Welcome to New Haven

by Dawn Doyle

  H: In fact, I may just text everyone instead of talking. Much better.

  A: That’s a possibility. Just out of curiosity, you said you were always busy. What do you do?

  H: I was being polite, but mostly I have plans with the girls and tutoring with Dev.

  A: What do you do the other times?

  H: I FaceTime Emily and other family, in the UK when they’re free. I work in my garden too.

  Holly was feeling a little bold at that point. She’d been holding a conversation, albeit at digital one, with Alex for over fifteen minutes and she was loving it. He was asking questions like he was interested in what she did away from the group. She was interested in what he did too, so she decided to ask too.

  H: What do you do when you’re not hanging out with Ben?

  Holly had turned the question on Alex. He liked that she wanted to know what he did too. He couldn’t really say much without freaking her out, so he tried to keep it simple.

  A: Drawing

  H: What do you draw?

  A: Just sketches of things that interest me.

  You mostly.

  H: Don’t you hang out with the others?

  A: Usually it’s all of us or just me and Ben.

  Or me by myself, drawing pictures of you from memory.

  Holly was about to reply when she had another incoming chat. It was Caleb. They guy who liked to throw parties.

  C: Hey Holly girl! Sorry you missed my party. We should get together some time.

  H: Why should we do that?

  Seriously? Another one?

  C: For fun. Get to know each other. You know, spend time together.

  Holly saw that she had another message from Alex. When she read it, she felt nervous.

  A: Invite me to your chat.

  H: ?

  A: Please? I can see that you’re not happy with whatever that person has said.

  Holly invited Alex to the chat. She didn’t know why because now he would see what Caleb had said to her. Before he could, she typed out her response.

  H: No thank you.

  C: Why not?

  A: Because she said so.

  Holly’s heart beat faster when she saw that Alex was joining in.

  C: Dude! WTF? Holly?

  H: Yes?

  C: Why’d you invite Alex to our chat?

  Holly had to think of something quick before Alex could reply. She was already getting angry that Caleb was upset that she’d had included Alex. He had no right.

  H: I didn’t realise we were. You suggested we get together; I said no. End of discussion. Plus, Alex is my friend and I can invite him to chat anytime I choose, thanks.

  Holly heard a snort coming from Alex’s direction.

  A: Does that answer your question?

  C: Man, you’re a cock block.

  There was the sound of a chair scraping from the back of the class as if somebody were getting up out of their seat. As caleb was sitting near the front, Holly knew it had to be Alex. He’d defended her in A.Bio, and he was probably about to do the same for Caleb’s comment.

  H: Excuse me?! Alex isn’t a ‘cock block’ because that would have to mean there was a chance of one being involved and there’s not a damn chance in hell of that, so jog on!

  Holly ended the chat, but her other screen was left.

  A: I guess you told him no then. :D

  H: So it would seem. :)

  A: I like our chat better.

  H: It’s cleaner.

  A: So it would seem. :D

  H: That’s my line!

  A: Mine now XD

  H: :(

  Holly sent the sad face, but she was far from it. Her stomach was doing back flips with joy, and she was smiling so much her face was aching.

  A: Aww, don’t get mad.

  H: I don’t get mad; I get even.

  A: Should I be scared?

  H: That’s a possibility.

  A: Hey, that’s my line!

  H: Even. :D

  A: You’re funny. :)

  H: In the head.

  A: So it would seem.

  H: :o

  A: Haha!! XD

  “Ok guys, that chats are closed. Time to carry on with your programs on your own. I hope you got useful information from your classmates.” The teacher said from the front when all of the chat screens vanished.

  Holly’s phone vibrated in her pocket for an incoming text from…a number she didn’t recognise.

  To be continued…

  Holly turned to look at Alex. He was smiling at her, phone in hand and he tapped the screen. Holly got the message instantly.

  A: I texted myself on Saturday. :)

  He texted himself her number at Riss’. That’s why he took her phone. Not just to translate but to get her number. She texted back.

  H: Sneaky.

  A: Yes.x

  He sent a kiss! Don’t read too much into it. He sends them to Dev too.

  Holly quickly saved his number into her contacts before putting her phone back into her pocket.

  Holly shut down her computer and got up to leave after class had finished.

  “Hey there.” She heard Alex say behind her and she turned. Her mouth popped open involuntarily as he smiled at her. It was just so painful to look at him; he was so gorgeous.

  “Oh…hi.” She said nervously. Her mind instantly remembering the feel of his body next to hers. His hard muscles and strong arms…

  “So we’re friends?” He asked bringing her out of her fantasy.

  Shit!

  “Um…well…hmmm.”

  Alex just smirked as Holly’s face heated as he continued to look at her with his deep chocolate brown eyes. Her knees felt shaky, and something was stirring down south.

  Holly finally blew out a breath.

