes, I would, so what do you say?"

"Don't you have to finish helping Rock and the other guys?" This is crazy. How do I know this isn't a setup or something?

"I told the guys I was going to ask you to lunch, then I would be back to help them."

"Oh boy, they didn't bust your balls for that one."

"They did but I don't really care what they think, and you shouldn't either."

"I really don't, but I get enough crap thrown at me at school. I don't really want to add to anything else."

"Well, you're in-luck girl. - stick with me and the crap will just roll right off you." Brody jokes and I instantly like him.

"Okay. I will go eat lunch with you, but I will take my vehicle that way. When I want to leave, I can. Besides, you can never be too cautious. You could be a serial killer for all I know."

Brody laughs at me. "Good point."

"Okay, meet you downstairs in about a half hour. I need to finish helping the guys. Don't want them busting my balls for ditching them to go hang out with a pretty girl and all."

As soon as Brody leaves, I call Sydney.

"Oh my god, he wants to take you out to lunch like on a date Sydney asks?"

"Yea, Shocker, huh?"

"Not really. You're a babe. You just don't see it, because the football team and cheerleaders are assholes. They are not happy with themselves, so they make people like you feel bad about yourself. Brody just sees through the bullshit."

"Only because he's new to town and hasn't learned the do's and don'ts yet. Wait, tell the team and squad get wind of this. He will catch crap and he will realize his error."

"Just give this a chance, River. Don't squash it before it even goes anywhere, okay?"

"Yea okay."

"Get off the phone with me and go have some fun."

"Yes, mom."

Sydney is right. I shouldn't let the fact Brody is part of the football team detour our date. Besides, we might even like one another. "Right?"

I find my cute sundress and sandals to put on, then I make my way downstairs to get my keys to my Jeep.

"Where do you think you are going, young lady? We have a lot of unpacking to do?"

I want to tell my dad I have nothing to do with unpacking. I'm not the one that moved my girlfriend and her three kids into our house. And I would if I was Sydney, but I'm not.

"I had plans with a- um."

Hum, what is he? A friend, a peer.

"Sir, I was going to take River to grab a bite to eat, then we were going to bring some pizza back for everyone else. Then we were going to get busy helping Rock in his room."

"Weren't we River?"

"Yes, that's what we were going to do."

"And you grabbing a bite to eat warrants you to wear that? That will impress no one... go change into proper clothes. That way, when you get back, you can get straight to work."

"Sir, all respect River. Going to change will just slow down the process."

Dad just nods, and I finally get to walk out of the house with a little bite of dignity. Well, so I thought.

"Brody, you going to take water girl to fetch us some water, man?" Rock asks, smirking at me.

And again, if I was Sydney, I would flip him the bird and tell him to piss off, but I'm not and I just cower in beside Brody. He just chuckles and flips Rock off.

"You got to ride with me now. Your dad and Rock think we are going somewhere together. Which we are."

"You know you are going to catch a lot of heck because of this."

"Bring it."

"Oh, by the way, you look hot in that dress."

"I'm not hot... it's meant to make me cool because it's so hot outside."

Brody gives me a weird look, then shakes his head at me.

"What?"

"That was a compliment." He tells me. "River, have you ever had a compliment before?"

"Not from a guy. I have always been a socially awkward girl. I was a tomboy until I was like 12. Believe it or not, Rock and I were best friends until we hit junior high. Then he got into football and got too cool for me and somehow I found myself with just one friend- my best friend Sydney."

"That sucks, River, but I'm also glad you became this girl and not a cheerleader."

"Oh, yeah- and why is that?"

"I can't stand a damn cheerleader. They are too cheerful." Brody say.

I giggle at that. I think Brody and I could be great friends.

We make it to the pizza place, and Brody surprises me by only ordering us a pizza.

"We are eating here." He tells me.

"Then we are going back to the house?" I ask him.

"Do we really have to?" Brody asks, winking at me.

"So, what do you have planned then?" I ask him.

"Well, I picked this day to ask you to eat with me. Because the park has a movie in the park today. So, once our pizza is ready, we are going to go to the park and eat our pizza and watch movies until we can't watch movies anymore."

"Oh, that sounds like fun."

Sydney was right. This is a date. Why would he want to date someone like me?

While Brody is up at the counter getting our order, I text Syd.

Me- He's taking me to watch movies in the park.

Syd- I told you it was a date. Just have fun. I'm not telling you to sleep with the guy, just have fun.

Me- Oh god, is he going to want sex? Sydney. That's not something I'm capable of doing. I won't do that. I don't know him.

Syd- Calm down, I don't think Brody is that kind of guy. He didn't grow up with these assholes around here.

Me- Okay, I got to go. He's coming back.

"Are you ready to watch some movies?" Brody asks.

"Yes." What am I doing?

We get to the park and find a blanket to sit on. They have the park sit-up in a romance setting with trim lights running around all the trees, blanks every two feet or so.

The first movie they are playing tonight is a classic gone with the wind. Brody is trying so hard to get into the movie it's actually kind of cute, watching him.

"What?" He asks.

"Nothing." I told him.

We get halfway through our next movie when my phone rings in my hand. I have it on silent so as not to disturb the other people watching the movie. When I look at the caller ID and see it's my dad, I know right then I'm in trouble.

"We need to get back to the house. My dad is calling me. Probably to see why we have not got back there to help with the unpacking."

"Why does your dad treat you like you're a servant instead of his daughter?"

"You noticed that, huh? Because I wasn't a boy."

"I'm sorry, River. That must suck."

"Let's go before my dad calls back and I get into even more trouble."

On our way home Brody calls in a couple of pizzas as promised, and we swing by to pick them up. Once we make it back to my house, my dad starts in on me.

"River, where have you been? You knew the boys needed Brody's help and your stepmom and sister needed your help. I've got to get back to the office -because you are being irresponsible; I am going to be late for my meeting."

Did he just really say stepmother?

First, they are not married yet and second; the office is just his excuse to not have to help her with anything. I really don't see what Gabriela sees in my father. He is a jerk to everyone he meets. Besides, Rock. He is the kid he wanted.

"That is enough out of you, Jim. River has done nothing wrong to warrant your wrath on her. Now go to the office if you must. River and I will finish up what we need to, and the boys are upstairs playing video games. Brody, if you would like to take a couple of pizzas up there to them."

"Yes ma'am, "Brody says to Gabriela then squeezes my hand on his way upstairs. And dad just walks out the door like a soaking child.

I'm glad my dad and Gabriela are together because she is the only one that has my back with him and her son. The younger two are nice as well, but I really don't know if I can handle Rock and my dad in the same house.

"Thank you." I whisper to Gabriela and then we fall into silence and get to work on little things. Mostly cleaning her house and getting it ready to rent out. Gabriela is being smart and keeping that house and making some money off it.

Later that night, I make my way up to my bedroom to get ready for bed and I find my door ajar. That's weird. I never leave my bedroom door open, so I peek my head into my room to see if anyone is in there before I walk in. Sure enough, Brody is sitting in my desk chair looking at the door and smiles when he sees me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him as I'm walking into the room.

"Waiting on you to come up here so I can tell you goodnight."

Awe, that's sweet, I think. "Are You heading out for the night?" I ask him.

"Yea, I have some homework to get done."

"Ah well, I will see you around." I tell him and go to make my way to my dresser, but he stops me in my tracks. Then do something I've never had a guy do before. He kisses me on the lips.

Work brain work!