"Um, Matthew?"
Matt turns away from his Les Paul. His arched auburn brows high on his creased forehead, his eyes widen as he sets his guitar down, steadying it with a fist around the neck. A puzzled scowl overtakes his mouth. With his free hand, he shakily combs his fingers through his hair.
He opens his mouth to reply but his voice is caught and he is wordless because now the only reasons they speak involve either Harper or Bryn. How Harper spent most time on the field and how Bryn attempted to break a record for being the youngest teen to smoke enough cigarettes for an entire human lifespan.
Within his thoughts, he manages his voice, even though it came much lesser than he'd hoped.
"Yes?" he answers and swears at his frail tone. He regains himself by coughing into his palm. "Yeah?"
The girl flips her honey gold tresses away from her face, her eyes sparkle and dimples score around her mouth. She was just as pretty as he remembered. Even when with Vena, he still had a mild crush. He could never admit it though.
Where would that get him? Would that get him into an Ivy League college? Not by saying he loved this girl. That wouldn't do him any good. He'd only lose a friend in the process. He nearly lost Steven to drugs and Bryn to her father's coke-induced death. Those were enough to make him savor the friends he'd already had.
And he most certainly wouldn't mangle a relationship to satisfy himself.
"You know, we haven't spoken since Bryn and Harper's father died." she stats, the dimples of her smile weakening. He notices the sourness in her expression and though he couldn't help but have a straight face, he still felt bad since she was blameless in it all.
So he smiles and blocks the negativity. "I know. And after all these years, you could at least call me Matt, Tinsley." he told her, her smile reappears and his debuts with a friendly air. "I guess we just haven't really had time to hang. I'm with Steven, you're with Claire and Bryn and that's just it."
She nods and the sweetness in her smile fades once more. "True." she agrees and nods, almost to herself. The vivacity in her eye suddenly detaches itself. "You know, the anniversary of Mr. Baxter's death is coming up."
He blinks and nearly drops his guitar. Already? It always came by so fast that he often forgot about it and it was part to his luck because he never liked remembering how the kindest teacher in Constance had perished in the cold halls. No one deserves a cruel death.
"Really?" Matt says and swings his guitar back into his lap, closely twisting a tendon. "I can hardly believe it. It comes before I even have time to remember. Claire's supposed to be hosting another one of her parties. For New Year's, I think. You going?"
"Yeah, it'll get me over this month. I'm glad it's finally ending." she advises and her eyes narrow. "Are you?"
He smiles. "Vena and I are going together and I have to make sure Steven doesn't snort anything while he's there, so I'm technically his chaperone." Tinsley giggles and his smile broadens into a smirk. "And, you? With Harper, I suppose?"
"I don't know. He hasn't asked me and I'm still wondering if he even wants to go." Tinsley admits and bites her glossy lip. That was the main question. Would he even ask her? Because when she went to Claire's end-of-the-year gala, she wanted to be on his arm and wanted to crash her lips to his when the clock struck twelve. "Especially since he's been so busy with sports and all … and, you know."
"Why don't you ask Bryn to snoop for you?" he suggests and even though he would've rather went with her himself, he still didn't want to see her upset. Maybe Bryn would be of some help. They were becoming fast friends, anyway. As long as she didn't hurt Harper, Tinsley was in the safe zone. "I doubt she'll really hurt you now. It'll be a waste of energy."
She laughs and playfully smacks his shoulders with her bag. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
He chuckles and dodges the next blow from her purse. "I'm just saying! Seeing, you guys are becoming good friends. Maybe, you'll be as good as them someday!" He nods at the path of Steven and Bryn in the Constance courtyard, a hopscotch column drawn on the concrete. Steven stands beside it and tosses a grape, it rolls and lands on the highest block. Bryn laughs and Steven looks uneasy as he hops, one-footed. Bryn watches in amusement as he stumbles, barely on the second square before falling and crushing the grape.
Bryn's shoulders quake with intense laughter as she stares down Steven. He cranes his neck and raises a hand to whack her shin playfully. She continues laughing before kicking him, swinging her bag over her shoulder and marching off. She looks harmless when she isn't bombed. Matthew was right. She wouldn't do anything bad.
Bryn was a good friend and she proved that to her.
Tinsley bobs her blonde head. "Maybe I'll do that."
He waves at her retreating form. "Good luck."
She turns back around for a tiny second. Her smile is sweet. Not flirtatious. "I'll need it."
X
Floria climbs onto the table in the St. Jude's courtyard, where Bryn and Steven sit for lunch. Eating onion rings and smoking cigarettes. He finally got the privilege after proving to Bryn that he'd never touch another joint by staying sober for three weeks and embarrassing himself in a game of hopscotch.
