"OMG!" Juli screamed through the phone and I instantly had to pull the phone away from my ear to make sure I didn't go deaf or my eardrums had shattered. She screamed so loud and way too high pitched yet somehow she was totally oblivious to this and continued to do so and I could even tell Chris had heard it as he began to chuckle.
"Calm down." I grumbled at Juli while at the same time I was trying to caress my ears from the deafening shriek. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Juli asked with a slight hint of laughter in her voice her voice slowly increasing volume as she added more and more words in her sentence. "Dude, the guy you've been crushing on since the start of high school . . . let me repeat . . . the start of high school . . . just kissed you . . . kissed YOU!"
"OK! OK!" I gave in giggling and blushing a little red. "Maybe it is a kind of small big deal-"
"Stop blabbering." Juli interrupted me and sighed and I could almost imagine her shaking her head and giving me 'oh shush' look that she always gave me. "I'm coming over in a few minutes. Don't go anywhere."
"Okie dokie." I agreed. "By the way Chris is here too."
"I guessed that . . . miss I just got kissed by a fit senior and I have a fit older brother as well." She giggled and I don't think she just realized what she said because she would have never said that under normal circumstances and even if she did she would have probably taken it back instantly.
"Wait a minute. What did you say?" I gasped in shock as I asked her to correct what I heard and be a hundred percentage sure my ears were working and that I was not hearing things because of my newly damaged ears. "Did you just say Chris is-"
"Bye, got to go." And with that she hung up feeling too embarrassed to talk.
Yeap, she so knew exactly what she said but she just did not want to admit, especially now that Chris was my brother. I think it may have accidentally split out her mouth unintentionally and she may have not thought it and was not meant to say it out loud to anyone.
"What was that about?" Chris asked from behind me, pausing his game console. "I heard my name and Blake's too."
"Nothing much. Just Juliet is coming here in around an hour or so." I smirked clearly not telling him what Juli had said because first I had to confirm my suspicion that Chris liked Juli or it was the other way around ... one or the other definitely.
"Ok, but remember we are officially siblings now as weird as that sounds. We can't hide important secrets, ok?" He lectured me knowing he would hide secrets from Noe and then but expect me to tell him everything.
"Alright, boss. Our years of hatred has been pushed to the side." I joked about but clearly Chris had not found it funny so I shut up and changed the conversation. "Anyways, let's get back to our game."
We were sitting in the living room trying to beat each other's high score in who could survive the most number of rounds in Black Ops Zombies before one of us died completely. So far I was winning and Chris was panicking really badly. Now when I say 'panicking' I mean literally panicking like a two year old who loses their dummy.
For example, at one point, he got so frustrated he jumped up and down and ran up and down the stairs yelling: "NO! NO! NO!" , but that was not all because straight after that he crawled around the floor looking like he had his last safe second of fresh air on Earth. He went so far that he rolled himself into the foetal position in which he only started groaning saying: "How did a girl beat me?" I know he was being sexist but I taught him a lesson proving girls can play just as good as guys if not even better and we kick ass while proving ourselves right.
Man, I should've recorded it and sent it to You've been framed. Public humiliation . . . the best type of revenge. But I'm not that mean, evil or cruel as to go that far and make him hate me for life, so I ended up recording his outburst instead and started to use it as blackmail ... which is far better than humiliation.
"Hello." Chris waved his hand in front of my face snapping me out of my little flashback. "Anyone home?"
"Urm-" I thought.
"Seriously?" He shook his head, half grinning half annoyed. "I should have known."
"Hey, what do you think of Juliet?" I asked quickly biting my lip hoping I hadn't accidentally asked a bad question and hoping he gave me a legit answer that made sense and wasn't made up bull shit.
