Summary: Paige, a childhood friend of the Sons returns to Ipswich bringing along three new friends. A new threat lurks in the shadows, not only being a threat to the Sons but also to Paige and her friends.
Chapter 1
"Seriously, Mom, this whole welcome back party is a little lame, don't you think?" Reid said bluntly, standing in the large kitchen.
"Oh, nonsense sweetie. Why can't you be excited like the other boys? They can't wait to see Paige again," his mother, Demi replied with a smile on her face.
It had been nearly five years since his mother had seen her best friend Kassandra, he could understand why she was so anxious to see her and her daughter Paige. Paige had grown up with the other boys, so to them she was like a sister. But when she was 13, her mother was offered a promotion in Los Angeles, California, so they moved West.
Tyler, being the closest to her, was thrilled to see her. Reid on the other hand had never taken a liking to her. As a young boy, he didn't the idea of having a girl in the group, and the older they got the more he didn't like it. Not that he hated Paige or anything, she just rubbed him the wrong way.
"I can't believe she is coming back home!" Tyler's voice rang, waking him out of his daze.
"Could you be any more gay, Ty? It's not that big of a deal," Reid said, looking over at his best friend. He crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.
"Shut up man, just because you don't like the idea of her coming back doesn't mean the rest of us can't be happy about it," Tyler retorted with a scowl, his blue eyes glaring.
Reid held his hands up in surrender. Tyler was right. He didn't like that she was coming back. He had gotten so used to it just being the guys for five years, and by her returning meant that it wouldn't be that way anymore. He frowned just thinking about it.
Shaking his head of those unpleasant thoughts, Reid left the kitchen leaving Tyler to help his mom. He walked through the tiled foyer and was halfway up the stairs when the front door flung open. Reid turned to see Pogue Parry with his motorcycle helmet in hand walking into his home, a huge smile plastered on his face.
"Dude!" Pogue yelled when he spotted Reid. "Can you believe Paige is coming back home tonight?"
Reid practically growled; he was getting sick and tired of hearing that name so much in one day.
"Why the hell is everyone so damn excited about seeing her? She's just a chick," he replied, getting more annoyed with each passing second.
"She is not just a chick, Reid," Pogue answered, scowling. The guys never really caught on that Reid had disliked her so much, they just thought he was being the jerk he always was to girls… unless he wanted something.
"Whatever man," was his only retort as he climbed the rest of the stairs to his bedroom.
Nearly two hours later, Demi Garwin shouted up the stairs to her son. Her voice carried, the excitement she felt.
"Reid, get down here!" she called enthusiastically from the foyer. "The Elliot's will be here any moment!"
Oh joy, he thought bitterly as he shut off his T.V.
Pulling his fingerless gloves onto his hands, he made his way down the stairs. As he walked into the living room he saw that the Simms' family, Caleb and his mother, Pogue and his father, and his own mother talking excitedly. Demi glanced out the window every few seconds as to not miss the arrival of her best friend.
Reid made his way over to his friends, greeting them with a nod of his head which they returned before carrying on with their conversation.
"What do you think she looks like now?" Tyler asked curiously looking around at the guys. His brown shaggy hair hung on his forehead inches above his excited azure eyes.
Caleb was the first to answer. "I bet she's just as cute. Of course taller and-"
The sound of a doorbell ringing broke his sentence. Everyone went silent with anticipation. All they could hear was the click, click of Mrs. Garwin's heels in a hurried race to the front door. After a few seconds of silence they heard squeals of joy and laughter coming from the foyer. The rest who stood in the living room looked around at each other in amusement.
Demi returned to the living room with two other women at her side. On her right was unmistakably Demi's best friend, Kassandra Elliot, her long dark hair curled softly and blue eyes sparkled with tears as she looked around the room seeing familiar faces. On Mrs. Garwin's left stood a blonde with bright blue eyes, looking a little nervous.
The silence was broken as Tyler yelled, "Peanut!" and ran towards Paige nearly knocking her over as his arms wrapped around her. Laughter erupted throughout the room making Paige blush. Except for the Sons of Ipswich, No one had ever heard her nickname Tyler had given her when was she six.
