Chapter 9

Here's a new one!! Just for ya! ;)

--

towers fall, Bin Laden killed, Michael Jackson die, a royal wedding between a prince and a commoner, 9 planets become 8, survived Y2K and the Mayan apocalypse, and most importantly, the Coronavirus. I'm not even 25 yet.

I grinned as I read the I*******m post instantly double tapping on it. I felt a pair of curious eyes on me and turned to face Ace looking at me intensely.

"What are you smiling at?" He asked, coming closer and sitting beside me on the couch.

I shrugged and showed him the post.

"True." He agreed and then frowned. "But what is Y2K?"

I scanned my brain for the information. "It was the Year 2000 Problem, a problem for both digital and non-digital situations which resulted from the practice of abbreviating a four-digit year to two digits." I replied.

He grinned mischievously. "Scholar good muffin!"

I rolled my eyes, a small smiling creeping up my face. "It's common sense okay. But then common sense isn't so common lately. Some just don't have it." I coughed, discreetly pointing towards him.

"Yeah, everyone can't be awesome like me. Good looks plus brains and common sense and a looooong co-"

I covered my ears, shaking my head. "Gosh please I don't even want to hear it."

He smirked, removing my hands. "I was going to say a long couch, what did you think?" he fake gasped. "You dirty dirty minded muffin."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

"So dirty minded." He continued to smirk. "I have such an innocent mind comparatively."

I snorted in laughter. "Oh puh-lise! The only thing you have is a certification in stupidity and sexual innuendos."

He puffed out his chest proudly. "Even that is a talent. Thank you, muffin!"

I scowled at him. "What's with the cake name?"

"Suits you." He shrugged. "Better than nerd."

"I am not a nerd you pig-headed giraffe."

"Sure you are, you bear with thorns."

"Shut up!"

"Pant down!"

"I said SHUT not SHIRT, you deaf bimbo!"

"So?"

"Ugh!" I threw my hands up in exasperation. I would never have a decent conversation with Bryan Cooper. "Just shu -keep quiet."

"That's what I said but just she kept screaming my name." I could see he was trying to hold in his laughter by the way he pressed his lips together and the way his eyes shone bright with amusement and glee.

"You are such a-" I paused trying to think of a perfect adjective for him. "- such a cockalorum."

He opened his mouth to retort but immediately closed it. "Did you mean cocklong? Mine is long. Want to see?"

I hit him with the pillow. "No duffer, cockalorum. It means an arrogant, annoying and an obnoxious jerk."

He let out a chuckle like it didn't matter to him. "I still think it should be cocklong."

I slapped my forehead in vexation. "Whatever."

He smirked. "So when's your birthday?"

"12th July, yours? And get me a gift, a nice one."

"30th October. Sure I'll give you red lingerie, you can let me unwrap you as my return gift."

I gave him a flat look. "No gifts and no return gifts."

"You are a Scorpion." Janice commented, looking up from her phone.

He paused, looking at her and nodded. "Um I guess?"

She turned to me, "You are a Cancerian."

I nodded my head too, looking at her vigilantly.

"These two sun signs are very compatible with each other." She explained excitedly.

I groaned. "Janice you need to stop doing this." I ordered her. "You do it every time anyone gets a girlfriend or boyfriend."

She waved her hand brusquely. "You may not believe in astrology but I do. And it proves every time. I had told you not to be with that Sagittarius guy yet you did and he ended up hurting you in the end."

"Not all Saggi guys are bad Janice." I said.

"I know but you and a Sagittarian are not that compatible. They are outspoken and you are sensitive. After the initial attraction, things get difficult as he dislikes being tied down and Cancerians will object to his flirtatious ways." She stated adamantly.

"It is over, Janice." I said, rubbing my forehead. Once Janice went in the astrology mode there was no stopping her. She would compare traits and find analogies between all sun signs. And the worst part she would start pairing people. I can tell from experience.

"Ex huh?" Ace suddenly asked, his voice tight.

