by Lannah Smith
She laughed through her tears. "So I could look down on you."
She'd been saving that joke since we first met. She'd been waiting for me to ask. And since then, we'd been friends. Though she was annoying at times and so talkative, she'd never made me feel like I was used, never took me for granted. My family accepted her as my friend, her mother was the CEO of a well-known jewelry company, and they let me go with her to places they had never permitted me to. She brightened up my life, made the pain of being an Evans ease and introduced me to fun and laughter.
Hannah can be annoying, ridiculous and stubborn but she was my best friend. Just like how I shielded her from her bullies, just like how I shielded her from my painful past, present and future, I was going to shield her from being a victim again of bad rumors.
I was going to shield her because even though she thought I saved her, she was my saving grace as well.
"You're going to stay away from Sophia, right Hannah?" I asked her, stroking the fur of her dogs.
Hannah glanced at me and smiled.
But she didn't respond.
"What's she doing, Terry?" Mary asked in horror, shaking my arm. "What's she doing? Is she crazy? Does she want to die?"
"I knew that Sophia was bad news the moment she stepped into this classroom," Cecil grumbled on her seat beside Mary. "Didn't we just talk about avoiding her so we won't get into trouble? Does Hannah have hearing problems?"
I gritted my teeth.
Stupid, stupid Hannah.
How could I shield her if she always did what she liked, regardless of the repercussions?
She was going to ruin her reputation. She was going to be talked about behind her back if she continued to associate herself with Sophia. She was going to suffer being isolated from everyone if she kept up with this.
Damn it. First period hasn't even started and I already wanted to strangle her.
"Hannah, the teacher is going to be here soon," I called out, transferring my glare to Sophia. "Get your butt over here."
Hannah stuck out her tongue at me before she jumped off Sophia's desk. She mumbled something to the girl. It was difficult, trying to control the urge to grab her and take her away from Sophia but I managed somehow.
When Hannah sat back down next to me, I leaned in and muttered furiously, "Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?"
She scowled. "Yes, you did. But I didn't agree, did I?"
"It's dangerous, Hannah," Cecil whispered.
"I laugh at the face of danger," she answered, flashing a grin her way.
"Oh, please talk some sense into her, Terry," Mary said in a pleading tone.
"Chill, guys. Life's a lot more fun this way."
Life was never at all in my estimation.
Hannah gave me a cheerful smile, the same smile she always wore when she's being optimistic. And stubborn. I slid my gaze at Sophia, who was watching us. She jumped when our eyes met and she looked away. Irritated, I returned my gaze to Hannah.
"You have to leave her alone," I told her sternly.
Hannah didn't answer. Instead, she wrapped her arms around mine and laid her head on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, Terry bear. I'll be fine."
I pressed my lips together.
Clearly, she wasn't going to give in.
Clearly, she was going to be stubborn about this.
"Of course you will be," I spoke and she tilted her head up to look at me, confusion in her face. "Because I will make you sure you'll always be fine."
Rohan was glaring at him.
John didn't actually see him do it but he could feel the dark blond's gaze boring holes into the side of his head and it was beginning to piss him off. His eyes sliced to him and he saw that he was right. Rohan was indeed glaring at him from the opposite end of the couch.
"Do you want to explain the attitude?" John invited.
Rohan held his eyes and returned tersely, "Stop that."
Confused, he asked, "Stop what?"
"Your fingers," Rohan answered. "Stop tapping them on your beer. It's annoying."
Ah.
His fingers stopped moving at once and his rings stopped clinking on the glass. With a grin, he arched a brow at him. "Satisfied?"
Rohan frowned. "Why are they always like that?"
"Like what?" he asked, deliberately being obtuse.
Rohan exhaled in annoyance and he knew he wasn't fooling him. "Restless. You're always tapping them on everything, especially when you're deep in thought. I wouldn't have minded but for fuck's sake, take off those damn rings first."
A slow, wide grin spread across his face. "I will when I get a girl to wear them for me."
"Which is why we should have invited chicks to this party," Skull interrupted as he passed the couch. Then he stopped and addressed everyone in the room. "And which is why tomorrow night, there's going to be a party in my place. Everyone's invited and when I say everyone, it means there will also be girls. A lot of hot girls."
At his declaration, everyone raised their bottles and cheered. Rohan curled his lip at Skull. John just shook his head, choking on a laugh.
It didn't start out as a party.
One minute they were planning what to do about Sophia and the elusive supplier in Leon's house, the next minute they were breaking out the beer and putting on music.
