"So you're related to Tyler Montenegro?" Luke asks as we approach a wooden picnic table farthest away from other students, who are all staring at me like if I'm new species or just completely lost my marbles; which I'm also thinking at the back of my mind. I mean, people like me definitely never mingle with people like them, it's the way of life. But the universe decided to play a cruel trick on me today, punishing me for eating Brenda's Oreo cookies last week while she slept over.
"Yeah, he's my older brother." I nod shyly, shoving a stran of straight brownish red hair behind my ear with a shy shrug. I can feel everyone's eyes burning holes into my back, watching my every move to see if I'll do something idiotic in front of the football players.
"And Vincent Jimenez's girl." Luke adds with a perfectly shaped eyebrow arched in a questioning manner. I could hear curiosity in his voice with an edge, as if that mere title is something horrendous.
"No, no. He's just a friend." I correct him, shaking my head hastily, once again sending my hair flying around me. The cool wind has picked up speed since this morning, it wasn't as unbearable but it did bite against my skin a bit. I happily snuggle into the warm sweater and slide the hood on to the top of my head, trying to block the wind off my face and also the burning gazes of all the wondering eyes that seem to be following all day.
"Oh, for being just a friend he sure was protective." Isaac chuckles in fake amusement, unwrapping a sandwich he pulls from his bag and taking a huge bite after butting into the conversation.
"Yeah, he's like another older brother to me." I smile at the thought of Vince. If it wasn't for him, who knows where Ty and I would have been after the accident of my father's death. I'll be forever grateful to him for not letting us go deep into sorrow. He helped us not fall apart and became our rock that kept us in sanity.
"I can't believe you ditched us!" I hear Caleb yell from behind. We turn in our seats to the direction his voice came from to see the guys all fixing their black shirts and messy hair. Caleb is pulling his gray hood up to shield his face from the cold as the other guys seemed immune to the chilly weather.
"We didn't want to be around you idiots." Isaac shrugs, taking another bite from his homemade chicken sandwich. The guys all follow his lead once they reach us and take a seat in the vacant chairs and each pull out their siren calling lunches and dig in within seconds as I watch the delicious meals eaten right in front of my starving eyes.
"Where's your lunch Jules?" Nick asked after swallowing a bite of his blueberry pie slice. How did he manage to not have sauce on his lips is beyond me.
"I didn't get to buy one." I inform him nonchalantly, hoping he doesn't hear my growling stomach. I avert my eyes down at the empty table in front of me with a sad expression and try to shield my face from them as I think about the beautiful moments I share with any food.
I debate about going back into the building but there's no way in going in there by myself.
1) the lines going to be huge by now so I won't be able to eat at all anyways and 2) I don't want all those questioning glares on me for a little while longer especially when I'm by myself.
"Here." I look up to see Isaac offer me his extra chicken sandwich from across the table like it's no big deal. I look from the mouthwatering sandwich to his captivating ocean blue eyes, waiting for him to pull his arm back and say 'just kidding!'.
"Oh, no. I can't eat your lunch." I shake my head, trying to slide it back to him with a sheepish but utterly grateful smile. I see his eyes flare when I smile up at him with some type of look in his eyes before slightly shaking his head and seeming to come back to earth.
"Don't worry about it." He smiles, grabbing my hand firmly but gently in his strong, callouse hand before placing the cold sandwich in my tiny palm and pushing it closer to me. I give him a grateful smile again and quickly unwrap it with unknown hunger, not thinking about rejecting it once more. A moan escapes my lips when I took a my first huge bite. Boy, this was delicious! The flavor was exquisite, chipotle mayo bursting into my mouth with the deliciously cooked chicken seasoned with a light Parmesan garlic! I realized I had closed my eyes unconsciously as I enjoy the mouthwatering taste dancing in my mouth. I quickly open my eyes and see all the guys looking at me with pursed lips and laughing eyes.
"What?" I ask, tilting my head to side in fake innocence.
"I've never heard a girl moan because of a sandwich." Caleb laughs, the sly look back on his face. I swear this boy is a complete perv.
"I love food, sue me." I say rolling my eyes and going for another bite from this tasty sandwich.
