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Chapter Nine

"I'll have the teriyaki chicken skewers and a cup of egg drop soup," I said. I closed my menu and handed it to the waiter.

"Kung pao chicken," Noah said.

"General Tsao's with an extra side of rice," Garrett said.

Emma ordered in Chinese. She was an honor student and I had a feeling she should have already graduated a year or two ago.

"Wow, that was impressive," Noah said as the waiter walked off.

Emma just smiled.

"So what kind of music do you like Brooke? I know you're not a fan of Grenadine," Garrett said playfully.

I laughed. "I really love all kinds of music. I'm a big fan of 80's music because of my dad. My mom loves anything from the 90's and 00's. So it's just across the board."

"Don't forget Dora the Explorer," Noah said. "Brooke's a BIG fan of the soundtracks."

Noah was playing with a set of chopsticks. I suddenly wanted to shove them up his nose.

"That's when I was five," I said. I glanced over at Garrett. He grinned.

"What about you?" I asked. I turned my head so that I could try to pretend Noah wasn't even there.

Garrett leaned closer to me. He smelled really good. I had know idea what he was wearing, but it was fantastic.

"I'm a big fan of Brooke Carter's," he said softly.

My eyes widened. I leaned towards him a little. I was thinking of the best flirty line I could think of--

Snap, snap!

Noah shoved his thin wooden chopsticks right between our faces.

"Don't they remind you of an alligator?" Noah asked. Garrett sat back. So did I.

"Dead alligators make boots and shoes," I told him. My eyes narrowed. He just shrugged.

Emma started talking about the Math Bowl and that passed the time until our food came. When the waiter set down Emma's plate, Noah looked at it in horror.

"What the hell did you order?"

I was kind of wondering the same thing.

"Steamed baby octopus in taro root."

My eyes widened. "You killed a baby octopus?"

"I didn't," Emma said. "It's good. Do you want to try some."

"Uh, no. I think I'll pass," Noah said. "Garrett, why don't you try some?"

I stifled an objection. I was kind of hoping for an end-of-the-night kiss, but there was no way THAT was going to happen if he had baby octopus breath.

"No way," Garrett said. He used his fork to scoop up a huge quantity of rice and ate that instead.

I could kiss someone with rice breath.

"So Noah do you sing as well as your sister?" Garrett asked after we had all spent several minutes trying out our food. I couldn't even look at Emma.

"Naw, I don't sing," Noah said.

That was a lie and I knew it. Noah sounded exactly like my dad when he sang. In fact, when the producer who formed Grenadine was still scouting, he had approached dad asking if Noah wanted to try-out. Noah did an audition and I swear the producer's pupils turned to dollar signs.

Noah got the part, but he declined.

He didn't have the passion like I did. His passion was in writing music, not singing.

"Well, Brooke's got enough talent for everyone, huh?"

Noah smiled over at me. "Yeah, she does."

I blushed. I fanned my egg drop soup, pretending that was the cause.

Even though I loved performing, I still couldn't get used to the praise.

---------------------

"Two for 'To Paris and Back'," Garrett said. He had paid for dinner and now he was paying for the movie.

Mom always said that was a good sign.

Emma had insisted that she pay for her own meal. Noah argued with her, but she wasn't taking no for an answer. I had a feeling Noah was relieved.

Baby octopus was expensive.

"Two for 'To Paris and Back'," Noah said. Emma folded her arms but he shoved his money under the window before she could say anything.

"Do you want popcorn or something to drink?" Garrett asked.

"Maybe a Diet Cola," I said.

"Alright. Be right back."

I watched him head up to the line. He had a cute butt.

"You want anything Emma?" Noah asked.

"No, I'm good."

"I'm going to go get something to drink."

"I'll wait with Brooke." Emma said.

Noah walked off. Emma looked over at me.

"He's playing bodyguard tonight isn't he?"

I looked at her. She was nice looking, but I wouldn't say exactly pretty. She looked, well, brainy. That wasn't Noah's type.

Not that I was exactly sure of Noah's type.

"Yeah, he is," I admitted.

She smiled. "Well, at least I can tell the other girls I went on a date with him."

I laughed. "What's with girls and my brother?"

"He's gorgeous."

I glanced back at Noah. Then I looked at Garrett.

Probably if Noah wasn't my brother, I would be able to see it. At the moment, I thought Garrett was the better looking of the two.

The guys returned with drinks and we headed into the theater.

"I also got some chocolate covered raisins," Garrett said.

"Oh, those are my favorite," I said.

"Wow, lucky guess."

I smiled and took my seat. Garrett sat beside me. I had assumed Noah and Emma would sit either on my left or Garrett's right, but they took seats behind us.

Garrett popped open the box of raisins.

"Want one?"

I opened my hand and he tapped the box gently in my palm. Two fell into my hand and I popped one in my mouth.

He watched me for a second. Our eyes met.

Then the lights went out.

I really didn't care all that much about the movie. The plot was formulaic and the girl was extremely whiny.

What I did care about was sitting beside Garrett. About a half hour into the movie he yawned and stretched. His arm lowered and it was headed around my shoulders. My fingers wrapped around my drink cup.

And Noah's foot connected with Garrett's elbow.

"OW!"

"Oops, sorry. My foot was cramping up. I'm just going to rest it right here for a few minutes mm'kay?"

Garrett grumbled and slumped down in his seat. I turned around and glared. Noah gave me a finger wave.

A little bit later Garrett and I both reached for the box of raisins at the same time. Our fingers brushed. Garrett playfully wrapped his fingers around mine. He leaned forward, his mouth opened as if to say something.

"Hey can I have one?"

Noah's blonde shaggy head invaded the space. Garrett sat back and practically shoved the box in Noah's face.

Needless to say, by the end of the movie I had gotten nothing more than my fingers squeezed.

"That was fun," Noah said happily.

No one else said anything.

I drove Emma home and then Noah, Garrett, and I went back to the house. We got out. Garrett and I stopped in front of his car.

Noah hovered.

"No, can you go tell dad we're back?" I asked.

"In a minute."

"NOW!"

Noah looked at us and reluctantly shuffled inside.

I turned back to Garrett.

"I'm sorry about him," I said. "I think my dad put him up to chaperoning."

Garrett smiled. "It's cool. I'd probably do the same thing for my sister."

He reached out and brushed a piece of my hair away from my cheek. My heart pounded.

"Next time I hope it can be just the two of us," he said softly.

"Me too."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the curtains in the front window move.

Dad.

Garrett seemed to notice the same thing. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

"See you at school," he said. I smiled.

"Okay."

He got in his car and I headed towards the door. I reasoned that a kiss on the cheek was better than nothing.

"Did you have fun?" mom asked.

"Yeah. But next time can I go without Noah?"

"Hey!" Noah complained. "What did I do?"

"You shoved your foot in his face!"

Dad smiled. I looked over at him with my saddest puppy eyes.

"Dad can I go out with Garrett ALONE next time?"

He tried not to look at me, but he failed. He sighed.

"I guess so."

I couldn't help it; I ran up and hugged him.

"THANK YOU!"

Mom laughed. Then she turned to Noah.

"You shoved your foot in his face?"

Noah smiled.

"It's a funny story..."