Uncharmed

Chapter 5: Fall

After a moment, everyone, Tania a few seconds behind the others, turned their gaze towards Theron, who was frowning. He shrugged and tapped his chest with his index finger. The others turned to look at Alex who nodded once after a moment’s contemplation.

Sighing, Theron got up and answered the door. “Can I help you?” He asked, blocking the view of the room with his body.

“Is Alex in?” A high female voice asked.

“Alex?” Theron said, shifting his body in such a way that he now had a view of the vampire without giving the woman at the door the ability to see around him. If ever Tania had wondered who the leader of this little group was, she now had her answer as Alex nodded again and Theron moved out of the way, saying “Yeah he’s on the far couch.”

A short lean figure slipped into the room, glanced about swiftly and then darted over to where Alex, Tania and Ilana sat. “It’s Mara isn’t it?” Alex asked as the girl came to stand beside him.

The brown-haired girl smiled. “Yep.”

“What can I do for you?” He asked with his usual charm.

“Well you see our club’s having this bachelor auction and we thought you’d be like the perfect headliner for the event because, of course, everyone would want to buy you,” She explained, smiling flirtatiously.

Alex shook his head, looking regretful. “I’m sorry I can’t. You know my rule. I don’t get involved with any sports team, club or other student society,” He told her before smiling as she pouted. “If I helped you then I’d have to help everyone and that’d be bothersome. It’d make a serious dent into the time I have to spend with lovely ladies such as yourself.”

“Are you sure?”

At this point Tania was having difficulty keeping a straight face because behind Mara’s back, Ilana kept making gagging faces and pretending to choke while Kayne kept mimicking Mara. Theron and Aiden were shaking with silent laughter as they watched.

“Yes. I’m sorry to disappoint you. I do hate to upset pretty girls.”

Dimpling and batting her eyelashes, Mara replied “We just thought we’d ask. I mean you’re so popular and all.”

“Well there’s no harm in asking and it’s always a delight to be visited such an attractive woman.” Alex smiled.

As Mara dimpled again and tossed her hair in a coquettish gesture, Tania finally let a giggle escape. She couldn’t help it. Aiden had joined the game and traced a large speech bubble out of fire that said “Take me Alex. Take me now. I’m yours,” accompanied by little hearts above the girl’s head.

Mara frowned and looked at Tania, who was struggling to regain her composure while the others already looked completely normal, apparently used to this. “Is something wrong?” She asked.

Tania shook her head. “I just remembered a joke my friends told me earlier today,” she replied, lips twitching as she fought down her giggles. Aiden had changed the words. Now the bubble read “Stay away from my man, bitch. I’ll cut you.”

“Well then I’ll see you later Alex,” Mara said before she, with a little too much sway of her hips Tania thought, walked out the door.

Theron held up his hand and everyone sat perfectly still. Moments turned into minutes before he finally put his hand down and all six of them burst out laughing. “Oh God did you see how she walked out the room?” Theron howled.

“Aiden that was priceless!” Tania gasped as she struggled to breathe between bouts of laughter. “I swear that’s what she was thinking.”

“I thought I was going to break a rib trying not to laugh,” Kayne snickered.