Heart of Darkness

Blossom POV:

He walked up to me in the Quad. I was reading a book. I can't recall the title. All know is that it was a mystery.

His auburn hair brushed the collar of his shirt. He was a total bad boy, Brick Rush, and everyone knew it.

Me? I'm the geek. I'm the girl Friday for him. You know, run errands, do laundry, tutor... That stuff. My twin sister Berserk, his on-and-off girlfriend... She was his world.

At least that's what I thought.

I knew he was standing behind me for a while. Then, he moved to sit in front of me. And he still hadn't said a word.

I kept rereading the text in front of my bespectacled eyes, trying hard to tamper down on my fluttering heart.

"We should go out sometime." Brick announced. Of course, his ever present posse snickered. They knew he used me to organize parties and crap.

"Sure, what's the location, how many attending, and should I order pizza?" I gave him the usual question run down. His usual answer was "Same as always, see ya."

That was the extent of our conversations ever since Berserk came back from her private school. Before she'd returned, I had been privy to his life. Now, I just kept it organized enough for him to stay ahead.

He plucked my book from my hands. "I meant, you and I should go out."

I raised a brow. "To get supplies? Never needed a babysitter before Brick. I remember where-"

"I meant on a date. I'll pick you up at seven, tonight. Be ready." With that, he left.

I was shocked into utter silence, until I realized- "He took my book..."

I was chomping on a bag of chips lying on the couch when the storm blew in. I always described her as a storm. There was no other natural disaster to compare her to. She outgrew them all. So I just consider her the all around storm. Saves time.

She planted herself in front of the television set, hands on her designer jean-clad hips.

"Well?" she hissed.

I frowned. "Well, what? You're the one keeping me from watching 'Alien Surf Girls' reruns," I retorted.

She snatched the plug from the wall, effectively cutting off my Aussie-ogling time.

"What's your meltdown, Betsy?"

"I told you my name is Berserk now." She flared with anger. "And my meltdown is your going on a date with my boyfriend."

"Not your boyfriend considering you guys broke up three months ago. And he was joking."

I popped another handful of chips into my mouth as she digested this. She seemed ready to accept it, until the doorbell rang.

I absently listened as our dad answered the door.

"Oh, hello, Brick."

"Hello, Mr. Bourne."

I cringed.

"Berserk didn't mention she and you..."

"We don't. I'm here for Blossom."

A pause.

"To see her for homework. Well, she never mentioned-"

"We have a date."

A longer pause. I glanced at Berserk only to wish I hadn't. She was an unappealing shade of red.

"This joke is going too far..." I decided, getting up.

I marched over to the entryway and up to Brick and my father. "This is getting way out of hand, Brick-"

He looked at me, confused. "I said seven... You're not ready."

I frowned. "Because I'm not going."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to be the butt of your joke."

"How is it a joke?"

My dad discretely disappeared. Brick and I were alone.

"You don't date me."

"I do now."

"You're missing the point!" I screamed. "I am your roadie, your girl Friday, and basically your maid when the occasion arises. But I am not your girlfriend."

He frowned. "Is dating me really that bad?" There was a bite in his tone.

I softened. "Brick, you know I'll always be your friend. But, dating you would be...awkward."

Brick raised a brow. "How?"

Was he oblivious? "You used to date me sister!"

"Who cares? Let's go." He jerked a thumb out the door.

I looked down at my clothes. Ratty old jeans, an old t-shirt from my ex boyfriend, and fuzzy socks. "I'm not going out like this."

"You better hurry." He smirked.

Groaning, I stomped upstairs to go change.

I found Berserk on my bed, ripping the stuffing out of my birthday bear-bunny that my ex had given me before he drifted. "Are you mental?!" I demanded, ripping the headless hybrid-plush toy out of her hands.

"Remember that next time you steal my boyfriend." Berserk sauntered out, casting a glare at me.

I sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Somehow, Berserk came with us. She bullied her way into the front seat, sneering at me with every chance she got.

I'd changed into a new pair of jeans, a "Project: Perfection" shirt, combed my hair into a low ponytail and donned some Converse.

"So where are you taking me, Brick?" Berserk bubbled.

I wanted to barf. The sugar sweetness of her voice grated my nerves.

"To Steve's." Brick looked at me in the rearview mirror. "I'm taking my date to Nirvana."

Berserk scowled at me. "But Brick... You never took me to Nirvana."

