The Heaven I Found In Hell

by Ashley Andrews

  I frowned, and he asked me why I had that kind of look on my face. I told him the events that took place at the coffee shop, and when I finished, he started to talk.

  "So your tutor is non-existent at the moment?" He asked, laying his legs on the small table in front of us. I nodded at him, as he looked at me thoughtfully before he told me he could tutor me.

  "Maybe I can squeeze you into my schedule…" He said with the considerate and caring look still on his face. "…maybe in between my practices and org meetings. But I'm only free after seven-thirty…"

  "I didn't know you were such a busy person." I said with a hint of amusement in my voice. "And no…I'm not going to be a bother to anyone. I just have to learn on my own…"

  By that thought, I let out a moan. "Learn it on my own…"

  "You don't have to." Nathan said with a soft, amused laugh. "I'll tutor you…and maybe Riley could too."

  I did a hand gesture that meant 'No Way', before I shook my head over and over again at him. "I can do it on my own."

  "Are you sure…?" He asked.

  I nodded at his question before I stood up from the couch and went over to the kitchen. I opened the ref and took out a pitcher of water before I poured its contents into the small glass I had in my hand.

  "Do you mind getting me a can of coke?" Nathan called out to me, apparently seeing that I was already in the kitchen with the opened fridge.

  I threw the soda at him and he caught it effortlessly using only one hand. I closed the fridge and went back to the couch with the glass of water in my hand.

  "Do you want some?" He asked, smirking at me mischievously. He stretched out his arm, and held the coke up in front of me.

  "What are you trying to pull Nathan?" I asked, giving him a look of suspicion. He scratched the back of his head, before he gave me a 'What.'

  "No, no, and no…" I said to him. "I do not want any kind of soft drink, never, ever, and ever."

  He laughed at me before he playfully messed up my hair. I swatted his hand immediately, causing him to give me a frown. I raised up his chin with one my fingers, and gave him a pout.

  "Aw…did I hurt the little baby?" I teased.

  He sent me a glare, because apparently I was ruining his 'maleness.' I laughed at him, before I hit him lightly in the arm. This caused him to move and sit further away from me, making me laugh nonchalantly again.

  I was amused with what was happening at the moment. The tease-fest that was currently occurring made me forget about the worry I felt, the worry that was an effect of not being athletic, and being academically challenged.

  I looked at the person beside me, and found him staring at the blank TV screen. I tossed the throw pillow I held at him, and it hit his shoulder without making a sound. He looked at me with that familiar smile, the smile he usually wore when he didn't know what to say.

  "What time are we leaving?" I asked. "…for the dinner."

  From the corner of my eye, I saw him laugh, so I turned my head to the side, and noticed that his lips were curved upward in a playful smile. I punched him in the arm, before I asked him, "What's so funny?"

  "You sound so formal…" He said, still with that wicked grin. "McDonald's isn't dinner…it's fast-food." He finished, the smirk remaining.

  I crossed my arms over my chest before I sent him another glare. He gave me a thoughtful look, and started to speak. "We've been frowning at each other all day long, you know."

  He scratched the back of his head, and laughed lightly. I thought about frowning again, but decided not to. I could imagine him teasing me playfully with that silent, polite, but annoying laugh of his.

  "Okay fine…what time are we leaving to go to McDonald's?"

  "I told the guys 7-ish, since I thought you'd have your tutoring sessions with Cindy."

  I smiled at him before I started to tease him again. "Aw, I didn't know Nathan Adams cares about me so much!"

  He, unfortunately on my part, was able to counter me right back. "Yes, I do. And by the way we're going to a club later, and since you aren't gifted when it comes to sports or school, I thought that you'd probably be talented at partying…"

  I stuck my tongue childishly out at him, as he continued.

  "…isn't that what models like you do?"

  * * *

  Chapter 5: Playing Fashionista

  * * *

  "Riley, please don't tell me you're wearing that to the club?" I asked her, as I looked at her Bermudas and white polo with disdain.

  She nodded at me, before she gave me a, "Why?"

  I looked at Nathan, who sat beside me on the couch, and he had the same look I wore, a clueless one. There was honestly nothing wrong with a pair of shorts that reached your knees, and a collared top, but wearing those to a…club? That was where the 'something is wrong' part came in.

  "Riles, they look so casual…" Nathan truthfully told his twin. "I won't be surprised if you never get more than two numbers by the end of the night…"

  I slapped Nathan's arm light–heartedly, before I turned my attention back to Riley. She looked confused, and…hurt.

  "Are you okay?" I asked. "You look like you're about to get teary-eyed…"

  "Oh no, Ri," Nathan started, standing up from the couch before he made his way to his sister. "Don't tell me you took what I said seriously?"

