Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

hoose a college. I had one dream and one dream only, and Bellevue was my ticket to it. Despite my twin brother having a full ride to Boston College and my parents wanting me to go with him, I decided to go elsewhere. Like always.

No matter what my parents said, I always wanted the opposite. I wasn’t the star child like my twin Matty or my older brothers, Seth and Laurence. Never had been. When Mom was pregnant with me, they didn’t see me hiding behind my monstrous brother on the ultrasound. Because of him, they didn’t find out about me until a month before her due date.

What a surprise.

Not.

I was the unwanted child; I know this. One, I’m not a boy. Two, I don’t play hockey. And three, I actually have a mind of my own. Oh, and I’m sarcastic. Very sarcastic. Drives my dad nuts, but I’m always begging to stand out. Not only am I the shortest of the family at a modest 5’5”, but my brothers are all over 6 feet. Even my mom is tall. It’s like Matty sucked up all my height and added it to his. It wasn’t fair, and I always got overlooked. Why sign me up for dance when we have two tournaments in one weekend? Why buy me a Barbie when Laurence, Seth, and Matty all need new gear? Who cares if I don’t want to go to tournaments or games? What I wanted didn’t matter, only the boys.

Nope, I was always the afterthought. Always put on the back burner for hockey. My mom tried, she did, but with four big personalities like my dad and my brothers, we couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

But things are about to change. I am on my own, I am making my own decisions, and it is time to live my life.

I know they wanted my hopes and dreams to lead me to Boston College, but that place had nothing for me. I want to be a singer, a songwriter, something other than the add-on to Matty Haverbrooke. Yeah, I know I could live my dreams there, play at some coffee shops, but that isn’t enough for me. I want to be in the heart of music. I want to live and breathe the industry. And what better place than the music capital of the world? No, I am home now and I am ready to do this.

Ready to live the life I want.

The life where I come first. I matter.

And it was hard to ignore how I felt under that guy’s gaze. It felt like I was all he saw, and that was awesome. I wasn’t just the girl you slept with to get closer to her family. No, I was just some girl, leaned up against a tree, playing a tune. Hey, he liked me enough to tip me. It was only two bucks, but that’s a start! I might have to frame my two bucks, just so I never forget this moment.

The moment when I was Avery Rose Haverbrooke. A singer. Against a tree.

Hey, it has a ring to it.

Setting my guitar down, I pull the two bucks back out and take a quick picture, sending it to my mom with the caption:

Some dude tipped me for singing.

Before I could even pick my case back up, a text came through.

Mom: Because you are awesome! Whoopin it up!

Rolling my eyes, I laugh.

Me: Mom, what is whoopin it up?

Mom: I heard it on that Housewives show. Is that not right?

This woman… Gets rid of her last two kids and starts watching trash TV and eating bonbons. I wouldn’t want it any other way, though. My brothers have run her into the ground, and I know I wasn’t easy to raise.

Me: Yeah, but usually, they say it in the context like, we are about to whoop it up. I think you should have said whoop whoop!

Mom: Oh. Well, WHOOP WHOOP! I knew I could count on you to support me when I’m old.

Me: Good job, Mom. And yes, I got you.

Mom: Thanks, love you. Miss you.

Me: Love and miss you too.

I go to tuck my phone into my pocket when it signals another text. Glancing down at it, I find it’s her again.

Mom: Did you pick your meds up? I called the doctor and she said she sent them to the pharmacy on campus.

Swallowing loudly, I type back.

Me: Yeah, picked them up this morning. All is well.