by Dawn Doyle
Dejected, he took his seat at the table, earning stares from the guys.
Holly and Dev met up with Riss and Kayla in the parking lot of the school.
“Let’s go to the café a couple of blocks away.” Suggested Riss. “They have the best cheesy fries I have ever tasted in my life.”
Riss’s enthusiasm for her ‘fries’ had Holly laughing.
“I’ve never seen somebody so passionate about chips before” she giggled.
“Chips? No they’re fries.” Riss corrected her.
“Sorry. In England, we call fries ‘chips’ and potato chips ‘crisps’.” Holly explained.
“Ohhhh.” Said Riss as she understood Holly’s wording.
“Anyway, you’ll love them.”
“Settled. To café ‘cheesy fries’!” Holly said in an American accent, sending the girls into fits of laughter.
Once at the café, Riss and Kayla took a quick bathroom break, leaving Holly and Dev alone at their table.
“Ok…spill.” Said Dev, resting her elbow on the table. “And I don’t want to hear ‘nothing’” She added with a raise of her eyebrows.
“Spill what?” Holly tried to sound indifferent, but it wasn’t getting past Dev, at all.
“I know there’s something up. I may have only known you for a week, but you’ve gotten this…look…and it’s been getting gradually worse every day. I’m getting the feeling it was the main cause of your migraine yesterday.”
Wow, this girl was perceptive! Scarily so. Holly’s stress levels had been increasing each day. Every time she saw Hot-guy, her pulse would be racing so fast, it could rival a humming birds, her face would flame and her skin would break out in goosebumps and send tingles to her ‘parts’.
Holly let out a huff and told Dev all about the guy she said was cute and how he had been looking for her that day. She left out the parts about how he makes her feel, and how he renders her tongue useless.
“Do you know his name yet?” Dev asked as she leant forward, keeping their conversation private.
“No. I haven’t heard anybody call out to him either, so I have no idea who he is. I’ve had one class with him so far and, If I’d come in yesterday, we would’ve been in the same class again.” Holly said quickly as she saw Riss and Kayla come out of the bathrooms.
“Ok, well, if you see him around school, point him out and I’ll tell you if I know him.”
Holly nodded her head as the girls came to sit down.
Riss was right. The café had the best cheesy ‘fries’ she had ever eaten, and Riss had a huge smile on her face, knowing she was right.
When the girls got back to school, Holly had a free period. Not all of them were for Spanish class though. She had them twice a week, but today was free. Since her free period was at the end of school, she was going home. A few new saplings were going to be delivered today, and Holly was eager to get them planted around the covered outdoor seating area in the garden. Plus, she’d promised to go food or ‘grocery’ shopping with her Mum too.
“I’ll be over at your house at four.” She’d told Dev, as she dropped her back at the main entrance to the school.
Alex walked to class, in a bad mood, and met Dev as she sat in her seat.
“What’s up Alex? You look pissed!” Dev said as she scanned his face.
“Where were you at lunch?” he asked, not answering her question.
“We went to the café, a few blocks away, why?”
“Because me and the guys were going to go out, but I changed my mind. We went outside, and you weren’t there.”
“I told you…” Dev reminded him “…that we were going out this week. Actually, we would have had lunch with you guys, Holly even said she would, but you already told me you made plans to go out yourselves. So…we went out.”
Fuck! Stupid stupid!
His plan had backfired on him and had bitten him in the ass for good measure. Knowing that Holly was going to be there, and he’d said that the guys weren’t, so they’d gone out anyway.
Idiot.
“Look, Alex, I know you haven’t met Holly yet, actually I think only Ben has, but you will.”
Alex looked at Dev in confusion. He had met her. Why would Dev think that he hadn’t?
“She doesn’t know who I am?”
He thought that was better than coming out with ‘I have met her, but she keeps avoiding me’.
“I don’t think so, because she hasn’t mentioned you, other than saying ‘Hi’ in my text. I’m pretty sure she would have said she had.”
Maybe that’s why Holly had been avoiding him! She probably thought he was just some other guy trying to harass her rather than her friends’ brother just wanting to say Hi. Yeah right. Just Hi. Of course. Not the fact that you want to touch her face, kiss her sweet lips…
Alex ran a hand over his face as his overactive mind was picturing him with Holly…Her eyes looking into his…Her mouth moving to his…
Alex realized he’d been zoning out when he heard Dev say
“…Anyway, she’ll be over after school, about four.”
“Over where?” he asked as he hadn’t caught anything of what she’d said previously.
“Our house. I’m helping Holly with her Spanish, and she’s going to help me with my algebra.”
Alex’s stomach flipped as his insides were doing a crazy happy dance.
Holly’s coming over to our house? Today?
He instantly knew that he wouldn’t be going to the gym now. He wasn’t going to mention anything to Dev, because he didn’t want her to know that he felt something for Holly. He’d only unofficially met her a few days ago and he was confused about his feelings enough as it was.