"Yeah Liam, you know? The guy in football team?"

His lips formed a thin line. "Oh I know him alright. Great guy huh?"

I could literally see the sarcasm dripping from his mouth. "Not that bad." I said, defending my ex.

"He hurt you." Ace pointed out.

I shrugged. "Not that much, we weren't very serious."

"But you were still hurt so you had to be serious."

I frowned at his tone of abhorrence. How does it matter to him? "Kinda, I guess. We broke up 8 months back."

"So you still like him?" him was said with so much revulsion it even took me by shock. 

Before I could reply Ace. Janice interrupted, thankfully. "When's your birthday Max?"

He looked at her apprehensively before answering. "28th April."

She clapped her hands together. "You are a Taurus and most compatible with – um- Pisces. That's Brittany!"

I mentally slapped my forehead. Max and Brittany were already prepared to cut each other's throats and here she was pairing them.

There was a tensed pause. Brittany looked at Max. "No thanks." She spat and stormed off into the kitchen.

"Uh I'll go after her." Logan spoke standing up from his chair and running after her.

I looked at Janice with an 'I told you so' expression.

She put her hands up in surrender. "What? I was just helping besides it's not my problem Max is Taurus."

I rolled my eyes at her.

Typical Janice.

I looked at Ace who was staring at the blank wall with no expression what so ever. I pinched him, making him yelp in pain.

"Jeez woman, cut your nails." He grumbled, rubbing the pinched area.

I looked at my long French nails and shook my head. Nails are my babies and each time a nail would get broken coincidentally, I would go into a 15 minutes depression. 

Life can't be perfect but your nails can be.

"You know by growing nails you will be causing me back ache." Ace said winking at me.

"Back ache?" I asked dumbfounded. 

"He means during sex." Dylan snorted at my innocence. 

I blushed slightly, slapping Ace on the thigh. "Like that will ever happen."

"You never know." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

I rolled my eyes at him. "We are supposed to be studying." I reminded looking at everyone. I was somewhat glad the topic of Liam was forgotten.

Alan and Max were sitting on my couch playing Call of Duty. I don't think they were even aware of their surroundings. Although I could see Max glancing at the kitchen nervously. Logan and Brittany were obviously still in kitchen. Janice was rolling her eyes at something Dylan said, her concentration on the phone as she scrolled through her I*******m feed. Ace had started a new game of Subway Surfers trying to break his previous record. And I was sitting beside him, hoping they all would at least open a book.

Group studies: Where friends meet, eat, text, play, talk, have fun and basically do everything but study.

The sudden sound of jingling keys snapped our heads in the direction of the door.

"Ghost!" Alan exclaimed in a high whisper, throwing his controller and burying his face in Max's chest.

"Yeah cause ghosts need keys to enter." Max commented sarcastically, pushing Alan's head away.

"The world is getting sophisticated." Alan retorted.

Max's next remark was drowned when my front door opened and a shocked looking Connor stood with a girl hanging on his arms.

"Connor?" I gasped equally stunned. "I thought you went back to college last week."

He looked at me with guilt and then at the unknown girl. He whispered something to her and she nodded. She walked to the stairs giving me a slight shy smile as she passed me. She had red hair and looked taller than me with a body to kill for. My brother must be shagging her. But at home?

I turned to face him, waiting for an explanation but he was talking to Logan who had just come out from the kitchen with Brittany. 

"Connor." I spoke with a firm tone.

He stooped his conversation and looked at me already knowing the unsaid question. He rubbed his forehead, a sign that he was nervous. Well, he should be. If Mom and dad were here now, he would be saying his last words.

"Weren't you supposed to be out?" He asked, turning the attention on me.

I shrugged. "Plan changed." I simply said. Going to Ace's cottage seemed a bad idea when we realized there was no food there.

"What are you all doing here?" He demanded, getting back to his arrogant self. His eyes landed on the three guys he had never seen before and narrowed to slits. "Who are they?"

