I laughed at Noah's remark . It's true that this family seems pretty lively at all times . Just being with Noah all day, was more excitement than I'm use to . I couldn't imagine being with all of them, all the time .
"Noah . Are you mocking me?" Mrs . Atkins raised an eyebrow .
"No ma'am . " He sat up straight . "I was just telling Jake that he's going to have so much fun in precalculus with the twins . "
She looked at me worriedly . "Well maybe we should make sure you're in a different class time or something . "
Advertisement"But then he won't share his other classes with me!" Noah refuted .
"What?! Jake's in math with us?" Dave walked in with a pan and set it on the table .
Kyle followed in with a pot of mashed potatoes . "Wow . He must be brilliant . That must be why Noah is sticking so close to him . "
"Boys . " Mr . Atkins warned . "We don't put others down . Especially your own brother . Someone get Zeke from the garage . Let's start taking seats before dinner gets cold . "
Mr . Duncan snuck in from the kitchen and quietly took a seat on the other side of me . "You doing okay so far? I know it's a lot to take in . A lot of new faces . "
I shrugged, silently watching the bickering and moving about . Kyle went to get Zeke . Dave and Mrs . Atkins were going to and from the kitchen, bringing out food . Noah was telling his dad about the shopping trip yesterday .
There was a lot going on, but I felt at peace . This is way better than the dead silence I lived through . There was constant laughing even when they were supposedly fighting . When my mom and I would fight, it was just one-sided abuse .
"Listen up! Dinner is on the table so start simmering down and find a seat . " Mrs . Atkins sat at the other head of the table .
Noah was next to her, then me, then Mr . Duncan, and Mr . Atkins . That left the other side of the table open for the twins and Zeke . Dave was the first to come in and took a seat next to his mom . Kyle came in next, and took a seat next to his dad . Then it was Zeke .
No one has really talked about him much so I wasn't sure what to expect . I vaguely remembered that he didn't smile in the family photo hanging on the wall . Noah also said he was strict, didn't meddle when he and the twins fought, and that he was the captain of their varsity team .
Zeke looked exactly like the photo . He didn't smile and looked very serious compared to everyone else in the family . He sat exactly opposite of me, making me slightly nervous .
"Jake, this is Zeke . Don't be scared of him . He just has face paralysis . " Noah introduced .
Zeke' eyes shot towards Noah instantaneously . "What was that?"
Noah coughed trying to cover his laugh . "Nothing . Just telling Jake that you're the captain of the team at school . And that maybe he should ask you for a tryout . "
"Team is already put together . " Zeke didn't even sugarcoat it . "He can play with the other freshmen . "
I looked at Noah, unsure if I would even want to play . Let alone play with a bunch of strangers . Noah didn't even look upset or worried . He winked at me, then smiled at his oldest brother . "What if I told you he could hit a 100mph fastball . . . multiple times?"
The table seemed to fall silent all at the same time . All side conversations stopped and all eyes were on me .
Zeke squinted at Noah . "I would have to ask you to prove it . "
Noah's smile got even brighter as if he expected that response . He looked at his mom innocently . "Mom, you didn't tell dad what happened today?"
Chapter end
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