I entered the house I knew all to well. Even though it was one visit I felt like I had come here often as I had memorized the whole layout of downstairs. We were hardly two feet into the house when all of a sudden I started getting my daily torment from Dante.
"Oops my bad..." Dante smirked pushing his way past me inside so I nearly fell to the floor on my butt and if it wasn't for Juli pushing me upright I would've have certainly embarrassed myself and made myself look like a fool. I had to think of a way to get my revenge today, I couldn't be the lazy bum that I always am and leave it for another day.
Today, Haley shall strike.
I mean seriously, this boy is simply asking for a beating or wanting me to get revenge on him so he'll cry like a baby. I have done many, many, many pranks on him.
For example, when we were in fourth grade I told his crush he ate his bogeys and then wiped his hands on his clothes when he had finished picking his nose so when he tried kissing her she screamed in his face before pushing him away and running off.
Another time in sixth grade I stole his diary from his bag that the teacher had told all of us to keep and there was this whole page dedicated to which girl he would go out with so during our assembly I ran on stage when no one was looking and somehow I had successfully made it on the stage and no one made me get down. I then decided to read it out loud saving all the girls from going through the terrible and traumatizing experience.
Another time, during tenth grade I may have 'accidentally' tripped him up so he fell face first into our head teacher's crown jewels. The head teacher was sitting down with the rest of the class as it was drama and Dante had gotten up to go and make a move on one of my old close friends so I had decided to save them from his disgusting presence so I pretended to stretch my leg and let's just say rumour spread that Dante liked the male head teacher.
I laughed before realizing everyone was staring at me very weirdly because I was laughing to myself and I just strugged it off and I gave Dante the deadliest glare I could muster, as he walked away not giving a single glance back. Oh, it had been exactly a year since I last played a prank or got my revenge so he better start acting nice or else the game will start, my enemy, the game will start.
I shook my head and got rid of any evil thoughts and snapped back to reality.
Juli and I quickly took the coats off that the guys had handed to us as a very sweet and kind gesture and we handed it back to them. If it wasn't for them I would be dying of hypothermia and shivering in a cold damp alleyway praying for death to come and give me warmth.
"Thanks, Blake." I blushed stretching my arm out to give his camo army coat back.
As he reached to take it from me his hand brushed against mine giving me butterflies in my stomach and sending small shivers through my hand.
This guy, he made me feel so ... so ... shy and made me feel weak and faint around him. This doesn't always happen you know, I know this because Blake is my first serious crush. I don't think he's one of those stupid high school crushes everyone has but that this was something more.
Too bad, there would always be nothing between us. Friends, just friends ...
I mean, come on he was so gorgeous (both looks and personality) and yet there stood Dante the completely opposite an idiot, fool and a crazy retard. How was this even possible? Two COMPLETE opposites being best friends (Juli and I being an exception).
"What a guy." I sighed not realising what slipped out my mouth about Blake.
"Huh?" Juli said giving me a weird look obviously catching me off guard and hearing something she shouldn't have heard and if she heard it I am pretty sure everyone else heard it too.
"What?" I asked her bewildered trying to brush it off retending nothing had happened.
"You said that out loud." She whispered in my ear giggling. "I think everyone may have heard that."
"Shoot." I cursed smacking my hands over my mouth soon turning a beet root colour. "I'm screwed."
I could instantly feel my heart rate speeding up and the palm of my hands start to sweat a little. Please God, make sure no one heard it especially Dante and please make sure-
"We all know you said that to me, yeah." Dante winked holding his heart kidding around to piss me off. Damn it, the one person who I didn't want to have heard it ... talk about my bad luck.
He was trying to make me angry and let me tell you this it was working because I turned my small hands into fists and I was ready to jump at him and claw his face off. Dante would be getting my revenge one day and when it strikes it won't be so simple but it'll make him sorry. A hundred percent sorry . . . talk about the level of my evilness today. I must have a cold or I must have a flu.