Once class was finished, Alex and Dev drove home. Ben had gone to help his Dad so it was just the two of them.
Once in the house, Alex sent the guys a text, as they were all supposed to be training together. He didn’t want to group text, incase Ben decided to mention a certain someone… So he sent the same message to the three of them.
A: I’m not going to the gym today. Decided to stay at home. See you tomorrow.
B: Does this have anything to do with a certain tiny girl?
There it was. He wouldn’t hear the end of it if Ryan had gotten that text.
A: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
R: Are you giving us a chance to catch up to your guns? :D
A: Dream on XD
K: No worries. See you tomorrow.
“Have a good workout” Dev said as she went up to her room.
“Thanks” he called back as he walked into the kitchen.
He reached into the fridge to grab a bottle of water when Dev came back, bouncing in as Evie, their Mom, walked in.
“Oh Mom, Holly’s coming over soon to study.”
“Ok honey. Make sure you leave room for dinner.” Their Mom said as Dev grabbed some chips and drinks.
“I will.” Dev disappeared from the kitchen and ran upstairs again.
“Cómo estuvo la escuela hoy, cariño?” His Mom asked.
“School was good. We’re getting our schedule changes on Monday, so that should be interesting.”
Alex froze and then felt rapid flutters in his chest as the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” He said, before walking out of the kitchen to the front door…
Holly pulled up outside Dev’s house. It was beautiful! It was a similar style to Holly’s.
The house was two stories high with grey siding covering the majority of the front of the house, with two yellow brick walls to the left of the front door. White framed Victorian style windows and two white columns either side of the covered front porch.
The large garage was to the left of the house, as you faced it, and had wall lamps lighting up the front.
Holly immediately looked across the front lawn. The grass was green and lush, small shrubs lining the pathway and under the windows. It was simple, but effective.
Low maintenance
, which suited a family of two doctors and two high school students.
Holly got out of her car, grabbed her bag, and walked up to the front door. She felt a little nervous about going inside Dev’s house and possibly meeting her family, but she knew it was a case of ‘ripping off the bandaid’ as Mrs Carter had said in class.
The door opened, and Holly froze in shock.
“Hi Holly” Hot-guy said with a smile.
Holly’s throat felt tight, her heart was pounding out of her chest and her face felt like it could melt an iceberg.
“Uh…I…I…Um.”
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!
Great, she still couldn’t control her mouth and her inner monologue was having a seizure too!
“Dev’s upstairs, come on in.” He said as he opened the door further, stepping back to let her past.
Holly couldn’t remember how to use her legs.
“Hey girl, don’t just stand there, come on in!” Dev squealed as she grabbed Holly’s hand. “I see you’ve met my brother, Alex.”
“Yeah, we have English class together.” He said as Dev pulled Holly into the hallway.
His voice, coupled with his smile turned Holly’s insides into a complete mess as her skin prickled with goosebumps and heat surging through her veins. She felt a pang, low in her stomach, before it descended into the ‘don’t even go there’ area.
“I thought you were going to the gym?” Dev said to ‘Alex’ as Holly now knew who he was, whilst he continued to stare at her.
“I decided to take the day off.”
Holly dropped her head to look at the floor, away from his deep, chocolate brown eyes…
“Well then…we have stuff to do, so, see ya! Let’s go Hol.”
“Maybe I should go.” Holly said, so quietly it was almost a whisper.
“What? No! You just got here! Come on…” Dev said as she pulled Holly to the stairs and up to her room.
“What’s the matter? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost!”
“He’s your brother?” Holly asked nervously.
“Yep. The one and only.” Dev smiled but her smile dropped when she saw Holly’s expression.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing…” Holly replied, trying to take in a deep breath to steady her nerves. “…Forget it.”
Dev cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes, staring at Holly for a moment.
“Oh my God…” She suddenly said, her eyes widening “…Is Alex the guy you were talking about?”
The look on Holly’s face must have said it all, and Holly was not amused when Dev burst out laughing.
“I’m sorry” Dev said.
“Maybe he just wanted to introduce himself as your brother.” Holly interrupted, trying to make sense of why Alex was looking for her at school. “Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed.” She said with her hands over her face.
“Well, he already thought you knew who he was.” Dev said as her laughter subsided.
“What?”
“Yeah. He really thought you did. He looked confused, actually.” Dev told Holly the conversation she’d had with Alex in Math class, after lunch.
“Well, he knows who I am, obviously. The teacher introduced me to the class, and he called me by my name.” Holly said as she waved her hands, trying to fan her face. “I guess he just took me by surprise.”
Holly tried to dismiss it, but she could tell Dev had an idea that there was more to it than that. After all, she’d said that Dev’s brother was ‘cute’.
“Let’s get to studying. I have provisions.” Dev said as she pointed to the snacks and drinks.
Thinking that they were safe in the confines of Dev’s bedroom, Holly relaxed a little and got her books out of her bag.
