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Word to the Wise: It’s time to get everything out in the open. I sound like a fortune cookie.
Read on...
Big People Talk.
Thomas frowned as he looked over at Ray, who continued to laugh at him. They had started to become really good friends, and it was obvious that Nina amused Ray to no end- and vice versa. When Thomas was with both of them, Thomas felt like he used to- before he developed inappropriate feelings towards an inappropriate party. However, right now, it was just the two of them- Nina mysteriously bowed out of hanging with them. Thomas hadn’t minded much until Ray started mocking him about something Thomas had revealed two nights ago after two bottles of vodka and some rum.
“What’s so funny?” He asked indignantly, running a hand through his blonde hair.
Ray moved his hands fluidly as he spoke, “You. You’re in love with your best friend, who you know would never return your affections.” Okay, Thomas didn’t see the humour in that at all.
“Dude, why did I confide in you?” He made to stand up from the bench but Ray grabbed his arm and made him sit back down.
“Because you were drunk off your ass.” Thomas grunted, “Oh, don’t be a cry baby. I know why you did, you needed an objective stance. And it’s obvious, you need to move on-”
“Do you think I like this? That I like feeling awkward and weird around my best friend?” Thomas shook his head, “I hate it. Shit, do you know how easy it would have been if I was in love with the other twin like a normal guy?” He looked over at Rae, who’s dark blue gaze seemed to command attention from whoever was around him. Thomas guessed you needed to have some sort of magnetism so that people looked at you when you communicated with them.
“You hate having a crush on your best friend, or hate having a crush on your best friend who’s a guy?”
“You know the answer.” Thomas said angrily, folding his arms and staring out at a couple of kids running around the park. He missed those days, nothing mattered but your lunch, your toys and naivety.
“What I gather is… you hate both. You hate that your feelings have made you distant from someone you were once really close to- and you also hate that you’re gay.” Thomas sighed, Ray was right. He kind of really wanted to be that clichéd quarter back that had the best girlfriend and a great life.
What he had, was a lie that only one person -a near stranger- (who wasn’t blood related) knew the truth of. Of course he was being a tad bit pessimistic, his life wasn’t all that bad.
He had a great family, so maybe his father was extremely sick… and there was a possibility that he wouldn’t live out the year, but he loved his father and little sister.
He had a good group of friends, sure there was some grey areas, but he had to admit that when he thought about it, his friends were the type to be there for you when you needed them.
Even if he was keeping something as big as his sexuality from them. Thomas’s phone vibrated in his pocket- guess he was glad for txts and video calling, huh?
“Look, I don’t go back to college for another two weeks- but I’ve gotta jet. I’ll txt you later.” Thomas nodded as Ray stood up, his hand reaching out to shake Ray’s. When he tired to pull back, he found that he couldn’t. He looked up questioningly at the standing guy, Ray’s hand was firm as he held on to Thomas’s and for a second Thomas felt a strange surge of inexplicable discomfort. However, as quickly as this flustering feeling came- it was once again gone.
As was Ray’s hand from his, Thomas watched Ray walk away a confused smile on his lips. Ray left him with this perplexity, along with a tingling hand which he rubbed against his jeans as though trying to dispel the confusion.
Guess not.
“It’s absolutely horrible, you would think…” Coral zoned out, there was nothing much she could do without going crazy. She hated these things, her client’s children usually hated her- and the feeling was always pretty much mutual.
The last people to have dinner with the Swanson’s had brought along their daughter who was the same age as Coral- and decided to get high in Coral’s room and blame the smell on Coral. Who, due to her passiveness, took the fall.
She lost access to her piano for a month. This was before she was shipped off to boarding school.
“Coral-Lee, darling, could you please show Timothy the music room? Mr and Mrs Elliot would like to discuss business matters.” Coral knew a dismissal when she heard one, she turned to the well-dressed guy that looked no older than she did.
