Chapter 3
Did I really just say that?
For those of you who have skipped a couple books, let me fill you in. For fourteen years of my extraordinarily normal life, Fang was my best friend, right-hand man, one of the few people I trusted. Then, in the past year, he kissed me a few times, I kissed him. Things got weird. Now they weren't. For the past three months we were an item, together, boyfriend-girlfriend – you get it. We were exclusive. But enough on that. Being with Fang was fine – okay – more than fine – but talking about it? Ugh. Made me twitchier than a rabbit on forty pounds of caffeine.
"Awww. Angel, you get twin boys," Nudge gushed as Angel landed on the space that congratulated her for her new offspring. She fished two blue pegs out of the raggedy plastic bag that contained the pieces of my half-sister Ella's Life game. She loaned it to Nudge for our pool side adventures after they spent hours playing it two weeks ago. "What are you going to name them?" Nudge asked – swear that was the shortest sentence of her life.
"I don't know," Angel replied, placing the pegs in her white car. "What do you think, Max?"
Did we really have to name the microscopic blue pegs? Could we not just play the game and enjoy the pool before flying back to the safe house?
"Whatever you want, sweetie." I glanced at Angel. She was stroking the fur of her new Celeste bear. It had a halo and wings – similar to the one that Angel – um – persuaded some stranger to buy her in New York. Yeah – the one that one of Total's new puppies shredded to pieces.
"But they're your kids, Max," Angel disputed, then elaborated after I scrunched in my face with my heartiest Huh? look. She pointed to the pegs in her car. "See, this is you and this is Fang. Fang is driving because well – sorry, Max, but you're just not the best driver. And these are your kids. I'm going to get more along the way. Two more boys and one girl." Angel shifted in her seat and straightened out Celeste's wings.
My face flared up like a maraschino cherry. Swear my eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. Fang squeezed my hand under the table and stifled a chuckle.
Nudge started giggling which brought Iggy and Gazzy to the table to find out what was so funny. Angel continued to maintain her stoic stance on the matter – like she was actually waiting for me to name my kids in the back of her car. So not happening.
"What's going on?" Gazzy asked with all the wide-eyed innocence of a playful puppy.
"Yeah, what's so funny?" Iggy looked around the table at each one of us like he actually knew where we were sitting.
"Nothing!" I spit out quickly.
"Not nothing, Max," Angel said way too seriously. "I really want to know what you'll name your kids. Fang thinks you'll want Ari if it's a boy –"
I whipped my head at Fang and released his hand. "You've thought about this?"
Iggy plopped into a nearby lounge chair and laughed. I was certain his annoying shrill chortle could be heard for miles. Gazzy's head merely darted back and forth from Fang to me to Angel. His eyebrows were still trying to connect with his blond scruffy hair.
Fang's mouth crooked upward and I glared at him.
"Not funny," I seethed.
Angel didn't miss a beat. She continued to share the inner workings of our minds, a puzzle she was desperately trying to piece together.
"He likes Val if it's a girl. You know - kinda like your mom's name, Valencia. But you'll actually need more names than that. You're going to have a whole litter. Five, I think."
Whaaaat? My head was spinning.
Angel's comments threw Nudge and Iggy into a new round of unbridled laughter while Gazzy continued to process this information from the premonition princess.
I looked at Fang, the smile still yearning to inch on to his face. His hand was attempting to cover it now and I swear I saw just a hint of red on his olive complexion.
That did it.
I shot up from my chair and barked, "Okay, we're out of here." I whirled my body toward the pool gate when an unfamiliar voice halted my movement.
"Going somewhere?"
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A/N: Did I mention how much I like reviews... good or bad? It's just a click away... :)
