the third person

12

ASHER

"This hot chocolate is amazing," I muttered as I lifted the hefty cup to my lips. Del was looking at me sideways.

Jane got up from the floor in the closet. "Here you go." 

I was sitting on a leather armchair, with Del on the arm next to me. Ryan and Mary were sitting in a similar situation in front of us. Del had told Jane we were here to get Olivia's letter and Jane had just flicked us off to the armchair and said she'd look for it. She handed the letter to Del, who snatched it from her hand with a glare.

Jane raised her hands in mock surrender as she fell on the bed. Del tore the envelope and read through the letter, cautiously avoiding it from my eyesight.

A few seconds later she sighed, abruptly tore the letter into pieces, and littered on the floor. 

"Hey, lady, I don't pay for housekeeping," Jane complained as Del left the last bits of the paper on the floor. 

"Why would you hide that from me?" 

"Well, because she asked me to?"

"You're a millionaire, how can you not pay for housekeeping?" Ryan interrupted, and all three girls shot him a glare. "Never mind."

"We're leaving," Del announced after a few seconds, getting up and grabbing me with her. She angrily walked out of Jane's bedroom, into the hall, then halted at the main door to look back. Ryan and Mary were at our toes and Jane was twirling her hair, following them.

"Del?" She called out. 

"What?"

"She still lives at her old house. Alone." 

Del's eyes widened and she turned to face Jane. She opened her mouth to say something but shook her head and walked out. She was still holding my hand as we walked out of Springfield. 

Ryan said he and Mary would take an alternative route which was closer to where they lived while Del and I walked to the road where we'd taken leave of each other a day before.

"Do I get context?" I asked as she left my hand and stuffed hers in her pocket- her thumb dangling out. 

She scoffed. "Olivia was my girlfriend before she broke up with me and started dating Jane. She broke up with me because she thought sneaking around my parents was too difficult." She took a deep breath and halted when we reached the point on the road where we'd have to take different turns. She turned towards me. "Jane doesn't have parents, so I guess that wasn't a problem. But I'd always hated Jane for that. The letter was Olivia telling me that Jane isn't a bad person and she's really very soft and kind, blah blah."

"Why would she hide that from you?"

"Because Jane doesn't want to be seen as pathetic.  She'd rather be feared than loved. She's authoritative, like an evil princess who wants the throne. She let me read that today because I was desperate. I don't think I'm ever gonna see her again."

I pursed my lips and nodded solemnly. "Are you gonna go meet Olivia now?"

She shook her head. "I'm going home."

When I frowned, she said, "I don't want to go there again. Not with her." She shot me a wink. "Think I'm gonna lay off women for some time."

I chuckled and she suddenly reached forward and wrapped her arms around me. My eyes widened. "Uh, whoa, okay."

She pulled me in tighter and I let out an embarrassing squeak, causing her to laugh. 

"Shut up," I murmured, trying to keep my breathing in toe. 

She gave me a peck on my right cheek, causing me to flush. When she saw the color that had risen in my cheeks, she kissed me on my left one too. I burst out laughing, pushing her away playfully.

"Okay? What were those for?"

Del shrugged. "I'm jus' a hugger that's all."

I blinked at her. "Did you just try to fake a British accent?"

"Did it work?"

"No?"

She sighed, "Okay, I'll go now." 

With that, she'd turned around and walked away. She turned back a total of 3 times. I stood there and laughed each time she did, and started to walk away only when she disappeared out of sight.

I jumped in surprise when I heard the screech of bicycle tires behind me. Art circled in front of me and smiled. I frowned at him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. 

He pointed at the grocery bag on the bicycle handle and gestured at me to sit behind him. I obliged and soon we were riding off to our house. 

"Was that Delilah James?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Did you sneak into Springfield?"

"Did you run into Ryan on your way here?"

He didn't answer, and I took that as a yes. 

"Are you dating Delilah James?" He asked.

I groaned in reply. "Did you overhear that conversation?"

"You look cute when you blush, brother."

"Oh, shut up."

"Answer the question, though."

"No. Not yet."

"Not yet?"

"Yes, Art."

The tires screeched from both of our weights again when Art pushed the brakes and stopped in front of our apartment. 

"You should stop stealing Hannah's bike," I muttered as he jumped off the bike and parked it in its place. 

He gave me a look. "It's not stealing, it's borrowing. And she wouldn't mind me."

"Yeah, but she'd mind me." 

Art shrugged as we climbed the staircase to reach our apartment. "Your ex, your problem."

I rolled my eyes. 

"And you should never date your neighbors, you know? That is probably an important piece of information in some wise book."

"If you don't shut the hell up-"

"Okay, okay."