Don't forget to leave a like and comment! I love to hear from you all!
** For everyone upset about Isaac trying to get 'close' to Tess, I never said that he was a love interest for her
|| Chapter 9 ||
We're sitting on the front steps of the school under the overhang, to shield us from the rain. His hair is still damp from his shower and he's wringing his hands together, letting his thoughts get to him.
"I'm sor-"
I raise a hand, cutting off his apology, "-It's cool. I overreacted."
He tilts his head, leaning back on his hands, "Tess, I know why you reacted that way, okay? I'm not in the dark on your feelings, I get it."
I rest my elbow on my knee, resting my head in my hand and stare out at the rain, watching droplets splash against the soft top of Drew's convertible. He doesn't say anything. He just keeps his hands laid out behind him, stretching his legs out along the next couple of steps. "You know my dad still doesn't care how many sports I do to show him how good I am?" I ask rhetorically, interrupting the silence between us. "I work so fucking hard when it comes to sports and athletics to get the approval that's always been reserved for Harry and Bass or even Lottie, and I just get looked over. It pisses me off." I look back over at him, "I do not put in the amount of hard work and dedication in my athletics to have you 'fumble' the ball in gym class. That just makes me look even more pathetic, like you don't think that I even had a chance so let's give me a boost. I don't need it, so don't do it. I deserve better than that." I take a deep breath trying to think of the last time that I actually let my emotions lead a conversation.
"I know you do," he says softly, shuffling closer to me. "And I won't do it again, okay? I'm sorry for making you feel that way."
I nod my head. That's a good enough apology for me. Heart-to-hearts make me uncomfortable, especially when emotions are involved.
"And what's going on with you and Brianna? Because that whole situation is giving me a headache."
He lets out a little chuckle, fidgeting. "We're not getting back together or anything, she's just helping me with a situation."
I sit up more alert, "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"
He looks over at me with a grin, "I'm all good Tess, just emotional talks." He winks, nudging me, "And I know how much you love those."
I scrunch my nose in disgust, "Yeah no, have at it, she can take one for the team."
"I did date her for almost two years, we still understand each other," he shrugs, placing his hands on his knees, knocking them together lightly.
"I mean, she dumped your ass so hard, I'm just surprised is all."
He raises an eyebrow, "Gee, thanks for that reminder Joy Killer."
I let out a loud laugh, shoving him over. "You're welcome." I slap my legs as I stand up, brushing the dirt off the back of my jean shorts. "You still coming over tonight to watch Stranger Things?"
His toothy grin is enough of an answer for me, "Never miss it, I have to hit the ring to train for a bit tonight, Mikey will kill me if I don't show my face. Need a ride?"
I hoist my backpack over my shoulder, staring at the mini monsoon happening in the school parking lot, "Nah, I'll just walk."
He balks at me in shocked confusion. "Tess, this weath-."
"Are you serious? Of course I'm hitching a ride, look at this rain," I laugh, standing on the last step before the awning ends and the rain begins.
He shakes his head lightly, letting his shaggy hair fall into his eyes. "You're a pain in my ass, Hayes."
"That's my family's slogan at this point." We both start laughing, knowing how crazy my family can be.
"Ready?" He asks, looking at the rain as we ready ourselves for a sprint to his car.
"What is this, a race? Come on!" I yell running out into the rain. I almost freeze on the first step from the shock of cold the rain gives me as it hits my skin, but Drew grabs my arm and pulls me after him to the car.
|| ✨ ||
"No I didn't! I said that he said that Fiona told him that it was a dress up party!" Sebastian's voice is the first thing I hear when Drew and I get in the front door, dripping all over the hardwood floor.
"Well then you're a fucking idiot for listening to Jackson's version of what dressing up means!" Olivia yells back.
Drew and I exchange an exasperated look as we brace ourselves for what's around the corner. Oh it's so good to have them home again. We hang back, wiping up the mess but I still keep my ears open to the fight unfurling in the living room.
"I'm the idiot? Says the girl that thought bunnies laid eggs!" Sebastian accuses, and I look at Drew in shocked confusion. Eggs, really? Drew shrugs, helpless.
A loud scoff fills the air, "Why the fuck is he an Easter Bunny that hides eggs? It just doesn't make any sense!" Her voice is shrill as if this topic has actually been on her mind for a while now.
I peak my head around the corner, watching the drama unfold between the most dramatic couple out there.
What I had not been expecting was Olivia in a beautiful black cocktail dress and for Sebastian to be wearing a... "Are those my pants?" I demand, marching into the room beelining straight for my idiot brother who seems to be wearing my pleather pants.
