Girls Just Want To Have Fun

"Some boys take a beautiful girl
And hide her away from the rest of the world
I want to be the one to walk in the sun
Oh girls they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have That's all they really want
Some fun
When the working day is done
Girls - they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have fun,
They want to have fun
They want to have fun..." Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper

"Hey Rocky." I recovered quickly from my disdain for Brandon. A part of me knew there was a chance he would be there. I guess that's why I didn't ask Amber. If I would have known, I probably wouldn't have came which defeated the whole purpose of inviting Rocky. I was hoping he had to work. Oh well. I put on my poker face and smiled. "C'mon in." I said, moving out their way.

"Sorry we're late. Brandon got off of work late." Rocky apologized.

"You're fine." I said, shutting the door. "Brandon." I acknowledged him, as politely as I could.

"Hi Lily. Good seeing you again." He said, with a boyish grin. I narrowed my eyes at him. Why would he be alluding to the night I saw him out with another girl? What a dick head!

We joined everyone in the living room and Brandon and Rocky made the rounds. Amber gave me a wide eyed look, before she excused herself to check on the food. I followed behind her.

"What the hell?" Amber exclaimed to me.

"You're telling me!" I grabbed the wine and a couple of glasses.

"Rocky said he had to work Sunday evening."

"Guess his "schedule" changed." I said, with air quotes. "Did you tell Rocky about the other girl we saw him with?"

"Of course I did. I've told her she needs to let him go. Peyton's constantly telling her. I don't know what else to do!" Amber said, exasperated.

"Maybe y'all are being to nice about it." I suggested, pouring myself a glass of wine.

"I can't attack her or him. It'll just put a strain on our friendship." Amber complained.

"I can't hurt our friendship-Hell, we technically don't have one." I said, gulping down my wine.

"I thought y'all we're checking the food." Sammy joined us.

"I need to mentally prepare for Brandon until I get a chance to talk some sense into Rocky. " I said, looking over at her.

Sammy scoffed. "And that's gonna do what?"

"Hopefully get her to leave him. He cheats and still treats her like she's in the wrong." Amber said.

"She allows it, meaning she's not ready to leave. Both of y'all should know about that. Will cheated, Jake treated you wrong." Sammy told us about ourselves while pouring a glass of wine.

Amber and I looked at each other. Couldn't argue with that- no amount of talking helped me until I was fed up myself. "You're right." I conceded.

Amber grabbed the bottle from Sammy. "I'm gonna need this if you expect me to not say anything."

"Who said we're not saying anything?" Sammy said, sipping her wine.

"You just did!" I exclaimed.

"I said it's not going to make Rocky do anything. Brandon has life fucked up if he thinks he's gonna pull any bullshit in front of me." Sammy snarled.

I grinned, excitedly. This was gonna be fun!

We all sat down together in Amber and Will's formal dining room. It normally fit 8, but we made it work with me, Trevor, Sammy and Amber squeezing on one side, Brandon, Rocky and Serena across from us, and Will and Ethan at the ends.  Sammy and I made sure we sat directly across from Brandon and Rocky. The kids sat at the smaller kids table.

Amber offered everyone wine, which Bradon, Trevor and Serena accepted. Rocky, Will and Ethan stuck to lemonade with the kids. We passed around the food and filled our plates. There was oven fried chicken, mashed cauliflower, corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese, candied carrots, broccoli salad, and Hawaiian rolls. As we made our plates, Krista explained everything they made and went into details about what and how she cooked. Afterwards, Will prayed over the food and we dug in.

"This is really good girls. You did an excellent job." Ethan complement them. They beamed, proudly.

"Y'all sure did. Did you pay attention Trevor." I smilled, as I feed him some broccoli salad he neglected to put on his plate.

"One step ahead of you. Amber's gonna send me a copy of the kid's cookbook." Trevor smiled at me, passing me a roll.

"Since when do you cook Trevor?" Sammy asked.

"Since Lily started working evenings. She comes home like "where's my food!" Trevor growled and they laughed.

"I do not!" I denied, laughing.

"I believe it." Amber grinned.

"What do you cook Trevor?" Serena asked.

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that." He said with a shrug.

"Sounds like a lot of nothing." Brandon commented.