Steven takes a drag of his cigarette and lifts an onion ring. "Mornin', Flory." he greets and Bryn smiles, returning to the book in her lap. Floria and she may be friends but their friendship was ruined when Bryn betrayed them for another band that was nothing like family. "I can finally smoke, y'know. But only like two to three sticks a day."
Bryn flips a page and dimples mark her smirk. "Be lucky I left you with that." she answers and takes a drag of her own cigarette, blowing smoke rings in his direction. "You just dodged a bullet when you were in that disgusting hospital."
He laughs and grabs her shoulders, yanking her into him for a hug. "Aw. Quit talking about my house!"
She wiggles out of his grip and gives him an onion ring. "If it was, you wouldn't be able to eat food like this ever."
"Yeah, man. No more Burger King." Floria agrees and looks over Bryn, who's still locked on the book. She wouldn't ever bring her wrongs to view. She wasn't like Hayden. And she turns to the studded cufflink bracelet on Bryn's wrist and grins. She'd gotten Bryn that so long ago. It was probably what started her leather fetish. "Nice bracelet, Jett."
At the nickname, Bryn shuts her book. "You're the one who got it for me." she replies and there's the slightest bit of gratefulness. "What's up? We've haven't spoken since forever."
Finishing off his onion ring, Steven nods. "Can't even call her, bitch?"
Giggles escape Floria and Bryn leans to dig her boot into Steven's thigh, he winces and narrows his eyes before massaging fingers about his leg. A lot happened since their band had broken up. Hayden had been working on a new all-girl band, which began and ended terribly. She met an amazingly attractive man when she snuck out for lunch, and so far is attempting to rebuild her friendship with Bryn.
She chose to answer this simply. "Same old, same old. Soooo what's today's topic of discussion?"
Another nod from Steven. "We were talking about the stoned Megan Fox-chick and Bryn's fat ass."
She laughs and Bryn drops the onion ring she was ready to eat. "I do not have a fat ass." she claims and frowns. Floria's smile grows. "You were complaining to me the other day how you couldn't fit into your jeans! I'm on a diet, believe it or not."
He stubs his cigarette. "Cheeseburgers and beer are not part of a diet. Look at Floria. She's flesh and bone. I already told you I didn't fit into my pants yesterday because I had a –"
"Alright, Steven, no! No!" Bryn screams, plugging her ears. "I don't need to hear about your … story again. It already grossed me the hell out the first time."
Floria smirks to hide laughter. "What exactly happened in this story?"
Steven opens his mouth to speak but Bryn cuts him off with a narrow of eyes. She clenches a fist and holds it up menacingly. "Don't you dare." she snarls and grits her teeth. "I will kill you."
"What's so bad about it?"
"Let's just say it involves cheerleaders in tank tops, a sprinkler, and –"
"Don't say it!" Bryn yells and throws her cigarette at him. "Don't!"
He holds his palms forward in defense and flicks her cigarette, smiling over how easily she became disgusted. He doesn't necessarily attempt to but whatever he said usually bothered Bryn. It was pretty hilarious.
"Yeah, seriously, don't." Floria responds and pushes the plate away to see the book Bryn was just reading: a guitar manual. "Why do you need that, anyway? You're practically a champ."
"My music teacher wanted me to review this because a new kid will be starting in January and I get to teach him for extra cred because he sucks and I have to tell him all there is to know." she explains. "Even I haven't read some of this stuff. You learn a lot when you read." She turns to Steven and arches a brow.
"What?" he asks, raising his own brow. "I read."
Floria playfully kicks Steven's ribs with her pointy boot. "Playboy doesn't count."
Bryn rolls her eyes. "Yeeeeah, because everyone reads for the articles."
"I beg to differ."
Floria spun around but Steven and Bryn continued with what they were doing. Bryn taking drags and Steven staring up at the sky, strands of his hair caught the daylight and made it look like gold yarn. A perfectly arched brow furrows as Floria stares in amazement at who stands before them.
Blonde hair, green eyes, aristocratic jawline. Javier Dominguez.
She never met him but learnt he attended their first performance at Rodney's with a stripper. Matt later told her he flirted with Bryn in her Lila-ensemble though failed in getting her to his room because she blew him off and fled to a friend's house.
Bryn was far from invincible.
He shoves his knuckles into his pockets and strides for Bryn, occupying the seat beside her and not bothering to sit on the table like them. "The guys who actually look away from the centerfold models read the articles though they're quite boring." He reaches for Bryn's waist. He's pleased when she doesn't pull away. She appears used to his antics when he easily brings her into his lap, she digs her heels into him but he only brings his mouth to her ear. "But when you have the Cherry Bomb, you can live without."
