I sat in the car anxiously while I began to fidget with my hands. I had begun to have second thoughts on bringing Dante since the bruises on Charlie's face were getting worse by the minute as his face now looked like a colourful red and purple paintball. None of us knew what we would say as an excuse because we couldn't say that Dante did that to him; that would instantly give an extremely terrible impression.
Dante had decided to quickly go to his house, have a shower and get dressed with 'decent' clothing and drive to my aunt's on his motorbike.
"Hey, Haley. We got to get out the car." Juli nudged me and placed her hand on my shoulder as she realized that I was having a mini panic attack inside. "It'll be okay, don't worry."
"But-"
"He had it coming." She cut me off and hugged me tight. "He may be our best friend but he should know better than that. He should know never to hurt someone he loves like that especially when they're going through some difficult shit." Heaven knows where that deep emotional stuff came from but right now I needed this hug from Juli more than ever. These past few months, Juli and I hadn't spoken as much due to me being in that depressed and down state. Yes, she did try but it was me being a fool.
"I'm sorry for not helping you out as much as I could have." Juli apologized and from her muffled voice I could tell she had started to cry.
I saw Charlie's gaze in the rear view mirror and he looked heart-broken. I felt sad and hurt for him, I know he didn't mean anything hurtful or to make me cry and right now he was sitting in the driver's seat looking like he had just escaped the world's brutal fight.
"Let's go. Let the girls have a minute." Chris commanded as he undid his seat belt and got out the car closely followed by a depressed Charlie who winced at every move he took. Once the boys had gotten out the far and were quite some distance away Juli pulled away from the hug and threw her face into her hands before bursting into tears.
"Juli, darling, it's ok." I wrapped my arms around her and was currently doing my best to hold back my own tears. "It's not even your fault. I was the one pushing everyone away but it's okay now. We still have each other-"
"Haley, you don't get it." She mumbled. "While you had your breakdown, yes, you pushed everyone away but Jase constantly kept trying. Even when I began to try less he kept going at it and that should have been me, not him. I shouldn't have reduced my efforts. I should have been going at it and what's worse is when Dante came back you instantly smiled. Your smile was genuine and so bright that I don't think I could have ever made you smile like that if he never came back."
"Juli, you're my best friend, my sister, my other half. If it wasn't for you I would have given up years ago, I would not be here today if it had not been for you so I want you to remove any of these negative thoughts from your silly head. You made me smile when no one else could and to this day you stuck by me that's been the best present I have ever been given and it always will be." I had officially decided to cry in sync with my best friend. We sat inside the car that was parked opposite my aunty's house while we sobbed like a pair of idiots and looked like we were hormonal pregnant women.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the car window and Juli and I turned out faces to see Dante standing there with a confused look on his face. Juli instantly wiped away the tears that were rolling down her face and wiped away my tears too.
"Haley, you're an amazing sister to have." She pecked my cheek before getting out the car and dashing over to where Charlie and Chris were standing. I giggled lightly at her old habit; she never liked anyone seeing her cry so she would run away from them by standing with others. I saw the three of them walk to the front door before it was opened and they stepped inside.
"What's wrong, chika?" Dante asked as he opened the door for me and helped me out the car. He was wearing black voi jeans which were palmer designed cuffed joggers. He wore his grey vans and a light grey suede shoulder patch thin sweater.
"Nothing, just girl stuff." I smiled.
"Well, you'll always have me by your side okay. Don't forget that." Dante stated as he placed his hands on my hips and brought me closer towards him before kicking the car door close. "You almost lost me once and I'll make sure that doesn't happen again."
"Dante?"
"Yes."
"You're a sweetheart." I smiled before lightly pecking his lips. I pulled back before he could kiss me back and giggled.
"Take that back." He smirked. "That sounds so girly. If anything, I'm a bad-ass."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I grinned knowing I was getting on his nerves.
"Take that back or else..." He chuckled lightly before running one of his hands through his hair then once again placing his hand on my hip.
"And if I don't?"
He slipped both his hands into mine before his lips reached my jaw, tracing the lines of my ear to my collarbone. They were so warm against my skin. I couldn't stop my heart from pounding in my chest. My blood flowed rapidly in my cheeks, making my face as red as ever. I lifted my hands out of his, and pulled them up high to his shoulders, where I entwined them with his soft dark brown hair. He put his hands back down at my waist while pulling me closer to his chest. His lips were a mere inch away and I moved my face closer to his to remove any space between our lips but he slyly pulled back and smirked.
"You tease." I gasped and smacked his shoulder.
"I did tell you to take it back." Dante chuckled.