His dark red hair was combed neatly and the gold rimmed glasses he wore complimented the sharp edges of his face. He had barely said anything since arriving, not after the initial ‘Hello.’ Which he had said in a light well-mannered voice.
Not that Coral had made an effort to get to know her mother’s clients’ son, but she gathered he wouldn’t want to know her either.
“Yes mother.” Coral said demurely as she stood from the table, ‘Timothy’ followed her out of the large dining room and up the stairs- barely saying a word.
It had been a while since she had to play ‘host-child’ and she was glad that there was only one. Although the fact that he was a boy- and her age… was a little unnerving. However he was so mild-mannered that Coral didn’t mind.
He was completely silent as she led him into the music room, she wondered why mother had made her bring him in here. It was right about now that she kicked herself in the head for not listening to a word the people at dinner said.
As she closed the door, after Timothy entered the room, she turned around to offer a slight smile in his direction. His dark gaze met hers shyly before he looked away,
“Have your parents been in business with mine for long?” Coral asked, the fact that he was equally shy was doing a lot to put her at ease. Or perhaps it was the effect of being around Damon so much. That boy had enough confidence for ten Corals.
She scolded herself for thinking about her green-eyed music part- friend. Remember? He had insisted that they become friends, and even though she still had her qualms about it, she had agreed.
Despite the butterflies she felt in the pit of her stomach whenever he touched her. Which was a lot, Damon had insisted that friends hug- all the time. So maybe she didn’t mind it much… but still- it made her feel strange yet trippy.
“I suppose, I don’t really get involved in their affairs. Half the time I’m too medicated to care.” Was the mild mannered reply which brought her back to the music room.
“What?” She asked, had she heard correctly? Medicated?
“Sorry, I noticed you were zoned out- so I- sorry.” She sighed, it was a joke. Coral managed a smile. The blue dress her mother had insisted she wear was slightly itchy and she tugged on the sleeve.
“It’s okay.” She murmured, before walking over to the piano and sitting down.
Timothy followed suit, she resisted the urge to stand up and move when he sat beside her.
“I’m guessing you play?” He asked, Coral looked over at him- nodding, before placing her delicate fingers on the familiar keys. She began to play a piece that she had learnt when she was younger.
This was strange, but because her life had virtually become something of an oddity since leaving boarding school, she took it all in a stride. Something Damon was trying to teach her to become accustomed to.
Her eyes slid over to study Timothy’s profile as she watched her deft fingers work the instrument, his nose was perhaps a bit too straight- and his eyes were a dark shade of brown that alluded to secrets which no one but his mild-mannered self was privy to.
However his (now) complete calm was soothing, she was surprised at how easily he could be with someone he’d just met, or rather ‘someone he was forced to make conversation with for the sake of his parents business.’
Coral was about to stop playing when she noticed the ends of his delicate mouth turn up, as his own fingers -which she now noticed were long and slender- settled on the opposite end of the piano and began to accompany her piece.
At first she was surprised, he didn’t miss a note- and even embellished on the tune she knew off by heart, but it dawned on her that this was why her mother had suggested the music room as opposed to any other room in the house.
“I hope you don’t mind.” He murmured as he played alongside her, Coral shook her head a small smile tugging at her pink lips as she slowly changed the tune on her end. The notes changing as she changed the piece she was playing.
He didn’t miss it and switched up his own playing, so that the music continued to sound synchronised.
Her heart seemed to quicken in pace as his fingers moved closer to hers, before moving away in order to change the pace and tune himself.
Coral recognised, immediately, what he was changing it to and played in accordance with it.
“You’re good.” He murmured complimentarily,
“Thank you, you’re not too bad yourself.” She surprised herself by saying, in what she noticed, (almost alarmingly) was a slightly light and flighty tone. In other words, a slightly flirtatious tone.
She spent way too much time with Damon.
They ended the melody with a crescendo, his fingers brushing against hers as he moved his hand over to her side to hit the right note on his part, she was left slightly astonished. Not just by the beautiful way they played together, either.