She scowls and undoes his fingers from her waist. "Quit it." she murmurs and narrows her eyes. "We aren't dating."
With a smirk, he counters. "Who says we need to? We've done much more than normal couples already."
She looks away and climbs out of his arms, sliding into the seat across him, careful to not give him a free-show up her skirt. "You're goddamn annoying."
"I'll take that as a compliment for today but I came to ask you something." he clarifies and suddenly his smirk weakens and his eyes are serious. They narrow and the smoldering greens seem to strengthen.
"If the question involves sex of any kind, the answer is a resounding no."
Steven dissolves into hysterics and Floria cracks a smile, looking away to smother its broadening. Javier also smiles despite himself. He's used to Bryn's persona and almost seemed immune to her by now.
"That wasn't the question." he objects and moves in for her hand. She meets his promising eyes and cocks a confused eyebrow, a nervous smile quirking on. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go to Claire's year-ending gala with me."
Her shoulders slump in relief and her smile widens into a smirk as she pulls her hand from his. "No, thanks."
Steven collapses against their bags, muffling the extremities of his laughter. "Ha! Rejected!"
In some weird way, she actually feels bad when the smirk typically frozen on his face falls. Her lashes lower, leaving eyelids to view before she parts her lips to exhale a wispy river of smoke. "Chill. I'll go with you, Dominguez. Just relax. I don't need to see tears now."
He chuckles, then slowly smirks. "I wasn't going to. I was going to forget you but good thing you accepted. Now, I don't have to go with one of Claire's minions."
"Yes, I'm a lifesaver." she advises and crosses her legs fluidly but leans back when Javier attempts a kiss. "Nope, save it for the dance. Then, you can kiss me all you want."
He stands, dusting off his pants. "I'll hold you to that. But, sadly, have to leave. I have to prepare for Claire's gala since she's being extremely strict over the dress-code. See you then, Blackwell."
Bryn salutes his retreating form and suddenly Steven jumps off the table, nearly falling headfirst. He stands and throws his cigarette aside. "Shit, that reminds me!" he exclaims and suspiciously glances all around before he meets Floria's confusion. "Flor, thank God, you're still here! I was wondering if you'd like to go … um, to the dance with me?"
Floria smiles nicely. "Sure, Steven."
He beams like a child and rumples Bryn's hair before running off, howling like a lunatic as he disappears. Bryn crosses her arms and keeps her smirk, looking back to Floria with narrow eyes. She flashes her eyes in Steven's direction while managing to keep her laughter controlled.
"Good luck with that."
"Pray for me. Please."
X
Tinsley arrives in the field, where Harper is with the lacrosse team. He adjusts his glove and the team scatters throughout the field, positioned at the bases and the back-gate while Harper takes place on the pitcher's mount, throwing the ball between hands. He erects his stance and clenches the ball before throwing it to someone with a metal bat. The ball soars and Harper smiles proudly. It doesn't once meet the dirt when Harper catches the ball in his mitt.
A boy grins. "Nice job, Harper!"
Harper smiles and nods at the dugout. "Thanks. Who's next? We have to have a quick game before Mr. Harmon comes back. Let's have a good one, alright?"
Both sides erupt in cheers while Tinsley smiles from afar, careful to stay away from oncoming swings before approaching. They pause so they don't harm a girl and it felt good to hear they knew who she was but not for the right reasons.
They murmur of the STD rumor Vena spread and some even talk of her misadventures in boarding school. It was almost like guys only seem to remember the worst things because she's achieved so much. She was a student with A's and B's that were not given by doing wrong things with teachers.
Harper didn't seem to notice her presence despite the others having left the field for joints and meager school lunches. He did once the baseball fell and he went for it, looking down to see not only his ball but Tinsley also.
He snags his ball and his fingers quiver as he smiles dazzlingly. "Hey, Tinsley, what's up?" he greets and tosses the ball back to someone else.
"Oh, nothing," she replies with the same casualty. "Just thought I'd come see you, if it's alright. You seem to be a little busy."
He shakes his head and removes his glove. "No, it's cool. We're taking a break. Just having some fun before our coach gets back."
She nods and is confused. Why wasn't he bringing up the dance? Wasn't he going? Practically all guys knew by now. Claire announced it awhile back. He should've been there or could've at least heard everyone's preparations.
"Well, that's nice." she answers and Harper nods after cracking his knuckles. "Oh, did you hear of Claire's bash? It's happening soon. Everyone's preparing."