"WHAT!" Chris literally flew up in his seat and began to hyperventilate. "What do you mean . . . like . . . as in . . . friend . . . crush-"
"Just in general." I slowly spoke out to him, trying not to scare him anymore or cause an accidental heart attack to my newly found brother. It was slightly clear right now that I had hit a soft spot and that he clearly did like Juli. I mean, come on! No one reacts the way he just did a few seconds ago if they were 'just friends'.
"Oh. Right." He let out a deep sigh and began to act normally again and my mouth dropped open.
"What? You okay?" Chris panicked shaking my shoulders while I sat on the couch paralyzed with realization.
"You like Juli!" I jumped up in the air pointing at him realizing the other day why Chris was hesitant to hand over his jacket to Juli and how Chris kept glancing over at Juli in a very 'lovingly' manner.
"WHAT!" He denied his voice getting slightly high pitched and his cheeks slightly turning a pink blossom shade.
"Dude, your voice just changed and you're blushing." I pointed out as a matter of factly. "You like her!"
"Nuh uh." He quickly turned around and hide his face into a pillow before throwing himself onto the couch opposite me. "I just happen to have a cold."
"So a big tough jock, who mocks everyone and picks on them, is blushing and sounding like a little girl because he has a . . . cold?" I rhetorically asked him laughing quietly. He looked like a little girl who was sulking as if she just found out she started her period.
"Maybe." He whispered turning back to face me looking glum like a baby. I got up to go sit next to him and grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to me putting on a serious and angry face. "Fine." He got up and threw up his arms in the air. "I like her. I really like her. She's cute, beautiful and stunning. She's smart and kind. And her eyes . . . oh her eyes."
He laid back down on the couch looking at the ceiling, dazing and smiling like a little child who just received their sweets.
"You've got it bad." I giggled. "You are what teenagers call 'whipped'."
"Same applies to you then." He sat back up and put his arm around my shoulder and coughed a word I didn't expect: Blake.
"How did you know?" I asked my eyes almost popping out their sockets and landing into my hands.
"Dude, Dante told me about your kiss-"
"I'm going to kill that twat!" I roared. "He's a stupid piece of dead-"
"And I've seen the way you look at him. It's how I look at Juliet." He admitted truthfully.
"And also how Robbie looks at Juli." I pitched in but Chris' hands formed into fists and he began to breath heavily whilst looking mad.
"Don't talk about him. He doesn't love her, it's fucking lust!" He shouted. "She shouldn't trust him, he lies to her face and does things behind her back and he knows that she would never find out about it so he continues it!"
"Chris what are you on about?" I asked getting confused but I think he meant that Robbie was cheating on my best friend... either this was a really twisted joke portrayed by a good actor or he was being deadly serious.
"Nothing, I didn't say anything." He quickly closed his mouth turning pale like a ghost.
"Chris, you better fucking tell me now or else I will go and tell Juli you like her!" I told him in a calm but angry tone.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
"Fine, but you need to calm down first."
*************************
"So every year at the start of our football season or basketball season depending on who the players are that year all us guys in the team make a deal. We can't tell no one about it or else we get kicked off the team. This deal is basically we have to urm ... do it ... you know ... with at least ten girls before the championships-"
"WHAT!" I screamed with disgust. "Chris how could you, I mean urgh. You're filthy-"
"Listen to all of it then fucking react before you judge all of us!" He took a deep breath and continued ignoring my pissed off face. "The guys do it to show who's the best player of our school. The ones who win get to use a holiday resort Dante's friend owns. But every guy has the option of participating or not."
"Oh." I mouthed feeling slightly guilty for my outburst at Chris a few seconds ago.
"Blake and I were the only ones who dropped out and since Dante is our Captain for both sports it's optional for him, so he doesn't have to say if he's dropping out or not." Chris explained. I could feel myself breathing normally again and my heart pulse beating slower.
"Phew, but that doesn't explain why you hate Robbie. I mean you just said Robbie, Blake and you dropped out-"
"I didn't say Robbie." He said in a mono tone voice.
