My Best Friend's Brother | ✔

18. matthew

I wake up and go to check my phone. I notice a text from the girl I was expecting it from.

Text sent by "Alexis" at 8:24 AM: Ok

I stare down at my phone and reread our conversation from last night. I shake my head and wonder why I didn't just lie about it.

I go upstairs and notice the lake house is empty. I look out the window and see my mom, my sister, and Morgan paddle boarding.

What do I call Morgan? My girl? My girlfriend maybe? Matthew, focus. I decide to make everyone breakfast. I open the cabinets and search for something to make, until I see pancake mix. I grab it out and add it into a bowl with some water. I look in the fridge to see if there's anything I can use to spice it up a little. I see some blueberries and pull them out. I wash them and then put them into the pancake batter. As I start putting them onto the pan, the girls walk inside.

"Morning, Matty." My mom says to me, before giving me a kiss on my cheek.

"Morning, mom. I'm making some pancakes with blueberries for you guys."

Her face lights up and she gives me a pleasant smile. I almost notice a tear form.

"I can't believe my little boy is leaving for college so soon. Who's going to make us breakfast in the morning." She jokes before I pull her in for a hug. I assure her that I'll be back to visit frequently.

I put the pancakes on plates for everyone and we all sit down. I grab some napkins and my sister grabs some forks, knives, and the syrup.

"So, any plans for today?" My mom asks.

"I don't know. Morgan and I were talking about hanging out with Alexis." My sister replies. My eyes widen and I look up.

"Why are you looking at me weird?" She asks me.

"Looking at you how? I'm looking at you normally."

"Okay, whatever." She says before continuing a conversation most likely from their paddle boarding earlier this morning.

After breakfast we decide to go down to the lake. My sister told me that Alexis is coming over and I can invite anyone if I wanted to. I go downstairs to change into my swimsuit. When I come up, Morgan and Hailey are still upstairs, deciding on a bikini. I hear a knock at the door and I know who it is.

"Matty, could you get that, please sweetie?" My mom asks from her room. I tell her I will and I open it. We make awkward eye contact for a while before she breaks the silence.

"Where's your sister?" She asks.

"Upstairs." I reply. She walks inside and takes off her shoes before heading upstairs. I follow her there.

"Hey Alexis!" My sister says before noticing me, standing behind her like a child hiding behind his mom, "What are you doing here?" She asks me.

"I was just making sure she got upstairs fine." I reply without hesitating. I really don't know why I said that. I just don't want Hailey finding out about the conversation I had with her friend last night.

"Okay?" Hailey replies, confused.

"I'm going to go now." I say, before speeding down the stairs.

Yikes.

Once they come downstairs we all go down to the dock. The girls jump in the lake first, all holding hands. I notice Alexis's disposable camera and offer to take a photo of them.

"I think we're good." Alexis replies in a snarky tone.

What did I do to piss her off?

I jump in with them. We swim around for a bit before we go to a more shallow spot where we can sit.

"When's your birthday, Matt?" Alexis asks me.

"In three days." I reply.

"Are you having a party?"

"I don't think so."

"Do you guys have any gifts planned for him?" She asks, specifically to Morgan though.

"Uh, yeah." She replies, slightly confused. I make awkward eye contact with Alexis and I signal for her to cut it out.

"So, Leo's was fun last night." I say.

"Oh shoot, I almost forgot to tell you," Hailey says, turning to Alexis, "Morgan and I are going to the drive in movie theatre with Leo, Luka, Colton, and some of the girls. Wanna come?"

"Yeah, for sure."

"We should make a group chat, hold on." she grabs her phone before looking up at me, "Do you want to come too?"

"Sure. I want to see the guys." I say as she makes the group chat.

You have been added to "Lake house rager group"

"Lake house rager group?" I say, making fun of the name.

"We can change it later on." She says.

I read the member names, seeing how many of them I recognize. Colton, Luka, Leo, Alexis, Morgan, and Hailey. The rest are unknown numbers.

Huh.

My sister was always the more popular one during the summer. She knows more people than I do here and she used to go out more than me. It wasn't until a few summers ago that I started going out with her. That's when I met the guys.

"What movie are we seeing?" I ask.

"I don't know. The theme tonight is musicals. We're going at 8. I think the last movie finishes around midnight." Morgan replies. Alexis gives her a smirk and she looks away, confused.

We ended up planning to take our car and then we'll pick up Colton and Alexis. Leo, Luka, and the others were going to be in a separate car.

When we got out of the lake we wrapped the towels around us and we sat in the chairs by the dock. Hailey went up to get the speaker and I was in charge of the playlist.

"Morgan, I know." Alexis says.

I look up from my phone. I signal to Alexis to cut it out, but she continues.

"Know what?" Morgan replies.

"I know Matthew gave you that hickey." She says, talking about the now faded hickey that I indeed gave her. She laughs awkwardly and looks at me.

"I didn't tell her. She guessed it and got it right." I say.

"Oh!" She says, laughing louder.

"Hailey doesn't know." Alexis says, interrupting her laughing.

"Please don't tell her." Morgan begs.

"I won't."

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- Authors note!!

Hey guys! Shorter chapter for today however the word count is over 1000. I'm trying to update this story everyday so you guys get chapters faster and so I can begin other books I have planned! I want this story to have about 15-25 more chapters. Also thank you all so much for all of the support recently! I am so thankful!