For a moment, he stops and points his gaze at the sky. Surely enough, he nods in the direction of the huddled guys. "Yeah, they've been talking about it nonstop. I'm not stressing on who to ask because I don't necessarily care. Claire's parties come and go, y'know."
Tinsley raises a brow. "What if I went with you?"
He lifts his shoulders carelessly before sliding his glove back on. "Cool, I guess."
"You guess?" she repeats and can't mask her frustration. How could he act so carefree all of a sudden? Was he trying to play hard to get or only trying to act manly around the guys? She most certainly didn't want to ask Bryn for assistance. No matter how much she needed to. "Look, I have to go. I have to help Claire prepare for the ball you apparently don't care enough to take me or anyone to."
He shakes his head and frowns, wiping his forehead. "I didn't mean it like that."
She doesn't bother looking back, leaving him, blocking him out. "I'm pretty sure you did."
He doesn't go after her and she doesn't want him to.
The jeers from the guys are painful enough.
X
"Look, man, I don't really find it wrong that you're hanging with Vena and all." Dean says as he carries a crate of supplies for Claire's gala through the corridors of The Empire. "I'm not gonna stop you because if you like her, you can do whatever. I'm just saying be careful because she isn't exactly trustworthy."
Matt is silent but nods as he lifts a keg, shifting uncomfortably as he walks with the utmost care. "Tinsley and Bryn told me the same thing." he says and bites the inside of his cheek. "Vena's as trustworthy as they get. She hasn't really said anything truly terrible, only that she doesn't favor the idea of Tinsley and Bryn as friends."
Dean raises a brow and they linger in the foyer. "Weird. They seem like pretty good friends. They're always together and all. I don't necessarily see a problem with it."
"Well, when they first met Bryn stubbed her cigarette on her." Matt clarifies with a chuckle at recalling the story Bryn happily told them all. Dean's eyes bug though he also chuckles, setting the crate on the marble while Claire barks out instructions. "That was about it. I think she only did it as a warning but Tinsley ignored it and Bryn somehow manages to deal with her now."
"Somehow, someway," Dean mumbles and pulls open the crate with a crowbar on the wall, cracking the wood to receive colorful streamers and ribbons from inside. Perfect for something like the Snowflake Ball. "Just look out for Vena. She's tricky."
"Hurry it up! Hurry up!" Claire demands as helpers climb ladders to hang decorations and clean the chandeliers. "We have to make this a night to remember! Don't screw up here, people!" A woman carries in a wild cluster of yellow tulips and Claire fumes. "No yellow tulips! Only blue and ivory roses! What does this look like? Candyland?"
After a few quieter minutes, Tinsley enters, looking exhausted. She approaches Claire and smiles, tucking strands behind her ears. Her eyes betray an idea of heartbrokenness but she succeeds to hide it in a smile.
"Sorry I'm late, Claire." she apologizes. "I have a lot going on."
To surprise, Claire doesn't seem to mind. They were best friends, after all. The anger in her eyes softens and she regains herself by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry." she assures and her voice is gentle. "Just get to preparing flowers and throw out any wilted ones you find. These florists are horrid."
Tinsley giggles. "Sure, sure," Her expression lightens. "You shouldn't worry. You seem more stressed than anyone here."
Claire nods and heads past Dean and Matt, Tinsley in tow. "Yes, I know. Some idiot sent an invitation to Vena and I can only wonder what … dumbass did that." She glances over Matt as he hands snowflake ornaments to one of Claire's bees. "Probably him. He's Vena's only friend."
Tinsley cranes her neck see Matt. He doesn't notice her eyes but Dean does. "I don't think so. Matt likes her but he'd never spite you."
"I'm surprised you know his name. He's pretty downhill to me." Claire rearranges bouquets in the marble halls. "Always with that drug addict, he's always smoking, and smells like pot. A lucky lady deserves him."
"Well, I kinda like him. And he doesn't smoke pot anymore." Tinsley admits and looks around suspiciously when she speaks. She looks away from Claire's astonishment. "He's nice, polite, handsome, and if he wasn't with Vena I would've liked to go with him, too. He's good, Claire."
The queen bee smirks. "Apparently so, if he caught your eye so easily."
"We've known each other since Vena's big bang. You'd be the same, if you knew Dean just as long." she reassures. "You have to get to know him."
Claire shakes her hair and throws dead roses to the marble and looks back to Tinsley. "No, thanks. I don't find any reason to like him. You're better off, I guess. Dean is more to my favor."
Tinsley smiles and chucks the roses in the trash. "You know, you're actually good, Claire."
She laughs. "Never let anyone know that, Tinsley. Or else, I'll rip your head from your shoulders."