"JULIANNA KATALINA ARIANNA MONTENEGRO!" My face pales when I hear my entire birth given name being called from the other side of the courtyard. Only one person knows my full name and only uses it when I am tremendous trouble. It feels as if everything and everyone freezes and all the noise completely disappears, but I know nobody's honestly paying us any mind, it's just the dread coursing through me as I waited my death to near.
"Who's that?" Jared asks curiously, leaning around me to spot the person.
"Your full name is Julianna Katalina Arianna Montenegro?" Caleb asks, eyebrows raised in astonishment. I ignore his question and look to see very furious Brenda storming my way with a tray piled of food in her hands. Everyone watches carefully as she comes closer to our table until she halts right in front of me, a deadly look in her eyes that made me almost pee myself then and there.
"I can explain." I say hurriedly with wide panicked eyes and wave my hands infant of me as if to proof my innocence.
"Oh, I bet." Brenda snaps, making me flinch closer to Jared for protection. Facing an angry Brenda is like facing off a hungry shark with beautiful red hair, just waiting for an opportunity attack.
"Dianne was being rude to me and Jared came to my rescue. But then he dragged me away and his friends invited me to have lunch with them. I tried looking for you in the hallway but I didn't find you so I assumed you either went home for lunch and forgot to tell me or you were taking a test." I rush out past my trembling lips, trying to explain in one breath. It seems like Brenda barely realized the five guys sitting with me at the table because soon her face became beat red with embarrassment and the anger faded.
"Oh, sorry for yelling." She smiles apologetically at me.
"Don't worry about it. You're forgiven because of the food." I smile scooting closer to Jared and motion for her to sit on my other side.
"I grabbed you Chinese food, supreme pizza and a Sprite." Brenda said handing me my food with a fork before setting her chicken ceasar salad in from of her and opening the lid and spreading ranch over it. How girls can be content with merely a salad I'll never know.
"I love you." I beam looking down at my delicious meal with hungry eyes. I can feel my mouth water at the delicious aroma rising from the freshly cooked food.
"You weren't kidding about food." Nick breathes astonishment, staring at my food wide-eyed probably thinking I won't finish it.
"Nope." I say picking up my slice of pizza and began munching out.
Mmm delicious!
"Hi, I'm her best friend Brenda." Brenda announces, introducing herself to the guys once everyone picks up their meals and conversations continue. The guys all say their hellos and politely introduce themselves as well before beginning to dig in once again. Who knew the Fantastic Five were actually sociable and nice?
Throughout the rest of the day, people gawk at the sight of guys walking around the halls with Brenda and I. People seem shell-shocked to see the schools hottest guys hanging around the nerds. I would be astonished too, if I were in their place. The guys are simply amazing. I can never seem to find a dull moment when I'm around them. It amazes me how quickly we became friends compared to the other times they simply ignore people who asked to be their friends merely for a statues. I want a true bond with them, for as long as I can hold on to it.
"Where are you guys headed?" Caleb asks besides me as we finally left this torture place people call school.
"I have to go home." I said smiling up at him. We stroll to the student parking lot where people were making a dash for their vehicle, hoping to beat the traffic jam.
"I have to go tutor at the public library." Brenda sighs, pulling her shoulder length hair into a high ponytail.
"You guys suck." Caleb pouts at the ground with a frown taking over his gorgeous features.
"Hey Romeo, hurry it up!" We all snap our heads to see Nick, Isaac and Jared standing next to a black Ford 150s truck with tinted window and huge wheels.
"You guys need a ride?" Caleb asks looking at us and completely ignoring his friends.
"Nah, my moms already here." Brenda declines, waving at her mother as she stops in front of us in her mini van. "Bye guys." She gives us a quick hug before jumping in the crimson red van. I watch as she gave her mom a kiss on the cheek before buckling in and waving bye, quickly leaving the packed parking lot.
"How about you Cutie?" Caleb asks me. I really didn't want him to know where I have to stop before going home, but looking at the way the clouds are darkening so quickly, it seems like I have no choice but to accept.
"If you don't mind. I need to stop by a place before going home though." I explain with vague details while biting on my lower lip in worry. I can't help it, I do that when I'm uncertain of a situation. At least I don't bite my nails, that would not look pretty. Not that I'm judging or anything, I just can't wrap my head around that habit.