"Over my dead body." I grumbled and turned around so he can face my back because he didn't deserve to look at my face. He was way too cocky as it was he didn't need to make things any worse.
"That can be arranged." He smirked and I turned around in shock as my jaw dropped yet he was standing there as if he said that sort of thing every day as he ran his hand through his hair smiling away. "Do you want to be raped, shot, stabbed or strangled?"
"I'll strangle you!" I snapped and I ran up to him to strangle him with my bare hands so I would have the pleasure of putting him to an end.
However, the hero, Blake, stood between us to stop any actual violence or a fight from breaking out and wrapped his arms around me engulfing me into his warm and comforting chest. On top of that I kind of slammed into him when I had decided to run at Dante and so my face was pressed firmly against his soft yet very muscular chest.
I could get used to this as I snuggled slightly into Blake's chest calming myself down a little.
"Calm down Hal. He's just trying to provoke you and it's working for him, so ignore him." He explained. "Don't pay attention."
I blushed yet again and I could feel the warmth from his arms penetrate into my body and make me feel all soft and flustered. He could do a million wonders to me and I would let him.
Damn, this boy is simply-
"Someone's liking that." Dante winked snapping me out of my daze.
"What?" I snapped releasing myself from Blake's grasp and brushing off invisible dirt from my hips as I took my place next to Juli and completely stopped looking at Blake to avoid any awkward or misleading silence.
"I wasn't talking about you." Dante grinned waving his eyebrows over at Blake and I looked confused and puzzled. "But if the shoe fits..."
So I turned to face Blake to see him staring at the floor blushing a scarlet red and I too blushed realizing that everyone's eyes was on us.
"Is Blakey blushing like a whittle baby?" Chris mocked him in a baby voice and began chuckling holding his stomach.
"What did you say, you retard?" Blake snapped his eyes narrowing towards Chris.
"You heard me, dude." Chris chuckled lessening his laughter but still laughing quite a lot.
"Well what about you and Ju..."
"You guys are funny. I could get to used to this new five of us company. I don't know why but I feel like one more person could perfect our little comedic group of fabulous actors." Juli laughed holding her stomach as well obviously not realising she butt into Blake's sentence and completely cut him off his speech.
I glared into her eyes and when she saw this she instantly stopped and put her hand over her mouth so that she too would not burst into laughter.
"Thanks as well..." Juli forced herself to say to Chris attempting to change the topic. " ...for the coat."
"Just don't want to see someone die near me due to hypothermia." Chris joked then remembered Dante's and my conversation earlier about killing each other and the ways to do it. "Oops."
"Ideas. Mwahaha!" Dante evil chuckled rubbing his hands together.
****************
After taking our shoes of we all followed the jerk into the living room to be greeted with the back of some guy's head who looked an awful lot like Dante.
Who was this guy?
"Yo Jase where's dad?" Dante asked the mysterious man sitting on the couch whose face was yet to be seen, so this was a guy named Jase, I thought to myself using my amazing detective skills I began thinking of any guys I knew called Jase.
"I don't know, he said something about going to a dinner party with a business partner or ice skating, now shut up and lemme watch the match!" He grunted brushing Dante of him as I giggled quietly to myself to see the smug look fall of Dante's face. Oops.
"Get of your flipping ass up bro!" Dante growled obviously his ego was at stake here when I chuckled at him being told what to do and so Dante turned the TV off but I realised what he said as his words registered in my head.
'BRO' Dante had a brother? Well that came as quite a surprise and a BIG shock. I mean I've known Dante since I was a child and I had never seen him with an older brother or any brother actually.
"What the hell was that for?" Jase whined standing up to his full height which was way taller me (but a couple of inches taller than Dante) and finally turning around to face us.
His eyes widened in surprise as he saw all of us standing there like silent statues watching the confrontation between the two brothers unfold. We could've sat down and watched it but I guess we were all too lazy and preferred standing up where we were.
