My birthday was a big flop. Popped balloons littered the ground like colorful garbage along with wrapping paper. The sign that said 'Happy 17th Birthday, Ember James!' was on the verge of falling completely down. My birthday gifts scattered the floor like they were thrown to the ground.
It was as if a parade of elephants came running through and destroyed everything. Nope...close, though.
My now-too-large family made the mess, and made me clean it up.
"Hey, Firefly!" Dad says as he walks into the messy living room. He just got back from his work. "Woah! It's like a tornado came through here. Where is Tannon and your brother at?"
"They left me to go with our cousin outside for a game of football." I reply bitterly.
"Oh, I'll go call them inside to help you with this." Dad turns and walks out.
A little while later, Tannon and Ethan came walking in, sweat and dirt clinging to their bodies.
Tannon is my second youngest step brother. He is fourteen, three years younger than me and one year older than Ethan, yet he still acts as if I'm the younger one. He always bosses me around, trying to make me do things I don't want to do, but I end up making him do it on his own.
I also have six other step siblings. Jerry and Terry, who are identical twins and are fifteen; Cannon, who is a fraternal twin to Tannon; Donny, who is sixteen; Johnnie, who is my age; and Stephen, who is Ethan's age.
There are no girls other than me and my step mother, which sucks.
My brother and all of my step brothers are pigs, leaving dirty underwear and socks on the tables, having farting contests whenever and wherever we are...including when guests are over and when we're eating. They're so bad that they literally strip their clothes off right when they get into the house, not caring if I'm there to see or not, and walk around the house like that until they can find the clean clothing that they tossed everywhere around the house!
Just as they're doing now.
"Tannon, Ethan! STOP!!!" I literally scream, turning my back to them as they take their sweaty clothes off. "The windows are open! And I DO NOT want to see you guys naked!!"
I can hear it in their voices that they rolled their eyes.
"Why do you have to be such a girl, Ember James?" Tannon asked sarcastically.
"Ya, and who cares if the windows are open. Nobody's gonna look inside the house. That would be snooping," Ethan says, following Tannon's question.
Are all boys so dumb?!?
"Just put some clothes on, and help me clean up this mess!" I reply angrily as I start cleaning up myself.