Family

*Maximus*

I frowned when I saw that I had lost again and hopped up from shortie's comfortable grey couch. I waltzed into the kitchen to see her small and skinny self climbing onto the counter to get a bowl from the cabinet.

How can anyone be so small? She's up to my ribs!

"You need help, shortie?" I asked.

Her shy self squeaked and she quickly turned to me. Her large doe eyes held a tiny bit a fear in them but it soon left as she sighed in relief.

"No, I'm good," he soft voice declined nicely.

I nodded with a smirk and sat down at the table.

"You know, as your knight in shining amor, I think I should make your life a little bit more fun, don't you think?" I said as I spun her pencil in my hand.

She hopped off the counter with a bowl in her hand and shook her head.

"I doubt that's what is in your job description," she giggled.

She's so cute when she giggles. I thought with a smile.

"You've read it?" I asked.

She laughed which made me smile even wider. "No, have you?"

I nodded. "Yep. But, you are right. It doesn't say that. But," I started as I got up, "as your friend I need to make your life interesting."

She shrugged and went to her fridge to grab some milk. "Samantha already does that as my best friend so you're just going to have to do homework with me."

I scoffed. "I bet I can show you some more fun than Samantha can."

She giggled and placed the milk next to her bowl. "I doubt you'd want to go on mani/pedis with me."

My eyes widened in fear. "Is that really what you call fun?" She nodded. "Well now I really have to take you out." I walked over to her and grabbed her hand. "Come on! Let's go to my house!"

Before she could protest I dragged her over to the door, grabbed her keys, and quickly went outside. Before I could take her to her car, she grabbed the keys from my hand and locked the door before turning to me. I smirked and ran to the car, laughing when I heard her footsteps behind me, and jumped into the car first.

"I win!" I cheered as she hopped in seconds after.

~<~<~<

"Audrey, Ethan, Noah, Alexander, Noelani, and Ainsley! Come on down, I have a surprise for you!" I called as I led Amethyst into my house.

Her jaw dropped as all of my little siblings and Audrey ran down the stairs. Ethan and Noah were the first down and they smiled once they saw Amethyst standing next to me. They were the flirts of the family, though they were only twelve, and Amy was probably the prettiest girl they would ever flirt with.

After them was Noelani and Ainsley, who were seven, and they squealed happily, which scared Amy and made her stand closer to me.

Alexander was next and since he was pretty chill, he just nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Audrey, my older twin, was last and her eyes lit up when she saw that I had brought home a girl instead of one of my annoying friends.

"Max a million!" They all cheered, well, except for Alexander who just said it.

Amy hugged my arm and scooted impossibly closer to my side, which I didn't mind. She wasn't some girl who was flirting with me at school, she was Amy. And Amy was a little cutie who hadn't flirted a day in her life.

"Who's the gorgeous princess, Max?" Noah asked.

I chuckled and looked down at Amy. "Amethyst, that is Noah and the one with the blue eyes is Ethan. They're twins." Amy smiled. "The redhead is Ainsley and the kid with the dark brown hair is Noelani, who aren't twins but are the same age. Ley is nine months older than Lani." I pointed to Alexander. "Alexander is the brunette boy over there. He's pretty chill." I nodded my head to Audrey. "You should know Audrey, right?" Amy nodded. "That's about it."

Amy waved at everyone. "Hi," she squeaked.

Noah and Ethan quickly ran up to her and bowed.

"Makes sense why such a beautiful girl like you has such an amazing name. Amethyst, right?" Ethan said with a smirk as he looked at her face.

Amy chuckled. "Yeah, but you can call me Amy."

"Or shortie," I added.

Amy elbowed me in the side which shut me up. Ethan and Noah were taller than Amy by at least half a foot since they were five-foot six inches. Amy had let go of my arm by now and seemed to be a little more comfortable but she was still standing close to me.

"Don't disrespect such a beautiful goddess, idiot!" Noah growled as he hit my chest.

Ethan held out his arm for Amy to wrap her's around. "Come on, Amy. I'll show you to the kitchen."

Amy giggled and wrapped her small arm around his. "Okay. I could eat."

I chuckled when I saw Noah and Ethan sprint to the kitchen with Amy with large smiles on their faces. Ainsley and Noelani ran into the kitchen behind them while Alex just went to the basement to play video games. Audrey scurried up to me with a huge smile and dragged me into her room. Once she checked that no one was listening she talked.

"You like her, baby bro!" She squealed quietly.

I rolled my eyes to hide my blush. "No, I do not. She's just my friend, I assure you."

She shook her head with a laugh. "You've been talking about her since the fourth grade, Maxy. I know she's the girl, I know it! She has the sparkling green-brown eyes that are big and adorable. She has the glasses that make her look like a little nerd. She has the wavy auburn hair that always seem to shine. She has the tan skin that makes her look like a model. She's super tiny. She has the most athletic body that I've seen. And her lips are plump and pink."