Holly helped Dev with some of her algebra work.
“You explain this so much better than our teacher.” Dev said with a huge grin. “I actually understood what you were showing me.”
“I think they just like to over complicate things sometimes. More than necessary.”
Dev completed a few more problems, under Holly’s guidance and she was grateful for Holly’s help.
“Ok señorita, vamos a trabajar en su español” Dev said.
“What?” Holly hadn’t understood what Dev had just said.
“I said, ‘Ok, miss, let’s work on your Spanish”
“Oh” Holly got out her book and pad of paper.
Alex had been listening in his room for a while. He hadn’t gone up to his room straight away, just in case the girls suspected he was spying on them. He intentionally left his door open so that he could hear them talking.
His room was opposite Dev’s, and her door was slightly open, allowing him to hear the girls talking. He knew he shouldn’t be listening in, and if he heard any ‘girl talk’ he’d promised himself that he’d shut his door and not listen.
He could hear Dev asking Holly some questions and there was a pause before Holly answered. He loved the sound of her voice, her accent too. God, he could listen to her all day! It made his body go all…’funny’.
He imagined what it would be like to have her in his room with him…
Where are these thoughts coming from?
He’d never had a single hint of wanting a girl in his room before. Now, he was imagining Holly there. Alex pulled himself out of his haze and listened in some more.
“Me llamo, Holly.” He heard her say.
“You can also say “Mi nombre es.” Dev said.
“Ok. Um…Tengo una hermana.”
Oh my God, she’s so adorable!
Alex grinned enormously.
“Dónde está…um.”
“Come on, Holly, you know this!”
Alex put his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing. Not because Holly didn’t know any Spanish, but because he was so happy.
“You know the words to some Pitbull songs, for Christ's sake.” Dev was giggling at that point.
“Yeah, but I have no idea what I’m saying!” Holly replied.
She was just too cute.
Alex knew that Holly would probably be leaving soon, and he wanted to catch a glimpse of her now and before she had to go. Maybe he should knock…He got up.
Dev opened the door and Alex saw Holly sitting on the floor, legs crossed, looking down to her writing pad. She looked up at him but as soon as their eyes met, she quickly looked down again. He thought that he could see her blushing so he turned his attention to his sister.
“Can I get you guys anything?”
“Holly do you want anything?” Dev turned to ask Holly.
“Um…No…thanks” she almost whispered.
“Nah we’re good, but thanks for asking.” Dev said with a smile as she caught Alex looking at Holly. “Did you want something?” he heard the amusement in her voice.
“No…I’ll see you at dinner.”
Dev shut the door, tight.
“Sorry about that.” He heard Dev say, through the door.
”No worries”
Alex didn’t know whether Holly meant that it was Ok that Alex had interrupted or that he’d been a pain in her ass and Dev was apologizing for it. His head was messed up. Five days! He’d known her for five days, not even had a full conversation and he was in a mess over this girl. He took a deep, calming breath and went downstairs.
Holly couldn’t help the butterflies in her stomach. Alex had been there, right at Dev’s door, asking whether they’d needed anything. He’d also looked right at her.
Holly could feel the heat travelling up from her neck to her face, yet again, as thoughts of Alex’s eyes, his lips, his voice…
”He normally just shouts through the door if he wants to ask me something. He’s behaving strangely.” Dev shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s get back to it.”
Holly was relieved to have the subject, of Alex, changed. She’d heard footsteps going down the stairs, and she relaxed more knowing he was gone from outside
the door.
“I need to get going now. I told my Mum I’d be back at six.” Holly packed up her books, preparing to leave. She was nervous as Dev opened her door incase Alex was there.
As they had come up the stairs quickly, Holly hadn’t noticed Alex’s room. It was opposite Dev’s. The door was closed, and she wondered what it was like inside.
“You ok?” Dev asked as Holly didn’t move forward.
“Yeah, just thinking about school.” She replied, hoping Dev would accept her answer.
“I’d rather not.” Dev laughed as they began to walk down the stairs.
When they got to the bottom, Holly could hear Alex’s voice coming from another room as he was talking to someone. She began to walk to the front door when a woman walked into the hallway.
She looked like an older version of Dev. High cheekbones, brown eyes, and flawless olive skin. Her dark hair was tied up in a loose knot, and Holly thought she looked very much like a doctor. A supermodel-turned doctor.
Are they all so tall in this family?
Dev was only a few inches taller, Alex was…huge…their Mum, she assumed that’s who she was, was taller than Dev but not much.
“Hey Mom.” Dev said.
Holly could only think of how she was going to get out of the front door.
“Hey sweetie. You must be Holly.” She said.
“Hello, Mrs. Valencia.” Holly said shyly.
“Oh call me Evie. Would you like to stay for dinner? We have plenty.”
Holly felt a shiver just before Alex walked into the hallway. Her knees weakened, and her throat felt dry. The heat creeping into her cheeks.