Even though the night started out shitty and hopelessness hung upon them like a dark cloud, they still enjoyed themselves as they drank, talked trash and hurled insults, and played poker on the table they set up for the game.
Everyone was in a party mood.
Including him.
And he couldn't help but think that his encounter with Terry yesterday had something to do with his pleasant mood.
Though their exchange pissed him off, John couldn't help but feel pleased that she was talking to him and not ignoring him like usual. He wanted to hold her right there and then and kiss her senseless but then she had to piss him off even more. But, as irritated as he was, he was glad he didn't make a move because it would have complicated things between them even more.
But, hell. She was so beautiful when riled he almost couldn't resist.
"I swear to God if you don't stop I'll fucking cut your fingers off," Rohan hissed and he knew he was doing it again.
With a chuckle, he placed the bottle on the table to get him off his case. But Rohan was still eyeing him strangely. He sighed and sat back in the couch.
"What did I do this time?" he muttered.
"You're being weird," Rohan observed.
"What?" He was startled.
"If I didn't know you better, I'd think you're... pining for some girl."
"What?"
"You just sat there, staring at your bottle, making those stupid noises with a stupid smile on your face."
John started to laugh.
Shit, he didn't even realize he was smiling.
"Oh, come on," he said between laughs. "That's enough to make you think that I'm pining for some girl?"
Rohan scowled. "I hope you're not thinking about getting a girlfriend."
"You're being ridiculous." John stood up and rolled his shoulders. "Right, I'm going to find Leon. You stay here and be good, kid."
"Screw you."
"And no more drinking. It's making your imagination run wild."
"Whatever, you ass."
John knew he was running away from the perceptive brat but if he stayed there, Rohan might ruin his good mood. He walked towards the back deck where he knew Leon was going to be. His best friend always liked to slip away from the noise and crowd, preferring to be alone.
When he slid open the door, Leon twisted his neck to look at him. He had been drinking alone in the semi-darkness and since John was in a mood to be pleasantly annoying tonight, he joined him. He grabbed a beer from the case on the floor, aware of Leon's eyes on him.
Leaning his hip against the railing, he asked him, "What are you doing out here?"
Leon raised a brow at him. "Th
is is my fucking house, remember?"
He rolled his eyes. Smartass.
"I meant what are you doing out here alone while the rest of us are inside?" he tried again.
His best friend shrugged and didn't reply. Rather than worry, John changed topics. If there was anything bugging his best friend, he was sure it was Sophia Gideon.
"So Skull is thinking about having a party at his place tomorrow. He's inviting a lot of hot chicks." He eyed the bottles on the railing and frowned. They were piling up. "Pick me up, okay? My truck is still getting fixed," he fibbed.
His truck was fine, as fine as a junk like his truck could be, but he wanted to make sure Leon would go.
"Can't go."
He almost sighed. Was Leon still avoiding him?
"Why?" he asked.
"Got a date."
John's eyes narrowed with surprise. "You've got to be fucking shitting me."
Leon didn't answer and didn't take his eyes from John.
"You're fucking with me, right?" he snickered nervously. "Right, Leon? You're seriously not telling me you're going out on a date with the little bunny."
He still didn't answer.
"Seriously?"
Leon cracked a grin and he was almost bowled over with shock. Leon rarely smiled. But he had other issues to tackle first so he regained his senses immediately.
Like his best friend's first date.
"You're really going to go on a date?" he asked and even he could hear the astonishment in his tone. "Do you even know what a date means? Or what people do on a date? Because I know you have never been into one."
"It's not rocket science, John," Leon drawled. "You just take the girl somewhere nice and hope you'll both end up at the backseat of your car, right? That's what you always do."
"And you'll have to make conversation with the girl," he went on, ignoring Leon's sarcasm. "You'll have to talk, Leon. Talk! Like open your mouth and say words."
"I fucking know how to talk, John. I'm not a retard."
"Do you even know how to hold a conversation with a girl? You? You'll have to tell her about yourself. Or listen to her go on and on about her pets and the color of her manicure and her ex-boyfriends."
"Sophia doesn't talk much. She doesn't have a pet, doesn't wear manicure and I'm damn certain she never had a boyfriend considering she fucking asked me what to wear tomorrow night."
John glared at him. "And Sophia agreed?"
"Oh, she was fucking thrilled," he answered with another grin. "She almost passed out with joy."
John's lips twitched and he burst into laughter. He couldn't believe this. Just a few years ago, Leon had a quota of a smile and a half every year. Now, his smiles came a lot more often and John knew this was because of Sophia.
