I slept on the couch. All snuggled up in the blanket I bought.

"Explain to me why we did all that work for her to sleep on the couch," Nixon huffed.

"How the hell should I know? It's not like I can read minds," Nash retorted.

"Should we wake her?" Noah asked.

"Yep," the five of them said.

Nathan pulled out an air horn, put it by my head, and pressed the button. I screamed and fell off the couch onto the floor.

I looked at the five of them with a glare while they smirked at me. "What is wrong with you, guys?"

"What's wrong with us? We should ask you that, considering all the work we put into that room. And you're sleeping on the couch," Nixon said. "So, enlighten us why you're here and not there." He pointed upstairs.

Good point. I couldn't let them know I was onto them.

I stood up. "I saw a spider."

"A spider?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, it was big and hairy. Did I mention big?"

"Fine. Someone will kill the little bugger. Then you can go sleep in your room," Nash said. "Kill the spider, Noah."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Because I said so." He gave Noah a do it or else look.

"Fine, but the next one, Nixon gets." Noah stomped out of the room.

Well, shit. That didn't go as planned. I prayed the Gods would take mercy on me.

Then we heard a scream with Noah flying down the stairs. "Yeah, no. That was one big ass spider." He looked like he saw a ghost.

And the Gods have answered my prayers.

"It can't be that bad," Nathan said.

"Then, you kill it!"

"Fine, I will, you pansy." Nathan went upstairs. We waited until he came flying down the stairs. "Screw that! That thing is huge!"

"I can't believe you two fear a little spider," Nixon snapped and took care of what they couldn't. A minute later, he came barreling down the stairs, almost falling. "Yeah, not going to happen."

"Are you serious?" Nash asked.

"Yeah, I'm serious. I don't know where that came from, but it needs to go back, like now." He made a hand gesture with a head turn.

Nolan was the next one, and he was as bad as the others. "Nope, nope, nope," Nolan said over and over as he returned.

Finally, Nash went upstairs to check it out, and we heard him scream. "Someone, get me a bat!"

How big was this thing? I checked it out for myself. They followed me. I walked in, saw it, and flew out of the room. "That thing is huge!" I hid behind Nixon, who pushed me in front of him. I swear to God, these guys were ridiculous. A spider will eat me, and they'll stand there and watch it happen.

As the six of us stood in the hall, arguing about who would kill the spider, Pat walked by us, took a shoe, and whacked the spider twice. We stopped and looked at her as she walked by us. "All this over a little spider." She shook her head and laughed.

We all stood there. What happened? Pat showed us up. That's what happened. When I asked the Gods to send me a spider, Big Bob from Arachnophobia was not what I meant. Now I wasn't so sure if I wanted to sleep in that room, period.

Pat had Nate check the room for any more spiders, and he didn't find any. Thank God because I doubt I could sleep in a spider riddle room. It would never happen, ever.

After taking my stuff back to my room, the boys thought it would be nice to spend Sunday afternoon with me. I decided there were other things I could enjoy, like daydreaming about Bryson.

"And what do we have here?" Nathan jerked my journal out of my hand and plopped down on my bed. "Oh, Bryson, you're so dreamy." I tried to get my journal back, but he moved it out of my reach. Then he held me back with one hand as he continued to read. "Why won't you notice me? I know you would like me. Pbbtt." He made a jerking motion with his hand.

I yanked my journal out of his hand. "Do you mind?"

"Drop it, Maggie. That tool will never notice you," Noah said.

"You don't know that. The other day he talked to me, then winked at me," I said.

"Did he have something in his eye?"

I looked at Nathan.

"Just saying, he could have had something in his eye."

I shook my head. "Bryson will notice me. I need to get up the courage to talk to him."

"Okay, then do it tomorrow," Noah said.

"I will," I said.

"Good."

"Fine."

"Now that's settled. Can we not discuss that tool?" Nathan asked.

"What tool?" Nixon asked, walking into my room.

"Bryson Tilson," Noah said.

"He is not a tool," I said.

"Oh, he's a tool, all right. The guy is the definition of the tool. Open a dictionary and find the word tool. You'll see Bryson's picture," Nixon said.

"He is not a tool," I said.

"Trust us. He's a tool," Nathan said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Nolan said, walking in and eating a sandwich.

"Bryson Tilson," Nixon said.

"That tool?"

"See, even Nolan thinks he's a tool," Noah said.

"Nolan thinks everyone's a tool," I said.

"This is true," Nolan said. "But Bryson is the biggest one out there. Trust me. The dude spends more time looking in a mirror than he does studying."

"I'm not having this argument with you guys."

"Fine. We'll make you a deal. You get Bryson to ask you to Homecoming, and we'll leave you alone," Nixon said.

"On one condition," I said.

"What's that?"

"If he takes me to homecoming, then you four have to dress up in a dress for a day at school," I said, narrowing my eyes and smiling.

"Fine," Nathan said, causing the rest of them to jump on him to agree to such terms. I was enjoying this. I go to Homecoming with my dream guy. The Gray brothers have to wear a dress to school for the entire day. I couldn't wait. Now to figure out a way to get Bryson to agree to go with me.

I had to figure out how I would approach Bryson, so I tried different approaches in front of the mirror. I was trying to figure out which one was the best. Then I heard someone say, "You know if you want to get a guy's attention, you may want to be yourself."

I turned to see Nash leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"What's wrong with the approaches I've done?"

He walked into the room towards me. "They're all wrong and fake. Guys like genuine girls who are themselves."

"Well, being myself gets me nowhere. Bryson looks at me like I'm invisible."

"Okay, pretend I'm the guy you like. Hit me with your best shot."

I loosened up my shoulders and moved my head around as I closed my eyes, trying to gather some confidence. Think of Bryson. Think of Bryson. I chanted to myself.

"What are you doing? Preparing for a fight? Relax."

"Fine." I opened my eyes, "Hey, Bryson. Remember me from the diner? My name is Maggie."

"Maggie, who?"

"Maggie Holloway."

"Who?"

"Maggie. We go to school together."

"Never heard of her." He shrugged.

"Forget it." I turned to walk away when Nash caught my arm.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." He chuckled. "Try it again."

I sighed. "Hey, Bryson. Remember me? I saw you working at the diner."

"Oh, yeah, how have you been?"

"I'm good. So, I was wondering if you didn't have a date for Homecoming if you would want to go with me?"

"Yeah, sure." He shrugged.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Great!" I smiled. "I think that will work. Thanks, Nash." I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, taking him by surprise.

His body had tensed, but he relaxed and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Sure, Mags."

I let go, but he lingered, looking into my eyes. I looked into his steel-grey eyes. "Yeah, so, thanks for your help."

"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you later." He strolled out of my room.

I stood there, biting the tip of my thumb. Did Nash and I have a moment? Nah, that's Nash, and Nash doesn't have moments. At least, I don't think he does.

Forget Nash. I need to focus on Bryson and the boys having to wear a dress for a whole day. That would be fun.