West Gray
This is so weird. Almost the strangest one I've ever had. Things faded and dissolved into many shapes taking on various colors. I could hear voices, whispering, arguing, laughing... They were muffled though. I couldn't understand anything. Well, I don't really care. I was feeling pretty relaxed, glad that my throat didn't feel so effing dry, and my head wasn't pounding my damn brain, which I would surely feel once I've woken up. Well, I was lying on some cloud thing, floating through the colorful mess and enjoying this odd place.
Yawning, I turned to my side and felt a soft yet more solid part of the cloud, sighing, I wrapped my arms around it and liked the comfortable way it felt. It reminded me of Naomi, how she felt in my arms.
But my relaxation was disrupted by a booming voice, thundering footsteps, and a shrilly annoying voice. What the bloody hell?
And then, everything started to solidify, the colors gathering towards the forming objects until they looked clearer. The cloud was still a cloud... well, not until it turned into a kitten and ran off after the shrilly voice. There was something standing by the doorway. I squinted and realized that it was a dark fox. Huh, why would I dream of that? And there were a lot of marshmallows, fluttering candies, and a... gipsy? Now where'd that come from?
Anyway, the kitten came back and I wanted to pet it, hold it, and squeeze the life out of it. It was a brown little kitten, with big blue eyes that were looking at me as if with concern. I called it, Puffball. It sorta reminded me of chocolate because of its brown fur. Wait, what is wrong with me? How can I think of a kitten as chocolate? Damn, Tyler's addiction must be rubbin' on me...
The fox looked at my little puffball and I knew that it wanted to eat it. I tried to jump in between them but something held me still. I growled at the fox and warned him not to hurt my puffball.
"How'd he catch a cold anyway?" the fox said, surprising me into silence. Whoa, it speaks.
"He went home still wet and rode his bike with an open shirt," Puffball sighed softly, her paws brushing my hair aside tenderly.
Hold on... Were they talking about me?
"Hey um about me slipping about the uh..." Puffball said uneasily.
The fox sighed. "Wish you didn't tell her."
"Sorry."
"I can't say it's okay though, I'm not sure if she's going to tell on us, use it as something to blackmail me with, or just be her good quiet self."
'I don't think she'll tell," said Puffball.
"Then you don't know her that well."
The fox crossed his arms over his chest and looked at my kitten steadily. "How do you think he'd react?" he asked.
"He might get mad again... since I didn't tell him right away... I wanted to, but," Puffball's ears drooped sadly, "I didn't want you to get in trouble."
"Trouble?"
"He'll surely charge you or something. He'll be really mad," Puffball shrugged and then smiled warmly. "He wasn't as mature as I thought."
"Yes, he's quite short-tempered, a bit simple-minded, childish even," said the fox. He looked like he was annoyed at himself and didn't understand why he said that. I flashed him a finger for insulting me, damn animal. I'm not simple-minded, though I admit to the short-tempered trait, but I wasn't childish. I am the eldest child and carried a lot of responsibility, I huffed. And I am a bloody great older brother. Just look at Tyler for proof!
Crap, that wasn't right.
"Yes," giggled Puffball much to my dismay, but then, "He's also cute and adorable because of that."
The fox made a face.
"You know, he even told me you liked me," Puffball added. When did I say that?
"He did?" asked the fox wiping away that surprised expression I saw.
"Yeah," Puffball laughed.
"And what did you say?" he asked nonchalantly.
"I said I liked you too, but not in the romantic way. You and I would never see each other like that. It's ridiculous!" she giggled. Of course it's ridiculous. A kitten and a fox can never be together unless it's lunchtime
Fox laughed humorlessly, "Yeah. Ridiculous."
Something in his tone caught the kitten's attention. "Is something wrong?"
"No, what could possibly be wrong?" he said sarcastically.
"Nick?"
Nick...NICK! Shit. So this isn't a...but then...
