"A New Addition to the Family"

The Birch family was bustling around the kitchen, preparing for the arrival of their son Nick's best friend, Andrew Glouberman. For years, Nick had been talking about Andrew, and finally, after countless requests, Andrew's parents had agreed to let him spend every weekend at the Birch's luxurious house. Mrs. Birch was busy making Andrew's favorite food, pizza, while Mr. Birch was setting up the guest room. Nick was practically bouncing with excitement, hardly able to contain his enthusiasm. As the doorbell rang, Nick rushed to answer it, with Leah lazily walking behind him, her eyes fixed on her phone. Judd, who had been avoiding the rest of the family, was sitting in his room, trying to escape the chaos. But when he heard the commotion, he couldn't help but be drawn to it. He parted from his isolation, making his way downstairs, curiosity getting the better of him. When Andrew walked in, the family was immediately struck by his appearance. He was a bit on the shorter side, with short, fluffy brown hair and large brown eyes that sparkled behind his black-framed glasses. He was wearing a green sweater and blue jeans, and his smile was warm and genuine. Mr. and Mrs. Birch exchanged a surprised glance; they had expected someone a bit more... unruly, given Nick's reputation. Andrew's eyes widened slightly as he took in the opulent surroundings. He looked a bit out of place, but his smile never wavered. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Birch," he said, his voice a bit shy. "Thanks for having me over." Nick interrupted, bouncing up and down like a rubber ball. "Dad, Mom, this is Andrew! My best friend in the whole world!" Mr. and Mrs. Birch welcomed Andrew warmly, and Mrs. Birch showed him to the guest room. Leah barely acknowledged Andrew's presence, mumbling a quick hello before disappearing into her room. Judd, however, was a different story. He had been watching Andrew from afar, his eyes fixed on the boy's features. He was taken aback by Andrew's beauty, his heart skipping a beat. Judd had always been a bit of a loner, and his interactions with people were often... strained. But there was something about Andrew that drew him in. He felt a sudden urge to be near the boy, to talk to him, to get to know him better. But he pushed the feeling aside, not wanting to be too forward. For now, he would just observe. As the family sat down to dinner, Andrew was the center of attention. Nick dominated the conversation, talking about his and Andrew's plans for the weekend. Andrew listened intently, his eyes lighting up when he spoke about his favorite subjects. Judd watched him, his gaze intense, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't quite process. As the night wore on, Andrew began to relax, feeling more at ease with the Birch family. But Judd's eyes never left him, burning with an intensity that Andrew couldn't quite notice... yet. The stage was set for a weekend that would change everything.