Pretend (37 page)

             
“You guys are crazy,” I said as I continued to drive with a smile on my face.

             
"Ouch! Ok, ok, I'll say it, just let go man," Taise said, sounding as though he was half laughing and half in pain.

             
"Say it first," Anthony said as he winked at me and Murphy.
 

I shook my head and took the turning onto Murphy's road.

             
"Anthony's the king and I'm
a big fat girl who wears diapers! Now let go
, man!" Taise shouted.

             
We all roared with laughter.

             
Anthony turned round and tapped his fist against mine.

             
"I can't believe you actually said that man," Murphy said as he nudged Taise in the arm.

             
"Dude, my manhood was at risk," he said as a smile escaped his lips.

             
Gosh, I loved these guys, never a dull moment.

             
"So
,
now that we all know that I'm the king and Taise's manhood is intact are we good to go?" Anthony said as we all began to get out of the car.

             
"Yeah," Murphy and Taise sang in unison.

             
"Gosh, Aiden, did you have to drive so fast, I just about kept up," Kelly said as her and
Trixy
headed towards us.

             
That's because I was trying to lose you.

             
"Sorry but if you had seen what was going down in here, you'd understand," I said as all the guys burst out laughing.

             
"What happened?" Kelly asked.

             
"Don't worry sweet cheeks. Let's go inside, you look cold," Anthony said before whispering something in her ear.
 

             
I don't know what he said but it had her giggling non-stop and her cheeks were redder than a rose.

             
"Hey, wait up,"
Trixy
said as she raced to catch up with me.

             
Great!

             
"Wha
t's up?" I asked as I continued
walking towards Murphy's front door.

             
"Well
,
we never got much of a chance to talk at the diner so I had hoped that we could now," she said with a smile on her face.

             
"Yeah, cool," I said, reluctantly.

             
Murphy's house was big and I mean big. He had like eight bedrooms, two kitchens, three bathrooms not including the en suites that four of the rooms had, a games room, indoor pool, three living rooms and two garages.
 
Who lived here? Just him and his dad!
Crazy, right?
We never complained though, every party,
crazy or wild night happened here. Murphy's dad was more than laid b
ack and he was the only parent I knew that was around less than
my mom.
 

             
"Wow, this is so pretty and big," I heard Kelly say as she looked around.

             
"It's beautiful,"
Trixy
added.

             
"Yeah it has eight
big rooms too," Anthony said as he winked at Kelly.

             
I just shook my head, Anthony was exactly what Anthony was, a player. Whether he liked Cayce or not he was still going to hook up with Kelly tonight, he couldn't help it. The only girl that he never hooked up with much to his dismay was Crystal's friend, Jess. They sent a few texts here and there but she's not like that, she's kind of like April in that way. He doesn't like to admit it but I know that it bothered him. I’m pretty sure that he hasn’t given up yet though.

             
"
Yo
, guys I'm just going to give Kelly a tour of upstairs," Anthony said as a smirk filled his face.

             
"Yeah
,
just don't give her a tour of my room,
Phylisa
just put on new sheets," Murphy shouted as they ran up the windy stairs
, ignoring him
.

             
Phylisa
was one of Murphy's maids, she didn't talk much but she was nice.

             
"So, what are we going to do?"
Trixy
asked as she looked into my eyes.
Not what they're doing.

             
"I don't know, what time are
your
other friends getting here?"
I asked.

             
"Well
,
Kel
got Murphy to text them the address when we were at the diner so they should have been here by now, maybe they got lost," she said with a look of worry on her face.

             
As I went to answer, I was interrupted by the doorbell.

             
"Hello beautiful," Mu
rphy said as he opened the door
to reveal two blonde chicks who were dressed pretty much identically to
Trixy
and Kelly.

             
"Hey, I'm
Maddy
and she's-"

             
"I'm Brook," the other girl said as she walked straight towards Murphy with her
hand extended in front of him,
much to his delight.

             
"Well come on in Brook," he said, popping the B.

             
"This is Aiden and this is Taise," he said as we all headed to the closest living room.

             
"Nice pad," Brook said as we all sat down.

             
"Thanks," Murphy said, still smiling.

             
"This seat taken?"
Maddy
said as she pointed at the empty space next to Taise.