If this was how much Leon changed just three days in their relationship, imagine what a year with Sophia would be like. She was a miracle and John could almost kiss her for this but then Leon would probably kill him.
When Leon started to look annoyed with him, he quieted down and asked him, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Leon shrugged and he flashed him a grin
"I'm glad you took the job," he said.
"Why?"
It was his turn to shrug. "I'm not sure why but it's the first time in years you look so... peaceful."
Leon's entire body got visibly tight and his face changed. He saw it and understood the change. A muscle on Leon's cheek leaped as he looked away. Cautiously, John removed all the bottles from his reach.
"Don't even go there, John," Leon spoke and he sounded ticked.
"I'm not. I'm just saying," John immediately replied, sensing his anger, and Leon's gaze went to him. "I like seeing you like this," he continued with a grin.
Leon stared at him and didn't speak. But John could see his mind working, could see the turmoil in his eyes. Did he have feelings for the girl already? He couldn't possibly.
"I can't wait to meet her," John changed the subject yet again, instigating damage control, not liking seeing his best friend looking so troubled. "You are going to introduce her to us, right?"
The turmoil disappeared from Leon's eyes, replaced by irritation. "I don't think this shit is going to take long for you guys to meet her."
"But what if it does? Are we still going to meet her?"
"Maybe."
John gave him a wide grin. "Come on, man."
"You're all going to fucking scare her," he deadpanned.
John lifted a brow. "And you don't?"
Leon stared at him before he replied, "True."
John let out a chuckle before he took a pull of his beer. His eyes went to the darkness of Leon's backyard, his fingers and rings tapping a rhythm on the smooth surface of the bottle. He glanced at Leon. His best friend looked relaxed, the usual sadness and desolation that usually lingered around him missing. This wasn't what the old Leon would have looked like. Not in this lifetime. He doubted if Leon knew this breakthrough. Hell, Sophia really was a fucking miracle.
Then his cheeriness dissipated when a thought occurred to him.
What was Leon going to do with her when they finally found the supplier?
He repressed a deep sigh of hopelessness.
She'd probably have to go.
It was unpleasant but unavoidable.
Still, he wished she didn't have to.
"Leon," John muttered, voicing his thoughts. "What'll you do when it's over?"
"Then it's over," Leon returned lightly, but John still noticed the underlying tension in his tone and it made his head jerked around and up.
Doubtful, he asked, "As simple as that?"
"Yeah."
Unsettled, John examined Leon's face.
Leon was good with keeping his real thoughts hidden but then again, John was good at finding them and reading them. And what he read annoyed him so much he had to clench his jaw so he couldn't tell him that he was such a fucking liar. He shook his head instead.
"So are you using your car tomorrow night?" he asked, returning to their earlier subject. "I still don't have a ride."
Leon dug inside his pocket and threw his car keys at him. "Don't scratch it."
Incredulous, John asked, "You're taking your bike? What if she gets cold? I can take the Harley."
"The last time I let you borrow it, you almost crashed it," Leon responded with a scowl. "So, fuck no. And I'll gladly warm her up if she gets cold."
"You're so full of shit." John shook his head as he straightened up. "Right, I'm going back in."
Leon gave him a nod. "Don't let Rohan puke on the damn couch this time."
"Whatever. And I'll want full coverage of your date."
"I'm not telling you shit."
An idea popped into his head, an idea so stupid it made him laugh. Patting Leon's back, he went back inside the house, still laughing. The guys were getting rowdy and he sought Rohan among them. He found him still sitting on the couch and he started for him.
"Hey, Rohan," he called with a grin. "Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"
Rohan looked at him with suspicion as he approached. "Why?"
His grin widened. "Want to come along and spy with me?"
Baka nano? – Japanese for 'Are you stupid?' or 'What are you, stupid?'
Chapter 12
John was dying.
He was dying and he knew it.
His stomach hurt and he couldn't breathe.
And he had Rohan to blame for all of his pain.
"He's flirting with her."
John continued to stare at the table top, his fist pressed hard against his lips.
"Fucking hell, he's flirting with her."
He bit his fist and groaned softly.
"He's even staring at her tits. Stop staring at her tits, Leon."
It was physically hurting him, trying his damnest not to laugh.
A snicker escaped from his lips and he quickly smothered it. He glanced at the table at the back corner of Burg's Burgers to check if Leo
n really was staring at Sophia's tits. And immediately cringed.