"Well, now you aren't getting a kiss from me for a whole week." I smiled and began to make my way to my aunty's front door.
"What?" He gasped in shock. "A week? But, but..."
He quickly walked after me and as I knocked on the door he wrapped his arm around me and held me close to him.
"Honey, you're late." My mom opened the door and when she saw Dante standing next to me her jaw dropped. "Dante..."
"Good afternoon, Ms Valdez." He smiled and politely took out his hand to shake but my mom stood there in shock with her hand gripping the door handle tightly. "How are you?"
"You're alive?" She asked in shock. "But that day Haley and you came to visit me at my meeting and those gang members were there and they ... you ...-"
"Mom, he's alive and well. He-"
Before I even had a clue what was going on my mom threw her arms around Dante and grabbed him into a tight hug. Meanwhile Dante stood there like an awkward child confused as to what was going on and what on Earth was happening.
"Urm, are you feeling okay Ms Valdez?" Dante muttered his face looking shocked and still confused, I was holding back a laugh at his priceless facial expression however, my heart warmed at seeing my mom did care about him regardless of the fact she saw him as a 'bad influence' and 'someone you should never hang out with'.
"Thank God you're alive. I'm glad Haley has her friend back but your father has gone into a deep depression thinking he lost you just like he lost your mother." My mom explained and instantly both Dante's and my jaw dropped. We had both completely forgotten his father thought he had died as well. I could see Dante grit his teeth and clench his fists and my mom let him go and wiped away her tears.
"DEMI, IS THAT HALEY?" My auntie yelled from inside, her voice so loud the whole neighbourhood could probably hear her.
"YES, IT IS!" My mom screamed back, almost deafening Dante and I. They were definitely sisters alright, they screamed exactly like each other. "Hurry, both of you go inside. Haley, you go help out your auntie and Dante, you go control the little children since they all seem to be running around like sugar high hooligans."
"Got it." Dante and I said. We both stepped inside as my mom closed the door behind us and she quickly rushed back into the kitchen probably to help cook dinner with my auntie.
"Don't worry, after this baby shower is done, we can go see your father." I smiled before pecking his lips lightly. He kissed me back and just like every other time our lips connected I could still feel those sparks ignite.
"You go hurry, your pregnant auntie needs you." Dante chuckled before pushing me towards the kitchen.
I quickly made my way into the kitchen only for my noise to be flooded with different beautifully smelling aromas wafting in the room. There was food all over the place and it looked like a mess, the chicken seemed to be in the oven and there were pans on top of the stove that seemed to be cooking away. I stood there at the kitchen doorway for a good few minutes letting myself smell the food heaven I was staying before until my mom ruined it for me by shouting my name and snapping me out of my daydreams.
"Haley, help your Aunt place the food on the serving plates, the pan is too heavy for her to lift!" My mom snapped and so I quickly ran to my auntie and took the pan to pour the contents into the serving tray.
"Haley, my gorgeous baby girl." Aunt Quinn gasped. "I haven't seen you in almost six months. Where have you been hiding?"
"Just been hanging out with our two favourite boys." I giggled.
"Ben and Jerry." My Aunt and I hollered and laughed at our immaturity while my mom simply shook her head smiling at our foolishness.
"And I always wondered who my daughter got it from." My mom laughed.
"Your youngest sister, that's who." Aunt Quinn whipped her hair back like a diva before her and I burst into laughter once more.
"You two out the kitchen before you make a mess of things." My mom laughed and began to push us out.
"It's my kitchen." My Aunt gasped.
"You're pregnant and if Haley and you stay in here for even a second longer that child will come out of your womb itself to shush you two." My mom joked before closing the kitchen door on us.
"I haven't even been here for ten minutes and I have already gotten us kicked out of the kitchen." I giggled.
"Let's go into the children's room and look after them." My Aunt suggested and I agreed. As we made our way to the room we stood by the doorway to see that Dante had successfully managed to quieten all the children. Aunt Quinn and my jaw had dropped because we thought the children only ever obeyed us two and no one else but it seemed like they had another favourite as well.
Dante was sitting on a big green bean bag chair reading Green eggs and ham to the twelve children inside the room. Chloe the youngest out of all the children (she was two years old) and she sat on Dante's lap wearing a cute pink sundress. Its light skirt flowed out above her knees showing of her toned legs. She was a beautiful child. Her hair was the color of raspberries and was tied in plaits. It was decorated with little beads. Her shoes were small white flats and her bracelets matched her ivory skin perfectly.
