It took a heck of a lot of convincing, and enough breakfast food to feed a small army, but my mom and I were finally able to dissuade Charlie, Lucas and Tucker from storming the Johnson's house to interrogate unsuspecting Tyler, who still doesn't even know my brothers are here visiting me I might add. I may have laid on the "it's my birthday, don't ruin this day for me" guilt real thick in the process, but I was desperate. I know they will all learn to love Tyler just like I do, eventually.....I hope.

I told my brothers all the great things about Tyler and how he even reminds me of each of them in certain ways. I wouldn't say they were thrilled to hear that exactly, but they at least are no longer at DEFCON 5 status like earlier this morning. I made each of my brothers promise to not embarrass me and to act civilized when Tyler and my friends come over later tonight to which they begrudgingly agreed.

"Come on Lies, let's get going. We don't want to miss the previews, you know how much I love those."

Charlie calls out to me from downstairs which breaks me from my rambling thoughts. I'm up in my room finishing my makeup. Charlie, Lucas, Tucker and I made plans over breakfast to catch an early movie this afternoon, just the four of us. It's kind of a birthday tradition actually. They always let me pick out whatever chick flick I want to see and none of them are allowed to complain about it. Growing up with all brothers, our family typically spent a lot of our free time doing things that catered more towards their interests so this is their way of celebrating me on my special day and doing whatever I like.

"Just a minute, I'm almost ready. I'll meet you all in the car in a few."

I call down the stairs from my room. I close my door quietly behind me and grab my phone.

"Happy birthday girlfriend!" Tyler chuckles, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of calling you that."

"Uh thanks. So um, I don't have real long to explain, but I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"What's going on? You sound stressed."

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Just that I got a rather large surprise this morning, actually three large surprises."

"Did Payton do something extreme? I told her to stop being so extra all the time."

I laugh to myself. "No! Nothing like that. Charlie, Lucas and Tucker all flew in to surprise me for my birthday and are staying this week for Thanksgiving break."

"Well I wasn't expecting you to say that, but that's awesome, Lila! You're always telling me how much you miss them. How come you don't sound happy?"

"No, it's not that. Of course I'm happy. I was super surprised since I wasn't planning to see them until Christmas time, but of course I was, I mean, I am happy to see them. It's just that I hadn't actually gotten around to telling them about you and I getting back together yet......and well.....I had told Charlie about what happened over Homecoming weekend between us and then he told Lucas and Tuck and—"

"And now they all hate my guts and are in 'psycho-over-protective mode' over you."

"Yeah basically."

The phone goes silent for a minute while Tyler processes.

"It's ok though." I try to reassure him. "I explained to them how everything was a giant misunderstanding between you and I and how we are really good now. I think it will be fine. Once they get to know you they will see how great we are together, they have to." My voice comes out more desperate than I want it to.

"Lila, everythings going to be fine. You don't need to worry. I appreciate you calling me to give me a heads up, but nothing your brothers can say or do will ever change the way I feel about you. I'm not worried about meeting them and you shouldn't be either. I own what happened between us and I'm not afraid to show them how important you are to me. Everything will work out, promise."

"How are you so calm about this?"

"Because I've been them, remember?" Tyler laughs to himself, " Then this girl I barely knew called me out on my BS when I was driving her to the Dairy Barn. She challenged my hypocritical views about my little sister dating. She even dared to call me overprotective. In just one car ride she was able to get me to re-evaluate my sister dating one of my best friends which I never thought I'd be ok with, but surprisingly I am now."

I can hear Tyler's smile through the phone.

"Sounds like some girl if she was able to get you to think all that in just one ride together."

"You have no idea. And she's definitely worth fighting for."

"How do you always manage to make everything feel so much better?"

"Guess I'm just gifted." Tyler's arrogance seeps through the phone.

"And so humble." I joke. "Alright well, I do actually need to let you go. My brothers are waiting for me in the car, and they aren't really the patient type. I'll see you tonight though."

"Okay, don't stress and try to enjoy your time with your brothers. See you tonight, pretty girl."

*******

"Honey, you're going to burn a hole into my kitchen floor with how much you're pacing back and forth. Just relax, tonight is supposed to be fun, remember?"