Sebastian grins over his shoulder, "Hey Tessy, they look good right? Thank god your ass is huge."
Drew chokes on a laugh, erupting in a fake cough. Olivia rolls her eyes, moving to stand next to Drew so that the siblings can hash it out.
"At least my ass looks better than yours, pancake," I argue, folding my arms over my chest staring at the tight material stretching against his legs, almost splitting at the seams. Thank God they're the stretchy kind.
He gasps, offended, "You take that back!" He turns around to show me his backside and I take off my sneaker at lightning speed and smack his ass as hard as I can making him shriek in pain. Drew isn't even trying to hold in his laughter anymore. "You little bitch," he seethes at me. "Drew!" Drew's head whips up to look at Sebastian with the best calm expression he can muster. "My ass looks great, right?"
Drew's eyes widen and he looks at me for help but I keep my expression blank, daring him to continue. Olivia just stands off to the side with a bored look on her face from her boyfriends antics. "I-uh... sure?"
"Don't encourage him," Olivia replies, hitting Drew's arm.
"See!" Sebastian points at Drew for emphasis. "He gets it."
"I really don't," Drew shakes his head sheepishly.
Just then Charlotte walks down the stairs in her own cocktail dress and heels. She pauses in the doorway for a second staring at Sebastian's sunset tank and my pleather pants with a pink feather boa to pull it all together. "Dude, what the fuck?"
"I asked the same thing," Olivia says, walking over to Charlotte and nodding at her dress, "Nice dress, looks just like the one in my closet," she smirks.
Charlotte grins, swaying from side-to-side, "Nice shoes, they look just like mine," she retorts in fake shock, her hand on her chest.
"See, they're allowed to share each others clothes, why can't we?" Sebastian turns to me.
"Because we're two completely different sizes and you're going to rip my pants, take them off!"
"No, I need them! They pull the whole Klaus from The Umbrella Academy look together for the party," he whines, moving away from me so that I don't grab him.
Olivia sighs, "Babe, when Jackson said dress up party, he meant dress up in fancy clothes party," she gestures to the dresses that Charlotte and her are wearing.
Sebastian looks deflated, "I spent twenty minutes trying to get into these pants and now you're telling me that it was for nothing."
Olivia pouts, melting at his stupid excuse and my eyes widen in shock when she walks up to him, giving him a light kiss. Sap! "It wasn't for nothing, your ass looks great."
"Oh come on!" I groan.
"Thanks babe," he grins, bending over to show off his ass, in my pants.
I lose all self control when I hear a distinctive rip and suddenly Sebastian has gone all sheepish, covering his backside. The room is silent and everyone's eyes glance in my direction, waiting for my reaction.
"Oh no you didn't!" I yell, reaching out to tackle him.
"I didn't mean to!" He pleads over his shoulder, sprinting up the stairs. From behind me I can hear Drew casually chatting with Charlotte and Olivia about their night.
"It's some dinner party with a few high school friends from the neighborhood," Charlotte says but I don't hear the rest because Sebastian ran into Maddie's room at the end of the hall.
Maddie looks up startled from where she's sitting at her desk with a sketchpad in front of her. "Maddie, she's trying to kill me!" Sebastian dives behind Maddie, using her as a human shield. She pulls off her headphones.
"Why are you in my room?" She asks, raising an eyebrow, clearly annoyed by the disturbance.
Sebastian scoffs, "Because you need to protect me from the She-Devil!" He shakes her shoulders lightly. I stand in the doorway with my arms braced against the walls, blocking his only escape.
She shrugs, unbothered, "You probably deserved it."
He stops all acts and looks at her as if she's a complete stranger, "Who are you and what have you done with my Munchkin?"
"Stop calling me Munchkin, I'm ten years old," she complains, putting her pencil down.
"Never," he whispers, grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her up over his shoulder with her front facing his ripped pants.
"Gross, Bass! Put me down!" She yells, hitting his back but I can see the smile fighting to show on her lips.
I walk further into the room, brushing through some of her drawings, noting a lot body parts like eyes and hands.
He starts jumping up and down, jostling her from side-to-side making her groan like the wind was knocked out of her. "Not until my Munchkin comes back."
"You. Are so. Annoying!" She laughs between each jump, hitting his back. He doesn't listen, now spinning in circles. "Okay. OKAY!" She yells.
