Chapter 7: Unexpected visitors

(Henry's POV)

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"So did you all hear about Bryce's party?" Drake questioned out of nowhere while we were eating our lunch.

We've been hanging in the café almost every day whenever we go out to eat lunch. Also, I think the reason why we eat here is because Kara was slightly infatuated with the guy who was in charge of the counter.

She constantly talks to him like what she's doing now. Twirling her hair with her fingers, but the sad thing on her part though was that the guy barely paid her any attention.

"What is it to you? It's a college party, we're not allowed to go there." Sandra narrowed her eyes at Drake as if sensing something ominous seeing his display of enthusiasm.

"Well, if you say it with that attitude we can never go there, but if we say it with much more optimism like: Hey why don't we sneak there and go crazy you guys." Drake sharepened his voice and said it in a perky tone that made Sandra pissed.

"We're not going there! Do you recall what happened the last time we sneaked into a college party?" Sandra raised her brow at him and I saw Casper cover his face with his hands in my peripheral vision almost instantly.

"Why what happened?" I asked them curiously and Casper's eyes were like a hawk as if telling them that if they say something he'll bury them six feet under.

Now I'm even more eager to know the details.

"Well you see, our friend Casper here got hot in a room full of wasted people and stripped his way down to his feet." Drake showed a teasing smile while looking at Casper.

He tried to stroke his head but Casper swatted it away and got up and left, almost knocking the chair over.

"Hey! Casper, wait! I'm sorry–" Drake got up fast and ran after him.

"Hmph! They look like an old couple, I won't be surprised if the two of them end up together." I turned my head to Sandra as she cleared her throat after sipping her coffee.

"Let's get Kara, we have to go, it's almost one." Sandra said.

"Okay," I replied. We both stood up at the same time and walked towards where Kara was. She was literally just talking to herself. The guy gave her zero attention at all, and it made me a little mad at the guy since Kara was very pretty in and out just to be ignored.

"Kara, let's go." Sandra called and she turned to us and raised her hand up, she bid the man goodbye but he didn't even glance at her.

Hmph! How rude. The least he could do was say "bye" to her.

"I think he doesn't like you," I frankly said to her, since I was worried that she'll never receive the same sentiment.

I don't want her to get hurt.

"Oh come on Henry, he likes me, he's just shy and needs a bit of work to tip the lid out of that gallon of emotion he's hiding." Kara said enthusiastically.

"Don't bother Henry, when Kara sets her eyes on a guy she'll go to no ends just to get him. Crazy really."

"Hey! It's called a desire for a reason, just shut up and watch me get that piece of meat." Sandra didn't reply to her and just sighed and shook her head.

I wonder if she really could, that guy seems colder than ice, he kind of reminds me of someone.

Out of nowhere I felt a tingle running down my nape.

Ugh! Even thinking about him gives me the creeps.

...

"Hey Bud, how have you been? Is everything good lately?" My brother asked me as I entered the car. We're going home since the teachers had an urgent meeting at two.

Drake and Casper didn't return to the classroom, but I guess it was fine since the class representative didn't do a roll call.

I'll say they were kind of lucky, or perhaps they knew that there were no classes?

I was going to ask them if they wanted to go to our house, but Sandra had other plans, and so did Kara. They told me that they'll visit another time, and that we'll be doing sleep-overs.

Sounds fun.

"It was okay." I replied to Grey and scrolled some random pictures on my phone that I took earlier in the afternoon.

"Mm-hmm, so get this, the guys and I will be playing some video games at home. Don't worry, there's only four of them, you can join us if you like." Grey finished speaking, yet I was caught up in a trance, trying to register the words he said.

"Who's coming exactly?" I asked him, despite knowing the people who'll possibly come over.

"Well, there's Blaze, Carter, Bryce and my guy Alex. Just them, you already met them at the cafeteria, remember?" I didn't reply since my mind was stuck on one name that came out of my brother's mouth.

Alex.

Oh yeah sure I remember alright, that scary guy that I've successfully avoided these past few days.

Great!

Now my brother personally asked death to come take me.

Not scared at all!

"Hey, if you're uncomfortable with this, I can ask them to crash somewhere else."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and sighed.

"No don't, It's fine, they seem… nice." I said to him with a honeyed voice, trying to mask what it is that I truly think of the situation.

Grey smiled happily at me and I just wish that I can maintain this facade when his friends really do come over.l

Please ohh pleassee make me invisible in his eyes just for today.

I mentally prayed to God.

Hopefully he won't talk to me, because it would be hell if he does. His eyes are just too scary for me to take.

It's like they're stripping me bare, and peeling my skin bit by bit.

"They'll arrive at four, can you help me make the snacks?" I momentarily closed my eyes, thinking of refusing, but I love my brother too much.

I bobbed my head up and down eventually, pulling myself together. He can't do anything to me anyway, my brother will be there.

So at most, I'm good.

It'll all be fine…

I hope.