It's been a few weeks since we got here and the house was almost completely unpacked. Remi and I exchanged numbers after seeing each other at the store. We've been talking for the past two weeks and it felt nice to have a friend here that isn't one of my brothers.

This week was the first week of football for the boys, which meant I got the house to myself most of the time. The boys were always at practice or just working out up at the fields with Dad.

It was extremely hot that week so I decided it would be best for me to stay home. I invited Remi over one day.

"So have you met any of the football boys yet?" She asked as we plopped down on my couch with two strawberry lemonades and a bowl of grapes. We faced each other. We were on separate sides of the coach.

I shook my head. "Surprisingly not, but I didn't want to go to any of the practices this week. It's been way too hot for me"

She nodded in understanding. "Amen to that sister. I'd rather hang out inside with my new bestie" She winked at me and clinked our glasses. We both spilled into laughter.

"So I've met every one of your brothers except Carter, why is that?"

I sighed. "Because Carter hates the idea of the move and is always at practice or in his room. There's no in between." I rested my head on the back of the couch. "Any way new topic of discussion. You and Bryce?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

Her face turned red. "There's nothing going on between us, I promise. I told you we've known each other basically our entire lives."

"Your mouth is saying one thing, but your face is saying another" I teased. She shoved my arm in protest, which caused the both of us to fall into a fit of laughter. I gasped as an idea popped into my head. "Let's go to the Pizzeria and see Bryce." I hit her arms repeatedly in excitement.

"No" she whined in protest. "He's not there" She lied.

I know it was a lie because her ears turned red and she broke eye contact with me.

"You're lying, your ears turned red"

She threw her hands up to her ears and growled in frustration. "You've known me for like a week, how could you possibly know that?" She almost seemed impressed but she was mostly frustrated.

I shrugged into a fit of laughter. "I'm god at observation I guess" I jumped up of my couch. "Let's go, Connor left his car for me in case I needed it." I grabbed his keys off the hook. "And I think I need it" I winked at her.

She rolled her eyes but reluctantly got up off the couch and followed me. I made sure all the lights were off and the door was locked before I headed to the car.

I drove to the Pizzeria and we walked in. I didn't see Bryce yet, but there's still hope.

"Oh hey Remi" The lady at the host stand said.

"Hey Ellie," Remi answered.

"Just the two of you?" Ellie asked. The two of us nodded in response.

"Go sit down, you know the rules" She nodded over to the tables.

Remi nodded and led me to a table.

"This better be in Bryce's section" I whispered to her as we sat down.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Only for you, Cor"

I smiled sweetly at her.

A few seconds later, Bryce walked up with a smile on his face. "Hey Rem, and Cora, right?"

I nodded with a smile. "Yep, she talked about me?"

He laughed and hung his head a little bit. "That she has. What do you want to drink?"

"Lemonade" Remi and I answered at the same time before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"And I would just start a cheese pizza, because you know that's what I'm gonna get" Remi said.

We talked until Bryce came back. I tried to come up with a plan that would get them a date together.

"Hey do you guys want to watch a movie this week sometime? Oh wait I forgot, I'm busy at practice with my dad and brothers this week, but you two should totally still go without me. I promise I don't mind"

A sharp pain shot up my shin and I grabbed it in reflex. I smiled sweetly at Remi. Bryce chuckled at my attempt to set the two up.

"Actually, I think that's a great idea. What do you say Rem, do you want to go to the movies this week? It sucks that Cora can't go though" He smiled.

"Um sure" She smiled weakly.

"Your pizza's probably almost ready. Let me go check on that" He smiled and walked off.

Remi shot daggers across the table at me. "What was that?" She gestured to the direction of Bryce.

"What?" I shrugged with an innocent smile. "I got you a date" I batted my eyes.

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile forming on her face. "You are insufferable"

I blew a kiss across the table at her. She grabbed it and put it to her heart. We both laughed.

I know I've only known Remi for two weeks, but it feels like I've known her forever. She's so easy to talk to and joke around with. I think our personalities are similar and we just get each other.

***

"So how was practice this week?" I asked Connor as I sat on the couch with a bowl of chips. He wasn't on the team or anything. He's a freshman in college. He was just helping Dad coach.

"It was good." He dug into the chips.

We watched Friends, our favorite show to watch together. One episode later Dad and the other two boys came in with a bunch of grocery bags.

"Why did you get so much food? I thought you were shopping for dinner tonight" I asked.

They all looked at me.

"Wait, no one told you. Who was supposed to tell her?" Dad looked at the three boys. They all looked away awkwardly.

"Tell me what?" I stood in the middle of the four idiots standing in the kitchen.

"The whole team is coming for dinner tonight." Cooper said sheepishly.

"What?" I yelled in shock.

No one told me that thirty something guys were going to be in my house.

"It's a team bonding thing, especially since they got a new coach." Dad explained softly.

"Cool, I just wished someone told me"

They all started arguing whose job it was to tell me.

"Boys!" I yelled and they all looked at me. "Stop arguing."

I plopped back down on the couch and continued to watch Friends.

An hour and a half later the doorbell rang. All the boys were busy and Dad was cooking. Which left me to open the door.

I was wearing a gray hoodie, that used to be Connor's before I stole it, and a pair of running shorts. My hair was thrown into a messy bun and I wore my glasses.