My mom pulls her homemade macaroni from the oven and places it on the island along with all the other delicious food she has prepared for us. You'd think we're having forty people over for dinner with how much food she has made, but that's just my mom. She'd rather have way too much so everyone gets all they can eat than not make enough.

"Sorry. I know, you're right. I don't know why I'm so nervous about my friends meeting the boys." I stop pacing and face my mom.

"Well we both know the answer to that question and it has a lot more to do with one particular friend meeting them." My mom gives me a knowing look. "Your brothers mean well, Lila. They try to come off as these big grizzly bears because they love you so much, but we both know that inside they are actually mushy teddy bears. Just be yourself and enjoy tonight with your friends. Your brothers will settle down. It'll all work out."

The front doorbell rings, ending our brief heart to heart. I race to our entry to greet whoever it is.

"Happy Birthday!"

Rachel, Kelly and Claire echo together when I open the door. Their arms stuffed with duffle bags for staying over and a dozen balloons blowing around wildly in the chilly November wind. I can see Brady, Mason, Chase and Jake not far behind walking up our drive. No sign of Payton and Tyler yet.

"Come on in, it's cold out." I tell them.

"Hi girls!" My mom peeks her head around the corner of the kitchen before disappearing again.

"Hi Mrs. Daniels!" My girlfriends call back in unison.

"Knock knock." Mason pulls the already open door wider revealing him, Chase, Brady and Jake on the porch.

"Hey Lila, Happy Birthday. This is from me and the guys." Chase hands me a small gift bag as they step inside my house.

"Thanks, I wasn't expecting any gifts. You all didn't need to do that. I'm just happy getting to hang with everyone."

I begin to thank my friends. I lean in to give Chase a hug at the same time that Charlie, Lucas and Tucker walk up from our basement steps.

"Mmhmm." Charlie clears his throat "You must be Tyler."

Charlie eyes Chase up and down as Lucas and Tucker flank his shoulders like bodyguards. The three of them are trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"That's not TJ, that's my boyfriend, Chase." Kelly blurts with a laugh and links her arm around Chase who looks completely relieved to not be Tyler right now. "But you three must be Lila's brothers we've heard so much about. Let me guess, you must be Charlie."

Kelly reaches out her hand to Charlie while mouthing how cute my brother's are to us girls. Chase totally sees and rolls his eyes at his wild girlfriend, knowing that she is completely faithful to him.

"Oh, uh sorry. We just figured...." Charlie blushes apologetically, clearly taken aback by how bold my gorgeous tall blonde friend is.

"Charlie, Lucas, Tucker, these are some of my friends. Kelly and Chase you've already met and then there's Rachel, Claire, Brady, Mason and Jake. We're just missing Payton and Tyler who should be here anytime.

"Actually we're here. Sorry we're late."

Payton pushes open the cracked door carrying a gigantic wrapped box that's bigger than she is.

"Perfect timing. Lila was just introducing us to her brothers." Rachel eyes Payton with her knowing look.

Tyler appears in the doorway behind Payton carrying the rest of her stuff. Charlie, Lucas and Tucker all stiffen up once again.

"Oh hi, I'm Payton. Here, could you take this?" Payton shoves the giant box into Tucker's arms before he can answer. "Lila has told us so much about you three, I can't believe you all flew in to visit her, how special!"

Payton gives me a quick squeeze before turning her attention back to my brothers. I'm so thankful for Payton's ability to read a room instantly and how she's always willing to save my butt.

"Welcome everyone, thanks for coming." My mom and dad enter from the kitchen toward all of us. "Tuck you can take the gifts to the living room for now. Charlie, take everyone's coats to the guest room please and Lucas you can help the girls with their bags. You boys may not live under my roof anymore but I raised you right. Don't tell me you forgot how to be courteous hosts." My mom turns to my friends, "Dinner is almost ready so everyone just make yourselves at home."

My mom gives me a little wink and heads back to the kitchen while my brothers and friends head in different directions. It's just Tyler and I still standing in the entryway now.

"Hi."

Tyler looks around the room quickly to see if the coast is clear before giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Hi pretty girl. This is for you." Tyler pulls a small white box from his pocket. "And before you try to say you didn't want me to get you anything, just know that this is a very simple gift that I wanted to give you. Don't worry, it didn't cost me anything either. Since I know it's hard for you to accept gifts from others. But it's your birthday, so you have no choice today."