             
"No, no, it's, it's-"

             
I quickly gave him a look that I hope told him to be himself.

             
"No, I was saving it for someone as beautiful as you," he said, looking up at her.
I watched as she blushed, giggled and then took the seat next to Taise, it worked.

* * *

             
After about half an hour of pointless talk everyone was finally silent
, well sort of
. Brook and Murphy seemed to be in a kissing race against
Taise
and
Maddy
. I'm shocked to say this but Taise finally got a girl, by himself. I
guess all he ever needed to do
was
be
himself.
 

             
"So, is she special?"
Trixy
finally said, breaking the silence.

             
"Who?"
I asked in a confused tone as I tried to ignore the disgusting noises coming from the other four.

             
"Well
,
I just figured that a guy as hot as you would only be sat here doing nothing if there was someone special?" She asked.

             
"Sorry," I said as I turned to face her.

             
"It's not that you're not an attractive girl, believe me you are and if it was like a few weeks ago then-"

             
"You don't need to explain," she giggled.

             
"I understand and she's a lucky girl," she said as her cheeks went a little red.

             
"I don't t
hink that she sees it that way."

             
"Why?" She asked.

             
"It's sort of complicated," I replied.

             
"Well, complicated or not she's got you
sitting here thinking about her
so I'd say
that
whatever the complication is, maybe it's time to make it uncomplicated," she said as she smiled at me.

             
"Maybe, I don't know."

             
"You'll figure it out," she said.

             
"I hope so. I'm going to get a drink, want one?" I asked as I stood up from the chair.

             
"No, I'm ok thanks," she said before I headed towards the nearest kitchen.

             
As I stepped in, I clapped my hands together to turn on the lights. Everything has a sensor in this house, even the toilets, it's just cra
zy. I walked over to the fridge
and took out a can of Pepsi. Murphy hates
Pepsi,
his dad only buys them for when I'm staying.

             
"Hey," a voice said from behind me.

             
"Oh, hi," I said as Brook appeared in the door way.

             
"Murphy said that I could grab a drink. I'm Brook by the way, don't know if we formally got introduced," she said extending her hand to mine.

             
She was quite pretty, shorter than me, blonde hair, blue eyes, curvy figure, very nice.

             
"Aiden," I said as I shook her hand.

             
"So, Murphy mentioned that you go to music school. Which one do you go to?" She asked as she headed towards the fridge.

Murphy's mouth was so damn big and when did he even find the time to tell her
that between all of the kissing?

             
"It's called East Gate Musi
c Academy," I said, hoping that
that was the end of the conversation.

             
"No freaking way, my brother goes there.
His name’s
Mitch, do you know him?"
 

             
"Serious? You're Mitch's little sister? He’s in the class just above me but yeah I know him," I said as a smile filled my face.

             
"Yeah but
please don't tell him that I was here though," she said as a look of worry filled her face.

             
"Don't worry your secret
’
s safe with me. I take it that he’s pretty over protective then?" I said as I leaned against the counter.

             
"
Urghhh
yeah!
He's ridiculous though, he like beats up guys for
just
looking at me," she said in a frustrated tone.

             
"I'm sure he has his
reasons," I replied with a smirk on my face.

             
"Yeah
,
he wants me to die alone and miserable," she said as she screwed up her face.
 

             
"I'm sure that's not his only reason," I said as we both began laughing.

             
"Yeah, I'm sure. So that means you must know Jake too?" She said.

             
"Yeah, I do, he's in my class. Cool guy," I replied.
Well he was cool
when  he
wasn’t on a date with April.

             
"
Mmm
," she said in a disbelieving tone.

             
"What does that mean?" I asked in a more serious tone.

             
"Nothing,
” she said as she tried to avoid my gaze.

             
“That didn’t sound like nothing,” I pried.

             
“Look it really is nothing, it’s
probably just a rumour," she said as she tried to walk out of the kitchen.

             
"Brook?" I said as I gently grabbed her arm.

             
"Look, I shouldn't really say anything, it could just be all lies," she said as she tried to avoid my gaze.

             
"Well, if
it's
lies then it doesn't matter, does it?" I said, trying to gain her trust.

             
"Ok but you didn't hear it from me, ok? Mitch will kill me if he heard that I blabbed, he only told me so t
hat I would stay away from him."