After what I felt was Mom grieving out her lifelong regrets, we sat down and I could see the triplets visibly excited.
"Are you guys all jittery for Chloe... gross."
Felix replied, "Hehe, little Luna, you wouldn't understand. When one becomes a certain age, a certain feeling can well up in one's heart. Some dare say this feeling is a potent as hard dr—cough I mean, eating all the candy in the world."
So basically, the 3 of them love Chloe.
Is this becoming a reverse harem love story?
While I wouldn't outright dismiss the genre itself, if there weren't something else going on or at least really good art, it'd be a hard pass for me.
But... if I were reading harem books as a teen, would my family be worried about me?
I mean, imagine you have a teenage daughter stuck in her bed all day reading harem novels.
I mean, a reasonable parent would become a little concerned, right?
"So you guys wanna be all lovey dovey with Chloe? You know that's gross right? You'll get cooties."
"Where'd she even learn that?"
"Did one of us say it around the house at some point?"
"It wasn't me guys, I swear."
Look at them whispering over there, acting all secretive.
They're lucky I'm not on field for the pre-match interview they'll do with Dad. I'd be making the most embarrassing moments in their lives by accident 'Oh, who's here with me today? It's my Mom, brothers and the girl they like, hi Chloe.'
I'd do something like that and then they'd be careful with what they say in the future.
"So what's your guys' plan? Woo her with your looks, showing off your big brains or maybe it's showing what great big brothers you are, so she can see your caring sides."
Tim replied, "Hell naw, we're gonna arm wrestle and beat her so bad she'll think 'wow they're so strong.'"
Mom who was pretending not to listen, perked up at Hell naw, but got excited when she heard of the arm wrestling plan.
Luna Leonidas
When she looked over at me she attempted to give me a serious look, but at my face, she ended up smirking and put her finger to her mouth, giving me the hush signal.
Hehe, these idiot brothers of mine are going to fail so hard.
Chloe's going to despise them and maybe by extension she'll leave me alone.
What a foolproof plan, what kind of 9-year-old would look to hang out with 3 annoying brothers all trying to cling to her, just to talk to a 4-year-old?
I know I wouldn't.
"There she is."
And speak of the devil and they come.
I see Chloe and her parents coming over.
Well, before I could even think of signalling them over, my triplet brothers were way ahead of me, running over to kindly escort them to where we were, while all trying to get Chloe's attention.
They know they could just... talk to her right?
The delusions and anxiety felt as a child toward a crush was something I had once experienced and...
Wait, I was completely mute back then.
Maybe I shouldn't hate on them so much...
Just remembering my awkward fumbling of asking a girl out to learn that they were lesbian, was quite the shock, but when in love, one's view of said crush tends to be a bit distorted.
"Hey Luna, you're still so cute, just like your mother."
"She's the spitting image of you, Teresa and even the same hairstyle too."
Chloe's parents, who were good friends of my parents, gushed over me as per usual.
Chloe is what most would call a family friend; your parents are friends and their children are born at the same time.
From a parent's perspective, who wouldn't want them to become best friends just like themselves.
"Luna, Luna. Have you seen the latest episode of Sparkle World? Deatrix was so cool and she was just like you, so brave and not caring what others said about her at all. She wore an eyepatch and they were making fun of her for having no eyeball, but then at the big reveal, she revealed that it was actually because her eyes were too pretty. She was stuck living a life of hiding due to her own overwhelming power. Isn't that saddening, Luna? Not to mention that in the episode..."
Oh my god, it just goes on and on and on...
"Chloe we saw it too. To be honest, I thought Deatrix was cool before the reveal."
"Me too."
"Me three, but to be honest, I thought it was less cool when she removed it."
And look at the triplets go.
One might logically wonder how three boys could like the same girl.
While not impossible, it's not like it's a very likely outcome, especially when she's not the school beauty or some other ridiculous moniker for attractive woman.
The sad truth is that Chloe is the only girl they have as an actual friend.
