Pretend (71 page)

             
"Yeah, w
ell, I asked him if Crystal was in and he said that I had to give him the 'password' first. He was flirting of course but I ignored it and instead got quite impatient and told him to either go and get her or move so that I could find her myself. He of course laughed, being the big headed, player that he is-"

             
"Was," Erica said with a smile on her face.

             
"Yes, was. Anyway, after about five minutes of putting up with his comments and chat up lines, I turned around and walked away," she said.

             
"Is that it?" Jinnie asked.

             
"
Sssh
," we all said, loudly.

             
"Sorry," she said.

             
"Anyway,"
 
Jess continued, sarcastically, looking at Jinnie.

             
"As I tried to walk away he pulled me back by the wrist and just kissed me!" Jess said with a small smile on her face as though she was reliving the moment.

             
"Oh
my gosh
, that was brave even for Anthony," Crystal said with a shocked look on her face.

             
"Then what?"
I asked eagerly.

             
"Well
,
I got lost in the moment for a few seconds but then I came to my senses and kneed him right where I knew that
 
it would hurt," she said with a smirk on her face as we all burst out laughing.

             
"It s
erves his right! I bet he was in shock," Crystal said.

             
"Yes I think he was," Jess said as she carried on laughing.

             
"So what happened then?" Erica asked.

             
"Well
,
I told him that if he ever kissed me without asking permission first then there would be plenty more where that came from and then I went home," Jess replied.

             
"Does he ask permission now?" Jinnie asked as we began to laugh.

             
"Hell yes! He covered his 'manhood' the first few times
that
we kissed, it was hilarious," she said as we all burst out laughing yet again.

             
"How come you never told me this before? I could have teased him about this for years you know," Crystal asked with a smirk on her face.

             
"I don't know
,
I was kind of
embarrassed
," Jess answered.

             
"Why?"
 
I asked.

             
"Well
,
one
,
because I actually liked the kiss and two
,
because the idiot stole my first kiss," she said.

             
"Oh
my gosh
it was your first kiss?" Jinnie asked.

Jess shook her head to say yes. Wow Anthony was her first kiss, how ironic.

             
"
Awww
and now you're together, that is so sweet," Erica said.

             
"No it wasn't sweet, I was annoyed because after that all I could think about was him and his stupid kiss, even though I didn't want to,
 
I just couldn't help it.
 
I didn't know his name or anything and
 
I never seen him at Crystal's house again after that, it was like a weird dream that I started to believe had never happened until that day at the park," she said.

             
"That is so crazy! What happened when you finally met again at the park?" Crystal asked.

             
"I was shocked of course but I had to play it cool. It was obvious that he was a player but at the same time there was just something about him that was different, like only I could see it. I know that sounds crazy,"
 
Jess said as she looked at us.

             
"Believe me it's not crazy," I said reassuringly.
 

             
"Well
,
he knew who I was straight away and made it known as soon as you walked away, April. I asked him not to say anything and he said he wouldn'
t but only under one condition."

             
"What?" We all asked.

             
"That I give him my number and go on a date with him," she said.

             
"So you went on a date with him?" Jinnie asked.

             
"Hell no!
I said that giving him my number was my limit, take it or leave it and so he took it. We exchanged a few texts, then I started to ignore his texts to teach him a lesson and eventually we got chatting properly and the rest is history I guess. After waiting two years just to see him again I didn't want to have to wait
another two and everything just seemed to move really fast after that
.
I guess we just clicked
,
 
”
she
said with a big smile on her face.

             
"
Awww
," we all said at once.

             
"That is actually one of the weirdest and cutest things that I have ever heard in my life," Crystal said as we all nodded in agreement.

             
"Sorry," I said as my phone began to vibrate. I quickly jumped to my feet and took the call outside of the room since I didn't recognise the number.

             
"Hello."

             
"Hey April," a friendly voice said.

             
"Ed?"

             
"Yeah, it's
me."

             
"Sorry
,
I haven't saved your number yet. How are you?" I asked as I tried to hide the excitement in my voice.