Her fingers tingled slightly, but she pulled it back as if it was wrong somehow. Not that she could fully think of why.
She looked up at Timothy, a shy smile spreading across her pretty face.
“That was amazing.” She breathed, Timothy grinned and she noticed he looked a lot better smiling, then he did when he looked nervous.
“It is. Sorry if I’m out of line, but why are you home?” Coral must have looked confused because he elaborated. “This is the fifth time my parents have had dinner with your mother, and each time they’ve brought me… it’s just been your mother. I knew she had a daughter but I assumed you were a lot older and at college or something.” Coral shrugged, the pictures of her around the house were all before she hit puberty. That thirteenth year of hers was when she was sent to boarding school and her parents acted like they had no daughter.
“She pulled me out of boarding school.”
“On your last year at high school? That’s harsh.” Timothy seemed to really relax, his semi formal mannerism loosening. It was putting Coral at ease as well, she was feeling more at ease now around this guy she’d been officially speaking to for the past ten minutes, than she did around Damon. Who she would have known for a bit over two months now.
Perhaps it had something to do with the crush she had on him, that she was beating down with a stick whenever she got the chance.
No matter how much she liked Damon… she knew he would wind up breaking her heart.
Right?
“Coral?” She snapped out of the Damon induced daze, stupid green eyed-
“Sorry, erm… not really. I actually quite like the new school I attend. You, don’t go there by any chance… do you?” She hadn’t seen him around, but Clemington was a big place.
“Yeah, I’m in your biology class. I‘ve spoken to you exactly nine times even though I sit behind you everyday.” Coral looked up at him in surprise, really? The ends of his dark eyes crinkled, “I’m just kidding. I go to the St James all boys’ private school in the next district.” A relieved laugh escaped her lips. “You should laugh more often, not that you‘re not pretty when not laughing- but-” He commented, flustering himself. Coral felt a blush creep its way up her neck. “Sorry I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.” Wow, was he really the son of one of her mother’s clients? Because she never remembered their kids being particularly nice to her.
“You’re not,” she assured him, aqua eyes dancing with amusement. For once she wasn’t the blundering fool. Even if he was cute, in a Clark Kent way.
“I just have this problem, I think it’s called foot and mouth disease.” Coral laughed, “No I’m serious. And it only ever happens when I’m in the presence of a really pretty girl.” Coral stopped laughing.
“Uhm.” She looked over at him with a troubled expression on her face.
“Did I say something wrong? Because whatever it is, it’s the disease and I’m really sor-” Coral started laughing again, and this time Timothy joined in. Their laughter was finally beginning to ebb when there was a knock at the door and clearing of a throat.
“Master Elliot and Miss Swanson, your parents require your presence back in the drawing room. Like, now.” Bob, who was the part-time butler wasn’t like Giles or Jeeves or whatever. For one, he didn’t live at the house- and two he didn’t have the British accent that Coral thought was awesome. But he was funny, and treated Coral a lot better than her mother sometimes.
As they made their way downstairs, Timothy stopped her before she walked into the drawing room.
“I know we’ve barely met, but I um… this is probably a foot-in-mouth moment but would you like to get together some time?” Coral’s eyes widened slightly, was she… being asked out on a date? “I mean, if you want- just as a friends… or not. Or not at all- it’s cool if-” Coral smiled, liking the way his dimple flashed when he smiled apologetically. A little voice in the back of her mind was telling her to say no, but there wasn’t really a reason for her to day no. She didn’t have a boyfriend, and so what if she’d just met him?
He was nice, funny and cute- good looking and obviously smart and in to the same kind of classical music as she was.
But Damon- was her music partner/friend. She had kissed him once (more like a few times) but there was no way someone like her would be with someone like Damon. Perhaps there wasn’t a way someone like her could be with someone like this Timothy- but he was sweet and nervously awaiting an answer.