As they go to an all boys school and therefore are lacking in male to female interactions.
"Luna what did you think of Deatrix?"
"Chloe, I don't watch that sparkle show. I've been playing chess and my Dad made a bet with me, so I need to get really good at chess for the next year."
From the corner of my eye, I could see my Mother giving a surprised look at the mention of the bet.
"But Lunnaaaaa. We're girls, you can't be into all that boyish stuff. I already have Felix and Tim being as tall as skyscrapers and playing soccer all day, like why can't they play with dolls or do makeup."
"Uh, what about Seb?"
"Oh yeah, the same for him."
Man, Seb needs to up his presence.
"Well, Chloe, as a privilege of knowing me at the moment, I'll let you in on a little secret."
"Ooooo, a secret, tell me, tell me."
"Shush, keep it down it's a secret after all."
Hehe, information gathering and ratting out my brothers at the same time.
"Come close. I met this tall guy earlier, Alex Daebel. Have you heard of him? If you tell me some good info, I can let you know of someone who likes you."
Chloe perked up at the mention of Alex but not at her own potential partner.
How strange.
"I think some of my friends at school talked about him coming to Australia and that marrying him would be a quick way to the easy life of a housewife. He seems like a nice guy who has a rich family. Luna, you don't like this guy, do you? The age gap is a bit much."
...I'm a 4-year-old. I don't think any child at this age even knows the difference between like and love anyway.
"I don't like him, don't worry. But he really likes my Dad and then he snuck into the players' room to try and meet him and I was grouped with him in the process and punished. Then later on, we argued a bit and he said I wasn't a Leonidas because I'm a girl, so I hit him a bunch and then Dad came in screaming at him and got security."
"Oh my, so that's why you're here. I thought I was going to be stuck with the love-struck fools."
...
...She already knows my brothers like her?
"You weren't going to say 'My brothers really like you, so you should go on a date with them, were you?'"
"Well... no, I don't even think they like you at all. In fact, earlier, they called you ugly and short."
snifff, whimper, snf
She's not actually sad, is she?
whimper, snifff,
"Uhh... Chloe, I was kidding, they really, really like you. They were saying that they wanted to marry you and worship you as a princess for life. Felix specifically said 'I'll beat her up so badly she'll fall in love with—"
As I was busy accidentally destroying all social cred my brothers had with Chloe.
Felix, Seb and Tim all rushed over to cover my mouth to make me stop talking.
"Shut your lying mouth up Luna!"
"Oh... what's this, Felix? You wanted to beat me up. Was it?"
Where did her sniffles and crying face go?
Was she faking it...
"No no no, I just wanted to arm wrestle to show off my strength."
"Are you calling my little Luna over here a liar?"
My little Luna?
""YES!""
"Luna lies without a second's thought."
"The art of lying Dad taught us, is strong in Luna... Way too strong."
"Tim, I don't lie. Lying is bad after all."
"There's no way Luna doesn't even know what lying is." Nice save Chloe.
The triplets convened an emergency meeting and huddled up.
whisper whisper whisper
Felix, the spokesperson of the group, spoke, "We as Leonidas Triplets Inc. have decided henceforth that Luna will be dubbed Lying Luna or Luna Liar."
"Hey Chloe, you want to know about the one time I caught Felix playing with dolls?"
"Oh, why yes, I would like to hear about that. Anything on Seb and Tim?"
"Do I have anything? Have you seen these guys before? I have embarrassing stories for days about these meanies."
""No Lying Luna, we're sorry!""
* * *
Off in the far distance (3 seats away) Teresa and Chloe's parents were chatting.
"Look how much fun they're having, they're so animated."
"You're not wrong but sadly, it seems to be for the wrong reasons. I wish Luna would be more considerate of her brothers."
"At that age, all of them are scared of cooties; she'll be fine."
"Is there even a chance Chloe likes any of my sons... This just seems too sad."
"Well... not the one that'd be possible."
"..."