"He does." I defended him. "He made a pasta last week that was amazing. His Alfredo sauce is better than mine." I bragged on him.

"What do you do differently?" Will quizzed him.

"First, I open up a Bertolli's can-" Trevor confessed.

Everyone laughed, and I turned to him. "It's can sauce?!?"

He nodded.

"I'm proud of you. That's a step up, Chef Boyardee." Rocky smiled.

"That's what I called him." I smiled too. We laughed at each other. Trevor rubbed my leg under the table, encouragingly.

"I would have killed for Chef Boyardee the other night." Brandon said. "Rocky made some kinda potato casserole that tasted like feet."

The smile faded off my face as I saw Rocky's face fall.

"Jackie tried it. She said it was a little over seasoned. It tasted fine to me." Rocky said, forcing a smile.

"Jackie lied to you! It was awful." Brandon chuckled to himself.

"That's why I keep peanut butter and jelly in my kitchen. If you don't like what I cook, make a sandwich." Amber bristled.

"Or go fuck yourself with it." Sammy muttered under her breath, glaring at Brandon.

I sputtered on the cauliflower I was in the process of swallowing, trying to hold back my laughter. Amber let out a little laugh.

"Did you say something Sammy?" Brandon questioned her.

"Just that this is de-li-cious!" She lied, with a big smile as she cut into her chicken.

"I think I speak for Will and every man at this table when I say after a few too many nights of peanut butter and jelly, a man's gonna eat someplace else. Maybe your place Lily." Brandon said, suggestively.

My eyes shot daggers at Brandon. I wasn't the only one. All the girls were, except for Rocky-she continued eating like nothing was going on. If looks could kill, Mrs. Carter would be burying her youngest child.

"Speak for yourself Brandon. I love whatever my wife cooks." Will said lightly.

"Ethan can cook for himself." Serena added.

"Corey too. Any grown man should be able to." Sammy said.

"Brandon." Ethan said, in the same voice he would use to get onto EJ.

"What?" Brandon laughed, joyfully. "Lily said Trevor can cook. I wanna try it." He played it off.

"Yeah man. Come over before Lily gets off, I'll have a plate for you. Might be peanut butter and jelly night." Trevor said, keeping up the facade of joking and playfulness.

Rocky cracked a little smile.

"Arsenic for dessert." I said in my wine glass, only loud enough for Sammy to hear. She snickered and everyone turned to us.

"What's for dessert?" I asked with a smile.

Ethan brought over a banana pudding for dessert. It was his mom's recipe- light and airy and a perfect summer dessert. It was the best banana pudding I ever tasted. I was still surprised by the huge scoop Rocky served her self.

"Since when do you like pudding?" I asked Rocky.

"I always did. My mama would give us snack pack everyday after school. I still like it, I just got burnt out on it, know what I mean?" Rocky explained as she ate.

"I hear you. Mine was honey buns. I would walk to the corner store after school and buy them all the time. Now, I can't look at them." Sammy said, smiling. We went around the table discussion food we had so much when we were kids, we burnt out on them.

"Roman noodles. My mom made them for dinner at least once a week. She would add shrimp, chicken, hotdogs, you name it." Will answered.

"That actually sounds kinda good." Trevor chuckled.

I laughed. "I know. Remember that for a meal idea!"

"Fruit cocktail." Serena made a face.

"Kool-aid. I refuse to buy it now. Everyday my mom would make a pitcher. Remember that Brandon?" Ethan asked him.

"Sure." Brandon said, shortly,

"Water." I thought of mine.

Amber laughed at me. "How'd you get burnt out on water?"

"'Cause my dad would make us drink a gallon before we got to drink anything else!" I explained.

"Sounds like Lily coulda used some of yall's koolaid for her water." Rocky smiled at Brandon.

"You need to slow down on that pudding. You getting thick like you about to go into hibernation. Summer ain't over yet." Brandon told Rocky.

When Rocky put down her spoon, I lost my taste for dessert. I looked Rocky over. She looked great in a black tunic tank top that gathered at her full cleavage and flowed passed her waist. She was wearing dark jeans with it; she looked the same size as always. I couldn't not say anything.

"You look good. There is nothing thick about you." I said, defensively.

