The evening sun felt great against my skin just thinking how horribly cold the weather had been not long ago.
"Decided where to go for your first date yet?" I ask Ossey Thursday after school.
"Hailey likes theme parks, so maybe there, I guess," he replies with his accent more pronounced and thick.
"Of course take her somewhere she likes," I say with a smile.
The sky was a bright blue dotted with white clouds and a magnificent golden sunshine reflecting against it.
"I almost forgot," I say turning to Ossey, "Emmett is throwing a party and I agreed to go and I thought you'd want to go too."
"Emmett? As in the guy you have a crush on?"
"No... Emmett as in my next door neighbour that happens to be a guy I no longer have a crush on," I tut.
"When did that happen?"
"Why so shocked?" I reply answering his question with a question.
"Have you forgotten you almost murdered me over him?"
"Yes, I have forgotten, because one: that didn't happen."
"It did, you almost broke my arm off over him."
"I was only getting you to talk," I protest.
"Using violence because of a boy."
My mouth opened to shoot a retort at him and I ended up closing it and laughed instead.
"I'm over him okay?" I say chuckling.
"When did this happen?" he persists.
"Turns out I didn't like him as much as I thought I had. He's good looking but I don't think we have much in common."
Ossey stared at me as if he wanted to say something but he didn't. He kept quiet instead.
"I hope it's not too late, I should have mentioned it ages ago," I reveal breaking the silence, "You don't think Hailey would mind would she?"
"Ah no, I think she'd love to go if that's what you're asking."
"Of course that's what I'm asking," I grin.
I haven't mentioned it to Phoebe as yet. Now that I'm no longer required to show up to the flower shop because of Helen trying to teach me a lesson, I wouldn't see her on weekends anymore. I didn't want to get a real job. I happened to like being paid to do nothing at all to be honest.
I sighed.
"I should call Phoebe too and ask her," I mumble.
"I thought Blade had your cellphone," Ossey reminds me
I frowned, remembering that the imbecile had stolen my cellphone.
"The jerk still does," I scoff, "Looks like I need to get Helen to call and ask her."
"You're not getting it back are you?" Ossey ask sticking to the topic of the stolen cellphone.
"Have to," I grunt, "I don't want to know at what cost though."
We made it from my house to Ossey's. The weather was ideal for a walk and I hadn't even realized how far we had walked. Spottacus' barks were loud and I heard him scratching and whimpering at the door as we made our way up the driveway and to the porch. Ossey opened the door and Spottacus dashed by us.
Ossey whistled at him loudly.
"Here boy!" He calls and whistled again.
Spottacus didn't give a shit and just carried on like he didn't hear a thing. I chuckled and Ossey grunted before I heard Noel's voice.
"Os you let him out!"
"It wasn't on purpose,"Ossey protests, "now he won't come back."
"That's because you let him out," Noel snaps loudly and pushed his way through the door.
"Sup Secret," he calls hurrying after the Dalmatian.
"Sup Noel."
"Damn you Oswald!" Noel yells breaking into a run down the street after Spottacus.
"Maybe he wants to stretch his legs," I chuckle looking at where they disappeared.
"How is it my fault?" Oswald murmurs.
I gave him a pat on the shoulder and entered the house with Ossey trailing behind.
"I hope he has to chase him across the country first," Ossey mumbles and I chuckled.
The neighbour across the street was sitting on a rocker, watching the commotion, as Ossey closed the door. Clinking and shuffling was coming from the kitchen.
"Mum!" Ossey calls loudly and Mrs. Seymour appeared at the kitchen door.
"What's Noel going on about?" She asks.
"Spot got out, he's chasing him again," Ossey replies.
Mrs. Seymour looked at me and smiled not just with her lips but also with her eyes. She didn't quite have the accent like Noel and Ossey though.
"Is this the new girlfriend you were telling us about?" She asks sweetly and Ossey's expression turned blank.
I chuckled and Ossey shook his head.
"Oh," Mrs. Seymour says, "you're his friend?...The short one?...Goodness you look taller."
"I must have grown overnight," I joke and Ossey rolled his eyes and sighed.
"My apologies dear, snacks are in here if you want some," she says smiling and she oddly looked like she was fighting back laughter.
Ossey looked at me and I just grinned.
"Ah no mum, maybe later okay."
She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen and Ossey and I made our way up the stairs. I was still holding back laughter when we arrived in his room and I flopped down on the couch, that wasn't even the least bit messy.
"I'm going to text Hailey and ask her about the party, are you sure you're not hungry?" Ossey asks.
I gave an uncertain shrug.
"Be back in a bit," he says walking back to the door.
I sat quietly looking around his room. For a second I dug my hand into my pocket looking for my cell phone then I remembered Blade had it. I screwed up my face in annoyance. That has happened more than a dozen times since he stole it on Sunday. I wanted it back but I trust Blade to tell the truth, and I'm sure I'd never find it no matter where I looked. I could attack Luka and force him to tell but I'd probably never see him without either Blade or Jude.
Ossey returned a couple minutes later carrying cookies.
"Did Noel bake them?" I ask looking at that skeptically.
"Mum would never allow that again," he replies and I took a cookie.
There was no way Noel could have baked these, they tasted almost as great as the ones Mrs. Collins had made. Ossey took a bite from one a cookie and fell on the sofa next to me.
"Hailey said she'd love to go," he reveals.
At that moment the door downstairs opened and Spottacus barked loudly and whimpered before he was heard making his way up the stairs. Spottacus came trotting into the room slowly then sauntered towards us. Noel had reached the landing seconds later and poked his head around the door.
