The Mesh (Raura)

Chapter 19

After a moment or two of blankly staring at him, my face feels all hot.

I turn away slowly.

"It's fine. You can stare at me all you want. Wait, we could have a staring contest. I bet I'll win!", he excitedly says and drinks a bit of his sixth or seventh beer, I think.

I roll my eyes and glare at him. "No, you won't. I'm a winner at everything. "

"I challenge you, Miss Smart Ass Winner. "

"You're so on. "

"Alright. We stare and whoever laughs first, loses. "

"You wanna play it that way? Okay. Let's go. ", I say confidently, as someone who can easily hide their emotions and laughter as well.

"What are they doing?", Diana asks Colton as we start our staring.

"They always bicker and compete about something to prove who's better. It's like you haven't taught your son how to flirt at all. ", Colton comments.

I bite my lip, trying to focus. "Go to hell. "

Ross' eyes are staring into mine intensively and I almost wish to look away but I make myself not give up. I can't be the loser. No.

He then starts making faces and stupid noises and I am barely keeping up with my emotionless face.

"That only shows us how stupid you are. ", I notice.

"You don't say. Why did you almost smile then?"

"How can you tell what's an 'almost smile'?", I bite my lips.

"I saw it in your eyes. "

"Just make babies together already. ", Colton grunts.

"That's your job at the moment but you're doing nothing. ", Ross tells him while staring at me.

"Damn you. It's because Kate.. she was the one who... well.. never mind. ", he groans and begins sulking suddenly. Ross and I keep staring at each other, giving one another confused faces.

"What?", I desperately try not to chuckle. "Tell us. "

"Kate doesn't want it now. I kept pursuing and trying to tell her it will be fine but she just brushes me off. ", Colton drinks. "Stupid women. Just because she carries it inside her for the following nine months and then feeds it until it's like two years old doesn't mean she gets to decide when we will have a kid. "

Ross and I burst out laughing at the same time and Diana joins us as well. We couldn't control it anymore.

"You definitely need help. ", I tell him in between my laughs.

"Besides,", Ross begins and palms his mouth. "How can a baby raise a baby?"

"You jerk. ", Colton shouts at Ross and pushes him.

"Idiot! ", Ross replies to his call out and falls from his chair, holding onto me.

"Let me go! You falling doesn't mean I have to fall too. ", I try to push his hand away from my shirt.

"Yes it does. ", he shakes me on my chair and I slip to the floor, on my butt.

"Aw. It's a group fall. ", Colton lies on the floor next to us.

I glare at him. "This wouldn't have happened if there wasn't for you. ", my eyes shift towards Ross. "I guess our contest was interrupted."

"We'll do a rematch. ", he says.

"Will you guys be staying the night here? ", Ross' mom looks at our faces pleadingly.

"Do we have classes tomorrow?", Colton asks.

"No. You should be aware of that at least. Don't you ever listen?", I complain as I sit back in my chair.

"Then we can. ", Ross answers his mom's question.

"You could call Kate too. So she doesn't feel left out. ", Diana says.

"You know Kate?", I am surprised.

She takes a sip of her wine. "Well, her and Colton have been going out ever since second year of highschool. Ever since, they were inseparable. Of course I met her. "

"That was the beginning of my third wheeling. ", Ross rolls his eyes.

I giggle at his response and he looks at me.

"It's not funny. She stole Colton from me. Now you are stealing my mom. You women are just dangerous creatures. "

"It's all nothing until a woman steals your heart, Ross. ", Diana winks at her son.

He stares at her dumbfounded. "I prefer my heart staying in my chest, keeping me alive. "

"Stupid blonde. ", I notice and drink the last bit of my wine. "You already have a girlfriend."

Colton then invites Kate and she accepts. He says he'll go meet her on the halfway and walk her here. That's how he leaves. Diana, Ross and I stay on the terrace talking for a few minutes before she stands up and yawns.

"I'm going to sleep. It's ten already. Crap. I get up at five thirty. ", she looks at us. "You guys are not babies, you'll be fine without me, I hope. If you want more drinks, they're on the shelf in the livingroom. "

"Okay. ", Ross says.

I don't say anything. I just nod. My chest feels tight already from the thought of being alone with Ross for a while.

"Alright. Good night, honey. ", she kisses his forehead.

Ross looks away, saying 'good night' and Diana walks over to me and surprises me when she does the same to me. "Good night, Laur. I'm so glad you came. "

I blush, feeling embarrassed and smile. "Thank you for having me. Good night. "

Ross' mom walks back to the room and leaves us alone.

Completely. Alone.

I gulp.

Ross lights up a cigarette and looks at me. I frown.

"What?"

"Nothing. ", he says. "You surprise me every day. "

"How so?"

"Well, my mom actually likes you. She doesn't usually like the girls I bring here. ", he notices.

"That's just a coincidence. Her and my mom were best friends long time ago. ", I say.

"Doesn't matter, trust me. If she dislikes you right away you could be Obama's daughter and she won't give a fuck about you. "

I chuckle. "We are kinda alike. "

"I know. That's what I noticed first about you. ", he looks me in the eyes.

"Should that worry me?"

"No. I like it. ", he smiles and pushes the cigarette closer to me. I take it.

"Thanks. "

"I have a problem. ", Ross looks up at the sky.

His statement surprises me since he never talks about his problems to me but usually solves mines. I feel excited to try to help and flattered that he's sharing it with me.

"What's wrong?", my heart beats fast as I ask.

"I.. ", he rubs his chin and sighs.

"It's okay. I know we are both light headed so take it easy. ", I smile and he looks at me.

His stare fills me up and I feel exposed when those darkened hazel eyes stay on me. My smile is obviously contagious because he mirrors it.

"You're so cute. "

My face heats up immediately and I feel like fainting. The intimacy of what he said hits me quick. What did he mean by that? What did you want to accomplish with that sentence, Blondie?

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