The Werewolf Under My Bed
So sorry it took so long to get this up, I just haven't had much time to write lately. The song to the side doesn't really have anything to do with the chapter, I don't think, its just what I was listening to when I wrote it. :)
Please read the note at the end!
Four: Coincidentally
Andie-
“Alright, spill. What's the matter with you today?”
Josh avoids looking at me when I sit beside him on the back porch. He leans his back against the railing, watching the wind as it blows through the tree line at the back of our yard.
“Where's Nat?” he asked, softly, completely ignoring my question as he posed his own. He made no move like he'd even heard me speak in the first place, but unless he were deaf, he had to have heard me. And why he was asking about Natalie confused me, hadn't he just stomped out of my room because she'd done something to piss him off? Or was he just asking because he really wanted to avoid her?
Grr, these two are so damn confusing!
“She's upstairs trying to decide if Aiden's going to ask her out or not.” I sigh, ignoring the little voice in the back of my head telling me to go up and kick her out before Aiden came back from wherever he'd gone off to. It would be wrong of me to do so, but I couldn't deny that it sounded like a very good idea.
“And you're just going to sit back and let them go out if he does?” Josh scowled over at me, his obvious dislike of the idea clear in both his voice and eyes. But the question threw me for a loop.
“What do you mean let them? Its not like I have a say in whether or not they go out, Josh.” If I did it wouldn't happen, I would do anything to have kept Natalie from even meeting Aiden. But that would have caused more questions than I have answers for. I'd end up having to tell Natalie who Aiden really is or at least part of who he is anyway.
“You could if you would stop lying to yourself.” Josh snorted, rolling his eyes at me.
“Lying to myself? How am I lying to myself, Josh?” Had he hit his head on something before he and Natalie came over? Ate something Natalie had cooked? What the hell was he talking about? What did he think I was lying to myself about?
“How long has Aiden been staying here? Six? Seven Years? How long do you think you're been in love with the guy? Two, maybe three years?” Josh frowned thoughtfully, ignoring the stuttering, almost choking sound coming from my mouth. Why the hell was it so hard to argue with what he was saying? “If not longer would be my guess.”
“W-what are you talking about? Me? In love with Aiden? Why would you assume something like that?” Even though I got my voice back, finally, it didn't sound right. It was too squeaky, too high, the way it got whenever my parents busted me sneaking in through my window in the middle of the night a couple of times.
But what had me really flustered was what he'd said. Me in love with Aiden? The very thought, while it sounded ridiculous to me, sent my stomach clenching in what felt an awful lot like fear. Josh couldn't possibly know what he was talking about, could he?
“I assume that, Andrea, because I see the look on your face whenever you talk about him or whenever he's in the same room. Its not that difficult to notice. Natalie would see it to, if she weren't hell bent on getting him for herself.” The scowl came back to his expression, only worse this time and I frowned. Maybe he really had hit his head on something...
“Since when do you refer to Aiden as him?” I ask, mimicking the way he'd all but growled the word. What on Earth was his problem today? First he'd been pissy with Natalie and now he had this insane idea that I was in love with Aiden? Well maybe it wasn't so insane but-oh, never mind.
“Huh?” Confusion has him frowning at me until I cock an eyebrow, then he blushes. “Oh, sorry. Guess I'm just not having a a good day.” Not having a good day? He'd been fine this morning and before I left him alone with Natalie or had that been an act?
“Why? You never have a bad day.” It was a well known fact. Anyone that knew Josh knew he was always in a good mood. Always. In fact, he was known to be happy at the worst of times. Like, for instance, my Nana's funeral. He'd been all smiley and giddy and even his own parents had questioned his sanity that day. Which is saying a lot because they live with him, they know how he's always happy.
Josh sighs in annoyance. “Well I am today, alright. Just drop it, Andie. I don't feel like explaining myself to you.” What the hell did I do to him? If he wants to be an ass with Natalie because can't stop talking about all the naughty things she wanted to do to Aiden he can be. He just doesn't have to take it out on me, damn it.
Wait a minute. Is that why he's being a complete and total ass? Could he possibly be jealous? Oh my God! That's it isn't it? He's jealous.
“Josh, do you-you don't-are you-uh,” I freeze when he suddenly turns to me with a glower on his face. Uh oh, that's not a good thing.
“Do I what? Come on, spit it out, Andie!” His glower deepens when I say nothing, mouth opening and closing like a freakin' fish. “Andie.”
“Do you like Natalie?” I ash him quickly before I can talk myself out of it, silently praying that he hadn't heard a word I'd said. Hell, Josh was unpredictable, even more so than Natalie. Who knows how he'll react to the question.