“I’ll give you my number, and you can call me.” Coral said, almost breathlessly she took her phone out of her pocket- to find six txt messages and two voicemail massages waiting for her. They were all from one person.
Ignoring them for the moment, she recited her number before letting Timothy recite his as she stored it onto her phone.
When it came time for them to leave, Timothy smiled warmly at her- his warm hand grasping hers in a handshake that seemed to last longer than necessary. He leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek, “It was nice to meet you.” He said, “I hope you’ll say yes to getting together sometime, when I call you.” With that he was gone, her mother gave her a conspiratorial look- as if to say ‘well done.’
Later on that night she checked her messages from Damon.
7:10pm: We should practice tonight. Oh right you have your dinner thing. Have fun.
7:14pm: FWD There are friends everywhere, but you’ll only send this to those you care about.
7:17pm: That last txt was a bit gay- it was a forward from Grey. What a loser huh?
7:26pm: Your mom didn’t take your phone did she? Wait, if she did you wouldn’t be able to answer this.
8:01pm: I’m bored Lee. I can save you if you need it. Txt back Y for yes and N for no.
8:12pm: Or not at all for neither.
Coral couldn’t help the huge grin on her face, she checked the voicemail messages next.
Beep: “What? I thought you were supposed to say you’re not here leave a message than beep. That’s a bit stupid isn’t it? I mean- why don’t you have a message telling people who call to leave a message. Lee, that’s just plain mean…. what if I needed to prepare myself? What if I wanted to-” BEEP
Beep: “It cut me off! What if I was singing a song and it cut me off mid note? What if- sorry. Just called to say goodnight friend. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, I’m saddened that there aren’t any more music detentions. Night Lee.” Beep.
She couldn’t get his velvety voice out of her head- even when she finally drifted off to sleep.
Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to gently sweep against the roof of her mouth. Josh could feel every breath she took as her body seemed to meld into his, this was something he loved about making out with Nina. He could just get lost in her scent and not care about anything for hours. Unlike the scores of girls that he had been with before, Nina didn’t push and pull until every last article of clothing, she had on, was off. Her kisses were something he never knew he’d been craving.
She kissed as though she meant it, and that was a good thing… because he knew he meant it. They had been making out for the past however long in his room, and he wasn’t quite done yet. Although he could tell, from the way Nina’s hands fisted his shirt and tugged at him, she wasn’t quite done yet either.
Kaysee had a basketball game that his mother had taken her to, so they pretty much had the house to themselves. Not that he was going to point that out to her.
Over the past three weeks they had been sneaking around and although it made for pretty fiery make out sessions, it was grating on his nerves how he couldn’t tell anyone that she was his. And vice versa.
He felt her whimper of protest when he pulled away, his grey eyes opened to meet her disappointed -albeit heavy lidded- amber ones.
“Grey… what the hell?” She asked breathlessly, her voice husky in its air deprived state. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and it made her look delectable, especially lying on his bed the way she was. He knew she wasn’t going to like the next words out of his mouth, but they were necessary.
“We have to tell your brother.” Yeah, the heavy lidded quality in her eyes left abruptly as she pushed him up away from her. She groaned slightly, before sitting up.
“Not this again.” Josh rolled over so that he laid beside her sitting form, staring up at his ceiling.
“Neens, he’s going to find out eventually. It would be better if he find out from us, before he walks in on us or something.” Damon could be so frustrating sometimes. He had once called Josh chicken-shit for not going for what he wanted- and then all of a sudden he freaks when Josh tells him he’s in love with Nina?
His hand inched over to her side, his fingers brushing against the side of her thigh before his hand moved up to rest on it. Nina turned, leaning on her hand as she stared down at him, her hair had fallen out of the messy bun she’d put it in and was cascading down her back.
“What if he tells us we can’t keep seeing each other?” She asked, and Josh finally understood her reluctance.
He sat up, tugging her over so that she was kind of on his lap.
“Then we tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine.” He murmured lowly, almost a growl. He buried his face into the crook of her soft neck.
