It’s too soon to think this way. I fooled around with her after finding dirty fantasies about me on her laptop a day ago. Scenes she wrote as an outlet because I was being an asshole.
It’s weird… her using that as an outlet. But it’s also kinda cool. And I suppose a lot of people have weird reactions to things going on in their life – they just don’t get caught red-handed by someone peeking directly into their brain, which - to be fair - is what I did.
A relationship built from something that started out as hate?
My brother comes in and Carly emerges from the bedroom. They whisper to one another for a minute near the door before they head toward us.
Yeah, a relationship can obviously begin despite it not being love at first sight. The animosity between my brother and the girl he wanted - it made him get his head out of his ass.
Carly goes to the freezer and pulls out a bottle of vodka and a can of frozen juice. She then reaches for ice and throws vodka, the can of juice, and some ice into the blender. She looks at me and Dirk who are still cleaning the kitchen.
“Wine isn’t gonna cut it tonight,” she calls out over the loud blender. “Are you and Jada starting something?”
“Maybe,” I reply.
She points at me. “Be good to her. That girl is going through a lot. She doesn’t need any Carmichael alpha bullshit.”
I rear back at Carly’s harsh reaction.
She turns the blender off and leans forward.
“I’m not joking. Guys fuck with girls’ hearts all the time. It’s not nice.” She shoots Aiden a look.
“I’m being a good guy right now, helping with the dishes, which you know I hate. How am I in shit over something Auz might do or something Jude did do. What did I do, Curly Sue?” He lifts a tea towel for emphasis, though he hasn’t done anything to help with kitchen patrol so far.
“Nothing that I know of. But, Austin, don’t,” she warns and then turns the blender back on.
We look at one another and say nothing until she leaves the room with the blender full of frozen vodka slushie.
“So, you guys wanna watch sports? I think we might be on our own for the rest of the evening.”
“Yeah, man,” Dirk says and tosses the tea towel to the side.
“Got one more joining us,” Aiden says and puts down a bottle of Crown Royal.
“Not for me, bro, I’m drivin’,” Dirk says.
“Live a little, Dirkie,” I say. “We’ll take a cab. Order a cab and a half and they’ll drive your ride home, so you don’t have to come get it tomorrow.”
Dirk smiles. “Mm… erm… yeah, why not? I don’t have to get up early. My parents have Braeden and Lilly. Don’t really like anyone driving my ride, though.”
“It’s a minivan,” I return. “A minivan is not a ride.”
Aiden laughs.
“Still, don’t like people driving it,” Dirk defends.
“We’ll bring the car over tomorrow. Me and Carly are comin’ for dinner, remember? I’ll drive my Ducati and Carly can bring over your van.”
“I’d rather you drive it over Carly,” Dirk says. “Carly’s got a lead foot. How many speeding tickets has she gotten since she’s lived here?”
Aiden laughs. “I’m not drivin’ that minivan.”
“Ah, whatever,” Dirk waves his hand. “We’ll figure it out later. Pour me a double.”
There’s a knock. Aiden jumps up and answers to Jude, who comes in.
“I do not think this is gonna go well,” Dirk mutters.
I sit up straighter, figuring I’ll wanna be alert so as not to miss whatever’s gonna happen next.
Jude sits down, greeting us with a “Hey.”
We all say hey and Aiden pours him a drink.
Dirk and I exchange looks after I realize he’s doing what I’m doing. Staring at the hall, waiting for one of the girls to realize Jude is here. Waiting to see if there’s gonna be a scene.
“What’s good, boys?” Jude asks, throwing back a mouthful of whisky.
“Uh,” Dirk says, “Why don’t you tell us? There’s a girl with pink hair in the other room that you’ve driven to drink, it seems.”
“Just a little game of cat ‘n mouse,” he says with a shrug. “And good. Maybe alcohol will make things interesting later.” He rubs his palms together.
I laugh.
Adele comes from the master bedroom, gets to the mouth of the hall, gasps, and turns and shuts the pocket doors.
“Oh shit,” Dirk says. “My wife’s about to rat the cat out.”
I settle in and wait to see what’s about to happen.
***
It takes five minutes before Ally comes out, blue eyes blazing.
“Leave,” she demands.
“I’ll leave when you leave. Since you’re comin’ with me. In more ways than one.”
She points at the door with lasers shooting from her eyeballs. The anger is so real I want to duck for cover in case it makes the whole room catch on fire.