"But then that implies that-"
"Robbie's already screwed ten girls or will soon since we're only a couple months away from the championship." Chris spat through gritted teeth, but as he said this we heard something or more like someone drop on floor.
"What the fudge was that?" I asked getting scared a robber, thief or rapist had snuck into my home. I grabbed Chris' hand for comfort and we both slowly walked to the doorway only to see a blonde girl sitting on my door mat weeping her eyes out.
"Oh my god, Juliet!" I gasped and ran to her side. "What happened?"
"Juliet. Here let me help." Chris picked up Juliet in his arms all bridal style and slowly placed her on the couch Chris and I were sitting on only moments ago. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Did . . . R-rob really . . . d-do that?" Juli stuttered still crying.
"Urm . . ." Chris was lost for words.
"Chris, please tell me the truth." Juli pleaded.
"Yes. He did that." He admitted looking down and no where near Juli.
"I'll go get the chick flicks, ice cream, tissues and a dart board with Robbie's face." I suggested and quickly ran out the room and dashed to the kitchen, throwing piles of food aside to find what Juli needed.
"How did she get inside?" A voice asked from behind me as I screamed and turned around in a ninja pose.
"Sorry, for scaring you, but how did she get inside?" He asked once more.
"She has a spare key to our home just like I have a spare key to her house." I explained and quickly placed the tissues, spoons and different flavoured ice creams onto a tray. "Give this to her while I find the dart board and movies."
"Why do you have a dart-"
"Just do it!" I commanded and quickly ran to my room upstairs and threw my clothes out of my wardrobe, boxes out my closet and everything from under my bed until I found the dart board with the darts, a picture of Robbie and four movies.
"Juli, Chris I'm coming!" I yelled. Being as careful yet fast as I could I ran downstairs only to see Dante and Blake were also sitting in my living room as well now.
"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" I asked.
"Chris told us there was an emergency." Dante looked at Juli then at Chris.
"Oh." I mouthed. "Well, that retarded shit should be kicked off your team for cheating."
"As much as we would love to do that . . . we can't." Blake chipped in.
"WHY NOT?!" I snapped. "So he can go screw tonnes of more girls while he rips my sister's heart out. WELL I'M GOING TO RIP . . . HIM . . . APART!"
"Calm down. If you go up to him how you going to explain you found out about our deal in football?" Dante snapped back. "You going to say Chris told you? So that he can kicked off?"
"No, but-"
"Exactly, we need to know when he makes his next move and make sure Juliet's at the scene." Dante explained.
"Or . . ." I smiled thinking of an AMAZING idea.
"Well . . ." All three guys said in unison.
"Juli breaks up with him saying she likes someone else." I suggested earning nods all around apart from one grumpy face . . . Chris. " And Chris can play that role since he's an incredible actor."
"G-guys, I appreciate what you're doing b-but . . . how does this help me?" Juli sobbed while Chris went and took his place next to her rubbing her back while allowing her to rest her head on the nook of his shoulder.
"One, you dump the retarded shit head. Two, you're getting over him with Chris. Three, you're making him jealous. Four, he'll do something stupid and get kicked off the team." I grinned with my genious plan. Dante and Blake looked shocked that I came up with a magnificent plan like that.
"Oh, r-right well." Juli wiped her tears and did her best to smile. "In that case, fine." Blake got up and began slowly walking up to me until we were an inch apart from one another, making my heart beat a mile a minute and my breathing become way too fast.
"Can I talk to you? In private?" He whispered.
"S-sure." I managed to speak before I embarrassed myself . . . even more than I just did then. I followed Blake to the corridor near the front entrance my hands sweating and my breathing still messed up.
"We need to talk." Blake spoke quietly making sure no one would over hear our conversation.
"About what?" I blushed not wanting to talk about anything that shouldn't be mentioned right now, i.e our kiss.
"About what happened last night." He mumbled keeping a straight face.