Tyler pulled away from the blonde reluctantly as the other boys came up to greet her. A huge smile appeared on Paige's face. She half expected the boy to have forgotten about her, but here they were running towards her like maniacs.
Caleb picked her up and spun her around like he did when they were kids. Pogue was next in line. Slyly, he held up his hand waiting to see if she remembered their handshake. Sure enough she grinned as she brought her hand up to Pogue's and hands started flying.
Giggling, Paige's gaze fell on Reid and her smile faltered. She knew Reid had never really liked her as a kid but she didn't really have a problem with him. Though her actions said differently.
"Hey Reid, you're still wearing those ridiculous gloves?" she taunted. Knowing that he would have a smartass comeback, she braced herself.
Reid stared, taking in her appearance. She looked amazing. Her black and white strapless dress clung nicely to her slim frame. Her blonde hair fell just below her collar bone, her blue eyes sparkled as they gazed into his own. He could feel a smile start to tug at his lips but stopped himself knowing he was being watched by his friends and family.
His reply was short and jumbled. "Yeah, uhh…how's it going, Paige?"
Paige's mouth fell open, slightly shocked at his short, non-smartass response.
It shocked Reid as well. What the hell had just come over him? He had no smartass remark to say back. He never had been at a loss for words. Shrugging it off, he walked over to greet Mrs. Elliot as everyone started to talk amongst themselves.
"My, my look how you have grown, Paige. You have become a beautiful young woman," Terrance Simms said, pulling her into a warm embrace. "The boys are very glad to have you back."
"Thank you, Mr. Simms. I'm so glad to be back myself. I missed the guys a lot." Paige looked over at her childhood friends. She really had missed them, and she prayed to the high Heavens that her new and old friends would get along.
"Your mother tells me that you will have three friends from Los Angeles joining you for the school year," Mrs. Simms said with a kind smile. "And please you know to call us Terrance and Madison."
"Sorry," Paige giggled. "But yeah my friends are actually coming tomorrow afternoon. Their flight lands at eleven-thirty I think. They're really excited to go to Spenser with me. Now I finally have girls to hang out with around here."
Her gaze wandered the room, taking in everything. The rest of the parents were catching up, chatting about old times with Mrs. Elliot. Paige smiled to herself, glad that her mom was back with the people that she loved so dearly. Caleb, Pogue, Reid and Tyler were sitting on a large plush couch listening to the funny stories the adults were telling. They laughed full-heartedly, occasionally glancing over at Paige with smiling faces.
She was so happy to be back, happy her mother was happy. Happy the guys were happy that she was back. Well at least three of them are. Reid's acting strange. Maybe he's not the smart-ass, conceited, cocky boy I used to know. Well I'll find out soon enough, Paige thought, her eyes on the blonde boy.
Soon after leaving the Garwin's Manor, Paige pulled up to her new home in her blue 2007 Mazda RX8. Her mother stepped out of the passenger side still talking about how nice it was to be back in Ipswich, Massachusetts.
Together, they walked through the front door, where dozens of cardboard boxes were stacked along the walls. They had moved back in only days ago, yet most of their belongings hadn't been unpacked. Kassandra had taken off work for the next week so she could make their house a home.
"Good night," Paige said, kissing her mother tenderly on the cheek before making her way up the stairs and to her room. Unlike most of the rooms in the house, Paige had made sure to unpack her own things and set up her room. Her bed was made, pictures and knickknacks covered the walls. The dresser drawers were already full of her clothes and belongings.
Paige stopped at one picture in a silver frame that sat on her nightstand. A smile found her lips as she touched the four young faces of the Sons of Ipswich.
Thinking about the events of the day, Paige changed out of her dress and into a pair of grey sweatpants and a sports bra. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she climbed into her comfy king sized bed and snuggled under the covers.
Damn the boys got hott! The girls are going to love going to Spenser, she slightly, she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly before drifting into a slumber.