And from the end of the hall, Dean cocks an attentive brow and walks off.
X
Floria throws furrowed dresses onto Bryn's charcoal bedspread from inside her walk-in closet, reeking of bubblegum and cigarettes. Harper, disappointed in himself, cradles his head in his hands. Bryn observes each dress. Satins, silks, laces, girly things that her mother bought while in Europe. Bryn has never worn them. They were much too showy for her with their pastel colors and sashes. The thought of wearing a floral pink dress made her want to puke.
Bryn walks to her brother and runs her fingers through his hair and choppy bangs. Her hands linger and her thick lashes lower, a smile forms. She was never good at comforting anyone but him. Maybe because he was her twin and they had some secret connection their father always told them of. He always did drink too much … "Oh, Harper, povero ragazzo. Tinsley will be fine. What'd you say to make her so upset?"
He looks up at her and catches her wrist before releasing her hand. "She asked if I wanted to go with her to the dance and I said it'd be cool, I guess." He sighs and shakes his head, punishing himself more than needed. "It was that bad, Bryn."
She sighs and pats his cheek before walking over to Floria. "You really need to learn more about girls, Harper. I hate to agree but that's terrible." Floria replies and rips a dress off a hanger, holding it in front of her. Bryn's eyes turn to her instantly. "How would this look? I'm pretty lost on the whole thing." Bryn inspects the dress. The light green did wonders for her eyes but it was scanty, considering how it barely touched the thigh. Why the hell did she even have that thing?
She shakes her head. "Too short, too slutty," Bryn responds and Floria shrugs, tossing it aside before pulling open a drawer and fishing out a familiar corset. Harper luckily didn't notice the skimpy top because of his daze. "Talk about slutty, ugh. Can't believe I wore that. Put it away, don't let him see."
Floria chuckles and does as told, pulling out another dress from the same drawer and holding it to herself. It was obsidian black and sunk to the floor in a puddle of satin. She never wore it and remembers she brought it for Hayden. The girl had rudely declined it and Bryn threw it aside.
"That's pretty cool. You should wear that." she comments and turns to her sibling as he looks out the window to where the sun peeks out from big clouds. "Harper, just go get her already."
"I don't know where she is," he murmurs and his shoulders slump. "I'd be lucky enough to find flowers."
"Steven didn't give me flowers." Floria admits and Bryn laughs. "I was lucky he asked me out in the first place. Sober, no less."
"Def, man. I didn't get flowers either. I'm lucky Javier didn't full-force kiss me in the courtyard."
"Secretly, you know you would've enjoyed it."
"Oh, of course."
They laugh and Harper scowls and looks away. Bryn rolls her eyes and heads to her desk, where a litter of music sheets and a jug of roses were laid. She carelessly removes the roses and thrusts the bunch in her brother's unsuspecting hands.
He looks up and her smile doesn't stray. "She should be leaving The Empire now. There's your flowers. Get 'em, Romeo."
Stumbling and all, Harper is out the door, leaving behind two laughing girls.
X
And as Tinsley exits The Empire after finished groundwork for Claire's ball, she looks for a non-speeding taxi. Raising her arm to hail one and smiling to how her day finished. She'd decided on a good dress and heels Claire helped pick. She'd look beautiful and even if Harper didn't go. So what? She had friends. Bryn and Javier, Claire and Dean, Matt –
The screech of the cab's tires sting her ears as it reaches her. She opens the door, ready to leave. Someone's familiar boy voice cuts her right out of mind and she gasps into her palm.
"Tinsley, wait!"
She whips around, pulling hair out of her face and down her back in a waterfall of honey. She sees Harper, sneaker laces dragging across the pavement and roses dangling from his knuckles, an enthusiastic grin marks his cheeks. He reaches her and hands her the bouquet of ruined flowers, halting to catch his breath.
"Would you like to accompany me to the dance, Miss Hastings?"
She can't hide her grin and bobs her head cheerfully. They lean in and her arms link around his neck as they lock in an affectionate embrace. The cab drives off and she doesn't care as they don't care to unlock their kiss. The man beats lights and she couldn't give two damns. All she wants is Harper.
Two women watch from down the block, a petite brunette with a ruby ring and a tall blonde with gleaming blue eyes.
The blonde smiles and her shoulders lift in a sweet sigh. "Isn't that cute, B?"
The brunette rolls her eyes and struts for their car. "I've seen cuter, S."
But she can hardly hide her smile.
X
I hope you all enjoy this chapter, the next one I'm pretty sure you'll definitely love.
And I wanted to say a new character will be appearing soon, one I just received and have plenty planned for. ;)
So enjoy this chapter and I hope you all love it!