Josh stiffened beside me, eyes swinging back to mine as he searched my face. What he was looking for, though, I had no idea. “I'm afraid its a little worse than just liking her, Andie. I think I might be in love with her. Doesn't that suck?”
Holy shit, I was right! I was right, I was right, I was ri-wait, why does it suck?
“Josh, why is it a bad thing?” If he and Natalie got together then I wouldn't have to worry about her going after Aiden anymore. It was perfect, selfish perhaps, but perfect.
“Because, I'm her annoying older brother's best friend, remember?” He asked, snorting sarcastically. The hope that had been building in my chest deflated instantly at the truth of his words.
Natalie's older brother, Bryce, had originally introduced the two of us to Josh and even though we'd gotten a lot closer as friends over the years there were times when Natalie still referred to Josh as her annoying brother's best friend. I didn't think it was quite fair considering Josh has always been more our friend than Bryce's but pointing that out to Natalie was useless.
“That doesn't mean she doesn't feel the same about you. She could be keeping it to herself just like you are, you know.” God, I hoped that was the case. Its unlikely but a girl could hope, right?
Josh gives me an incredulous look. “We are talking about the same Natalie, right? The same girl that just had to let the entire student body know when she got her first period? Over the loud speaker?”
I grimace at the memory. “Yea, you've got a point.” Damn it. Friggin Natalie and her big mouth. Why couldn't she be normal and keep stuff like that to herself rather than telling the whole school?
Josh laughs all of a sudden, drawing my attention away from the disturbing memory of our first day of high school. “Why are you so concerned with it, Andie? You wouldn't happen to want Natalie and I to get together just so you could have Aiden all to yourself, would you?”
Oh shit, was I really that transparent?
“I-uh-what?” My mind goes blank as a blush filled my cheeks. Damn it. “Why would say something like that? I'm not that selfish, Josh.” How the hell had he known?
Josh rolls his eyes, elbowing me lightly in the side. “Don't worry about it, bitch, I've been thinking the same about the two of you. If you would stop lying to yourself and admit you love Aiden I might actually have a teeny, tiny chance with Nat.”
“I think your chances would be better than teeny, tiny.” If I could just figure out a way to get Natalie to stop thinking, and talking, about Aiden then we might both get what we want. Although, I'm not too sure what it is exactly that I want at the moment.
“Yea, if I were the last guy on Earth then maybe. I'll always be the brother's best friend, Andie.” He stops talking long enough to shake his head from side to side. “You and Aiden though, you two would be great together. If you could actually pull your heads out of your asses.”
My nose wrinkles as I look down at said part of my anatomy. “Josh, my head is not up my ass. That would be kind of hard to not notice, not to mention uncomfortable. Don't you think?”
“You are a brat. An irritating little brat, you do know that?” Josh laughed at me, but his expression seemed to freeze after a moment as he looked over my shoulder at something but he grabbed my arm when I went to turn and see just what had caught his attention. “I've just gotten a brilliant idea.”
“What?” Josh's plans were almost as bad as Natalie's.
“Nothing. You know you should go and calm Natalie down before Aiden gets back. No need to scare him more than necessary.”
“Oh, okay. You sure you're alright, though?” Natalie's incessant chattering could wait because I didn't know how long I'd be able to stay in the same room as her. She was always obsessed with some, anyway, Josh was never down like this, though.
“Yea, I'm good. Its just something I'll have to learn to get over.” He smiled reassuringly at me, nodding towards the back door. I go in, shutting the door behind me without looking back.
“Hey bud, how as your walk?” I pause at the kitchen door when Josh starts talking, momentarily wondering if he'd gone and completely lost and was not talking to himself until I see Aiden walk up to the porch through the window above the kitchen sink.
Shit, how long had he been hiding around the corner? Had he heard what Josh and I had been talking about? Honestly I couldn't figure out if I wanted him to know what we'd talked about or not. I mean, its not like I'd actually revealed anything, not that I knew of anything that needed to be revealed, but the thought of him over hearing that conversation made me uneasy. I didn't like it, nor did I like the fact that part of me wanted him to have overheard.
Damn it, this is too confusing.
“Andie? What are you doing?” A shrill shriek leaves my lips when a cold hand touches my back where my shirt had ridden up. I jump away from the sink, unaware that I'd moved towards it to get a better view of Josh and Aiden talking. I hadn't noticed Natalie walking into the room, either. “Andrea?”
“Oh-uh, nothing. I'm not doing anything. Why?” I turn, nervously putting myself in front of the window so she can't see Aiden and Josh outside.
“Because you're peaking out the window like you're scared someone's going to catch you. Who's out there? Is it Aiden?” She asked excitedly, walking towards the back door before I can come up with an excuse to stop her.