"Huh...we have guests I see, mind introducing me, Dante?" he muttered sheepishly shooting a glare very much similar to mine towards Dante and then turning back to face us (well I think he hadn't met Juli and I because I was sure Chris and Blake being his best mates knew his brother).
"This is my older brother Jase as you all know... just came from London this afternoon ... blah blah blah.." He groaned, not putting much effort into the introductions. I would hate if I had a brother like him because he was just so un ... inhumane like guess.
However, when I saw Jase's face I sucked in a sharp breath as I took in his appearance. The same shining emerald eyes but dirty blonde hair instead of Dante's gorgeous almost midnight black hair. Wait what am I saying? Not gorgeous Haley and not sexy! Definitely not sexy!
His build was amazing as I could see his toned body through his top and skinny jeans.
I couldn't even stop myself at letting my eyes wonder up and down his body or help but oogle at his lopsided, dimpled grin. He looked like something of the daily 'man of your dreams' catalogue but I personally thought Dante and Blake were hotter. Scratch that, maybe he was almost as good looking as Blake.
"Close your mouth, he's 21 tesoro and way out of your league!" Dante commented, snapping me out of my day dreams and bringing a deep blush to my face as I cleared my throat directing a glare towards him in order to divert all the attention.
"I wasn't oogl-"
"Sure you weren't," he smirked.
"I was no-"
"Yes you were!"
"No I wasn't oka-"
"No not okay. That's perverted Haley..." he faked a concerned tone as my blush took on two shades deeper in colour if that was even possible. I could feel my blood begin to boil as I got angrier and angrier.
"Urgh you're so-"
"Handsome and amazing? I know tesoro!" he winked and smirked cockily.
"I was gona say more of a conceited jerk actually!" I retorted holding back the urge to roll my eyes. "Idiot."
"As much as we would all love to continue watching you two lovebirds fight I'm getting kinda hungry," and as if right on cue Blake's stomach grumbled in protest as I hid a blush, "I'm going go get something to eat...you guys want to come?" He asked the others as they nodded eagerly aswell.
SO hungry as if they hadn't eaten in days! What drama queens. I mean could you over exaggerate as much as them ... Because I don't think so.
"Awhhh my lil bro finally hitched himself a girl eh?" Jase winked giving his heart stopping smile as he pulled Dante into a friendly headlock and I laughed watching him writh underneath.
Wait, what?
"Who you talking about?" I asked Jase.
"You. I thought you two were a thing-"
"NOOOO!" Both Dante and I shuddered in disgust of the thought and I think I just got me tally scarred because saying that about someone's enemy is just ... ewh!
"My bad, then I see she's single and ready to mingle." He flirted sending a wink my way obviously just messing around.
As much as I would have loved to stand there and watch Dante in pain I needed to get to the kitchen. For all I knew Blake was thinking the completely opposite of what he should be! I was not flirting with anyone, in fact I wanted to flirt with Blake but I didn't know how to... call me an idiot if you want to but it's true.
Exiting the living room while listening the bickering fade in the background I rolled my eyes entering the kitchen.
"Haley! You're finally here!" Juli exclaimed pulling me into a tight bear hug as I gasped for air.
"Crushing..ribs.." I managed to wheeze out as she apologised taking a step back and releasing me.
"Don't ever leave me alone...with those two!" she warned, with a hint of desperation in her voice, well that was new.
"Why, what did they do?" I asked curiously looking between the boys with an angelic look on their face and the distraught expression that Juli was holding up.
"Let's just say that I will never be able to look at the female kind the same again!" She faked a sob as I smiled at her rubbish acting.
"What did you boys do?" I asked raising an eyebrow even though Blake had my throat going dry and legs threatening to give up on me and turn to jelly.