Dante sat there not even realizing Aunt Quinn and I were standing by the doorway. He seemed really into it and so did all the children. I don't think I have ever seen Dante look as cute and incredible as I have today; you see not all guys have the fatherly gene. Some develop the skill over time, some are born with it and some never have it. Dante was born with it.
"So I'm guessing he's your man and probably why you've been occupied these past few months?" Aunt Quinn whispered in my ear snapping me out of my daze.
"Don't tell my mom, she will kill me." I whispered back my eyes almost jumping out of their sockets as I realized I had just baited out my life. "She loves Dante but she doesn't see him as someone I should be with and to be honest neither did I at the start and for a long time."
"Darling, I was in your position once too and look where it led me. I am now about to have my third child." She giggled and her giggle was a little too loud as Dante's head snapped up and he finally noticed Aunt Quinn and I standing by the door.
"Oh, I didn't see you there, how long have you guys been standing there?" Dante got up but still held Chloe in his arms while hers were wrapped tightly around his neck.
"Not long." Aunt Quinn smiled and pulled me inside with her before taking her hand out to shake Dante's. "It's nice to officially meet the man that makes Haley smile. I'm her Aunt, Quinn."
"It's nice to meet the lady that has always helped Haley since day one." Dante smiled and shook my Aunt's hand. "I'm her boyfriend, Dante."
Since we had 'disrupted' this reading session all the children had got up too and turned to face us and one child in particular came running up to me and jumped at me. Thankfully I caught him gracefully in my arms.
"Hakey, I missed you." Aiden wrapped his arms around my neck and rested his head against my shoulder. "I wuv you."
"Aw, Aiden, I missed you loads too buddy. I made so many brownies for you but you never came." I giggled as I hugged the little trouble maker in my arms.
Aiden was Chloe's twin and was older than her by four minutes. Aiden's pants were a little too big and his shirt stood out as it was bright neon orange. I smiled at the cute little boy in my arms. He looked up to give me a toothy grin with his dark hair chopped rather short and his green eyes looked right back at me. He had his little red truck in hand that I had bought for him on his first birthday and I smiled even more at Aiden. His little baby cheeks flushed red and his eyes scrunched up forming a dimple right below his eye.
"Look at that, my two little babies both have a guardian angel now." Aunt Quinn chuckled.
"Their your children?" Dante gasped.
"Do they not look like me?" Aunt Quinn laughed before cursing Uncle Xavier as a joke.
"You just look really young to be a mother of two well three soon." Dante chuckled.
"Darling, I am a married women, do not flirt with me, especially when your girlfriend is standing right there." Aunt Quinn joked before collecting all the children except Chloe and Aiden like a herd of sheep.
"Now I know who you get your ego from as well." Dante laughed before sitting back down on the bean bag chair.
"Get your big bum off that, we need to go give these children their lunch." I explained.
"Ha ha, Hailey said you wuv a big bum bum." Aiden chuckled and boy was he a little sweetheart. He began to erupt into a fit of laughter as if I had said something extremely offensive.
"I'm sorry, Miss Bossy pants." Dante grinned knowing he and I were both up for a fight.
"Ha ha, Dante said you are a miss bossy bants." Chloe giggled and placed her hand over her mouth like the little angel she was.
"Haley is bootiful and incre-incred-incredible." Aiden gritted his teeth and pointed angriliy towards Dante and Chloe as if he was about to jump out of my arms and slap the smirks off their' faces.
"Little man, I agree with you on that. She is the most beautiful and incredible girl I have ever met." Dante smiled as he looked at me. I could feel my cheeks heat up and I quickly turned around so that Dante would not see my face turn the same colour as a babboon's butt.
"I agree too, I agree with Dente and Aiden." Chloe giggled and instantly Aiden and I burst into laughter when we heard little Chloe say Dante's name.
"What's so puny?" Chloe asked as I turned around with Aiden still in my arms.
"Nothing sweetheart. Just tell Dente he needs to hurry and take you to the dinner table before your mom beats his bum black and blue." I grinned and Dante instantly scowled as he too realized that he was not going to be called Dante by me anymore. He would be mocked.
"Ha ha, so very funny." Dante placed Chloe on the floor and ran his hand through his hair before looking mischievously at Aiden, Chloe and I. "I'm going to get you guys now."
"AHHH!" Aiden and Chloe screamed. Aiden quickly jumped out of my hands and gripped Chloe's hand into his before yanking the door even more open that it was before and both of the little children running for their lives.
I turned around to watch them run and so my back was facing Dante, a simple mistake I should have not made because before I even had time to register what had just happened, I was scooped up into someone's arms before being spun around the room.
