Chapter 32: 18|Parker children are officially crazy!

I woke up because of a knock on my bedroom door. I shuffled and hid my face into the duvet but the intruder didn't take the hint. Huffing in anger, I threw the blanket aside and stomped to the door. My sleep flew out of window and anger melted into excitement when my eyes fell on Aiden and Asher. I squealed and jumped on them. Aiden caught me just in time as I clung to him like a monkey. "I missed you sooooooooooooooo much!" I whined in his shoulder and he chuckled. "I missed you too, squirt." "Oh. The amount of love I am feeling right now is suffocating me to tears." Asher remarked sarcastically. Aiden and I laughed at his expense as I climbed down Aiden and squeezed Asher in a tight hug. "I love you too, brother dear." He chuckled and hugged me back. Aiden joined soon. "Weren't you supposed to come on Sunday? It's Saturday today!" I questioned. "Aren't you happy to see us?" Aiden gave me a hurt puppy look and I rolled my eyes. "It was just an innocent question." I shrugged. They shared a look that said 'Astrid is in trouble'. "Why was your room locked?" my eyes widened a fraction. I sleep with my room locked these days so that dad or my brothers don't barge in to check on me when I am in Liam's room. "Are you implying something?" I narrowed my eyes. "Just an innocent question." Aiden shrugged as I sighed. "I didn't want anyone to walk in on me while I am doing something stupid." "Like?" Asher prodded and I word vomited. "Like sleeping only in undergarments?" Aiden choked and Asher's eyes grew wide. "Oh." I almost laughed at their expression. "Why are you both home early?" "We missed you." Aiden replied sincerely. I gave him a small smile before I dragged both of them downstairs. "Where is dad?" Asher queried. "He must have gone early." "He never leaves without waking you up. Why would he go early?" Aiden questioned, totally lost. "Uh...he is working for a photo shoot?" they eyed me awkwardly. "Really?" I nodded. "Why? Whats so special about this shoot?" "IamtheleadmodelalongwithFelixBrownforAthelon." "What?" "I am the lead model along with Felix Brown for Athelon." "You're what?!" both of them shrieked in horror. I winced. This will be hard. ~~~~ "And you volunteered?" Aiden asked me in disbelief. "Yeah." We were sitting on kitchen counter for breakfast that Aiden was cooking for us and I was trying to lie through my teeth to avoid a future brawl. In these 2 days after the incident, I was able to convince dad to keep the huge argument and deal, between the two of us. I told my brothers that the original model backed out and Felix was left clueless while I felt bad for punching him and making him a living joke because of the video so I jumped the opportunity to pay him back. It was so not true. But they partially bought it because dad was in on it. Thank god! "I still don't like the idea." Asher grumbled in annoyance and I wanted to tell him the truth then and there but bit my tongue eventually. "But now I am on it and no, I am not backing out." I added last part as Aiden opened his mouth. They both shared a look but nodded begrudgingly. Rest of the time, we ate our food while catching up for past week. "Let's go bowling today?" Asher piped in suddenly. My eyes lit up and I nodded. "Okay." Aiden affirmed. "Should we invite Alex and Rose, too?" Asher offered. I wanted to say no as I craved for the comeback of A-team, just three of us. But one look at Asher's hopeful eyes and I sighed. "Only if we invite Neal and Liam too." I said firmly and I could see that they wanted to protest but didn't as they nodded. "Sure." Things were changing between us and I had no idea if that was a bad thing or a good one. ~~~~~ "Come on, please!" "No." "Pretty please!" "Nah-uh" "Pretty please with a cherry on top?!" I whined for nth time as Liam answered me with a no. "Nope!" "Why?" He sighed and swirled back on his chair to face me. I was sitting on his bed, Indian style. "They are your friends, Astrid. I know next to nothing about them and I have no intention to die out of awkwardness." "You know Neal." I pointed out as a weak retort. He gave me a blank look and swirled back to continue his research on 'The demise of Kovorelle' I sighed in defeat and hopped out of his bed. "Any progress?" I jutted my chin to point towards the notes. "No. I am working on it." I nodded absently as my eyes were busy studying the bracelet on his wrist. I smiled at it. "It did help, you know." I blinked back my daze and furrowed my eyes at him. "Huh?" he chuckled at my expense. "The bracelet. It helped. I didn't get a single nightmare lately." "I am happy." I beamed. He grinned at me and I swear my heart stopped along with time around me to just stare at him and admire his beautiful features. "It's like, I read these reports 100 times and still, I come up with nothing." He groaned. "It's our project too, you know. You don't have to stress so much." I snatched the journal out of his hands and closed it. He whined. "But-" "No buts! Go get a life and play with your sister if you don't want to come with us! Shoo!" I pushed him out of his chair and he fell on floor with a thud. "T-that was e-epic!" I laughed. He got up and dusted his pants free of non-existent dust. "I take this as my cue to leave." I withered under his glare and practically hopped out of his window to mine. Breathing out in safe parameters of my room, I drew my phone out as it pinged in my pocket. The door flew open at the same time. Aiden and Asher jumped on my bed and made themselves home. I rolled my eyes but inside, I huffed- that was close. I opened the text from Neal. Neal the absolute flirt- Are you asking me out, pumpkin? ;) Me- I am not. And pumpkin? Really? *rolls eyes* Neal the absolute flirt- Yeah, it suits you and now answer me. Why sudden bowling plans? Me- Bros are home. So, we three along with Alex and Rose are going. Neal the absolute flirt- Alex is coming too? Me- Yeah. Now don't throw a bitch fit just tag along for me? Neal the absolute flirt- Yeah whatever. Just coz you asked, pumpkin ;) "Why are you smiling creepily at phone? Who are you texting?!" I jumped out of skin when Aiden broke the silence. I completely forgot that they were here. "What the-" Asher pounced on me, knocking me on floor and snatched my phone. "Who are you texting?!" "Do you have a boyfriend?!" "Why didn't you-?!" I slapped my hand on Aiden's mouth as I hopped around my room to catch Asher. Aiden tried to stop me and caged my waist in his arms. I withered and stretched to get a hold of Asher's shirt. The uneven surface of my bed made Aiden loose his balance and that knocked him down on me and me on Asher and my phone on floor. I heard my heart broke along with the sickening sound of my phone's fall. "Oops?" "Run for your life!" I growled and they didn't needed to be told twice as they ran away with tail between legs. Parker children are officially crazy.