  "Riley, don't mind Nathan." I said, trying to make her feel better. "Come on, I'll help you pick something else…"

  "What the hell?" She said as, she let out a small laugh. "Do you guys think I'm going to cry over not having the perfect attire to wear?"

  I looked at Nathan, and saw him looking back at me. At that moment, I felt like we knew each other well enough to read each other's mind since the 'Yes' stamped on his forehead was clearly understood by me. I tried to restrain myself from smirking, so I looked away from him, and turned my attention back to his sister instead.

  "So, are you going to wear that to the club?" I asked, putting on a fake smile just to show her that whatever decision she'd make would be well accepted by me…on the outside. I was hoping for a no from her.

  I couldn't let her enter the club looking like that. Compared to my aquamarine silk drape, her shorts and plain t-shirt looked like…nothing. No offense. I just waited for her answer.

  "I left all my dresses back home, and I didn't know you had to dress up just to go to a club…" She said. I was sure she was having an inner battle with her mind since she looked perplexed as hell.

  Nathan and I tried to make it easy for her, and told her we'd help her pick something from the things she brought. She smiled at our suggestion, and suddenly became eager to change.

  "How about you borrow from Alex?" Nathan said. I thought it was a good idea, and was about to agree, but I suddenly remembered our size differences. Just by looking at her, I instantly saw that what I had wasn’t going to fit her. Some of them were already tight for me, what more if they were on Riley?

  "Can you fit into a size 2?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

  "Are you kidding? I'm an 8."

  "I'm sure you brought something from Laguna." Nathan said, as he looked at his watch, and made sure we weren't late to meet up the rest of the gang.

  She parted her lips, and mumbled something inaudible, before she told us, "Just come to my room…you guys decide."

  She started walking to her bedroom, and Nathan and I trailed behind her. She went over to her closet and opened both cabinet doors widely for Nathan and me to see what she had. Most of them were Adidas and Nike sportswear…duh…all for soccer.

  I went over to her side and browsed through her closet. The clothes I found worthy of being worn to a club, I removed from the hanger and handed over to Nathan for him to see and approve. At the end, there were only three garments I found worthy.

  "I have to take you shopping someday…" I said to my roommate who wore a sheepish smile. The two of us went over to her bed and plopped on it.

  "I hate shopping!" She exclaimed, as she le
t out small laugh. I heard Nathan let out a groan by the mention of the word 'shopping.'

  "Only guys hate shopping." I said to her in a light-hearted tone of voice, before I nudged Nathan in the shoulder. "Am I right?" I said with my question directed to Nathan.

  "Not all guys hate shopping." He said thoughtfully, stretching his arms behind him, as he rested his palms on the linen sheets.

  "Yeah, they do."

  "I'll tell all the metrosexuals out there about you." He teased. "They're going to find you, and then kill you."

  "Nathan!" I said, slapping his shoulder. Apparently, Nathan and I were having such a fun time joking around that we forgot (only for a second) about Riley's fashion crisis. She ended up letting out an, "Ahem," that brought us back to our senses.

  "Try this one." I said, handing her a simple black baby-doll dress.

  The dress was short, as it went a few inches above the knees, but it was cute nonetheless. It was a spaghetti-strap garment that had both the casual and formal look going on.

  Nathan and I immediately opened our mouths in awe when Riley stepped out of the bathroom. She looked like such a girly-girl, and it was like I could never imagine someone like her playing soccer. She looked so prim and proper, and it was something totally different from the jerseys, soccer shorts, and sneakers she usually wore. She went over to the side of the bed where we were, before she started blushing.

  "Is this okay?" She said in such a demure way.

  Nathan and I looked at each other before both of us agreed and gave her a 'thumbs up.' She let out a relieved sigh, before she wiped her forehead.

  "Thank God…" She said. "But don't I look too girly?"

  "Don't you want to get numbers?"

  "Hey…" Nathan said in a warning tone, as he tried to be the protective brother he was supposed to be.

  "What…?" I asked. "You gave the idea a while ago."

  He gave me a smirk, before he told me, "Let's just leave, and get to the club."

  I smirked back at him, before Riley and I left her room hand-in-hand. Nathan followed behind us, and our threesome headed over to the parking lot where we were going to meet the rest.

  * * *

  I stopped midway, and noticed a familiar-looking dress on Cindy. I went nearer to her and realized why it looked like I had just seen the exact same garment only a couple of minutes ago.

  The halter mini dress was very sexy, but at the same time it gave out a laid-back feeling. It was a light blue color, and the neckline went very low, almost exposing the whole of Cindy's chest. The drapery of the dress was very nice…drapery…drape…oh shit…

  I was wearing the exact same thing Cindy had on.

  "What the hell's going on?" Cindy said to me, as she gave me one of her signature death glares.

