Manny's P.O.V
Rolling my eyes at the scene that has just unfolded before me, I enter the empty house. I haven't seen Lex in a few days, but it felt like the perfect time to catch up with her. I missed my friend.
"Hey! What are you up to?" I asked as she answered the phone on the third ring
"That depends my dear friend why are you calling?" Lex said with a hint of sneakiness in her voice.
" I was calling to ask you to come over."
"Okay, well then I am out side."
Pulling the curtains aside I looked and sure enough there was Lex's car in the driveway. Her hair pulled into a messy bun and she wore loose joggers. Opening the door I ran and greeted her by jumping on her. She rolled her eyes before hugging me back. We laughed for a moment and all of a sudden how much a truly missed her became evident. Lex and I use to spend almost every afternoon with each other. She practically lived here.
" You are so lucky that Jesus loves you." She said bumping my shoulder.
Laughing, "What do you mean?"
" I was literally outside your house because I was coming to yell at you and that's when you came to your senses and invited me over."
"So you were here to yell at me ?"
" Let the past be the past my darling. " She said walking in the house and dropping her bag at the door. Yea this was definitely Lex's house more than mine. We sat and she filled me in about what's been happening with her for the past few weeks. It was crazy how much I missed in her life.
" So when exactly were you going to tell me about you and Chris being a thing?" I asked shoving a handful of popcorn in my mouth.
" Eww I hate that word "thing"." She rolled her shoulders to emphasize her disgust. " We are simply talking to get to know each other. You know I don't have time for the nonsense." Lex said smiling wildly at me. "So what about you and silently sexy, are you guys a thing?" She mimicked me.
The question didn't catch me off guard I'm just surprised that she waited this long into the conversation to ask. Lex was one of the few people who could read me like a book. I was probably a children's book, I think I am super easy to understand. I wonder what the title would be. Maybe it would be "the chronicles of Manny". Oh I like that.
I yelped out from pain as Lex's finger connected with my side. "Earth to Manny!"
"Sorry, sorry. Umm I don't know what we are." I said honestly
"What happened after the night I dropped him off here?"
For the next hour and a half I told Lex everything that has happened between Nile and I. I didn't tell her about the things Nile told me since it was obviously his story to tell. I watched her face as I told her about the kiss or kisses, which earned me a gasp and a dangerous glare.
"you lose your lipinity and I don't get not even a text? Strike one." Lex said arms crossed lips pulled into a tight line.
"Lex what in the hell is lipinity?"
" Its like virginity but for your lips. Don't ask me to explain myself when all the explanations should be coming from you." Lex looked me straight in the eyes. Honestly Lex was the type of person no one should cross. She was tiny and looked like your typical blonde, but she was far from it. I swear she was probably an MMA fighter in a past life. I've never seen here physically fight someone, but by the time she finishes her verbal combat with them they don't even want it. Even though I knew she was just joking with me I knew my friend well enough to know she could and would go zero to hundred in the blink of an eye. I sat staring at her with my feet tucked under me I had no idea how long we just looked at each other before we both busted out laughing.
" So tell me."
"Tell you what Lex, I've pretty much spilled it all."
"You told me the kiss happened, but you have failed to tell me how it was."
"I don't know it was" my voice trailed off as I the thoughts rushed back into my mind.
" Damn that good huh? I guess silently sexy is a fitting name for him." Lex joked and I rolled my eyes.
She finally let up on stories of Nile when her phone buzzed and showed a text message from none other than Chris. With that simple message she switched from my MMA fighter to a big ball of mush. I don't think I like the idea of my friend having her eyes set on just one person. Once their conversation came to an end also known as Lex no longer responding. I'm glad to see not everything has changed. We filled the next couple of hours with lots of bad television and eating more food than a woman pregnant with triplets.
"Give me that Twinkie," I screamed running after Lex. We were down to the last Twinkie and that meant apocalypse to Lex and I. We were on our third movie and our snacks were running dangerously low. Dad was supposed to go grocery shopping today, but instead of feeding his only child he took Nile to dinner. What kind of foolishness? However, if I am being honest Lex and I just ate the majority of the snacks. We had three family sized bags of chips, fruit snacks, pudding cups and Twinkies. Lex raced down the hallway and was just about to turn the corner when I lunged for her legs. I guess we're playing tackle football now. She falls forward and I was literally right on her heels, well her knees.
She unwrapped the plastic and was just about to try to put it in her mouth when sat on her back and reached for it. I was just about to get it when she flipped over pushing me off her back. She sat on my stomach and threw her arms up in victory.
"Where the hell is the Twinkie?" I asked when I saw her empty hands. That made her jump off of me and pulled me up in the process. The very thing we were fighting for was now missing.