  “Dev’s my friend. So…I guess…”

  “And I’m her brother.” He cut in, his eyebrows slightly pinching together.

  Holly thought she saw disappointment in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as she saw it. Holly just nodded.

  “Friends by association!” Ben said as he came up behind Alex. “Now that we’re clear on that, Alex you have to get to class. Holly and I need to discuss something.” Said Ben as he hurried them from the room.

  “We do?” she asked. Holly had no idea what they needed to discuss but by the look on Ben’s face, he was happy about it.

  “Yup.” He said.

  Alex glared at Ben, Holly didn’t miss that.

  “Nothing major. Just talking about the assholes in our tech class bugging you. I may be a guy but I still like a bit of gossip.”

  Alex shook his head, and Holly couldn’t help but giggle. Ben, with all his masculinity, liked hearing details. He was like Dev in so many ways.

  “Come this way.” He said and they walked toward Alex’s art class.

  “Holly!” Dev practically screamed when she saw her with both Alex and Ben. “What are you doing with this riffraff?” she asked jokingly.

  “Apparently I need to have a gossip with Ben.”

  “Oh well he loves his gossip.” Said Dev glancing at Ben.

  “Anyway, we need to get to class, Alex. Bye guys” Dev said as she gave Holly a hug.

  “Bye Holly” Alex said. His voice smooth, low, and oozing so much sexiness Holly thought she may actually faint.

  “Bye Alex” She said shyly.

  As Holly and Ben turned to leave, Holly heard Dev say something to Alex.

  “Ben’s not the only one who likes their gossip, Alex.”

  “I want to know everything!” Dev said as they sat down at their table.

  Alex and Dev sat together in their art class. Alex loved to draw, Dev preferred painting over drawing. He told Dev all about tech class, and the conversations that had happened throughout the chat system.

  “You texted yourself her number?!” Dev asked.

  “Is that all you’ve got to say?”

  “No of course not!” Dev replied “But you didn’t tell me. Have yo
u texted her before? She never said anything.” Dev looked annoyed at Alex from keeping that from her but he hadn’t sent any messages before today.

  “One…There was nothing to tell. Two…I only texted Holly today, like I told you. I would’ve done so sooner, but with what happened I thought that, maybe, she would get mad at me.” Alex had thought that. He’d wanted, so much, to ask Holly how she was but even Dev was keeping her distance to let Holly recover. The last thing he wanted was to bother her.

  “Was she ok with it?” Dev asked.

  “She didn’t look unhappy about it.” He said. Shocked but definitely not unhappy.

  Holly and Ben were sitting on a bench, just inside from the outdoor area as it was raining. That meant no lunch outdoors.

  “I bet that got on your nerves.” Said Ben, talking about the guys using the chat to ask her out.

  “It did.” She replied. “I don’t know where they get off!”

  “They probably wouldn’t have the guts to ask you to your face.” Said Ben.

  “Yeah, but there’s asking someone out and there’s just being inappropriate.” Said Holly.

  Taylor had been suggestive and Caleb had more than crossed the line with his ‘cock block’ comment.

  “Alex was fine though, right?” He asked as if fishing for hidden gossip. Of course, he would’ve known that Alex was chatting to her. They sat next to each other.

  “Yes. Absolutely” she replied.

  “Really?” Ben asked with a knowing smile.

  “Yes…really.” Holly wasn’t about to give anything away. Especially to Ben. It would get back to Alex in an instant. Literally. All Ben would have to do was pick up his phone.

  “You seemed to be having a nice, lengthy conversation.” He said as he lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t normally speak more than two sentences to him."

  “Verbally challenged. Alex will agree.” Holly said as she blushed…yet again.

  Getting off the topic, Holly talked about the incident with Stacey. Neither of them could believe it. Ben had mentioned that Alex had been harassed by her for a long time and he smirked when he saw Holly was getting angry. Luckily, the bell sounded for the end of the period.

  The girls had to spend their lunchtime in the busy cafeteria and due to seating issues, the issue being no tables big enough for all of them, the guys had to sit a few tables away. They were discussing the days’ happenings so, of course, Holly had to go over tech class details again. She was aware that Riss and Kayla knew she liked Alex.

  “We knew, Sweetie, you couldn’t hide the looks you were giving him.” Said Riss with a giggle.

  “You weren’t saying anything and we didn’t want to ask. We saw how nervous you were so we left it alone.” Said Kayla with an understanding smile.

  Holly received a text as they were eating. Alex.

  A: This sucks

  H: What does?

  A: This room. Too cramped. :(

  H: Only for tall people. :)

  A: You have a point…shorty. :D

  H: Hey!

  Stacey chose that moment to breeze into the room and over to Alex.

  “You missed a great party, baby.” She said.

  Holly felt her fists clench. She looked at Alex and instead of the smile he’d been wearing; he now looked as if he were going to vomit.