"I don't mind." Caleb smiles. He gently grabs my arm without another word and directs me to where the guys are still leaning against his truck, unbothered by the long wait we made them endure.
"Took you long enough." Isaac breathes, exhaling disgusting grayish smoke into our already polluted air. He drops his cigarette bud on the concrete floor and stomps it out with his sneaker. I can't help but scrunch my nose at the smell of cigarettes. I've seen Isaac smoke throughout all our high school years, but I've never thought anything of it, till now. I mean, I have nothing against people who do , but why smoke a cancer stick? It's like you're just handing yourself over to it and inviting it to mess up your lungs.
"Sorry, I was offering Julie a ride." We all pile into the car with me somehow ending up in the passengers seat and Caleb in the drivers. The rest of the guys climb in the back, completely smooched together thanks to being so bulked. The clouds start to let down a light drizzle as we pull out of the parking spot and exit school grounds. Everyone seems to be eager to get out of school grounds and into freedom because the lot was now practically empty.
"Can you drop me off first? I have to go get my gear for practice." Jared asks, poking his head in between our seats and galcnign between Caleb and me.
"Sure." Caleb nods, turning his right turn signal on. We were on the richer side of town now, big three story houses passing by and getting bigger and wider down the road. We soon came to a stop in front of a brick mansion with gates that led up to the double door entrance of the huge house. The lawn was a beautiful green with rose bushes surrounding the steps leading to the double doors. There's a water fountain with a statue of a Greek woman in a toga dress holding up a rose where the water then flows out of it and falls into the fountain. The driveway split into two, curving around the beautiful fountain and reconnect just before the steps.
"Thanks man. See ya later Jules." Jared bids his goodbyes to the guys and hops out. We wait until he runs past the gates and up the long drive way. As soon as he steps inside his home Caleb starts the engine again changes the radio station.
"Where to next?" Caleb asked pulling away from the curb and heading back down the road.
"I got nothing to do at home." Nick sighs scooting to the window seat and rests his head on the cool glass to gaze out to the view.
"Me either." Isaac says, looking out the window as raindrops slowly slide down the glass in unsyncronized patterns.
"Where do you need to go?" Caleb asks me. I quickly type in the address to the nursery and he follows the woman's directions without another question, completely focusing on the wet road ahead. Rap music was playing in the background, filling the empty truck with some noise.
"Why are we going to a day care nursery?" Nick questions while squinting his eyes at the tiny screen on the clean dashboard.
"I, uh need to go pick someone up." I reply vaguely. I can feel my heartbeat start to accelerate with every street we turn. I have no idea how they will react if they find out who I'm picking up. Only three people know about him, I don't need five more knowing in on this. I've managed to keep it on the down low for so long, I don't want anything risking Drew being taken from me.
"Like who?" Nick asked curiously. I inhale a gush of air as we parked in front of the day care at last.
"Want me to come in with you?" Nick asks gently, already unbuckling his seatbelt in the back.
"NO, no. its okay. Thanks for the ride, I can walk home from here." I quickly thank Caleb as I unbuckle my seat belt and reach for the door handle, eager to escape into the daycare and away from them.
"No way, it's still raining." He smiles dismissibly at my suggestion and turns the car off before undoing his seatbelt as well as Isaac. I give up and heave the door open as cool wind greets me. Rain drenches me with in seconds after hopping out of the warm truck and we all bolt to the inviting, dry building, me tailing last of course. Stupid athletes.
"Hello, how can I hel-oh Julianna, you've made it just in time. Drew was just beginning to cry." Kelly, the day care owner greets, smiling at me when I finally come into view behind the mammoth bodies of the guys. Her strawberry blond hair is tied into a professional looking bun at the top of her head with a bow nicely clipped into place. Her kind brown eyes were looking at all of us in curiosity as we walk further in the brightly decorated lobby. The lighting makes it look brighter inside, the cream walls covered in beautiful landscape painting with different sceneries.
"Thanks Kelly, sorry I took so long." I smile at her, making my way to the back room where I know Drew will be waiting for me.
"Don't worry about it sweetie." Kelly walks back to the front desk and shuffles through a stack of papers. I stroll my way towards the door that leads me each step closer to my little man. I put a little bit more of a hop in my step, thinking it would get me there quicker and making my heart lighter.
