[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/EZnGtpH.png[/img]
[hr][/center][color=00a99d][i]What am I even doing here?[/i][/color]

Brandon had asked himself that question a dozen times on the drive over. The mansion was in an area that Brandon had never really driven to, nor did he have any idea how people could live in houses as large as the ones in this area. Brandon's own home was barely larger than a two-story trailer, and it seemed more than adequate for the six people who lived there, especially now that the other three had either moved out or to college. These last two years were the first time Brandon had ever experienced having a bathroom to himself, and now he was going to spend a summer in an estate that likely held more bathrooms than Brandon had visited in his entire life. 

The drive had lasted about a half hour with Brandon's knuckles turning white with trepidation before he was even halfway there. His navy duffel had been carefully packed with everything he could conceivably need, including his laptop and some reading material. He hoped that the stay would be interesting enough that the books would remain unread, but at the very least, his copy of [i]The Lord of the Rings[/i] in Spanish would keep him interested if he were ignored by the group. He had no idea how many people would show up or what they were planning, and the unknown both excited and terrified him. His parents had essentially given him a blank check to act as he saw fit for the entire summer, and for the first time, he was alone.

Brandon's first thought was he should get a gift for Elizabeth for inviting them. As he drove through town, a Farmer's Market caught his eye, and he purchased a bundle of a dozen roses, complete with baby's breath and other greenery that he didn't recognize. The flowers seemed fairly expensive to him, but he was unaccustomed to purchasing gifts, especially ones for girls. The florist gave him a wink as he paid with his debit card, and Brandon blushed in response. It might have looked as if he were buying flowers for a girlfriend, if he were only so lucky. 

The final leg of the journey brought him to the mansion, and his jaw dropped as he saw the flowers in full bloom in the garden around him. Perhaps his gift was a bit poorly planned out. He didn't even know where he should park his car, as the beat-up blue Focus definitely did not match the decor of its new surroundings. He stopped in front of the main door and sat in the car, trying to calm his nerves for a few moments. [color=00a99d][i]Okay. I can do this. These are my friends, after all.[/i][/color]

Brandon stepped out of the car before collecting his bag and the new gift, then approached the front door. He looked around at the yard, still in complete awe about the sheer size of the area. He stood there for a couple of minutes, simply taking in his surroundings without knocking on the door, partially out of nervousness, but mostly out of wonder.