  I stood in front at her and eyed her starting from the top of her head, and down to her toes. Thank God we weren't wearing the same kind of shoes…

  I rolled my eyes at the thought, and looked her in the eye. Her china blue eyes screamed out frustration towards me, and my aqua-colored orbs sent back the same feeling. She stomped her foot down on the cemented road, before she folded one of her arms over the other and rested them on top of her chest.

  Blake was amused by the current situation I was sharing with Cindy, since he was looking at us with a wide, playful smirk while Anthony on the other hand, looked down at the ground, and decided he didn't want to get into the mess, if ever one was going to happen. Nathan remained behind me, and so did Riley, while Kendra stood in between the both of us. She looked from me to Riley repeatedly before telling us to settle 'this'…and fast.

  "I just bought this from Armani." She whined, putting on a smug expression. She tapped her foot continuously, and waited for my comeback.

  "He gave me this dress…" I said, and immediately realized what trouble I was going to be in.

  Oh God…bye-bye Calculus tutor…

  I know I should be rejoicing, based on the look on Cindy's flawless face. Her eyes were wide open in surprise, and she seemed to stammer, mouthing out something incomprehensible, but I was in deep trouble. I had my academics to worry about! I never thought I was going back to school!

  "Well, I'm not going to change." She said in the same acidic tone she used before, the smug expression she still had.

  I started thinking carefully, and thought about the consequences of a 'yes' and a 'no.' I decided to settle for a 'yes.'

  "Fine, I'll change." I said apathetically, but deep inside I was burning. I had to go back up to the dorm building, and pick another attire while she swallowed herself in triumph for out-staging me only once. My mistake, she had already overstepped me before. It wasn't my fault she was genetically talented academically, while all I could do was walk down runways and pose for magazines.

  "Don't worry. We'll wait." And then I heard her let out a brash, egotistical laugh.

  * * *

  After a couple minutes of browsing through my closet I decided to settle for a white-polka dotted dress from Dolce and Gabanna. The dress was short, but it could be worn simply as a dress, or could be paired with leggings or a tight pair of jeans, whichever way preferred. I decided to wear it as a mini dress. The hemline and neckline were bordered with thin, silky black ribbons, while the straps of the garment consisted of small metal rings, connecting the front and back figures of the dress. I paired the retro-styled dress with a simple diamond necklace, before I left my room, and went to join the others for the second time.

  When I got to the parking lot, they were all waiting for me, as they leaned on the couple of cars parked beside each other. It was Nathan who commented on my dress first.

  "I'm glad you picked that. That's definitely better than the blue dress." He said, winking at me. "The other one looked too formal."

  I made my way to the rest of the group, and stood beside Nathan who greeted me with a small embrace.

  I had only known these people for a week, but it seemed like I could already distinguish them clearly from one to another.

  Riley was the carefree girl-next-door, and so was Kendra, but what differed them from one another was that Riley was more outgoing, and blunt in some instances, while Kendra was more soft-spoken and shy. Cindy, on the other hand, was the total opposite of the two athletes. She wasn't your typical dumb blonde because as figured out, she was incredibly smart, and I needed her help. On the guys' side, Blake was the typical proud, egotistical player/jock, who had some good in him, while Anthony was the mysterious one who barely spoke. Nathan, in contrast, was the sarcastic, but sometimes shy one who preferred his small group of friends even though he usually hung out with a very, very large group of people (the soccer and track teams, and sometimes even the basketball and football teams) during games, breaks, or in parties.

  With that said, I liked them all. Yes…even Cindy. I needed a tutor. I'm just not sure if they liked me back as a friend.

  "Are you ready to party?" Blake asked the whole of us. He unlocked his Lamborghini Gallardo, and opened the scissor doors of his car.

  God, this guy was amazingly rich…

  "Cocky much?" I asked as a tease.

  He gave me a wide, narcissistic smirk, before saying, "Are you impressed?"

  I smiled playfully at him. "Yeah." I was impressed. That was the truth. Of course, I was used to seeing such luxury cars every day, but come on…? An eighteen-year old driving one…? Rarely.

  Nathan patted me on the head, as he gave me a small frown. I cocked an eyebrow up at him before he spoke up. "I'm sorry Alex, but you'll have to ride with me in my Ferrari. No Lamborghini for you."

  Damn…"What do your parents do?"

  They laughed my question off before everyone dispersed into their own little groups. Riley, Anthony, and I were riding with Nathan in his red Fiorano while Kendra and Cindy were with Blake inside his yellow vehicle.

  * * *

  "Alex, watch out for my sister will you?" Nathan said, eyeing me with the use of the rearview mirror. We were still i
nside the car on the way to a club called Mixx.

  Riley who was seated beside me at the back seat of her brother's car looked at me with a sheepish smile. I smiled back at her, before I turned my attention back to Nathan.

  "And…why would you ask me to do such a thing?" I asked, leaning closer to the front.

  Anthony let out a small laugh and said, "Nate here wants his sis to be an old maid."