chapter xi

CLEO'S P.O.V

"He can't be serious!" I swear I could feel the ground with the way my mouth was hanging open. My poor baby has been trashed. The f*cking nerve of that guy!

I mean yes I did trash his car and yes it is only fair that he trashed mine back but still! Those post-it notes were thousands in number! Obviously I am exaggerating about the number but hey respect the semantics behind it.

"God Cleo you are one hell of a runner! I swear any faster and you would have surely crossed the continent. Why don't you try out for the track team?" Eva nudges my shoulder in a playful manner still breathing hard from the run. I found her in the hallway and dragged her along with me when someone told me about my car.

"I'll cheer for you from the sidelines- f*ck! What sticky note hurricane did your car go through?!" Eva exclaimed loudly with wide eyes and the same gaping mouth as mine.

"It's a survivor though" Eva cringed offering me a comforting smile.

"I'll admit he got me good" I said with a slight shake of my head. Although the prank was a little overrated and cliched. Man but did he really have to make a vagina out of those stick notes? It makes sense because I did the same with his car only it was a d*ck

"That he did" Eva said laughing and I joined her.

We started on cleaning the mess when my eyes caught the words written on those multicoloured sticky notes.

I snorted as I skimmed over them. He had written down some of the most ridiculous nicknames one could possibly think of including one which he called me by. That weird, no sense making, stupid nickname.

Blaze

I quickly tear that note away before Eva could see and tuck it away in my pocket. For some reason that seemed a little personal and I can't really bring myself to share it with Eva.

We were halfway done when Eva groaned loudly and I looked up at her with a raise of my brow.

"I forgot I had to take my bro to his football practice. Mom and Dad left early morning to meet up with a relative so the responsibility lies on me. Can you take it from here?" Eva grimaced as she ran a hand through her dark hair.

"Don't worry I got this. You go on ahead, I'll follow in sometime" I wave her off when she protests and send her on her way.

I bit back a laugh at a particularly funny nickname before tearing it down as well. Damn. This is too much work. But can I really complain? Now we know why pride is one of the seven deadly sins.

I hear footsteps and turn around. My eyes immediately narrow in a glare and he raises his hands up with a smirk.

"Don't do that. That glare of yours really scares me, Blaze" He drawled with a teasing grin and I scoff at him.

"Did you really have to use sticky notes though?" I say with a huff before standing up and crossing my arms across my chest.

"Hey now. Don't hate the player, hate the game" He cocks a brow at me in amusement. I roll my eyes at him and make a move to counter his word when his brows furrow and he digs out his phone from his pocket.

"You know I have some time to kill. Want help with that?" He looks up at me through his lashes with a sly grin. I snort at him before nodding my head.

"This is nice. First prank her and then offer to clean up the mess. What are you here for anyway?" I turn to look at him over my shoulder as he pushes the phone back in his pocket and see a small smile dancing on his lips.

"The truth? I wanted to see your reaction. I missed that so I thought I'll just drop by and annoy you to make up for it" He tilts his head in my direction before winking at me.

"Aaaand you ended up helping me instead? Are you really that nice now Winston?" I say dryly but he frowns at me.

"Kade is the nicest person ever. Ask anyone" He flicks my nose playfully and I slap his hand away.

"Okay Cleo, is Kade nice?" I tap a finger against my chin in mock thought. "Nope. What a lie!" I smile at him wryly and he laughs lightly.

"Clever" He admitted begrudgingly with a shrug. We got back to work in silence removing the sticky notes and collected them in a small plastic bag to throw them all together.

"Does this mean we have a truce now?" Winston stood up and leaned against my car as I got last of the notes off. Sneaking a glance at his side, I was impressed to see he had already removed all the notes.

"Do you want it to be?" I ask in return not knowing what answer to give to his question.

"Don't answer my question with a question" His voice posed a slight tone of indignation which caught me off guard.

"Winston I don't want anything to do with you. How's that for an answer? Since you know this place at the back of your hand I won't waste my time assisting you towards the exit" His eyes flashed heatedly at my words but he pushed his anger away with a curt nod. He didn't say anything before he turned on his heels and left.

I bit my lip as I recall our conversation. Why do I keep doing this? Why do I go from playful one second to lashing out at him the next? Why is this bothering me so much? And lastly why is that I feel bad doing this? Because last I checked, I didn't really give a sh*t because I am insensitive like that.

Kade Winston is affecting me.

I griped the phone in my hand tightly as the revelation hits me. I switch my phone on and type in a quick message.

Let's skype today. I miss you :'( -Cleo

Almost instantly my phone vibrates indicating a text back.

Me too, bestie, me too -Lizzie

Let's do it today at 7. Kay? -Lizzie

7 it is then :) -Cleo

I blow out a breath before grabbing my bag from its place on the ground. I pat my bag, brushing away the dust before shrugging it on. I shoot one last glance in the direction he walked away before getting in my car.

Why was it getting more and more difficult now?

***

"Yes. Sounds legit. He was after all selling weird dark magic stuff in some off the map alleyway where you could hear the dead cackling. Of course there is no chance he could be a criminal on the run. I mean a few knives in one of his many disturbingly placed pocket can hardly be called scary. What won you though? The fact that he said that he wanted to bite your arm to savour your taste? Or that he wanted to cut your toes and take them away as souvenirs. Both the gestures were incredibly romantic, if you ask me. Tough choice. I mean you had to choose which part of your body you want to lose. Tough choice indeed" I added with a click of my tongue and Lizzie burst out laughing. Lizzie's choice in men petrifies me.

