THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO somyabhutani BECAUSE SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE FRIEND. I LOVE HER AND RIGHT NOW, I AM MISSING HER LIKE HELL! SHE IS LOVE!
The gif above is none other than our sweetheart, Rose Jones ;)
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I was furious.
Not that it is a new thing but damn, I was livid.
I stomped in my bedroom and locked the door with a bang.
"Come on, Astrid! Come out! At least listen to us?"
"No thanks! And I think you will have to be tutored by your partner today." Venom dripped down my tongue with each word.
We had trials. Neal and Rose came to watch me, Aiden and Alex. Asher couldn't make it because of lacrosse trials. I still had a cramped back and I knew I wouldn't be able to perform my best because of overexertion during previous match with Aiden but I never learned to give up. I was going to try and do my best.
But no, my brother and his overprotectiveness. He must have noticed me struggling during our little match as he purposely slacked in trials for me. I was confused at first and so was Alex but then I caught a little eye contact between the two that said it all. The way Alex looked at me after that little interaction was enough to blow the last piece of sanity I had. But that made it even worse.
Soccer is my release and this frustration drove me to play harder.
By the end of the game, there was no question that my captainship was untouched. But all of the cheers and proud smiles felt vain because even when I gave my best, 2 of the most talented people didn't.
I wonder if I got captainship as a gift last year too.
I shook the thought away and decided to be truthful to coach but Aiden stopped me.
"No. You deserve it, Astrid-"
"Don't tell me what I deserve, Aiden! You purposely sabotaged your chances for me!"
"I didn't-"
Alex entered.
"Oh! Look your best friend is here. I will take this as my cue to get the hell away from both of your lives!"
And I stomped out. I didn't want to go home and Neal saw that.
"You up for some food, my treat?"
I didn't waste a moment to grab his hand and storm out.
I have to admit. I saw the worst in Neal when he talked to me the first time. He wasn't half bad and I felt comfortable when I told him what happened. He understood my point and cleverly pointed out the thought I was trying to bury.
Was my captainship last year, a lie?
Seeing my distressed face, he quickly changed the subject. My mood lightened considerably as he started speaking about his little brother, Ethan and his life in Pete Knight high. We drove into Bentley's kitchen and this made me somewhat relieved that even though I was out with a stranger, I wasn't in a completely new place.
I had Ryder.
Turns out, Ryder and Neal are best friends as Ryder goes to Pete Knight high, Neal's ex-school. When Ryder saw my mood down, he took a break from his shift and sat with us.
No matter how much I didn't want to, I had to go home. So, Neal finally drove me home at 8:30. I was considerably calm and all my anger almost dissolved into laughter because of Neal.
But the moment I opened the door to my house, my smile slipped. Neal excused himself and my anger rose like the temperature of lime in water.
Alex and Aiden, both were home. They looked apologetic and tried to talk to me but I didn't budge. Asher tried too but I blocked him out. I was grateful that dad wasn't home yet as I needed space.
So here I am, crouched down on the roof outside my window with my arms securing my legs over protectively. I don't know for how long I have been sitting here but all I know is that my butt is numb and anger is ash now.
"Leave me! G-go away! Go away!" I jumped on my feet and checked my left and right frantically but then common sense hit me and my eyes zeroed on Liam's window that was open but blinds were drawn.
I stared worriedly for a few moments, conflicted between what I felt like doing and what I should do. I made up my mind and took a few steps to knock on his window pane.
Bad move.
Next thing I know, I was lying on our common roof with Liam on top of me. Thank the heavens, there was no lip lock this time.
I slowly opened my eyes and heard him groan. He must've tried to come out when I tried to peep in.
"What are you doing here?" he lifted himself off me. I suddenly felt sweaty.
And it wasn't my sweat.
Even in complete dark, the moonlight that fell on his skin, left the heavy layer of sweat glistening. He looked like the poster child for terrorized- troubled breathing and heartbeat, paler than vampire face, hair sticking in every direction possible and sweat.
"It's my roof too, you know." I crossed my arms and answered in an 'I know it all' tone.
I may or may not have been trying to have a banter with him. I maybe be evil but I am not heartless. I wanted to shift his attention.
And it worked.
He narrowed his eyes as despite the numbness in my butt, I sat there leaning against my window frame.
"It's late. Go to sleep."
"Can't sleep and I can say the same thing to you."
For a moment, he looked helpless and terrified at the idea of sleep but then he smirked.
Honestly, as good as it was to see something other than glare or scowl on his face, that sinister smirk scared me.
"You can't sleep?" I narrowed my eyes but shook my head.
"Okay, then let's bet. If you sleep first, you'll have to do whatever I say and if I sleep first than I will do whatever you say."
I contemplated. It was a stupid bet, to be honest. But if it keeps his mind away from whatever was troubling him, then so be it. I too needed a distraction and it can't be bad, right? If I win, I get to make him do anything.
I contemplated my choices and nodded.
"Bet."
Next thing I know, I woke up in my bed with a single post-it on my window.
I won.
And the bastard knew that he didn't even have to sign himself.
~~~~
I ignored everyone- Aiden, Alex and for some unknown reason, Rose and Asher too.