"Thank you. I don't know how I ever got so lucky to find a guy that knows me so well." I smile up to him.

"Let's be clear, I'm the lucky one. Now open it quick. Before your brothers come back to beat me up."

Tyler has a mischievous smirk on his face and I know he's teasing me since he knows how nervous I am.

"Better be careful, you get too cocky and I may sick them on you after all." I say and take the small white box Tyler hands me.

Inside it wrapped in tissue is a small bronze pendant with Romeo's "R" and #33 over top of it.

"I know it's super cheesy, and it's not the 1950s or anything, but I thought maybe you'd want to keep my varsity pin. That way you always have something to remember me by, even when we're apart."

I rub my fingers over the metal pin.

"Tyler, this is so sweet. I love it."

"My motive might have been partially selfish too. I sorta want everyone to know you're all mine."

Tyler reaches down and picks me up, spinning us around.

"Then I'll wear it proudly."

"Good. Now let's get in there. I need to make a good impression with your family."

*****

"Everything tasted so good Mrs. Daniels." Payton tells my mom.

"Yes, really good. I ate more than I should have, I couldn't help myself." Tyler says. All our friends add in their agreements.

We're all seated around the two long tables we pushed together to fit everyone in our dining room. I'm sandwiched between Payton and Tyler on either side of me. Seated directly across the table from us are Charlie, Lucas and Tuck. None of them have said more than a word or two all dinner. Which has actually turned my stomach into more knots than before. Normally you can't get Charlie to shut up in a crowd, he thrives in front of others. Tonight though, he is eerily quiet. He's been glaring at Tyler, watching and studying his every move.

"Thank you everyone, I'm happy to do it. Can't believe my baby girl is already seventeen."

My mom's eyes instantly get glossy.

"Uh oh, here come the waterworks." Tuck jokes.

My mom dabs at the corner of her eyes.

"You make jokes now, but you'll understand one day when you have children of your own. It goes by faster than you realize. One day you're driving them to practices and the next you're waiting up for them to get home from dates."

"Speaking of dates... Tyler, Lila tells us you took her on a magical date the other week." Charlie glares at Tyler, challenging him.

"Charlie—"

"No it's alright." Tyler whispers to me then faces Charlie head on. "Yeah we did. I finally got the chance to take the girl who means the most to me out and I couldn't be happier."

"Well that's only half true now isn't it? You've had plenty of chances with Lila already. I seem to remember hearing about a time you went out after homecoming just to turn around the next day and tell her you could never see her again because football was more important. I'm no relationship expert but that doesn't sound like the actions of a guy who says Lila means the most to him, now does it?"

Charlie has a fire in his eyes I've never seen before.

"Charles William that is enough! Now is not the time or place." My mom scolds.

"No, it's alright Mrs. Daniels. Charlie isn't wrong. I am man enough to admit when I've made a mistake, and letting Lila go, no matter the reasons behind why, is my biggest mistake and regret. I can completely understand why you don't like me or trust me with your sister, but I am being one hundred percent honest when I say I won't ever hurt her like that again."

Tyler looks Charlie right in the eyes, unwavering as he continues.

"I'm hoping after some time goes by I can prove to you all that what I just said is true. I don't expect your approval overnight or anything, but don't be mistaken. I won't be scared off by you three either. I'll do whatever it takes to fight for Lila. Hopefully one day we can even be friends. Lila loves each of you very much which is clear to me by the way she talks about her brothers. The people who are important to her are important to me as well."

The room is silent. Charlie and Tyler still staring at one another like statues. The tension palpable in the room.

Then Charlie breaks into a big hearty belly laugh.

"Dude, I can't believe you just said all that! And in front of our dad even?! I never would have had the courage to say what you just said in front of some girl's family in high school."

Tyler cuts into a smile. I take the breath I didn't' realize I had been holding.

"Well Lila's not just 'some girl' to me, but thanks."

"I'm starting to see that. Listen, this still doesn't mean we're all 'Team Tyler' now, but it's a step in the right direction."

Charlie extends his hand across the table to shake Tylers.

"I can live with that. Appreciate it, man."

The room instantly lightens back up. Payton knocks her shoulder into mine, not needing to say a word. We both were pretty nervous just now.

"Well.....now that we got that cleared up. How about some Birthday cake?!" My mom stands up from her chair.