"She's knows I'm just joking." Brandon said, putting his arm around Rocky. When Rocky forced a smile, I had to clutch Trevor hand under the table to keep from going off.

"Jokes are funny." Amber told him, shooting him a look.

"I thought it was funny." Brandon chuckled to himself.

"About as funny as your small dick." Sammy quipped. All the girls cracked up laughing, including Rocky. Trevor shook his head, but I could tell he was holding his smile. Brandon glared at Sammy, but she just held his stare. "Just joking." She smirked at him.

Ethan looked over at the kids, concerned. Thankfully, they weren't paying any attention.

"Hey, there are children present." Will said, disapprovingly.

"Sorry kids." Sammy said, unapologetic.

Will sent Amber a look.

"Eat as much as you want you all. There's plenty." Amber said, ignoring Will's glance.

I was done. The kids were anxious to go play the new Kinetic Game Will bought from Best Buy, so Trevor volunteered to get them set up in their room. I accompanied him to get a break.

"Ohmygod, I wanted to throw my pudding on him." I exclaimed, frustrated.

"Remember, Sunday Funday. Emphasis on fun." He said, enthusiastically.

I knew that was his way of telling me to be calm without telling me to be calm.  "I don't know how long I can keep it up. How do you stay so calm?" I asked him.

"I don't know. I ask myself if it's worth getting angry. He's not." Trevor replied. "Don't let him ruin the evening. Focus on having fun with her."

I agreed. "Fine."

So I did. We went into the living room and played Family Feud. Amber was the host, and we played girls versus boys. They creamed us.  Will was a fast thinker so he always had an answer. Ethan was logical and Trevor thought way out the box to get answers. Brandon didn't contribute anything to the team but obnoxious answer. For example, one question was: Name something that can be referred to as Juicy?

Will and Ethan got the obvious ones like meat, gum, and fruit. Trevor said gossip, which I would have never thought of. It was number two on the list. Brandon got his on a technicality. He said "a women's body." Amber asked him to be more specific, and he said "Her juice box." Amber gave it to them, only because the card had lips. We booed her loudly.

I complained when my answers wasn't on the board. Rocky advised me sarcastically to write a strongly worded letter to the 100 people surveyed. I told her I was taking my complaint to the top: Steve Harvey. We laughed as we composed the letter that we would never send to him. Rocky wanted to know when he was getting the Kings of Comedy back together. I wanted to know why men shouldn't think like a woman, but act like a man.

We played a few more rounds of Family Fued until Corey arrived.

"You did not bring your backpack!" Sammy exclaimed at him.

"Yeah, I was going to do some reading." Corey started.

"You can go home with all that. We're trying to have fun!" She cut him off.

"Leave Corey alone. The man is trying to study. C'mon, I'll make you a plate." Amber ushered him to the kitchen. While we waited, Rocky asked Trevor and me about our house hunt.

"We have some houses to look at this week in Plano." I answered.

"Who's your realtor again?" Brandon asked, looking up briefly from whatever he was doing on his phone.

"His name is Chad. He's Forrest's realtor too." Trevor answered.

"Forrest is looking for a house?" Serena asked, surprised.

"Forrest bought a house. In Lewisvile. He should be moving in soon. Hopefully around labor day. He's super close to the lake. Maybe I can get him to throw a party!" I said, excitedly.

Corey, Amber and Sammy returned from the kitchen. Corey got set up on the couch and we got ready to play the next game, Taboo.

"Ready Rocky?" Brandon said, standing up.

"Really? Already?" Rocky asked, sharply.

"Really. I have some business to take care of. I'll drop you off." Brandon answered.

On a Sunday night? Bullshit.

I looked expectantly at Rocky. I was disappointed when she nodded. "We can give you a lift if you want to hang out." I offered.

"Yeah, stay, hang out. I'll just stay at my place tonight." Brandon stated.

"You have a place?" Amber asked, confused.

"Yeah, Uptown. It's really nice."

"About time." Sammy said.

"Yeah, I had too. Jake is getting serious about Daniela... or what do y'all call her? Dino? Never seen him like this over a girl before. Didn't wanna cramp their style." Brandon continued, looking at me and Sammy.

