Tricks of Love (Second Book of "Fire and Ice" series)

CH. 6 Confusing words

“No, it’s ok, I don’t take it as an offence. It’s true they’re, uhm, stuck-up and well, pompous. Boy, she likes Travis only because he’s Michelle’s son and same for you and your family, only because apparently they know your father’s business. Mother especially is a huge snob and cannot stand her most of the time. She always stresses me with etiquette, manners and things like that…even during breakfast.” I sighed and dropped back on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

Then his smiling and handsome face popped in front of me and quite close, making me blush and cough out of embarrassment.

“Sounds like a nightmare to have to mind manners even at breakfast. That would drive me completely nuts. See, you have many talents, as I said.”

“I, uhm, well, I don’t think so, but…thank you I guess. In some things you’re similar to Travis.”

“Oh well I suppose both of us are quite out-going, but in what else do you think we are similar? ‘Cause sure I’m not such a horn dog, hmm, maybe I am. Girls never complained about that, but got slapped more than once for my lack of romance and tact.” He burst out laughing and didn’t know what to do, if to laugh with him picturing the sort of comic situation of a girl slapping someone as huge as Dima or to cry thinking about him with a girl.

Boy, it’s so complicated and depressing sometimes to be friend with the guy you like.

“Uhm, they seriously slapped you?” Couldn’t believe it and the question just blurted out loud.

“Yeah, can you believe it? They can be such a pain in the neck sometimes, especially if you forget a particular date or confuse a name or whatever else. Most in our school are just attracted by the fact I’m one of the smartass hockey players, that I have muscles and a babe for car.” He shrugged his broad shoulders and leaned back beside me, resting the weight of his body on the elbow, still staring at me with smiling eyes.

“Uhm, well, it’s not nice if you mix names, that’s actually quite, uhm, sorry to say it, but rude.”

I blushed for what I just said and then apologized again, because I sure didn’t mean to judge him or anything. I knew he was a wonderful guy, just with a short memory for names, which made him even more funny. 

Boy, was I gone for Dima.

“Hey, relax Jas. You could send me to hell and I couldn’t care less. I mean, I wouldn’t mind it. Seriously, tell me whatever you want, no need to worry it might offend me.  I know it’s not nice sometimes, but hey, don’t care much about it, but you wanna know something funny? I remembered your name at first.” A wider and carefree grin spread on his face as if the idea amused him. That actually, uhm, shocked me. Did he really remember such a, uhm, thing? “Aside it’s almost impossible to annoy me, with you it’s another story man.”

Again, here we go again.

He…he had no idea what his words meant for me and how they felt like a constant teasing, confusing me and my thoughts, my feelings and giving me hope a moment and destroying it the following one. Boy, I had no idea what to do about this whole situation. The more I spent time with Dima, the more I crushed for him and liked him more than bearable.

“What do you mean with me it’s another story?” Oh boy, what had I just asked? Oh boy, will he think something is fishy here? Oh boy…what couldn’t I keep my mouth shut??

“Don’t know exactly how to explain it, you know I suck in this stuff, but it’s like with my friends and at the same time different. I mean, we have the same carefree and open friendship and I trust you and like spending time with you, just like with my best buddies, but you have something else. You’re quiet, calm, relaxing, never get mad at me for my lack of tact, if I get angry and you’re around I smooth down immediately, like before.”