I shook my head. "I have not talked about her that much."

"Are you kidding?! The only thing that's changed about how you talk is the amount. When you were a kid, you brought her up every once and a while, but now?" She scoffed. "You'd think you guys are married!"

I blushed so hard that I felt it in my neck. "I-I-I d-"

She held up a hand. "Save it, baby bro. You like-no-love little Amy and I'm sure of it. All you need to do is be is yourself, and not the cocky flirt Max, the nice one that I'm sure she's fallen for. Well, almost fallen for anyway."

I shook my head and looked down, kind of reminding myself of shortie. "I'm not that stupid, Ree. I-I like her, yeah, but she doesn't like me. She's more into-well-not me, I guess."

Audrey laughed. "She clung onto your arm and she wasn't even in any danger! She pulled the scared girl act on you! That's a for sure thing to get a guy into a girl, guaranteed! I've used it on plenty of guys, Max."

I looked up and snarled. "She didn't pull some act! The girl gets so scared of jump-scares she cries! She wasn't acting, I swear it! She's just super shy and skittish, Ree. That's it!" I defended.

Audrey laughed. "I know, Max." She flipped her hair off her shoulder. "I go to school with her too, honey. I know she's shy and skittish, I just wanted to see how you reacted when I 'insulted' your girl." She shrugged. "Not surprised you looked like you were gonna punch me. I mean, you'd lose in any fight with me, so I'd be fine. But the fact that you looked like you were gonna start a fight even though you know you'd lose, that makes me wonder." She pursed he lips. "How far are you willing to go for this girl, huh? Is this more than a than a little crus-"

The door opening downstairs and the yelling of our mother's voice cut us off. "Mom's home and she can only take one hug at a time! She's got bags so she needs Alex and Max here!"

"Shit. Mom is home. She's gonna flip when she see's that you've brought a girl home, Maxy." Audrey giggled. "Can't wait to see that!" She quickly ran out of her room and went to the balcony.

"Hey mom!" She called. "Little Maxy brought home a ggggiiiiirrrrllll!"

"WHAT?! A GIRL?! MAXIMUS MAGNUM KING! COME DOWN HERE!" My mother screamed.

I gasped at my sister's evil ways and quickly ran downstairs. Once I got there I saw my mother handing two large bags to Alex with a calm face. I almost thought that she was just trying to see where I was, the reason for her yelling so loud, but when she saw me she growled. I sighed and slowly walked up to her. Once I was in front of her she grabbed my collar and yanked me down so I was eye-to-eye with her.

"Don't tell me you brought home some bitch like Noah and Ethan did last week! That little wannabe slut was walking around like she owned the place! She called me the maid and when I told her that I was the mom she still ordered me around. The girl was dating both of my boys at the same time!" She growled quietly.

I gulped smiled weakly. "Amy's not like that, mommy. She's really nice and, I think, shorter than Airy. You'll love her, I'm sure." I lowered my voice even more. "I already do."

She quickly let go of my collar and squealed. "I want to meet her then!"

"I'll go get her," I said quickly and ran into the kitchen.

Noah and Ethan were sitting on either side of Amy at the counter, Amy practically squished between them, and were trying to flirt with her. By the looks of it, it didn't work, but they were really trying. If anything, poor Amy seemed overwhelmed.

"You know, shortie, I said you could always call me when you are in trouble. I am your knight in shining armor, ain't I?"

All three of them whipped their head's over to me but what made me smile was when I saw the look of relief on Amy's face.

"Knight!" She cheered as she hopped off the chair and ran over to me.

I chuckled when she quickly hugged me and moved to stay glued to my side. I wrapped my hand around her small waist and fake saluted to the boys before walking back to the door where my mother was waiting. Amy looked up at me and smiled before snuggling into my side a little bit further.

"She's breathtakingly gorgeous, Max!" My mother exclaimed as soon as we walked through the door.

Amy waved timidly before squeaking out a greeting. "Hello."

I looked down at Amy and smiled. "Mom, this is Amethyst," I looked up at my mom. "Amethyst, this my mom-"

"Elm King! You can call me Elm, though." My mom quickly scurried up to Amy and hugged her, making me have to move my arm from her waist. "You're so beautiful!" My mother gushed as she bent down to look at Amy better.

My mother was a good eleven inches taller than Amy, five-foot ten inches, which didn't seem to surprise me that pretty much everyone in my family was taller than her. Noelani and Ainsley were up to her shoulder at four-foot five inches which didn't really surprise me.

Sad thing was, Amy was that height in sixth grade.

This'll be a fun four-and-a-half hours.