"Os I'm going to need the car keys."
"Ah no, I'm going to use the car," Ossey replies looking at his brother.
"Just borrow mom's car and lend me yours," Noel argues.
"Why don't you take moms car and what do you need it for anyways?"
"Spot and I met a gorgeous babe and well you don't need to know the details."
"Then take moms car, I'm going to use mine," Os persists with an eye roll.
Noel frowned.
"Do you realize that I'm talking about a girl?" Noel asks, "Did I mention that she was gorgeous? I think I did. Now help me understand Os, why'd I want to take a girl out in an SUV that belongs to my mother?"
"It has four wheels doesn't it?" Ossey argues and I snickered loudly and they turned to look tat me.
"Come on Ossey you wouldn't want your brother to not get the girl do you?" I question with a grin.
Osseys expression was grim and he hissed under his breath.
"Just take the car."
Spottacus barked and got up.
"Thank you," Noel says smiling, "See that's a good brother. Thanks Secret," he says and disappeared.
"Don't mention it," I call and Spottacus followed after him.
Ossey searched his room for everything he'd need, while Noel got dressed to go out possibly on a date.
Ossey got the SUV from the garage and we got in. I could see why Noel would think it's less impressive than a car. For one it was sort of a very electrifying blue. I snickered at Ossey who looked like he hated the color as well. We arrived at the lot, night had just fallen and the street lights were on. Ossey's friends from the basketball team was there along with a large group of college kids and more persons from high school. Ossey talked with his friends and I sat on the Hood of the SUV, and emptied a giant sized cup of slushy.
They were talking game strategy.
"We obviously have to beat them if we want to continue this winning streak," a tall boy with a low haircut and muscular adds.
"We know that, but we have to change things up a bit, we can't have the same play all the time," another inputs.
"Coach still thinks we'll hold them off long enough to win," another one says and three boys grunted.
Amethyst was busy engaging in a conversation with some of her friends but that didn't stop her friends eyes from darting towards the SUV surrounded by teenage boys. I wondered if she was staring at Ossey or at one of the similar built boys that were talking to him. Another guy with jet black hairstyle faded at the sides came up behind her friend and hugged her from back. My heart catapulted in my chest and I saw the girl turn and kissed him. My eyes wear glued to his back and when he finally pulled away from the girl and looked over his shoulder my heart beat calmed. For a second I thought that the guy was Blade kissing some college girl. I don't know why I reacted the way I did. I probably would have felt horrible if it had been him obviously just from my reaction. I shakily turned the cup of slushy into my mouth and had a massive brain freeze even my teeth were cold.
I grunted in pain and open my eyes to see all of them looking at me.
"What?"
"Something wrong?" Ossey questions.
"No just a brain freeze," I mumble.
Every one except Ossey looked away immediately I took another sip from the slushy and pretended not to notice. Why had I thought the guy looked like Blade in the first place and I even reacted unnaturally when whoever and that was kissed.
They went back to talking and every time someone new showed up I looked hopefully to see if it was Blade. Obviously he had worked his charm again on me at our little lunch sitting. For some reason I felt like he wasn't pretending. I even sensed he was a bit jealous of Emmett.
Blade... Blade Goddamn Collins jealous!
That was practically unheard of. Why'd he be jealous anyways? Was it because he thought I still liked Emmett, or was it just my mind making me overthink and delude myself that Blade had been acting a wee bit jealous ever since he saw us at the park that day. He did say he was jealous but he was obviously only saying it to tease me then.
Ossey and his friends finished going over their game strategy then disappeared to hang out and hit on the girls in the lot.
"I've noticed you've been fidgety since you arrived," he says.
"No, I'm just thinking of what Blade might be doing with my cellphone," I reply which was partly true.
"You've really gotten a lot less fiesty," he chuckles.
"What makes you think that?"
"Five days without your phone Cece, I'd think he'd be picking his door off the floor by now."
I grunted inaudibly.
"Maybe that's what I'll do if he takes any longer."
Ossey raised his eyebrow and chuckled. I knew exactly what he was thinking he was thinking I wasn't going to because he too thinks I've gotten soft because I like him. I noticed Amethyst looking over her shoulder again but problem was the group had dispersed and only Ossey remained so the person she was looking at was obviously him the whole time.
He looked up and saw her looking at him too and he sort smiled at her I think and she waved. With a raised eyebrow I looked at him.
"What?"
I shook my head and looked down.
"We're just friends," he says.
I didn't say anything contrary to the matter.
"By the way Cece," Ossey says, "your acting at the party was good but she confessed she knew it was a show."
"But you two..." I trail off.
"She thought I was cute," he chuckles.
"That's a shame, I really put my heart and soul into that act, I was so hoping for an Emmy nomination."
Ossey chuckled and I sipped on my slushy.
"I almost forgot," he says pulling his cellphone from his pocket, "I have to call Hailey."
"Awe look at you being a good boyfriend," I mock and he frowned at me and raised the cellphone to his ear.
Music was blaring and their was a lot of chattering and laughing. I sipped on the drink again and three figures came around the corner of the building entering the abandoned lot. Ossey was on his cellphone next to me and my heart gave a jolted in my chest. ai saw them clearly in the light. Three very tall boys with straggly auburn hair. I hissed at myself quietly and scoffed.
I thought it was Blade. Why had I hoped for it to be him? I couldn't stop myself from getting jumpy and thinking every time someone shows up it's him.
Blade's right about me isn't he?
But how can he be right?
I scoffed miserably.
How could I have let this happen?
#TBGWP
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