"Dante, you idiot!" I shut my eyes close and wrapped my arms around Dante's neck to ensure my safety so that I would not fall. "Let go of me now!"
"First, I am going to need an apology-" But before he could even finish off his sentence he tripped up over one of the toys the children had left behind so we both landed on the floor. Unfortunately for me, I landed on my bum (so surely a bruise would form there by the time I went to sleep) and Dante almost landed on me but used his arms to stop himself.
His arms were placed next to my shoulders and our chests were glued together right now so we both exhaled and inhaled together. The worst part was his lips were an inch away and don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. However, if my mom were to walk into this room this very second I would be screwed.
"D-Dante." I whispered.
"Yes, chika." He smirked thinking he had the upper hand but clearly he did not know what was coming his way.
"Whatever happens next, you're still my idiot and only mine." I grinned as a confused and puzzled look appeared upon his face. Therefore I took this as the perfect time to get my revenge for my soon to be bruised bum.
I wiggled my legs about until they could move a lot freer and kneed him right in his crown jewels, a place where the sun doesn't shine.
"Holy mother of crap!" Dante groaned as he flipped himself off me and grabbed his king jewels groaning in agony. His face turned to mine and I knew I had to get up. "Oh, chika, you better watch your back."
"What's that mom? I'm coming." I laughed and quickly got back up on my two feet and ran out of the room before Dante could even stand. I had bought myself a few minutes seeing as that boy healed from everything in less time than a normal person.
As I was running down the corridor I accidentally bumped into someone. I could feel myself falling backwards and like the fool that I am I shut my eyes and waited for my butt to slam into the ground for the second time today but it never happened. Instead there was a warm arm wrapped around my waist and it was definitely not Dante. I slowly opened one eye then the other to see that Charlie was the one holding me in mid air so that I would not collide with my best friend the floor.
"Thanks." I muttered and he smiled lightly.
"No worries." He helped me stand up straight and took his arm off me just as Dante came up behind us.
"Why's he here?" Dante hissed through his gritted teeth and moved closer towards me until his chest was attached to my back and his arm managed to snake its way around my waist and stay there. He pulled me closer towards him and didn't let go as he sent death glares towards Charlie.
"My Aunt Quinn loves him, he came with Juli and I all the time to visit her." I reminded him.
"I don't care who loves him, he can't come near what's mine." Dante possessively growled almost as though he was some sort of animal.
"She would have fallen if I had not helped her up." Charlie growled back obviously getting annoyed at Dante. Right now I was just standing here like a bimbo taking in everything that was happening. I know I should be saying or doing something to stop a future fight happening but quite frankly I was clueless as to what I should do.
"Then let her fall on her butt." Dante spat and I turned to face him with a shocked look on my face.
"I do not want an even bigger bruise than how big this one will turn out to be." I moaned and looked at Dante. His face instantly calmed down a little as he looked at me.
"Either I will be here to always catch you or I may be a little late but I will help you get back up. But no other guy has that right but me." He explained and I could feel mini elephants stampede inside my stomach as the butterflies were long replaced by these. I couldn't help but smile as he said those words and so I tiptoed a little and pecked him on his lips not giving a damn who would see.
"He wasn't trying to to pull a move though, you idiot." I explained. "I bumped into him when I was running away from you."
"I didn't like him when I first saw him, I didn't like him when he was staying at ours, I didn't like him when I found out he kissed you and I certainly don't like him now!" Dante exclaimed.
"He's my best friend. Whether he acted like a prick or not he always will be. So you have a small dislike to him-"
"Small?" Dante and Charlie both asked me.
"Yes, SMALL." I replied as both the guys rudely interrupted me.
"Then I have a small dislike towards him." Charlie scoffed.
"I'm sorry, but did anyone ask for your opinion?" Dante chuckled.
"I'm sorry, but who said yours was important?" Charlie retaliated.
"I'm sorry, but you weren't even wanted here!"
"I'm sorry for Haley for having to deal with your continuous shit."
As both guys kept 'apologising' to each other stupid reasons they were stepping closer and closer to each other with their fists clenched and their facial expressions looking murderous.
"I'm sorry, but who said either one of you could have a fight in my house?" My Aunt snapped from behind us and I turned to face her and smiled awkwardly while the two idiots were still glaring at each other. "Step away from each other now before I let my hormones rage because trust me you DO NOT want to see an angry pregnant lady!"
I slipped my hand into Dante's and yanked him back. Aunt Quinn stood in between them and when she turned to face Charlie properly her jaw dropped and I realized she was staring at his bruised face. The busted lip, the black eye, the small purple bruises across his face and neck, the slightly bloody nose.