I was sitting with Neal during lunch for 2 weeks now and this blew the rumour mill. His flirting continuously didn't help either. Once he told me that he was jealous of my food, I looked at him weirdly and all he did was a one shoulder shrug.
"At least your food gets to kiss you."
Needless to say, I choked for good ten minutes and lost my appetite after that. My coughing also gained everyone's attention.
It's not every day that the Parker princess ignores her knights and sits with her supposed prince charming.
Screw prince charming, Neal was the only person keeping me sane right now.
I have been horribly down for these 2 weeks. Not only I had to ignore Aiden and Asher in school, I had to do it at home too. They were hurting and I could see that but I knew that I needed to sort myself out first.
Why am I not talking to Asher, again?
I don't freaking know.
It's just that every time I look at Asher or Rose, the concern in their eyes suffocates me. It makes me feel that given the chance, they will take a bullet for me, sacrificing leadership isn't even the start and honestly, it's scaring the crap out of me instead of making me happy. I don't want to face them right now. I need space and time to understand my brother and his friend's intentions.
And boy, was I taking my time!
It's been two weeks, the longest I have spent without talking to my brothers. Practises are awkward and so are dinners at home. Dad knows something happened and hinted us to sort it out like we always do, but he didn't interfere. My biggest wish these days is to remove 6-7 pm out of time because chemistry tutoring, takes torture to next level, especially when dad stops Alex for dinner sometimes. Then there is Biology with Rose. Aiden keeps exchanging glances with her, she keeps trying and I keep ignoring.
Only relief I had is Journalism. I have to bear Liam's rude comments and Neal's flirting but I'd be lying if I say that I don't enjoy it. At least, it's better than 4 people burning holes in your head in different classes.
I wasn't a tantrum queen, I swear. I was just hurt. I take pride in my soccer skills but for 2 weeks, I am seriously doubting them.
All of them tried till Wednesday this week and then decided to back off and give me some space. To be completely honest, its Saturday now and I am craving attention.
What do I want?!
I sighed in frustration. My gaze fell on Liam's window. I have been sitting with him at night, daily. We don't talk, we just sit there in silence. He pretends to be annoyed at me but I have a feeling that he knows exactly why I sit with him.
The boy seems to watch whole freaking Insidious in his dreams, daily.
The door to my room opened abruptly, scaring the crap out of me. Asher stood there with a determined look on his face.
"What?"
"Are you still hurt or angry, Astrid-bear?"
I averted my gaze to my lap. He got his answer.
"Then let's take revenge, Astrid and Asher style."
Oh screw sadness, I missed my brother!
~~~~
"Are you done, Astrid-bear?" Asher whispered. I nodded and with one last look at Aiden's door, I followed Asher.
I put my hood on and grabbed my skateboard as he entered my room and swung his leg out of window.
Yes my room was our escape route at night.
What I didn't expect was a girlish scream.
"W-what happened?!" I whisper yelled and rushed for him. I burst into laughter when I saw equally horrified expressions of Asher and Liam.
"What the hell?! Why is he sitting in front of your window like freaking Edward Cullen?!"
I laughed at that one but Liam's glare sobered me.
"Actually, he is sitting on his side of roof, leaning on his window."
I stressed on his.
"What do you- YOU SHARE WINDOW WITH A BOY?!" I slapped my hand on his mouth to shush him up.
Liam was watching us as if we were crazy. Okay, maybe we are.
"Don't even dare go there! You don't have right to be partial and overprotective when you yourself shared a window with dare I quote 'cute Shelby' until she moved out. I don't even have a crush on Liam like you had on Shelby."
"I am sitting right here, you know."
"Shut up!" at least Asher and I agree on something. Liam looked between us and went inside his room.
I felt bad. I hope he will be okay.
Asher sighed and tugged my sleeve.
"Let's go."
I followed him as he jumped first and then stood up to catch me. He opened the garage as quietly as possible and drew his bike out.
After 10 minutes of biking and skateboarding, we were finally standing in front of Alex's apparent house.
"Don't worry, Astrid. I have been here enough time in past two weeks to know that it's his house."
I immediately felt guilty. He noticed and shook his head.
"It's okay, Astrid-bear. I would have reacted the same way." I nodded my head gingerly as he hugged me.
"Let's go."
Alex's house was a cute little single storey bungalow with a few potted plants here and there. Asher led me to one side of his house and knocked a window. I raised an eyebrow when Rose opened.
"They share the place." I nodded and went in as Rose smiled and made room for me to enter.
Why do they share? Don't they have family- oh?
I totally forgot about Alex's family. Stupid Astrid!
I tiptoed and followed Asher and soon enough, I was standing in front of Alex's door.
"Does it opens to the inside?" I questioned. Rose nodded a yes.
Asher and I shared a sinister smile.
"Rose?"
"Um hm?"
"Will you please record and send me Alex's reaction, tomorrow?"
"Anything for you, sir." she bit her lip seductively and three of us burst into laughter before I shushed them.
Revenge is a sweet feeling, brother dear and brother dear's friend.
~~~~~~~
Hey!
How do you like the plot so far?
what are Asher and Astrid planning?
who do you think Astrid will end up with?
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