He puts her down, ruffling her hair before leaving the room. She rolls her eyes, grinning the whole way back to her desk. I stay quiet, enjoying the moment just shared between them as I leave the room.
I walk over to Sebastian's room and stand in the doorway as he tries, with a lot of restraint from the pants, to pull them off. "What's her deal?"
I sigh and lean against the threshold, "It's hard for her when you guys are away, she misses us all hanging out like we used to."
"Well we're here now," he falls back on his bed as he gets one leg loose. My poor pants.
"And you're going out tonight," I laugh. "And I'm heading to the gym later on with Drew."
He sighs, seeing the point of it all now. "Okay well, how about we do like, a sibling day on Saturday?"
"Can't, Drew's graduation is on Saturday."
Sebastian whistles, "Damn, he's already graduating? Shit I'm getting old," he laughs, abandoning the other pleather-clad leg and just sitting on his bed.
"Bass, we need to go!" Olivia shouts from the hallway, walking into his room. She looks down at him, "Babe, you know I'm all for the no pants thing, but this is a formal event." He chuckles with wink, then gestures to his stuck leg. She walks over to him and starts pulling the pants, trying to get them off. She tugs for a few more seconds then looks over at me, "Uh Tess, a little help?"
I purse my lips, analyzing the situation for a second, "Nah I'm good, you're on your own," I slap the doorway and start walking down the hallway. "You owe me new pants, asshole!"
"Swear jar!" I hear Maddie's voice from her room and curse quietly, "Swear jar, again."
"What, do you have sonar hearing now?" I ask loudly, stomping back down the stairs. "Brat."
"I heard that!"
I turn my face back to the top of the stairs, "You were supposed to!"
|| ✨ ||
"Okay, I'll be in the ring, come to me when you're done," Drew says as we get out of his car, slinging his gym bag over his shoulder. He's wearing a gray tank and his black workout shorts with his black Nike slides.
The rain has finally stopped so the air just smells like wet tar with a hint of sweat from the gym. "Yup, all good."
We walk through the automatic sliding doors and scan our phones that have our digital gym memberships loaded onto them. "Hey Tessa, hey Drew, how are you two?" Taylor greets us from in the circle where the receptionist desk is located.
"Hey Tay, good thanks, how was your weekend?" Drew asks with a casual smile.
"It was great, thanks! How was your weekend Tess?" she asks with an excited smile.
I smile at her, "Eh, pretty chill, just did some petty crimes."
She giggles, covering a hand over her mouth to not laugh louder, "That's hilarious."
We say goodbye and head further into the gym and down the stairs towards the workout space. Mikey, Drew's trainer, is standing in the ring with an unamused expression on his face. Drew curses under his breath, moving his bag to his other hand, and pulls the back of his shirt over his head with the other. His toned, tanned skin is now on full display for the whole gym to see but he's not bothered by it.
"He looks pissed, have fun," I smile, waving him off as I head towards the locker room to put my stuff down.
Forty minutes later I've worked up a healthy sweat from the weights and treadmill. I grab my sweat towel from where I left it hanging on the treadmill and wipe my face and neck, while cleaning the machine with a antibacterial wipe. I walk over to the Lat Pulldown Machine and set my water bottle and towel down on the mat next to it.
"Hey babe," a random voice interrupts me as I slip the pin into the weights.
I spin around and come face-to-face with a random guy my age. His muscles are unnecessarily large and he's smiling down at me. "I'm sorry?" I ask in confusion, thinking that I must have heard him wrong.
"No need to apologize, babe," he winks and it takes every fiber of my being not to laugh out loud at him.
My eyes are wide as I nod my head, staring at him as if he's grown an extra limb. I ignore him and sit on the bench, readying myself to reach up for the bar. I reach out my hand, but he puts his on the bar, stopping me from touching it. I run my tongue over my teeth in annoyance and take a deep breath before looking up at him. "Can I help you?"
He smirks down at me, giving me what I'm sure he thinks is a sultry smile. His heavy cologne stench is starting to make my eyes water. "I like your shirt," he says as he raises his eyebrows.
I comically look down at my plain black t-shirt and back up at him with a blank face, "It's a plain black shirt." I hear a couple of chuckles from the treadmill area and I subtly glance over, seeing three other guys casually watching our exchange with smirks on their faces.
He shifts his body, crossing one leg behind the other while still keeping his hand on the bar, "Yeah but it looks good on you."
"Great, thanks, but I'm not interested," I reply in a deadpan voice.
"I just came over because I wanted to show you how to properly use this machine so that you don't hurt yourself," he smiles as if he's doing me a favor. Another round of chuckles sound from the peanut gallery.