Nina pulled away, “I’m serious, Josh.”
“So am I… I’m not letting him come between us like this. I’ve loved you-” He didn’t miss her wince, “too long to let you go because he can’t handle it.”
“There’s a difference, he’s my twin brother. We shared the same uterus, parents… family.. I-” She stopped short, and Josh sighed,
“He’s my best friend. And usually I don’t mind listening to a word he says… but I won’t back down- if you won’t.” Nina turned her head to fully regard him, her hand coming up to lightly trail down Josh’s face. Her amber gaze searched his, the green flecks in her eyes reminding him that she was still his best friend’s twin. He moved his hands down so that they clasped together at her hip, as she was seated sideways in his lap.
“I don’t know what to do.” She murmured, she was becoming more comfortable with acting human and it was a side of her that he felt he needed to protect.
Josh moved one of his hands up to her back, as he leaned in to brush his lips against hers again, he knew that nothing he could say right now would make it easy.
Words were overrated anyway.
Her hands slipped around his neck as she turned to straddle him, pushing him back as she pressed her soft lips against his in a hard kiss.
They never went past fooling around, Josh knew that she wasn’t ready to willingly be put in that position. Pun not intended. He didn’t mind waiting for her, but it didn’t mean they never danced around the edge of the cliff.
He was a guy, it occupied much if his thoughts, Josh wasn’t going to lie. But he respected her enough to know the limits, although sometimes she liked to push against the barriers herself.
Josh growled against her mouth as she pressed herself against him, her hair falling forward in waves the smell of sweet strawberry, invading his senses.
“I love you.” He murmured against her mouth, and he felt her stiffen. Her back becoming rigid as she placed both hands on his chest and pushed away from him. She stared down at him, he’d refrained from saying it after the initial confession where she had called him nuts for even thinking it.
However the more time they spent together, just hanging out together -not necessarily on dates- talking and just being in each other’s company, the more he realised how certain he was about his feelings towards her.
Joshua ‘Heartbreaker’ Grey, was sprung.
But what of Nina? He knew she felt something for him, why else would she be on top of him at this very moment?
“What’s wrong?” He asked, grey eyes gazing up at her worriedly. Her flushed cheeks were red from not only the excursion, her amber eyes regarded him nervously.
“Grey-” She managed to squeeze out, and Josh understood.
“You’re not sure whether or not we’re going to stay together.” He stated, he knew he wanted no one else but her. But what of her? What did she expect from him? Want? He knew what he wanted, he wanted her. He wanted her to be able to decide that she loved him of her own accord. He didn’t mind telling her of his affections.
Because it was pretty obvious.
“This is our senior year in high school Josh, what if we drift apart? We‘ll get accepted into different schools.” He knew she was gunning for Columbia, and he was still deciding where he wanted to go.
“How about we think about that when the time comes?” His hand came up to run through his hair as he said this, “For now… how about we just focus on being together?”
He could practically feel her qualms emanating off of her, but he didn’t want to think about all of that now. No, he was going to focus on other things. Like her mouth.
Graduation wasn’t for another eight or so months, he didn’t want to think about leaving her so soon. Not when he’d pretty much just gotten her.
This talk wasn’t for now.
“But-” She began, however the rest of her sentence was lost- as Josh expertly hushed her, with his lips.
Thank you, all of you, for the reviews. They made my day. Oh and I finished my essay -eventually-and got a good mark too! Woop!
Notice: I’ve decided that (if I’m still to do one) the sequel would be set during Kaysee’s first year out of high school. Which she will be taking off. It will be during this year-long gap that the story takes place.
Our main protagonists will be 18 and 19/20. Or something. For this; I may need help, I’m not too familiar with the way high school and college are scheduled in America. I may have started schooling there… but that was a very long time ago. The rest of my schooling years have been in NZ… very different.
Well- without much else to say… drop us some words and I’ll be sure to appreciate it! With an update of some sort.