" I found it!" She yelled. " Its in your hair and on your neck." Lex said before convulsing into a fit of laughter. Touching the back of my neck I grabbed a bit of the sponge cake and pushed it into my mouth.
" I guess that makes it mine huh?" I said in between chewing.
Before she could respond we heard the heavy oak door close. "Would someone like to tell me why my house looks like the inside of a college dumpster?" Dad's voice boomed through the hallway. Lex and I raced down the hall at the same time trying not to collide with one another. Nile and my dad greeted us once we entered the living room. Dad had a look of disgust on his face as he stared at the junk food covered coffee table. Nile was leaning against the oak door with a carefree smile on his face. I'm guessing that meant that their dinner went well.
"Hi Mr. Axel longtime no see." Lex said hugging my dad. I swear she acts like she hasn't seen us in years when in actuality it has only been a couple of weeks. He hugged her back the look of disgust only faltering for a few seconds.
" I should've known Manny's partner in crime was back." He said picking up the empty chip bags and the soda cans.
" I would like to argue that Manny is actually the bad friend who is influencing me negatively." She said.
" I would beg to differ." I replied. If anything our friendship is definitely the other way around. I was a sweet quiet girl until I met Lex. Turning I looked at Nile who had a knowing glint in his eyes. Throwing a wink his direction I turned my attention back to my dad and Lex who were having a fake argument.
"Hey Manuela I think Nile needs to talk to you." My dad said not looking at me. I nodded my head even though I knew he couldn't see me. I followed Nile outside and closed the door behind us. He took a few steps away from the door before he turned and looked at me. There was a look I couldn't make out on his face, but instead of trying to pry things out of him I sat on the steps and waited for him to speak.
"You're very lucky you know that?" He asked. I could tell he didn't want a response so I just smile lightly encouraging him to go on. Getting up from the step I walked until I was in front of him. Rubbing my arms I hugged myself trying to stay warm. Lex and I had changed into shorts and tank tops when we thought we were going to do yoga. Two cans of soda later and that Idea was shot to hell quickly.
My hair was in a bun so it was doing nothing to keep me warm. I tried hard not to show that I was cold because knowing Nile he would stop talking if he thought something was wrong with me. I smiled slightly knowing that he cared about me.
"You're dad wanted me to tell you that you're grounded." He laughed at the look on my face. Pushing my chin up with his hand "he knows about your bad girls ways." He said. Clearly reading the confusion on my face he continued, " he knows about the fact that you snuck me in here a couple of times." Holy crap how the hell. I can only imagine the pictures that ran through my dads mind. What the hell?
"How?! Oh my god. I'm dead aren't I? Is that why he invited you to dinner? Did he want to feed you before he killed you? I am so sorry." I stopped talking when Nile's arm slipped around my waist. He squeezed lightly.
"You're rambling curly sue and I am still alive."
"For now!" I said loudly. "You don't know my dad and I am his only daughter. Do you know what a man would do for his only daughter?"
"Rambling again sweetheart. Trust me if I die it wouldn't be at your fathers hand, but at my own." He said the look of sadness painted vividly on his face. This was my opportunity to take some initiative in this situation. I took a page from his book and wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him to me. He let me pull him near.
" I mean if I am already in trouble because of you I might as well have some fun with this right?" I said changing the subject.
Leaning his forehead to mine he sighed. " Thanks for the change of subject. But you being grounded isn't the only thing I need to talk to you about." Taking a break he touched my neck and immediately reminded me about the Twinkie in my hair and on my neck. "What is that?"
"A Twinkie." I pushed my face into his chest to hide my embarrassment. He laughed loudly and I could feel the rumble from his chest.
"You're disgusting." He said still laughing.
" You want to see disgusting?" I touch the back of my neck and licked the cream off of my fingers. He looked at me and laughed.
"Stop distracting me when I need to talk to you." I nodded so he could go on. " Your dad knows some of what has happened to me, but not all of it. He doesn't know the extensive details. That's why he took me to dinner. He's going to come up with a plan he said. I don't know what that means and I kind of refuse to allow myself to believe this can get better. However, you dad said he believed me and he trusts me so I'll believe him."
He checked my face to read my emotions, but I just kept looking up at him waiting for him to continue. I know he's not finished yet.
" Your dad is letting me stay here tonight while he processes everything, but he warned me that this whole thing can and most likely will get messy before it's all dealt with. I wanted to tell you all of this because Manny I want like hell for you to be mine, but like I've said before that means letting you in and not keeping you in the dark." He said looking me in the eyes. I would turn away, but I like it. At the same time it freaks me out.
"So what does this mean?" I asked quietly
"This means I am selfish enough to want you apart of my screwed up life. This means that I reserve the right to kiss you whenever I want. This means that whatever question you ask me you will get an answer. This means that I don't know what the hell this journey is going to look like, but I want you to be a part of it. So what do you say curly sue? "