Saturday morning, I dragged myself downstairs for an early breakfast with Noah as we prepped for the driving lesson.

Last night we bowled with Grampa and Dave, eating there at the bowling alley. Kyle ended up going on a date with Marie, promising us that he would go next time. Later in the night, Noah and I received Kaylee's text in our group chat with Alisha. She was going to have another surgery.

Dr. Shanfield had also taken her cast off because the swelling was too much and it was actually unsafe for her to have the cast on. She was going to stay home the next few days and hopefully when the swelling goes down, she can schedule the surgery. He won't be making it immobile like the previous idea, but he still wants to put in some hardware. The downside was that she would have to have surgery again to get the hardware removed when it was ready. The process might be longer, but her future would look brighter if this panned out.

I could already tell that this appointment had lifted her spirits. Even though she was in a precarious position without a cast on, and had to be super careful these next few days, she sounded hopeful through the texts.

"You boys need to treat this class seriously.

" Mom said, having sat with us for breakfast. She was going to take us to the place after we ate. She glanced at me as I yawned.

"Jake, maybe you need to start going to bed earlier?

"

"He'll be tired no matter how much sleep he gets, Mom. He's a slow riser.

" Noah commented.

I paused.

"I wasn't always like this.

" I gave a small smile.

"I think it's because I feel safer than where I was. I don't have to be on guard all the time.

"

"Okay, fine.

" Mom smiled too.

"I won't make you go to bed earlier, but we're still bringing it up at your annual physical.

" She looked to Noah.

"Anything going on with you that you may want to bring up?

"

Noah grabbed his chest.

"Wow. Mom. Are you saying you don't know me as well as you do Jake? I'm hurt. Am I still your biological son?

"

"Sometimes I wonder.

" She said thoughtfully.

Noah looked hurt for real.

"Mom!

"

She grinned.

"I'm joking. I know you just as well as anyone else in this house. You like to hide problems the most of it means you get to do what you want. I would have to trust Jake to tattle on you for me to get anything out of you.

" She looked my way.

I had the urge to bring up the football and this felt like the opportunity to do so.

"Joey wants Noah to try out for the football team.

"

Mom froze.

"Jakeeee.

" Noah groaned. He looked at Mom.

"Don't say anything, Mom. I'm not interested. And I've told him I'm not interested. I don't have the time and I don't want to.

"

Mom snapped out of it.

"Okay. Okay.

" She repeated.

"I think you made a good decision. Football, and contact sports like it, pose a lot of risk for injury.

"

We cleaned off our plates and put them in the sink. Mom took us in her car, with me in the back behind her and Noah in the front passenger seat. Mom took us to a business center where our small class would be held.

She parked, wanting to take us in for the first class. Alisha and her mom were just a minute behind us. We all got checked in and verified, then our moms left us. We were sent to a small conference-like room that had eight seats around a big oval table. There was a whiteboard on one end and a projector hanging from the ceiling.

"Cool, we're here first so we get first pick.

" Noah said, picking a seat. I immediately sat to his left.

Alisha hesitated, looking at the open seat next to me and the one next to Noah. I casually tilted my head towards Noah and she understood that I was letting her pick what she really wanted. She sat on the otherside of Noah.

The room filled up quick with four other teenagers and then finally an instructor came in and turned on the projector. The first thirty minutes was just saying our names and introducing us to what the course covers. Twenty-five hours of instruction with half being in person and the other half online. Then we would try to get our permits through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Then they would do six hours of behind the wheel training with us. Then we would be allowed to drive with our parents present until we took the test at the DMV for a real driver's license.

I was nervous at first and a little overwhelmed with the idea of just being able to drive in a few weeks, but when the instructor finally started going over the California Driver's Handbook, I realized that the beginning was just common knowledge. Like what the signs meant and the basics of knowing your car.

The class was not bad and you really couldn't doze off anyways in such a small setting. After class, the three of us went outside to wait for our rides to show.

"We're probably getting lunch now.

" Noah said to Alisha.

"Do you and your mom want to join? We'll eat somewhere nice if you do. I just know it.

"

Alisha smiled, but gave a shake of her head.

"No. I already have plans with Kaylee. I told her I would come over with some smoothies and relax with her since I know she can't do much on a Saturday night alone.

"

I blinked.

"You're not coming to the banquet?

" It felt wrong considering she was with us all season.

She shrugged.

"I thought about it and maybe I would if Kaylee wasn't hurt. But it would honestly feel a little weird to dress up and watch you guys get awards.

"

"Is it because we're all guys?

" Noah asked.

"It shouldn't be.

"

"It's different when it's practices and games.

" Kaylee said.

"For something fancy like this, I feel like I would stick out like a sore thumb. I can just imagine all the parents asking their sons why a girl was there and it just gives me the ick.

"

"If anyone says anything bad about you, Coach would have your back.

" Noah told her.

"Us too.

"

"Thanks. I appreciate it. But I think this works out just fine. Kaylee can use a friend and I can use a reason not to go to the banquet.

"

"If you're sure.

" Noah shrugged.

With that, we parted ways, getting into our respective family cars. Mom didn't actually have time to take us to a sit down restaurant anyways. We went through a drive thru for burgers and fries, grabbing enough for everyone at home too.

Mom and Dad left shortly after eating, needing to check on a couple of open houses they had arranged. They promised to be home in time to take us to the banquet, but we would have to start getting ready on our own.

"Don't worry, Mary.

" Grampa told her.

"These kids might fool around a lot, but they know when to take things seriously. They'll be dressed and ready by the time you get home.

"

"You too, Dad.

" Mom looked at Grampa.

"I already prepaid for three extra meals so don't even try to get out of it. I want to see all five of you at least dressed and with shoes on. I'll be back to help with hair and ties.

"

They left and the rest of us finished eating and cleaning up. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing different things for everyone. Noah wanted to go on a run, but no one wanted to join. Kyle went to hang out with Marie for a couple hours. Dave went to Mitchell's, wanting to try to get a bullpen session in. Grampa was watching tv downstairs. And I…I was doing research.

I had long been told that I wouldn't be able to take a higher math in high for the next two years. I had to look at my options of either going to the community college for the credit or maybe take it online. I tried to look it up if I could take an online course over the summer, but they had long been filled.

After finding some decent options for the fall and what I would have to do, I saved the info for Mom and Dad to look over. Then I went downstairs to join Grampa, watching some kind of cop show that I've never seen before.

Noah came back from his run, briefly stopping by before going to the garage to lift some of the free weights. When he was showering over an hour later, Dave came home next. He also stopped by the living room before going back to the room upstairs. Kyle of course, was last, earning some snide remarks from Noah about his sense of time.