"Group study." I answered, ignoring his latter question. 

"Group studies so where are the books?"

"Connor." I warned.

He sighed. "Her name's June." He finally answered. 

Alan snorted. "Thank God it's not April. It would be weird when you say, 'Hey my birthday's in April, April.'"

I gave him a flat look. "So hilarious." I turned back to my brother. "And?"

"I don't want to tell all this to these people." He complained, waving his hand around.

"Ouch manh, I thought bros before hoes." Logan joked, clapping on his back.

"Not you dude, these strangers." He pointed at Ace, Dylan and Max.

I felt Ace stiffen besides me as he muttered, "We'll leave."

Before I could stop anyone or get a chance to say sorry and bye. The door closed with the three on other side.

"Good riddance." I heard my brother mumble as he flopped on the couch.

I sent him a glare. "That was so rude."

He rolled his eyes. "Stay away from that tattoo guy, I don't like him already." He obviously meant Ace.

My eyes relatively narrowed. "Well nor do I like you bunking college and bringing random girls home."

His face tensed. "She's not some random girl." 

"We should leave." Brittany suggested uncomfortably. 

I shut her up with my eyes. "Nope. Let's hear what my dearest brother has got to say." I motioned for Connor to continue. 

"You are acting like my mother." He accused. 

"Damn I was thinking the same." Logan sided, chuckling with Connor. They had always been close. I wouldn't be surprised if Logan already knew who this summer-season-month-named female was.

I looked at them with an annoyed countenance which wiped off the laughs. 

"June." Connor shouted, looking at the stairs. Soon the sound of flats came and we all turned to face an awkward and nervous looking June. Connor gestured her to come nearer and sit beside him.

"She's my girlfriend." Connor said once June was beside him.

I raised my eyebrows. "Why haven't I seen her before then?" 

I didn't believe Connor. He didn't do girlfriend thingy and if he did he would always ask for my opinion.

"It happened suddenly." He justified. 

"So?"

"It's just been 2 months."

"But you always ask me. Always." I reminded him. 

He sighed. "I didn't think it would matter that much Joanna." 

My jaw dropped as the words registered. "You know it does matter Connor, you know it."

He rubbed his forehead as he gulped. "I didn't want to this time Joan. I was going to tell you later but I didn't want to ask you before. I know he would have but I can't replace him. You have to understand." He said before standing and pulling June with him as he walked out.

I sat there frozen in place. Nothing entered my brain as I saw my brother's retreating back walk out of the door with his girlfriend hanging on his arm. First Alicia and now my brother. My body was stiff and my eyes wide. I felt something inside me crack, something I had strived to make. A wall of nonchalance, aplomb and endurance. It had a crack now. It had taken me two years to develop that wall and now it had a crack that could be always there.

Broken souls are the hardest to mend!

"Are you okay?" Janice whispered hesitantly, rubbing my back soothingly.

"I am." I lied. 

I was not fine.

My brother just walked out on me with his new girlfriend. 

Alicia incriminated me few days back.

Bad memories started invading my mind taking control over my emotions.

No, I wasn't fine. I felt as empty as a packet of Lay's.

But it's okay. It's life.

--

The next few days went in a blur. Alicia still glared and taunted every time we crossed paths, Alan had finally won a date with Celia, Logan was facing problems in his relationship as some guy in Marie's school kissed her and she had apparently kissed him back. Janice continued to ignore Dylan's witty remarks and flirty winks which only made him try harder. Max and Brittany maintained their distance and glanced at each other when they thought no one was looking. Ace went back to ignoring me and said only words like 'hi' and 'okay' with a distinct nod of head, I had a feeling it was due to my brother's heart-warming welcome.

As for Connor he had apologized to me that very evening and we had a long conversation about it. He went back to his college with June who was of his age but an orphan. The reason he didn't introduce us was he was afraid of the reaction to dating an orphan girl. I assured him it was okay as long as she didn't break his heart and bought me chocolates often.

