Chapter 2.

Matt's dad was pacing in the living room looking at his eldest son incredulously and running his fingers through his hair. As for Matt's mother, if looks could kill J.J. would've have dropped dead on the spot! She was less than thrilled to come home and find a bunch of co-eds dancing in her new flower bed!

"I don't believe this," said Matt's dad breaking the tense silence, "I just don't believe this. You know, J.J., at first, I was very happy and proud that that you wanted to go to my old alma mater, and I told you I would support you in whatever field of study that you chose. The one thing that I warned you about was to stay away from the Alpha Tau Zetas! But what do you do? You not only try to join them, you invite them here without asking us first, or giving us any warning at all!"

"Come on, dad," pleaded J.J., "They're not that bad."

"Not that bad?!" snapped his dad, "I know for a fact that, that fraternity has caused more trouble on that campus than all the other fraternities combined!"

"And now you expect us to let these yo-yos set up camp in our house for the next three days?!" snapped his mother.

"Please," said J.J., "This is important to me, and besides they're already here anyway."

Matt's dad sighed and rubbed his hand across his face.

"Okay," he said, "They can camp downstairs in the game room for one, I repeat, one night! After that, they have to go to a hotel, got it?!"

"Yeah, thanks dad," said J.J. jumping up to go tell his potential frat brothers the good news.

"I wouldn't want to the hotel owner that gets saddled with that bunch!" muttered Matt

His Dad nodded in agreement.

"You know that dumb-headed brother of mine also told them that I could get them all free tickets to the Moondance circus!" said Matt, "I would never take advantage of my friendship with Evie that way!"

"Oh, I know that," said his mother, then her eyes widened as she remembered something.

"Evie's coming here tonight

"She is?!" asked Matt, then he suddenly remembered

"Oh, that's right," he said, "She was going to stop by this evening to try out your new coconut macaroon recipe!"

Matt's mom nodded.

"Oh great, how am I supposed to explain this mess to her." groaned Matt.

"I wouldn't worry too much," Replied his mom, "Evie's not going to blame you for your brother's mess."

"I hope you can still say that when she finds out what my brother asked me to do." Sighed Matt.

For the next thirty minutes, the frat crowd carried in suitcase after suitcase and sleeping bag after sleeping bag.

Matt's Dad made them leave their sound systems in the truck.

Matt slipped out of the house and into the nearby woods. He needed some peace and quiet. He walked up the main trail to a clearing he knew about. He laid down in the nice soft grass and breathed deeply as he closed his eyes.

He was almost asleep when somebody lightly kicked the bottom of his foot. Opening his eyes, he saw Evie smiling down at him.

"Hey Matt," she said, "I was just on my way over to your place, when I saw you over here."

"Yeah, I had to get out of my house before I went crazy!" replied Matt

"Why?" asked Evie

"I'll fill you in on the way." Said Matt getting up.

They started walking toward Matt's house as Matt began telling her about the situation he and his family were now in thanks to his older brother.

"What a mess!" exclaimed Evie, when he finished

"Yeah," said Matt, "My brother's not a bad guy, but sometimes he just doesn't think!"

"That sounds like an understatement to me," said Evie, "you've got a whole fraternity in your basement!"

"That's not even the worst of it." said Matt

"What do you mean?" asked Evie

Matt took a deep breath and proceed to spill the beans.

"J.J., told his would-be frat brothers that I would get you to give them all free tickets to the first performance of the circus Saturday night!" said Matt all in one breath.

Evie face palmed.

"He what?!" she snapped outraged.

"I know, I know," said Matt, "I didn't know anything about until they all showed up here earlier."

"Doesn't he know that selling those tickets is how we make our money?! It's our livelihood!" cried Evie

"Not to mention I would never take advantage of our friendship that way." Said Matt holding up his hands, "At least I hope you know that."

"Oh of course I know that." Said Evie allaying his fear with a wave of his hand, "And he should have known better than to put you in that situation!"

Just then they arrived at the Ellison's kitchen door. walking inside they were met by Matt's mother.

"Hi Evie," she smiled, "I'm glad that you could come over, it'll be a few minutes before the Macaroons are done."

"Come on," said Matt, "We can hang out in my room."

Evie nodded and they started up the stairs. They were about half way up the stairs when the floor started thumping in rhythm.

Matt groaned

"Oh no, J.J. helped them find where I hid the battery pack out of their stereo set up!"

Evie shook her head as Matt opened his bedroom door.

"Oh No, no way!" he said angrily causing Evie's head to whip around. Evie immediately saw what ticked off Matt. There was a frat boy and his girlfriend on his couch kissing!

"You two, out, now!" he snapped stalking over to them and yanking them up by their collars. He shoved them both out into the hallway and slammed the door behind them.

"To bad you don't have a deadbolt for your door." muttered Evie

Matt nodded.

A few minutes, later when Matt's mom came to his door to let them know that the Macaroons were ready, she found them having fun, Matt was playing a sweet little melody on his dulcimer and Evie was in her stocking feet doing a graceful little dance. Evie had noticed the unusual instrument case and had asked Matt about it. he had taken it out to demonstrate it and she, ever the dancer, hadn't been able to resist dancing to the music

"Sorry to interrupt," said his mother, "The macaroons are ready."

"Oh cool," said Evie pulling her shoes back on,

Matt put his dulcimer back in its case and they headed down the back staircase that led into the kitchen. The aroma of the fresh macaroons was tantalizing. Evie and Matt each took one and sank their teeth into it.

"Oh, these are sooo good," gushed Evie

"I second that motion, mom," Matt grinned with pride

Suddenly they heard laughing and the sound of a horse whinnying outside.

The both turned toward the sound.

"That sounded like Gustdance!" said Matt, "But what would he be doing here?!"

"He somehow always knows where to find me." Said Evie, "The problem is it sounds like those frat boys are outside too."

Matt and Evie rushed to the living room and peered out the front window. What they saw made Evie's blood boil.

A group of frat boys was out there with Gustdance. They were laughing as one of them was trying to climb up on the horse's back!

Matt face palmed

"We've got to stop this before Gustdance gets mad!"

To Be Continued…Let me know what you think!