"Why did it have to be you of all people," he grumbled.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Puffba--Naomi. The dream images were fading now as I was surfacing to complete consciousness. I strictly kept my eyes closed. What the hell was Nick doing here?
He grunted. "I feel like an idiot, honestly."
"Nick, I don't understand," Naomi said.
"I'm starting to hate you," he said grudgingly, "and myself."
"Wha-why?"
"Because I've started to like like you," he admitted through gritted teeth. I slightly opened my eyes. Nick's expression looked wary, confused, and tired.
Nick raked his hands through his dark hair in absolute frustration, a groan escaping his lips as he cursed for letting himself tell her that. I've never seen him like this... He always had this I-know-everything facade and he always kept his composure. He was the evil genius between the twins. He was the master-mind, the shrewd, sneaky devil. He was the smart one. And he fell for my girlfriend.
I couldn't see Naomi's expression. Her back was to me. But judging by her silence, she must be in shock.
"You..."
"I would ask you to forget about it, if I knew that could be possible," he said looking straight at her.
"Of course I can't just cast something like this aside!" she puffed. "That's just insensitive and rude!"
Nick gave her a rueful smile.
There was a long silence that followed after that. A very tense silence.
Nick liked Naomi. When did that happen? Though I suspected it, I wished it wasn't true. Nick's my pal. He's been there for me as much as I'd been there for him. And for him to admit this to the girl that I loved was... serious. He was in a mess and couldn't bury this. Well, he was never one to bury things, he liked facing them head on, just as I preferred too.
While I was the guy who fought fights for him, he was the one who personally blackmailed for me. I was the one that stood up to the bastards and Nick was the one who plot their downfall. He and his brother hacked the school computer to change our enemies' names into douche and dumbass. Sure, he and his twin piss me off for more times than I can count, but... Dammit.
"Since when?" asked Naomi.
"I don't really know," he admitted sadly. "Probably when Natt and I were teaching you how to flirt."
"So then... when you kissed me..."
"Yes, I was already in love with you."
My eyes popped open.
Nick saw me and his eyes widened. Naomi saw his expression and whirled around. My headache hit me hard when I suddenly sat up. Wincing in pain, I ignored the sore dryness of my throat and looked directly at Nick. "You kissed her?"
Nick looked miserable. "Yes."
Naomi Carter
This is... I don't even know what to say about this. Nick was in love with me. Nick had kissed me. And West is awake...
"How long have you...?" I asked.
"I woke up earlier than I should have," he said wincing as he shifted to sit more comfortably. His head must still be hurting. His green eyes were locked with Nick's and neither of them said a word. West wasn't glaring. Nick seemed to be pleading. And I just stood there like an idiot, holding my tongue, afraid that I'd say something wrong.
"When?" West asked.
"She cried after you left. And I kissed her," he answered.
"I'm sorry West," I said.
He looked at me and smiled, "Puffball." I stared at him in confusion. I was expecting more of a negative reaction. Something like staring daggers at Nick and I, or shooting words that hit their target ferociously. But a smile? Was West going looney again?
Still convinced that he was going to explode sooner or later, I may as well explain what I can. "West, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Nick and I agreed to forget it, and we had just made up. I was happy, I wouldn't have thought of bringing it up."
"Naomi," West said, "Stop, please."
I shut up immediately. That strange obedient-to-West trait kicking in.
The two of them stared at each other for a really long time. It was like they were having this silent male conversation and my female mind could not intercept their telepathic signals.
Finally, "Nick," West said, "what are you going to do?"
Nick gave him a half smile. "That's the same question Natt threw me. And the answer is the same, I guess." Taking a deep breath, Nick gathered himself and West waited patiently. "She's stupidly in love with you for some reason," Nick said grinning. "And there is absolutely nothing I could do to make her mine... yet."
West laughed.
"So she's yours," he said already turning to leave. He glanced at me and chuckled, "For now."