I would have been offended if I had feelings for Jake like that. I didn't, so I ignored it."Good. Dino's a good girl. He better treat her right." I said, move of a warning to him then Jake.

Brandon just smiled. "And vice versa. Thanks for inviting me Amber."

"Wait, I started putting up the food. Let me make you a plate." Amber said, grabbing Rocky.

"I'll help. I said, following them.

"Before y'all start, we're fine. Don't worry about us." Rocky said, defiantly once we were in the kitchen.

I nodded at her, sadly.

"What are you talking about? I'm just trying to give away some food." Amber laughed, lightly.

"And I just wanted to tell you I had fun with you. I would like it if we could hang out some more. If that's ok with you." I started.

Rocky nodded. "I would like that too."

Amber packed up a plate and I couldn't help saying one more thing.

"Rocky, I want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted. I'm going to say this once, and I'll leave it alone: It doesn't seem like Brandon is making you happy." I blurted.

"We're working it out. It's not only my happiness I have to think about." Rocky said softly.

I wanted to ask her how they were working it out? The only time Brandon looked happy was when he was making her feel bad. She didn't deserve that, no matter what she did.

Before I could say anything else, Brandon called her name.

"I gotta go. Thanks for inviting me." Rocky said.

Amber handed her food and a bottle of wine. Rocky gave a wryly smile before she left. Amber poured herself another big glass of wine before we returned to the living.

"How many glasses is that for you?" Will asked her, eying her glass.

"I'm not keeping count." Amber bristled, before sitting down.

We then played Taboo. We played couples- whoever got 5 cards first won. Trevor and I won easily. Amber had to much too drink because she was a lousy partner. Sammy keep saying words on the cards. Serena and Ethan were good, just slow.

 Trevor and I were on the same wavelength.  For the word "Kiss", I sang a KISS song and that's how he got it. For "brain freeze", his hint was what I would use as a torture technique based off a conversation we had years ago. For our winning card "bridge", I asked him where he took me on our first date. He answered before I finished asking. It was like we knew what the other one was thinking all the time.

Serena must have been tired of getting beat, because she asked Ethan if he was ready to go next.

"Why don't y'all leave EJ here and go out?" Amber offered. "I'll take the kids to summer class in the morning."

Serena's eyes lit up. "That would be great!"

"No." Ethan shot it down quickly.

"Ethan, we never have us time." Serena complained.

"This is my weekend with EJ. If you're ready to go, I'll take you home, but I'm not leaving him." Ethan said, stubbornly.

"Well, I'm ready." Serena announced.

Awkward.

While EJ put on his shoes and Serena got food to take home, I cornered Ethan and offered to babysit EJ during the week.

"I get off around 7:30. He can spend the night. I need an excuse to go see Pixels." I told Ethan as we stood by the door.

"We already saw that movie." Ethan replied.

"Oh. I forgot you were a gamer. Your parents took you to the arcade every time needed alone time. Like Serena wants. Hint hint." I teased.

"We do have alone time. It's just not as frequent as she would like it. EJ is with his mom half of the time. I don't want to give up my time with him because it fits her schedule. Is that wrong?" Ethan asked me.

"You know I hate agreeing with you, but I have no other choice." I answered.

Ethan smirked. "I'm gonna leave before you come up with another option."

I gave EJ a hug before they left.

Afterwards, I helped Amber clean the kitchen while everyone else sat around and chatted. After the kitchen was cleaned, we all left.

"Did you have a good time?" Trevor asked me on our way home.

"I really did. Minus the whole Brandon thing, but Rocky agreed to hang out again, so we'll see what happens." I informed him.

"I'm proud of you. You didn't let him stop you from having fun." Trevor said.

"Don't be too proud. What kept me having fun was imagining punching him in the throat all night long." I confessed.

"Well, you didn't assault him so I'm proud." Trevor grinned.

"Small steps." I smiled.

"You know what I imagined all night?"

"What?"

"Bending you over in that skirt." He said, grazing my thigh with his fingertips.

"Baby! I thought you didn't like the way I dressed."

"That's why I don't. If I'm thinking it, other guys are." He chuckled.

I leaned over and placed little kisses on his ear. "But you're the one who gets to do it." I told him softly. "Hurry home so we can have some fun."

"Yes ma'am."