"Oh." I blushed my cheeks turning a crimson red so I looked down to avoid making any eye contact. "So I guess that means that we have a connecti-"
"We can't be together." He interrupted. His words were like bullets to my heart and I could feel any signs of happiness that were showing on my face now completely vanished and disappeared. Instead it was portrayed with hurt and betrayal.
"But I thought that kiss meant something." I blurted out. "I thought that was the start of something."
"It did mean something, and it could've been but-"
"But what? I'm not pretty enough. I'm not popular enough. Is it because Dante doesn't like me or because I'm getting close to Chris?"
"For heaven's sake, woman. Quit your blabbering." He snapped and I could see he was holding back tears, just like I was. "I think we have a future together . . . just not now."
"Why?" I closed my eyes afraid that if I opened I would cry a river and not be able to stop myself.
"There's so many reasons why we should be together but so many reasons contradict it-"
"Give me an example." I interrupted him, my voice slowly cracking and drying up.
"I . . . I . . ." He stumbled not sure of what to say. "I don't know."
"Blake, just go." I opened my eyes still fighting against my tears to hold them back until he left. At least that way I could cry in peace.
"But Hal-"
"Please, just go." I shook my head. "Go. Just go."
"I'm sorry. And for what it's worth that kiss did mean something." He exclaimed. He pecked me on the cheek and even though there was small fireworks, it hurt.
He walked to the door and looked back at me once but I looked away since I knew my tears would win this battle and flow down my cheeks. Blake turned back and left my house and shut the door behind.
As he did, I dropped to the floor and hid my face into my hands. The guy I have forever had a crush on, a deep crush, a serious liking to had kissed me and then told me we couldn't be together. He couldn't even give me a reason why. Pathetic. I know I don't love him, but I thought it could've developed into that.
How dumb was I!
I felt like my breath was ripped from my lungs and the air was thick as I gasped. I felt crowed in my skin and sweat followed by cold chills plagued me. My eyes stung with anguish as tears streamed my cheeks it tickled and itched as they dried. My stomach felt as though it was tied in knots and pangs of shuddering wracked my body. A pressure built in my chest and my heart felt as though it would burst with emotion. I wept so much my head began to hurt-
"Hey, you okay?" A new voice asked from behind me.
"Please go away, Dante." I cried as I recognized his voice.
"Tesoro, I've already seen you cry before. So I don't think this makes any difference." He walked closer and closer to me.
"How much of it did you hear?" I questioned him, still burying my face into the palm of my hands.
"You want the truth or-"
"Truth." I mumbled.
"All of it. So I think it's my responsibility to help you feel better as that was my best friend who just hurt you and you are officially my other best friend's little sister and part of the reason he's made you cry is because of me." He explained.
"What do you mean you?" I asked.
"I told him to be careful so that he wouldn't get hurt again and that he should get to know you better before you guys get serious." He went on.
"It was his decision to completely call it off. Not yours. We always have a choice and he made his." I could feel more tears about to break through the surface and pour down my face.
"You'll be fine. I know you are. You're a tough girl."
"I must look so stupid. I mean we weren't even going out. I must seem like a HUGE drama queen . . . which I am definitely not." I blabbered to him.
"Actually, it's not stupid. It shows that you really did care if something between you two were to happen. It also shows you really did like him and it wasn't some stupid high school crush you'd forget about as soon as another better guy came along. It shows you could've had a relationship where you definitely put trust into." He sympathized and also he sat down next to me on the floor and wrapped his warm, muscular arms around me for comfort.
"Thanks, I appreciate all this." I smiled as I slowly looked up to be faced by a nice, caring guy not a egoistic jerk.
"Just don't get used to this tesoro. I know I'm hot and all, but-"
"There's the egoistic jerk I thought disappeared for a second." I grinned wiping my tears glad I had at least someone. Even if he was my arch enemy.
"Hal, you OK? We heard . . . c-crying." Juli proclaimed loudly.
"I'm okay." I faked laughed before shedding one more tear. I'm going to be OK.