"Um, cutie why are we surrounded by a bunch of kids?" Caleb asks nervously, glancing into a window of a room with pink walls with flower stickers. A bunch of little girls in cute little dresses were sprawled on the carpet covered floor with dollies in their hands. Some were sitting in tiny circles with others and are chatting away while others were coloring in Barbie coloring books.
"And who's Drew?" Isaac pipes in, keeping pace with me easily.I peek up at him to see him already looking at me with a frown, confusion clearly displayed clearly in his gorgeous eyes.
"You guys ask too many questions." I groan, completely forgetting to give them answers and finally reaching the door separating Drew and me. I shove it open to a room full of cribs and wailing babies. I'm sure Kelly is sending someone to check up on them any second. they must be getting the snack ready for the older kids.
"We're curious guys." Nick shrugs, walking around the cribs and peeking a look at all the babies as if he was window shopping.
"Well you know what people say, curiosity killed your virginity." I grin at him triumphantly. The guys all freeze and turn to me, a shocked look on each of their handsome faces.
"Isn't it; curiosity killed the cat." Isaac corrects me slowly, as if he was talking to child. I feel the blush spread on my cheeks, cursing my family for giving me light skin.
"Oh, yeah." I mumble in agreement, walking to the crib that's assigned to Drew. I can hear him baby talking and a smile slowly spread on my lips. I finally lean over and see him focused on his baby hands, twiddling his fingers.
"Hey Drew." I say smiling at him. His big green eyes focus on me as soon as he hears the sound of my voice. His little hands reach out to me in an instant and I swoop him into my arms. Gosh. I miss him so much during the day. I don't know what my life would be without him.
"Is he yours?" I snap my neck to the side and see Isaac leaning against Drew's crib with his arms folded, his eyes trailed directly on the baby in my arms.
"Yes, sort of." I nod, craning my neck back so see Drew's head placed on my chest, his little hand playing with my cross necklace, his little eyes watching it as the light reflects off the silver cross completely intrigued by it.
"What's his full name?" Isaac asks , brushing a loose strain of bronze hair behind my shoulder. A trail of warmth follows the touch of his finger tips as his caress on my cheeks slows, slowly running his hands into Drew's soft waves of hair.
"Andrew Noah Alexandro Montenegro." I say without looking away from the amazing baby in my arms. I can still hear the guys wandering around the room to look at all the babies, as if it were their first time seeing one up close.
"Are you his mommy?" Nick suddenly appears at my side, placing his chin on my shoulder, reaching his hand over and running his fingers softly through Drew's silky black hair.
"I am now." I sigh. Drew picks up his little head at the feeling of someone else touching head and shoots Nick and me an adorable baby smile, showing off his little dimples and his 4 pearly white baby teeth.
"What does that mean?" Isaac frowns, stepping closer to get a better view of Drews baby face. I can see his eyes studying every inch of Drew before studying mine, trying to see how much of a resemblance there is between us.
"It means I'm his guardian and now his mother." I deadpoint, looking him straight in the eyes without batting an eyelash. We stay like that, looking in to each others eyes, neither of us backing down. Nick seems completely oblivious of the stare down happening in front of him as he continues to play with Drew's hair.
"Who's this little player?" Caleb asked grabbing Drew's stubby hands and clapping them together in utter joy. Drew seems to love the new attention because he let out a giggle of delight as the guys play with him.
"Julianna's baby. Andrew Noah Alexandro Montenegro." Isaac said looking away towards Caleb with a casual shrug, as if ou intense stare down didn't even happen.
"Does your family have a thing for extremely long names?" Caleb wonders with a freaked out face. I merely shrug my shoulders and slide Drew's little jacket on after grabbing it off the rows hangers.
"Let's get out of here, it smells like crap." Nick wrinkles his nose in disgust at the smell of dirty diapers and baby formula that fills the air in the room. Him and Caleb grabbed Drew's baby bag that clearly displays his name and baby seat while Isaac still stands next to me watching them with a new frown on his eyebrows. What's with him and frowning all the time? Im starting to think he was born frowning.
We exit the room in seconds and walk back down the narrow hallway leading to the main exit where Kelly was still filling out forms.