"Oh? Because someone like me would have no idea how to use this machine compared to you? It doesn't look hard to me," I reply innocently.
He smiles eyeing the weight that I've set the pin in, "I think you should start off on a lighter weight, you don't want to pull something, it can be common on this machine."
I sit in the proper position and ignore his hand that is still resting on the bar as I pull it down to my chest swiftly before bringing it back up slowly, "I think I'm good," I smile sarcastically. His demeanor starts crumpling and his smile slowly starts fading as he processes my sarcasm. "So, why don't you and your little friends that are hiding behind the treadmills thinking that I can't see them," I look over at them pointedly, watching them quickly glance away, "kindly fuck off and leave me alone to my workout. Sounds good?"
He stands up straighter, giving me a glare and leans down trying to get in my face.
"Move your hand before I move it for you," I threaten, not giving him a chance to say another word to me. He quickly lets go of the bar and moves away without another word.
Before I can restart my workout another voice stops me. "Damn you're not in a good mood today," Isaac grins, wiping his sweaty face with a towel.
"Go away." I grab the bar and start my set. He doesn't leave, instead he stands a few feet away downing a bottle of water, scrolling through his phone.
He only acknowledges me once I'm finished and picking my stuff up off the floor. "So, what's new?" he asks with a relaxed smile on his face.
"Nothing," I reply with a disinterested shrug.
"Sure, sounds fun," he raises his eyebrows with a laugh, following me towards the ring where Drew does his training. "Where are we going? You going to do a couple rounds?" He throws a couple mock punches in the air, his smile almost goofy.
I chuckle and shake my head, "No, just grabbing Drew." I gesture towards the guy hashing it out with Mikey. His hair is now matted to his forehead with sweat from his training. He's light on his feet as he moves around the ring, dodging blows from Mikey with intense concentration.
"Damn," Isaac whistles next to me as we watch Drew take down Mikey.
I smirk, not even looking at him to know what his facial expression is, "I know right?"
Drew throws a combination of punches, pushing Mikey into a corner. He distracts Mikey with his faux punches and kicks out his leg hitting Mikey in the ribs. Eventually Mikey is on the ground but before Drew can do anything Mikey taps out, ending the fight.
"Damn, Killer!" Isaac shouts, clapping his hands. Drew's startled face glances over in our direction and once he notices that it's us, he breaks out into a breathy smile.
"Hey man, what's up?" Drew asks, moving over tot he edge of the ring to slap hands with Isaac.
"Nothing much, just bumped into Tessa telling off some guys earlier," he shrugs, looking over at me with a smile and I scowl back playfully.
Drew shakes his head, taking the towel out of Mikey's outstretched hand to wipe off his face and chest. "That's my Tessy," he winks, sliding under the ropes and onto the floor next to us. He picks up his gym bag, pulling out his water bottle and taking large gulps from it, letting small drips of the water trail down his neck and chest. "Ready to go?" he asks with a tired smile.
I nod my head wordlessly, handing out my things to put into his gym bag.
"Hey man, did Teo tell you about Saturday night?" Drew asks as we slowly make our way towards the exit with Isaac trailing behind.
Isaac tilts his head from side-to-side collecting his thoughts. "The thing at your place?"
Drew bobs his head lightly, "Yeah, my mom took the day off for my Graduation so she wants to throw the party after the ceremony."
I shift on my feet awkwardly just thinking about Drew's mother. She's not the most nurturing person out there.
"Hell yeah, Killer," Isaac smirks at the new nickname he's given Drew. "I'll be there."
They slap hands and bro-hug, bidding each other goodbye. I wave at Isaac, still not comfortable with him enough to hug or anything. He chuckles, waving goodbye as if he's waving to a toddler and I show him my middle finger with a sarcastic grin.
Drew laughs, throwing his arm around my shoulder, leading us to his convertible and taking me home. Once we're in the driveway of my house I look over at him with a mischievous smile, "I have a surprise for you on Friday night, we're going out at seven," I tell him as I climb out of the car.
"Will I like this surprise?" he asks, leaning over the center console to watch me through he window. I give him a wordless smile. "That's not very comforting!"
I roll my eyes, "Just trust me, Killer."
He winks, "See you then, Joy Killer."
|| ✨ ||
Hi Everyone!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I made it a little longer for you guys because I was holding out for so long.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram- @Sammipott_books , I enjoy doing polls and asking people questions about characters etc so check it out!
Until next time,
Sammipott xx