I answered the door and revealed a tall teenage boy on the other side of the door. He stood at least six inches taller than my 5'7 height. His sun-streaked dirty blond hair flopped perfectly over his head. His light amber eyes showed a bit of confusion.

"Is this the right house?" He pouted ever so slightly in a confused manner.

"If you're here for the football thing, then yes. I'm Cora" I stepped to the side an gestured for him to come in.

"I'm Will. Are you Coach's daughter?" He asked as we walked into the house. He smiled and boy did he have a nice smile. His dimples showed on his cheeks.

I chuckled at the thought of Dad threatening the team about me. Dad and the boys are very protective over me.

"That's me" I smile and open my arms up slightly.

"Ay, Will. What's up my man?" Carter and him did a bro hug thing.

"Nothing much," he answered.

Thirty minutes later and there were like thirty guys in my house.

The boys were all conversing with their friends while I scrolled through Instagram on my phone. I took up the whole couch.

"Coco, come here!" Coop called from the kitchen area.

"Why?" I complained, not wanting to get up.

"Just come here would you, lazy ass"

I got up and walked over to him and a group of boys. "Call me a lazy ass again and I'll drop kick yours" I threatened. I get that from the boys.

The boys around him laughed.

"Anyway" he grabbed my arms and yanked me closer to him. "Guys, this is my sister Cora."

The reason he felt the need to introduce me to his friends was unknown. I waved awkwardly at the group of guys staring at me.

"Coco, this is Nick, Darren, Tommy, Sam, Cole, and you met Will."

"Hi," I turned to Cooper. "So am I free to go or do I have to pretend to care longer?"

The guys all laughed.

"Coop, stop tormenting your sister." Dad called as he brought the burger in from outside.

"Actually I think it's the other way around, Coach" Darren said which caused all the guys around him to laugh.

"I should've known," he sighed jokingly. "Coco, can I get your help over here?"

I walked over to the counter and helped him set up the line of sides and burger stuff.

About ten minutes later, all of the burger stuff was set out and Dad had to get the burgers off the grill.

"Food's ready!" he called. Boys came from all directions excited to get food.

Thankfully, I was close and I got to get closer to the front of the line. Will and I walked to the line at the same time.

"Oh sorry, you can go ahead of me." I said. He was a guest I wasn't. I can wait.

He stopped. "No ladies first" he stepped aside for me to go.

"Please, you're a guest and I live here, it's common courtesy."

"But you're the lady." He insisted.

"Fine, but I'm not entirely happy about it" I grumbled. I got my food and was happy again.

He chuckled. "You and your brothers seem pretty close." He started up a conversation as we walked to the couch together, or at least I walked to the couch and he followed.

"Yeah, well after our mom left, when I was around seven, we kinda just had each other. So I guess we've gotten closer since then. As long as I can remember, it's been just me and the boys. I like it that way though. It's probably the reason it's easier to talk to guys than girls." I shrugged.

I didn't have many friends outside of my brother's and Dad in Dallas. Now I have Remi and I guess Will.

"Oh I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't be" I waved him off. "It's been ten years I'm over it by now"

He stayed silent for a few seconds as we ate.

"So you're seventeen?" He asked.

I nodded. "I will be in two months."

We stayed silent for a few minutes while we ate our burgers. I may have been stuffing my face and I didn't care.

"I've never seen a girl eat like you do." He chuckled from beside me.

I shrugged. "I'm the youngest of four boys."

"You have another brother?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No I was counting my dad. He acts like the boys most of the time" I shook my head lightly and smiled. "I was raised by the four of them. There's just some things you pick up over the years"

"Ay, Will, we're going out back to play some ball, you in?" Carter called from the back door.

Will did his little head nod thing of acknowledgment. "I'll be out in a second" He called back.

Carter took that as an answer and walked outside.

"Do you wanna watch me destroy your brothers?" He turned to me.

I laughed. "Oh no I'm in on the game and you'll be the one I'm destroying" I smirked.

He shrugged. "Okay" He stood up and held his hand out for me to follow suit.

I walked out with Will and announced that I was playing. My brother's and Dad gave me a knowing smirk. All the other boys were a little concerned that I'd get hurt but were okay with it.

These boy won't know what hit them.

***

"Oh yeah that's how it's done!" I cheered as I made my fourth touchdown of the game. My brother's cheer and threw me on their shoulders.

"That's my favorite sister" Cooper cheered.

"She's your only sister you, doofus" Connor shook his head and congratulated me.

I looked around to see all the boys from the football team with a dumbfounded look on their faces. I smirked.

Will was the first to say something, "I gotta hand it to you, Cora, you did way better than any of us were expecting" he smiled.

"Damn straight! You were awesome!" The rest of the boys joined in and started cheering me on.

"Well not to brag or anything but I have been playing since I was in diapers" I wiped the fake dust of my shoulders and laughed.

He laughed too.

"Damn straight and she's better than half of the guys on the team" Cooper bragged.

Carter looked at him. "Yeah and you're one of them" He burned him.

Do you need some ice for that burn?

"Oh yeah?" Cooper challenged.

"Yeah" Carter countered.

Cooper tackled Carter and they began to wrestle. I couldn't help but laugh at my brothers. The boys crowded around and started picking a side.

I would say this is a little crazy, but this is completely normal. What can I say? I live with four immature guys and one of them is almost forty-five.