As much as I hated Connor for bringing up that topic, I couldn't stay mad at him for long. He was family, my brother.

A brother who is an annoying ass majority of the time but still picked up my life's broken pieces and allowed me to eat his share of Nutella whenever I needed.

I blew the thoughts away and cried out in frustration as I tried to reach the top of the door to stick a banner. Majority chairs were washed and kept away to make place for the school festival happening in two days and the chairs available were already occupied. My 5'5'' height seemed small compared to the huge door. 

"Move I'll do." I heard Ace's voice and I turned to give him the banner. 

"Thanks." He shrugged in response and easily stuck the banner with tape. 

'New Era welcomes you to The Conjuring Era fest.' Was written in red on the white banner along with other information about it. 

"Is everything done?" He asked, wiping his hands on the jeans. That had to be the most he spoke to me in days.

I blew a breath of air. "I hope so. Invitations to other schools have been sent. Our school students are given free passes, all stalls are put up, signs and banners are stuck on all walls, classrooms are cleaned, people are assigned jobs, and competitions are set. But I don't know if we can do it properly. What if someone falls in the pool while eating candy floss? What if the dance floor turns like Enrique songs? People shagging? What if the students and teachers don't like it and blame me for it? Or worse if Mrs. Finn falls in the food court with food all over her, she will surely kill me, she's still sour about the prank and my back answering. Or what if competitors are -?" 

My sentence didn't get the chance to come out because my face was buried in Ace's chest as he hugged me tightly. "Shh it's all going to be okay." He whispered firmly, his breath fanning my ears.

It took me five seconds to get out of the shock of being hugged by the school's bad boy and once I did I hugged him back fiercely. My arms wrapped around his waist and I twisted my head to press my ear to his erratically beating heart. I grinned, so it's not me alone who is affected by this proximity. The zoo inside me came alive, it felt like there were dragons inside having a wrestling competition. For once I decided to believe that everything would be okay, just like Ace said.

After a few minutes his arms slowly left my back and mine his but we didn't step back. Our faces seemed closer than ever. My mind went to the last time we were so close, it was in his cottage and Max had interrupted. But now no one would. His eyes gazed into mine intensely and I unconsciously licked my lips. His eyes zeroed on my lips, his eyes instantly becoming a darker color. He leaned closer. My eyes fluttered close and I felt his breath on my nose.

His hands tightened on my hips and I sucked a breath. Instinctively my arms went to his shoulders, pulling him lower. So close, just one dip and . . .

"Who feels the sexual tension?" 

No! Not again.

And once again our eyes snapped to see the intruder. Logan was laughing along with Max who struggled to say 'Me'. 

I backed away from Ace, my facing burning with mortification. I threw a pen at them to shut them up, not of any use, it only made them laugh harder and clap their knees in the process. 

"This is the second time I have intervened in your almost kiss." Max declared almost proudly.

"I thought you were kidding when you said they were kissing in the cottage Manh." Logan said.

"I thought maybe this time we shouldn't interfere and let them get rid of their raging hormones but then you did." Max told Logan like he wasn't in front of us.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have interrupted." I snapped, getting increasingly irritated. 

Their eyebrows went into their hair and I felt Ace stiffen beside me. Making me regret my outburst immediately. Before I could rephrase the sentence, a mischievous look settled on Logan's face.

"Someone's horny." He teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, making Max burst into another row of laughter. 

"Shut up Logan." I hissed angrily, wondering if Ace thought I was some sex maniac. I sure hope not. Next I turned my attention to Max who was still clutching his stomach and laughing. "Max did you recheck the arrangements in the food court?"

His laughter vanished and was replaced by sudden realization. "I knew I was forgetting something, I just knew it." He said before running away in the opposite direction. 

"Well I don't want to be caught in the sexual tension. Have fun." Logan joked as he turned to go. "Oh and Joanna, your choice of vanilla condom is good too. Bryan remember it."

Swallow me mother Earth. No swallow him!