"See you tomorrow Julianna." Kelly waves from her desk. I wave goodbye and we make a quick run to the truck. I shut the passenger door and took the baby blanket off Drew's head, letting him see again. His eyes wander around the interior of the truck as the guys got his baby seat settled in the back in the middle seat.
"Can I hold him?" Caleb asks reaching his arms over the center. I carefully lift Drew off my lap and hand him over to an overly eager man. Caleb sits Drew on the steering wheel facing him and holds him steady. "Hey little buddy, how you doing?" Caleb does the last thing I ever expected to see and blows raspberries on Drew's cheek, causing him to squeal in delight at the tickles. My heart does a little summersault at the sight of Caleb holding my little bundle of joy, laughing away as if he's know Drew his whole life.
"So how old is he?" Nick questions, resting his chin on my seat and breaking me out of my trance. I turn in my lather seat to smile at him in pure happiness.
"He's going to be seven months in two weeks." I tell him. I peer over him and see Isaac still fixing the baby seat in the middle seat, pulling the seat belt tight before wiggling the car seat and nods in affirmation when it doesn't budge.
"The seats ready, hand him over." Isaac announces, shoving Nick's face away from the center and leans towards Drew with his arms stretched out to take him. Caleb gently hands him over and starts the car as soon as Drew's securely strapped in. I give Caleb my house address and we ride down the still semi wet roads.
It took ten minutes to arrive at my house from the nursery by car, walking distance is like 30ish minutes.
"Thanks for the lift, sorry you had to go with me to pick up Drew." I apologize to the guys, shoving the door open and hopping out the passenger seat. The engine was turned off before I even shut the door completely and I snap my eyes up to see Caleb unbuckling his belt, within seconds all the doors fly open.
"No worries Julie." Nick waves off my apology with an relaxed smile on his face, climbing out with Drew still strapped in his baby seat as if it weighed nothing.
"Um, do you guys want to come in?" I offer unsureness dripping from my invite, even though they were already heading towards the door as if its the most normal thing in this world.
"If it's no problem." Caleb beams, slinging the blue baby bag over his shoulder without a word. I wave him off and follow behind him and we all strolled through my small front lawn to my tiny two story blue house. I shove the key into lock and let them walk in ahead of me.
"Make yourself at home." I announce hanging my jean jacket on a row of hooks next to the door and kick off my sneakers. The guys follow suit and I lead them to my cozy living room. "Are you guys hungry?" I look at the guys in question. They vigorously nod their head like eager kids at the mention of food while plopping down whereevr they stand.
"I'll order Chinese and pizza, sound good?" They nod again, Nick picking Drew up and sits him on his lap and claps his hands in a tempo. I watch Caleb lean over and whisper something Isaac, too low for Nick or I to hear.
I shrug and head for the kitchen phone to order the food. I had to dig around my junk cabinet for the menus so I could call in my orders, but after few minutes I finally found them at the bottom of junk mail stashed away. I hum Baby by Justin Bieber while I look through the options and start swaying my hips, completely lost to the task at hand.
"Hey." I jump a foot in the air and whirl around to see Isaac staring at me with amused eyes as he leans against the open doorframe that divides the kitchen and living room.
"Geez, you scared the bejeezus out of me." I accuse him, placing a hand on accelerating heart trying its damnest to break free from my body.
"Sorry Julianna. I just came to see if you had anything to drink." He says walking around me to the fridge. He pulls the door open and grabs the lemonade jar I made earlier before leaving for school.
"Cups are on the cabinet over the microwave." I inform him as I turn to make our order. I can feel him moving around, getting the cups, tray of ice, sand see him actually make a bottle for Drew, all the while I'm finishing up the order from the Chinese place who's still needing my address and contact information.
Five minutes later I hang up and head back to the living room, seeing Caleb on his back with Drew laying in his chest with an empty bottle hanging from his tiny fist, his little head resting on his shoulder. Nick is sprawled on the couch, surfing Netflix aimlessly while Isaac was playing on his phone at the corner seat of the couch looking completely at ease in my homey living room.
"Hey, Jared and Luke just finished with football practice and asked to come over. They're getting more food for us. Is that okay?" Caleb asks lifting his head to look my way when he spots me standing in the room, startling me out of my trance.
I can't believe the Bad Boys of Greene Bay High are hanging out in my living room.
*****************************
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