“No!” Natalie freezes mid step, head whipping around to stare at me when I shout. “Josh is-uh-talking to his aunt and uncle about us coming with him.” She nods, but she doesn't look like she completely believes me. “You wouldn't want to risk sabotaging that, would you?” Its the only thing I can think of to get her to stay inside.
She sighs, putting her hands on her hips. “No, I guess not.” She bites her lip and her eyes are almost pleading when she turns them on me again. What did she want now? “Do you think you could talk Aiden into going out with me?”
I froze in the midst of ushering her out of the kitchen, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “What?”
“I know you guys just met, but you already seem to be really close. Please?” Her lower lip jutted out in a pout, eyes widening in an effort to get me to agree.
“Nat, I don't know.” How was I supposed to tell her yes? I couldn't do that! How could she even ask me that!?
Because she thinks we're cousins. Damn it! I would've been better off if I'd just told her the truth, or at least part of it. Then maybe I wouldn't be thinking about tying and gagging her and stuffing her in my closet. Maybe I then I wouldn't be so damn tempted.
“Why not? Please, Andrea. Please, I'm begging you here.” She grabbed my hands desperately, not letting them go even I try to jerk out of her grasp. “Please, I'll do whatever you want.”
Why did I not buy that? I shake my head at her. “Nat, if you want Aiden to go out with you I suggest you ask him yourself, I'm staying out of it.” Before I can something else that I'll just have to take back later I walk around her up the stairs to my room, cringing at the sight of all my clothes strung across the room.
Yep, Natalie had definitely been worried, she always goes through my closet when she's worried. Though why she couldn't go home and go through her own closet was a mystery. At least she always puts everything back when she's gotten over whatever she's worried about. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.
“Okay, what did I do? First Josh is mad at me and now you are.” Natalie frowned at me when she walked into my bedroom, planting her hands on her hips when she kicked the door shut with her foot. “Andie?”
I groan, knowing I'll regret later what I'm about to say now. “Why does it have to be Aiden?” She could have her pick of any guy in our grade-no, scratch that. In our entire school-why did she have to pick Aiden?
She shrugged, “He's different, sweet even. I'm so sick of the guys we go to school with, Andie. They all act like children, but if its such an issue I'll back off.”
I wanted to tell her that yes, it was an issue, a huge issue, but I had no right to. And I'd just end up feeling guilty later on if I did. I had no right to keep them from going out if they both really wanted to.
“No-I just-its weird, you know? Like that time I went out with Bryce.” Natalie's brother and I had went on one date, orchestrated by my parents, and neither Bryce or I could get over the semblance of almost family we'd had for years. But Natalie had completely flipped her lid anyway. She wouldn't talk to me for three days after that, even though Bryce and I both had reassured her that it wouldn't be happening again. Ever.
“Oh, well I guess I can see your point when you put it like that. But Aiden's not your brother. He's just your cousin and I didn't grow up calling him an irritating pig.” Irritating pig was just one of the many names I've called Bryce over the years, but she still didn't get my point.
“Its still weird, Nat.” Why couldn't she just drop it? Just forget she'd ever met Aide and leave me the hell alone? I didn't want to help her get Aiden, but I didn't know what to tell her so I wouldn't have to. I couldn't explain things to her when I was still trying to figure them out myself, but if she continued bugging me about this I'd have no choice.
I just couldn't think of anything else to tell her.
Natalie opens her mouth, no doubt planning on asking me for my help again when my bedroom door opens and Josh and Aiden walk in.
Aiden doesn't even glance my way as he walks stiffly towards Natalie. “Would you like to go out with me sometime?”
Natalie nods, her eyes as bright as a kid's on Christmas morning, a bright grin curling her lips. While I feel like I've had the air knocked out of my lungs. Hell, I'd been almost positive that he wasn't going to ask her out, that he wasn't even interested in her. I mean, he'd practically ran from the room earlier. What had changed his mind?
Out of curiosity I glance at Josh just to see what his reaction to this whole thing was, but when I look at him he's not watching Natalie and Aiden. His eyes are glued to mine. A mysterious smile tugs at the corners of his mouth and he winks at me before crossing the room to wrap an arm around my shoulders, pulling me tightly to his side.
“Terrific, now we can go on a double date.” Huh?
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I've got the chapter titles worked out and wrote down so I won't forget them, so I know roughly how the chapters from here on out are going to go. That doesn't mean that uploads will be any faster because I still don't have all the details worked out.
Next chapter: First Dates.
I've got the ending for the next ch done, don't ask why cause I really don't know. But I wanted to know what you guys want to happen in the next chapter? Anything specific you'd like to see? I've got this idea to maybe have Xavier and Arianna make an appearance in the next chapter? I dunno. If you've got ideas, something you'd like to see happen comment please!