"Nothing just...making a sandwhich... slapping the mayo on... pushing the cheese in and lets not forget thrusting the lettu-"
"Ahhhh blah blah blah!" Both me and Juli screamed out covering our ears and squeezing our eyes shut, trying to block out all the dirty thoughts and keep our clean minds free. Well I have a flithly mind but I didn't want the boys making it any worse.
"I'm just describing how to make a really good sandwich." Chris pouted.
"You guys make me sick!" I spat walking over cautiously to the counter, dragging a Juli suffering from post-traumatic stress behind me. Both Blake and Chris burst into a round of laughter as Blake directed his gaze towards me, licked his lips seductively then took a massive bite out of the sandwich chewing it ever so slowly.
"Oh the wonders I can do with my tongue!" He winked at me as I felt my heart skip a beat and wished the ground would just swallow me up due to the fact that at the same time Dante walked in his gaze flickering between Blake and I accusingly.
"Sup Dante, want a sandwich?" Chris asked brushing past Juli and letting me identify a faint blush spreading across his cheeks.
I grinned like a child at that but then it was immediately wiped of my face as I remembered Robbie, so it couldn't have been true, right?
"Yeah, always man!" He replied thankfully wrapping an arm around his shoulder as Chris ducked out causing a frown to take on Dante's face.
"Then make one! And while you're at it I want one too!" Chris winked cheekily patting Dante on the back and sitting far on the opposite side of Juli stealing glances her way.
I contemplated on his curious behaviour. Was it true?
"You are such an asshole!" Dante grumbled making his way towards the kitchen top and pushing Blake aside to start on his own creation.
Suddenly, my stomach grumbled so loud it could've made an earthquake. Jeez, I need to fix my eating habits. I can eat all the food in the work and not exercise yet I'll still be slim, I call it my gift.
"Hey Hal, you want a bite?" Blake asked shoving the sandwich in my face so I was literally forced to take a bite.
I could tell he was a nice guy and all but certain bits of his personality reminded me of Dante. I guess they rubbed off each other.
"Awhh look Blakey and Haleyy just had their first indirect kiss!" Juli gushed making a heart with her fingers and looking at us through it. I blushed at the realisation and slowly touched my lips wiping the crumbs of my face.
From the corner of my eye I could just feel someones hard gaze burning holes in my back but I didn't pay any attention I was too focused on being Blake's attention.
"I'm just going to go wipe this up.." I excused myself quickly to go wipe the sauce of my face in the bathroom upstairs and heard the faint teasing dissolve in the background.
As I finished cleaning myself up and turned the door knob to exit the bathroom someone twisted it from the outside pushing me back so I was flat up against the wall, the tiles pressing on my bare back from where my top had ridden up.
I gulped meeting the eyes of a very pissed of Dante unable to look elsewhere trapped in the cage of his arms and questioning gaze.
"What's your problem? Do you like messing things up?" He growled pushing me further back in the wall as I glared at him in shock and anger.
"What do you mean what's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Why are you even here?" I exclaimed pushing him back with all my strength and taking him by surprise.
"Don't mess with Blake! He doesn't need chicks like you hovering around him when you are clearly unwanted!" He spat venom through his gritted teeth as I stood still unable to take in his words.
"Who says I'm even interested in him? And the only unwanted person here is you!" With that I was back in the cage of his arms and looking right into the fury of his eyes.
"Stop flirting with him and trying to make him yours!" He snapped. "He doesn't need a bitch in his life."
"BITCH! If anything he doesn't need a twat like you as a best friend!" I screamed in his face. "And another thing. I'm not flirting, nor am I making him allegedly fall for me! I'm not a player like you!"
His arms stayed against the wall, trapping me like a mouse in a corner. His face full of anger an annoyance. Just as I was about to leave in anger and erupt, the door clicked open.
Before either of us could react my eyes locked with familiar grey ones which now held a conflicted and questioning gaze in them.
As I looked at Dante and I I realised that we were standing in what may seem to people as an awkward position.
This Is Not What It Looks Like...