Nirvana was the king of date places. It was an Indian cuisine restaurant that looked like it was cut from an Indian romance movie, complete with hot waiters and waitresses. Too bad I hated Indian cuisine.

"Um... I kind of hate Indian..." I piped up from the back.

"Since when?" Brick asked. "You used to love it."

That was before Berserk came back and poured spicy curry on my head and stuffed nan bread down my back.

"I just don't see the appeal anymore." And after you had burning hot curry in your hair, dripping into your eyes, you'd understand too.

"Hmm..." We pulled over by Steve's house.

Steve was a former friend of Brick's and Berserk's only real male friend. Her other "friends" were guys who took her to bed, or the couch, or in the shower. And Berserk had no shame in bragging that her sex life was better than my own nonexistent one.

"Well?" Brick prompted as Berserk sulked in the seat.

"What, no goodbye kiss?" Berserk pouted.

I couldn't even tell if she were the third wheel or I was, the way she was acting! Not that I'd wanted to go on this date... But the last time I refused to go somewhere with Brick, he'd manhandled me into my prom dress- cotton underwear and all- and into the limo; it's enough to instill some values.

I sat back, content to check my email on my phone.

"Hell, no. Get out." His bluntness stung. Then again, he was always like that. Bluntness, thy name is Brick.

Berserk harrumphed and sauntered from the car, again glaring at me one final time. As if it were my fault Brick corralled me into this.

We sat there in the silence. Finally, Brick commanded, "Get up here."

"Pardon moi?" I replied. The bite in his tone was uncalled for.

"Get up here. To the front." Brick pointed to the vacated seat.

Why would I-"

He got out of the car, opened my door and picked me up, bridal style. I squeaked, an odd sound that resembled a mouse and a chicken.

He dumped me into the passenger seat, strapped me in and went around to his own seat. "Jerk," I griped as he started the car.

"Stubborn woman..." Brick retorted.

As we pulled up to Nirvana, I discretely gave him a once over. He was casually handsome, with a crimson dress shirt, black skinny jeans, and deep red Converse. His signature chunky leather wrist band was tightened firmly in place.

"I said I don't like-"

"You will. And if you don't, I'll take you somewhere else."

I slumped, knowing I was trapped. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

He was out of the car and around to my side in a moment. I blushed. "Look who discovered chivalry."

He smirked. "I have my points." He gently pulled me from the car, and I nearly gushed over it. Then I remembered the wrath of Berserk, and it died down.

I glared at Brick from across the table, periodically eating my spicy curry.

"What?" He raised a brow.

"You know what!" I hissed.

"He deserved it."

I was pissed. Brick had snapped at our waiter- possibly our former waiter- Raj, because he was describing the menu. And Brick didn't like the flirtatious way he was doing it.

"They're paid to lightly flirt Brick. Didn't you come here before?" I sighed.

"No."

That made me frown. Berserk always bragged about the swanky places Brick had taken her to. This was one of the places she bragged about. "Not even with Berserk?"

"Why would I take her here?" Brick's tactlessness reared up again. "She's not special. She's not you."

I blinked. "I'm special?"

Brick rolled his blue eyes. "Of course you are. You're my best friend. You're my girl Friday-"

Gee, how nice. A friendship date...

"You're the love of my life."

Whoa that's a new one. I raised a brow. "What?"

"Don't act like you don't know. You said it first. Remember last month?"

Oh yeah... That time he was delirious with a fever and I went over to help him get better. Or, I amended, that time I thought he was delirious. Apparently he'd been in his right mind. Which meant it was time for me to move to a boarding school on the opposite coast. I wonder if I could apply to an English boarding school. Wait, make it Australia. Nice, cute surfer guys to help me cope until Berserk finds me a rips my limbs off and feeds them to a shark-

"Stop overthinking this." Brick snapped.

"Stop making our relationship complicated, then!" I retorted.

"I'm just taking it to the next level," he rationalized.

"And what level is that? Insanity? Torture? Possible murder when my sister gets ahold of me?" I ranted.

"No, this!" He dragged me across the empty table- hey, when did the servers come and take away the nan bread basket?- and into his lap, and lip-locked me.

XXXX

AK: OKAY! Brick's eyes are blue right now for a reason. And Blossom and Berserk have green eyes. You'll see why in a couple chapters. R&R, please. Public opinion counts.