Sam had invited my brothers and I over for dinner with Lucy and Max.

I decided to dress up a little while my brothers are wearing the usual casual outfits. I am wearing a lace shirt with my trusty pair of mom jeans and Adidas trainers. A few hours ago, I had tied my hair into a high ponytail, but due to the walk to the Emerson's household, the ponytail became loose and fell to the base of my neck as loose curls cascaded down my face.

I knock on the Emerson's front door and Sam opens it. "Heya Sam."

"Hi guys," Sam hugs me and high fives Edgar and Alan. "Max isn't here yet, so I'll show you around."

"Oh, if it isn't little miss Zelene," I heard a voice say from the stairs. I roll my eyes as I set my glare onto the the older Emerson brother.

"Oh, if it isn't mister bloodsucker," I paraphrase with a smirk.

"Watch it, Ziggy" Michael says as he towers over me. Before I can reply, the door bell rings and Michael goes to see who it is.

"Hey, how you doing? You must be Michael, right?" Max greets from behind the door frame.

"And you must be Max." Michael states in a low, mockingly tone. I slap his shoulder and send him a glare.

"Hiya, I'm Zelene, but you can call me Ziggy, if you like?" I introduce while extending my hand for him to shake.

"Lovely to meet you Ziggy. Well, since you're the man of the house, Michael, I'm not coming in until you invite me."

"You're invited." Michael says with an unbothered smirk. Max simply nods and walks past us to the kitchen. Mine and Michael's eyes follow the gentleman. "What a freak." Michael states.

"Look who's talking." I sarcastically smile. Michael scoffs but lazily smirks back at me before strolling out of the house.

Sam, Edgar and Alan soon return back to the front door to find me, noticing I didn't follow them. "Ziggy, was that Max at the door?" Sam asks me.

"Yeah. He's in the kitchen now with Lucy, I'm guessing."

"Right. C'mon." Sam walks into kitchen followed by his three best friends. "Hey mom? These are my dinner guests, you've met Ziggy. These are her brothers - Edgar and Alan. The Frogs."

"I didn't know you were having guests." Lucy quirks up an eyebrow.

"If we'll be in your way, we can eat some peanut butter in
the kitchen." Sam guilts his mother with innocent eyes.

"No, no, there's plenty for everybody. Max, this is my son,
Sam, and Edgar, Alan and Zele-Ziggy Frog." Lucy introduces while stopping halfway through my name to change it to my nickname.

——

The dinner commenced. I am sitting next to Alan's right with Sam to his left. Opposite Alan is Edgar, and opposite me is Max, with Lucy at the head of the table. Lucy's food was extraordinary. And everyone seems to agree.

"Boy! Someone got bad breather around here!" Lucy exclaims. My brothers begin staring at Max intently to see if he would crack under the pressure or something. In all honestly, I felt bad for the man with my little brothers silently breathing down his neck. Lucy asks if Nanook if she would stop breathing on her as she was propped up with her front legs on the table beside Lucy.

"You want some Parmesan cheese in that?" Sam asks Max politely, which Max agrees to. But as soon as he takes his first bite of the cheese, he begins to chock while the three boys stare at him again.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asks frantically as she slaps Max's back.

"It's not cheese, it's garlic," Max says breathlessly.

"Bet you hate garlic, don't ya?" Sam leans forward on the table as do Alan and I, as Edgar leans closer to him from the side.

"No, I like garlic. It's just too much. It's raw." Max explains while slightly coughing still. I lean back in my chair as does Alan, Sam and Edgar.

"Here, have some water," Sam offers but 'accidentally' spills the jug on Max's lower half as the man shots up from his seat, soaking his torso and trousers.

"Sam! What's gotten into you? Oh dear, look at your suit. And your pants! I'm so sorry." Lucy rambles as she too stands from her chair to assist her boss.

Sam, Edgar, Alan and I lean towards the centre of the table to talk in secret. "He must be a circuit breaker." I whisper.

"He's not growing." Alan quietly states.

"I know. Hit the lights." Sam exclaims. As darkness surrounds us, I hear shuffling before Edgar turns the lights back on to reveal Sam holding a Sammy mirror in front of Max's face, causing him to yell in shock.

"I know what going on here, and Sam you're wrong." Max says calmly.

"I am?" Sam asks as he looks back to his friends with a scared look.

"I'm not here to replace your dad. Or steal your mother away from you. I just want to be your friend. That's all. Good night, Lucy." Max explains with sincerity, making me close my eyes in annoyance that we ruined Lucy and Max's night.

"Thanks a lot." Lucy sarcastically says to Sam.

"I'm sorry mom," Sam apologies with sad eyes as he watched his mother apologise to her boss. Sam then turns to us. "Major mistake."