  “Not from what I heard.” He replied leaning away from her slutty hands.

  “Well if you had ‘come’…” Nobody missed the emphasis. “…It would’ve been ‘fucking’ fantastic” she leered at him.

  “Somehow, I doubt that.” He said was he looked at her in disgust.

  “Are you always going to be this difficult?” Stacey said in annoyance.

  “That’s a possibility,” Alex replied with a smirk.

  Holly’s insides were bouncing up and down. He was making a joke. A private joke between him and herself.

  “You know I don’t give up easily.” Stacey said, folding her arms.

  “So it would seem.” Holly felt her legs turn to jelly as Alex glanced at her when he said it.

  Was it a double meaning?

  She hoped so. The times she had dreamt of Alex wanting her to be his. This felt just like that.

  “Holly? Holly!” Said Dev.

  “Oh, huh, what?” Said Holly as she noticed Stacey had gone. What had she been doing during her love fog?

  Oh…shit!

  She’d been staring at Alex, and he was staring right back at her. He was smiling, a panty melting smile.

  “I said Stacey’s disgusting. Sleeping with Jake on Saturday and still trying to get Alex. What a tramp!”

  “Oh yeah…I agree.” Holly risked another glance at Alex. When she did, he looked back and…winked.

  “Ho.ly. Shit!” Said Dev. “What the fuck just happened? Did Alex just wink at you?” Dev had a grin like a cheshire cat and her eyes were wide open.

  “I. I. Think so.” Holly replied.

  Football, cricket, rugby, shorts, Alex’s shorts, no shirt, muscle, strong, sexy, ripped…’

  Holly was getting hot right down to her lady parts. She needed to get out of there or put some blinkers on at least!

  “Holly are you ok?” asked Riss. “You’ve gone all red.”

  “Yeah like you’ve been running.” Said Kayla. Dev was trying not to laugh.

  “She’s fine.” She said. “Alex just winked at her.” What followed was “oooh” and “Awwwww” and that was that as the girls went into a boy talk frenzy and Holly couldn’t keep up. Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

  A: Sorry I couldn’t resist.

  H: For?

  A: Winking at you.

  Maybe he hadn’t meant it the way Holly had wished he had. Maybe he was apologising for turning her into a hot mess.

  H: No worries. I heard you using my line again.

  A: You heard me?

  That confused Holly. If he thought she hadn’t heard, why look at her as if her was sharing a joke?

  H: Yes. Didn’t you know I did?

  A: No.

  H: Oh. I thought you did.

  A: You think that’s why I winked at you?

  H: Well…yes.

  Holly looked over at Alex. He shook his head slowly and smiled. Holly’s lips parted in shock.

  He wanted to wink at me! And not because of our joke. Holly felt very uncomfortable in her chair.

  Alex’s jeans were getting so tight it was difficult to sit still. Holly thought he winked at her because of a private joke. Her face when he told he it wasn’t. He wanted to kiss her so bad. Every minute, every second, it was getting hard and harder to resist doing so.

  She may not take kindly to me just grabbing her and feasting on her luscious lips. Oh shit! Tighter!

  Holly’s legs were tight around him. So were her arms. He could feel her breasts pressing against his chest.

  “Alex, for fuck’s sake man!” Said Kyle.

  “What?!”

  “Pick your chin up before somebody trips on it.”

  “Or slips on the drool” added Ryan.

  “Shut up.” Alex said, making the guys laugh.

  “I’d never thought I’d see the day that Alex got hit by the love bug.” Said Kyle, shaking his head.

  “What are you going to do instead?” Kayla asked when they went to Phys.Ed.

  “I’ll have to use the gym.” Holly replied.

  Due to the rain, Holly wouldn’t be running outside. She also knew that the guys used the gym, and she was probably going to pass out if she saw Alex exercising. The girls went to the pool area, and Holly went to the gym.

  She plugged in her earphones into her phone and zipped it into her pocket. She got onto the cross trainer and started on a steady pace to warm up.

  Holly didn’t notice other people coming into the gym as she used the piece of equipment the furthest away and facing the window. She was in a world of her own that Alex was in too. Together…on a beach…

  Holly felt one of her earbuds come out.

&nbs
p; “Hi there, friend.” Said Alex.

  Holly jumped, lost her grip, her footing, and fell.

  Alex’s reflexes were fast, and he caught her around the waist as she fell backwards.

  “Whoa!” He said as he righted her but didn’t let go.

  “Alex! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” she squealed.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.” He said, his lips twitching as if he were holding back a smile.

  They stared at each other for a few seconds before Holly found her vocal chords again.

  “Um…it’s ok. I’m ok.”

  Alex slowly removed his hands from her waist, and Holly felt the loss immediately, and wanted it back.

  “You sure?” He asked, still looking into her eyes. Holly thought she saw Alex blushing. She sure was.