"Who on Earth did this to you?" She gasped as she began to gently run her hand over his face and made Charlie wince.
"I got into a fight, it was stupid, forget it-"
"I did that to him." Dante admitted and my jaw dropped as I realized he just blurted out the truth. Even Charlie looked a little shocked as Dante had admitted to ruining Charlie's face.
"WHY?" My Aunt gasped and I could not tell if she was extremely pissed off at him or just extremely shocked.
"He had it coming." He replied and looked down at me sadly and I tightened my hold on him and rested my head against his shoulder.
"Boys and they cursed hormones." She shook her head and placed her hand on her pregnant belly. "Men's hormones are almost as bad as a pregnant lady's. Dante could you please go help Haley's mother set up the table while I have a quick chat with these two, please."
"Sure." He took his hand out of mine before pecking my forehead and with that he made his way back to the dinner table we had been in at the start. Once he was gone my Aunt hugged me and Charlie.
"My babies." A small tear ran down her cheek.
"What's wrong?" I gasped as I hugged her back.
"Don't ever do anything foolish." She exclaimed and pushed us both away as in less than a second she looked pissed off at us. " Haley you and Charlie have had an unbreakable bond since you were both small, dont ever let anything ruin that. That means Charlie don't ever mess with another man's woman and Haley control your man!"
"But-"
"No buts!" She sternly commanded. "Now I'm going to have to keep an eye on the three of you because clearly you three are like a pack of wild-"
"Aunty, food is on the table and everyone is taking their seats." Juli appeared out of the kitchen and looked awfully exhausted.
"This is the first baby shower where I know people have dinner, a party and then the pregnant lady gets given presents." Chris laughed as he appeared behind Juli and wrapped his arm around her.
"First of all, this pregnant lady is amazing so she puts a twist on everything and secondly, since when was the bestie dating the brother?" My Aunt grinned and I couldn't help but laugh, she loved to poke her nose into everyone's business and meddle.
"The pregnant lady needs to go and sit down, come on." I quickly changed the conversation and helped my Aunt into the dinner room and pulled out the chair for her.
"I see Haley has stolen my task." A voice chuckled from behind me and I turned to face my Uncle Xavier. I ran up to him and hugged him. I had not seen him in such a long time that it was good to see a familiar and kind face.
"My Nina Bonita." He hugged me back and pecked my forehead.
He was rather well built and lean with light brown messy hair spiking on top of his head his jade orbs piquing. His frame complimented my Aunt's a lot and he stood at six foot two. He stared at my Aunty lovingly and even though my Aunt could not see his face right now, his gaze showed a lot of love and compassion for his partner. It was the look every girl wants their future spouse to look at them with.
"You were too slow. See I told you my niece loves me more than anyone else." My Aunt pretended to whip her hair and my uncle simply shook his head with a smile plastered on his face before he took his place next to my Aunt.
"I'll be right back I need to go wash my hands." I informed my Aunt quietly and quickly walked to the bathroom before washing and drying my hands. As I walked back into the dinner room I realized the only seat left was the seat opposite my mom, and right in between Charlie and Dante. "Crap."
"Come and sit down so we can all say grace." My mom complained. I had to squeeze past several chairs since there were like five families here until I finally managed to get to my seat.
"It's a pleasure for us to have Chris back in the family and with us once again." My Aunt smiled at him with pride as she had her nephew and my mom had her son once again. "So for that reason Chris can have the honour of saying grace today."
"Thank you." He smiled and he looked rather nervous but thankfully for him Juli was sitting right next to him and I could see she was whispering something into his ear to help him out.
"Son, hurry before I end up eating food secretly while you still plan grace." Uncle Xavier joked only to earn himself a slap from Aunt Quinn on his shoulder. "Sorry."
Everyone held their hand together and lowered their heads as Chris began to say grace.
"What a blessing to come together for this wonderful meal prepared before us today. For the meal we are about to eat, for those that made it possible, and for those we are about to share it, we are thankful." Chris smiled and everyone said Amen before we all began to place food on to our plates and dig into this incredible dinner.
Just as I was about to swallow a mouthful of some of the chicken I felt Dante's hand on my thigh and I began to cough and choke a little attracting attention to myself.
"Haley, drink some water." My mom shook her head and I quickly grabbed the cup of water Aiden handed to me and I drank it all in one gulp.
"Idiot." I whispered under my breath so that only Dante would hear it.
"My balls still hurt from when you kicked it." He whispered back just as quietly.
"Oh my god, are you going to be doing this the whole time during dinner?" I gasped.
"You guessed it."