"It was actually the part where he said he wanted my heart and exchange it with his literally that won me over" Lizzie replied back with a shy grin and my mouth fell open. What is wrong with this girl and her lost senses?

"What company are you surrounding yourself with?!" I ask outrageously and get up from my rolling chair to add a touch of dramatic effect.

"None that are quite like you, ma'am" Lizzie replied back in a cheeky manner and I suppressed a grin. Smarta*s.

"But really how do you always manage to come across the worst of all guys? It's truly a talent I haven't seen or ever heard of. It was fine back when we were young. Just some candy and pencil stealers and once in a while a kid who had an unhealthy obsession with colours so much so that he wrote a letter to his mother to leave him a carton fill of them in her will" I wrinkle my nose at her and she chuckles.

"Good ol' times. They always make me emotional" Her eyes glaze over as she reminiscences our childhood days and wipes away a fake tear.

"Where's the damn tissue box when you need it" She grumbles under her breath and looks for it. Just then I hear a sound which suspiciously sounded like a door being closed and suddenly the 13.4 inches screen of my laptop is completely enveloped by Leo's face.

"Well hello there C" he winks at me the least bothered that his sudden appearance knocked his twin out of her chair. Instead he drags the chair closer to the desk where the laptop was kept and casually brushes off any imaginary dust particles who dared to touch his chair and then sits down with a huff.

"Ugly twin really needs to get rid of this chair. Bet she got this from some flea market in a remote area where yetis reside. Her poor choice proves why she can't ever be the better twin which is me. As if that was hard to guess. Am I right or am I right?" He looks at me with a haughty expression on his face as if to say can you believe I am related to that?

"Uhh...Leo? Sorry buddy to break it to you but yeti is a mythical creature" I point out with a barely concealed grin. He blinks at me as if not being able to process anything happening around him and the silence on both ends is even funnier ruined with the occasional grunts from Lizzie massaging her a*s which took a hard fall.

"So as I was saying, before C here interrupted me" he glares at me and wags his finger in a chiding manner. It's like he doesn't even remember our previous conversation. Yup Leo's just that good at this.  "I got a new surfboard. Well at least something good came out of this god awful trip-"

"Hey! This was a trip I won-" Lizzie complained

"-the beaches out here are so great, C" Leo gushes and Lizzie scowled at him in the background

"What beach? There are no beaches here! What world are you living in?!" Lizzie places a hand against her hip and regards Leo with thin lips pursed with the purpose of holding back on going off on her brother.

"Clearly a one where b*tches and Liza Vector are debarred" Leo turns his nose up in the air like the little snob he is. But don't let him hear this. He might or might not take it as a compliment. Never underestimate Leo's tendencies.

"Oh so you mean a world where a*sholes and Leo Vector reside? Well then it's doomed! Just like my life with you in it" Lizzie grits out and slaps the back of Leo's head when he turns to me and juts a thumb back at her barely holding back a laugh.

"Okay children! Nap time! The one who sleeps first gets a star-" I grin and lift up my hand and tap my finger on the back of my hand. "-Right here!"

Leo pushes his sister out of the way rather intentionally. How did I guess? Well pushing someone unintentionally isn't planned. You can't just unknowingly shove someone in the washroom and then lock it up accidentally. Luckily he didn't pay much attention on the locking up part and left it half latched. Good for Lizzie who managed to get out.

"I would pay a thousand if you guys take it up on the streets. You guys have natural talent" I said with a thumbs up and Lizzie glared but she only slumped back against the chair with a deep sigh.

"That's exactly why we keep him away from sugar. His sugar rush gives me a head rush" Lizzie groans putting her head in her hands.

"Aww man I feel for you" I say sympathetically and Lizzie looks at me with a small grateful smile.

"Why do you have to be so far away? I miss crashing at your place and having unlimited access to your refrigerator. Oh and how can I forget your mom's delicious pumpkin custard pie? My mouth's watering already you know" Lizzie pouted with a longing look in her eyes.

"Well who told to play that game and end up being so lucky that you win a trip? You had a choice Liza Vector" I tease and wiggle my brows in a playful manner.

"And I made a bad one" She placed a hand against her heart.

Her words bring me back to the conversation I had with Winston today. Did I also make a bad choice?

Lizzie started chatting away something about a hybrid of a dinosaur and a centaur or centipide whatever it is she said. My eyes softened when they landed on her. Her face was animated as she explained the process of how she planned for the offspring to be made. Her comic hand gestures and the childlike delight in her brown eyes with grey flecks in them as she talked about her passionate journey as a high class hybrid generator. She flipped her golden blonde hair when she was done and satisfied with what she said.

This was her bestfriend. Liza Vector. The girl who was relentless in her pursuit and had an uncanny habit of saying the most hilarious things in the worst of all situations. And of course how could I forget her unique charm which attracts all the wrong guys. I thought dryly.

Even if it was a bad choice I made, it was worth it. Every bit.

Vote and Comment