             
"I'm doing great thanks, how are you?" He asked.

             
"I'm good thank you
. I'm just at my friend’s house."

             
"Oh, I hope
that
I'm not disturbing?" He asked.

             
"Oh no, it's fine."

             
"Good. I called to ask you something actually," he said nervously.

             
"Ok."

             
"Well
,
it's my first treatment tomorrow morning and I was wondering if you maybe w
anted to meet up a little later?
After
you finish
school
, of course,
" He asked.

             
"Yes
,
I'd like that very much actually," I replied as the smile on my face grew.

             
"That's great, it'll be something to look forward to after being in hospital all morning," he said as he let out a small laugh.

             
"Are you nervous?" I asked.

             
"No, I'm ok. Oh, by the way, I spo
ke to your mother this morning."

             
"You did? What did she say?" I asked.

             
"I just told her everything that I'd told you," he said.

             
"How did she take it?"

             
"After
she had gotten
over the shock of hearing my voice
again
, pretty well actually.
Your mother
’
s always been a very understanding and forgiving person, it's one of the reasons that I fell in love with her," he continued.

             
"Yeah that sounds like her," I said.

             
"You remind me of her very much actually. I even spoke to Bob for a couple of
 
minutes, he sounds like a great guy," he said in a cheery voice although I could hear the sadness behind his words. He really did miss my mom.

             
"Yeah he's
great,
I can imagine that yo
u'd get on quite well actually."

             
"I'd like to think so. Anyway sweetheart I'm going to have to go but shall we say half four tomorrow?"

             
"
Yeah that's fine. See you then."

             
"Bye April."

             
"Bye Ed," I said as I stared at my cell phone and smiled to myself.

             
Thinking about how nice it was to talk to Ed my mind suddenly fell on Kyle. I hadn't heard from him since the day that I had gone to his house and I really
wanted him to be ok.
As I looked down at my phone I quickly opened
up
a new message and began to type.

             
Hey, I hope that you're ok? You know where I am if you need
             
me, you only have to ask.

             
xXAprilXx

             
"Hey," a husky voice said, making me jump.

             
"Sorry, didn't mean to
frighten
you," Aiden said as he began to chuckle.

             
"Well you did," I said as I smiled at him.

             
"What are you doing out here?" He asked.

             
"Ed called me, he wants to meet up tomorrow," I said as the smile on my face increased again.

             
"That's great, I'm happy that you guys are having a relationship," he said as he smiled back at me.

             
"Yeah
,
me too.
It got me thinking about Kyle too, I haven't heard from him since that night that I was at his house," I said as I looked into his eyes.

             
"Why don't you text him and see if he's ok?" He asked.

             
"I just have, I just hope that he replies," I said in a sad voice.

             
"I'm sure that he will and if he doesn't we'll go and check on him, ok?" He said as he gently lifted my chin up with his hand.

             
"You know that's what I love about you, you can be so kind," I said as I smiled at him.

             
"Did you just say that, that's what you love?" He said with a smirk on his face.

             
"Maybe I did. I wouldn't let it get to your head though, I might just stop saying it," I said as we both began to laugh.

             
"Oh
,
I highly doubt that," he said as he pulled the middle of my tank top to draw me closer to him.

             
"I really do love you, you know," he said in a serious voice.

             
"I know. I love you too," I said.

             
"Even when I b
eat you at charades, twister and b
asically everything?"
He asked with a big smirk on his face.

             
"Keep talking and I may just change my mind," I said as I raised my eyebrows at him and laughed.

             
"Of course," he said before gently kissing my forehead.

             
"Jess!"
Anthony suddenly started shouting as he walked towards us, down the hall.

             
"What?" She asked as she walked out of the bedroom door and into the hall where we were stood.

             
"My phone," he said as he handed her his cell.

             
"Oh
yay
, hand it over," she said as me and Aiden stared at the two weirdoes that we called our friends.

             
"Hello this is Anthony's phone
,
how may I
 
assist you?" She said as she answered the phone.