The bus ride was eerily quiet compared to the craziness after the ga. The endorphins had worn off and almost everybody had passed out to go to sleep. Not though. So things can change, but so still stay the sa.
Across the aisle I could see Noah knocked out, laying down on the small bench with his feet against the window. I really can’t see how that was a comfortable position to sleep in.
Dave, Garret, Julian, Mahki, Jason, and a lot of the other guys were also snoring away.
Even Zeke up front had his eyes closed, head against the window.
The only one, that I could say with confidence, that was still awake, was Kyle. He sat in the row in front of and his phone was lit up for most of the way ho. I was able to see his reflection in the window, just typing away in his phone. I could only guess that he was texting soone, but it would be impolite and rude to read so I didn’t say anything to him.
Once we made it back to school, it was real late. Almost midnight.
"Finals should be on weekends." Noah complained as he held his stomach. Him, his brothers, and were all heading to the car to load it up and head ho. "I’m so hungry, I might pass out."
Dave’s stomach growled. "Please don’t talk about food until we’re ho. I really hope Mom put sothing together before we go to bed."
"Did you all complete your howork for tomorrow?" Zeke asked, completely ignoring their complaints.
"Easily." Noah grinned.
I nodded in agreent.
Dave rubbed his nose. "I’ll have to do so math during lunch." He glanced at .
I gave him a subtle nod so he knew that I already completed the assignnt.
"What about you, Kyle?" Dave asked.
"Hmm?" Kyle kept playing with his phone, not minding the conversation at all.
We had loaded up the car and were finally a few minutes away from the house. Kyle sat in the back without fighting Dave for the front like he usually did, but it wasn’t too noticeable. Until now.
Noah, who sat in the middle, peeked over to look at what he was doing. Kyle quickly shielded the phone.
"Can I help you?" He tone was a little harsh as he looked down at Noah.
Noah leaned back, showing so unhappiness. "We were just asking if you got all your howork done? Why are you so defensive? What are you hiding on your phone?"
"None of your business." His timing was perfect, saying that to Noah just as we arrived ho. He was abled to hop out of the car, got his bags out then hurried inside.
"Do you think he was looking at porn?" Dave asked.
Noah busted out laughing and I turned red with embarrassnt.
"Give him so space." Zeke spoke up and told us, making Noah and Dave stop their snickering. He glanced at us, making eye contact with every one of us before saying, "Kyle might be down that he didn’t get to play today. Go easy on him."
Dave rolled his eyes and got out of the car. "That’s the way it is sotis. How do you think the other guys in the pen feel for not going in? Heck, so of them didn’t pitch an inning all season." He got his bags out and left for the house.
"Why is Dave all mad now?" Noah was bewildered. I was right there with him. If he couldn’t understand his brothers, how could I?
Zeke sighed. "Don’t bother them. Let’s get inside and eat sothing. School is going to be a headache tomorrow." He got out and so did we.
"Are we still having practice tomorrow?" I asked.
"No." Zeke replied as we walked I to the house. "No more practices. It isn’t permitted. Today was it." He gave a sad smile. "No more high school baseball for ."
Noah grinned. "Don’t be so sad. You went out on top."
Zeke chuckled, pushed Noah’s hat down before going into the dining room.
Mrs. Atkins had prepared so grilled cheese with tomato soup and already had it laid out. She smiled when she saw the last of us co in to sit down. "Congratulations! Again." She laughed for herself.
"We don’t even get steak for being champions?" Noah pouted, swirling his soup with a spoon.
"Another night, Noah." She told him. "Steak is way too heavy to have so late at night and right before bed. We’ll let each of you pick a place to eat this week in order to celebrate."
"Oldest to youngest!" Dave shouted.
"No way! That’s unfair." Noah pouted.
They started to bicker with a few interjections from their mom, while Zeke and his dad talked about Rhys potentially going to the sa college. Only Kyle and I were silent.
I was happily dipping my grilled cheese into the tomato soup so I had a reason for being so quiet: I was stuffing my face. Kyle, on the other hand, was not. He only ate half a grilled cheese before picking up his phone, scrolling.
Zeke, who sat in between the twins, glanced over, yet didn’t say anything about it. It was hard to tell if he was worried about it or not.
"So, are we letting Jeremy co around more often now?" Dave asked. "There was so extre awkwardness with him and that other man around."
"That other man is Jake’s uncle." Mrs. Atkins inford him. "He..." Mrs. Atkins looked at .
I blinked, unsure of what she wanted.
"We’ll just play things by ear for now." Mrs. Atkins sighed.
"Are we still adopting Jake?" Noah blurted out, freezing the room. Even Kyle looked up from his phone.
"Why wouldn’t we?" Dave frowned. He looked to his parents. "Did sothing happen?"
"Nothing happened." Mr. Atkins cleared his voice. He looked in the eyes, noticing so fear in my eyes. "We still have every intention to go through with the adoption regardless of your relationship or lack thereof with your blood relatives." He paused. "That is...unless, you want to try to be a family with them. We will always respect your choices, Jake."
"I want to stay here." I blurted out as quickly as possible.
"Whew! What a relief." Noah grinned.
"But if things ever change-" Mr. Atkins hesitated.
I frowned. "Nothing can change my mind. I like it here." I looked around the table. "With all of you. I don’t want to be anywhere else."
All of them smiled with true happiness, proving that my choice wasn’t wrong. Zeke wasn’t big on emotions, but he didn’t hide his grin. Kyle was going through so kind of distress, but he still didn’t shun away. Dave and Noah were the easiest to read.
"Does that an we can change Jake’s last na to Atkins?" Noah asked, practically bouncing in his seat.
"Is that sothing you would be interested in, Jake?" Mr. Atkins asked.
I tugged on my ear, a little self-conscious about the attention. "I, I, I." I gulped. "If it’s okay..? I rather not carry my mom’s maiden na anymore. I want to close that chapter of my life."
Mrs. Atkins bead with happiness. "We’ll get right on it. If we can, we’ll ti it with the official adoption. Until then, just know, that you’re already apart of this family."
Sohow, that one sentence was ten tis better than winning the championship ga. I felt like I was burning up as I went back to eating. The hot soup must be getting to .
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