They Walk (3 page)

Not knowing what he means by that, I ignore him and reserve myself in silence. Is it my imagination or did he move his leg closer to me? Oh well, this is me not caring either way. Yeah right. This is me not believing when I lie to myself.

Dan, who was talking to Maria during our exchange, turns around in his seat to acknowledge Gabe.

“
It actually took us longer than usual to convince her to come out tonight.” He wiggles his eyebrows at Gabe. “I think she and Matt had plans tonight, if you know what I mean.”

Gabe turns to me, a low whistle sneaking out between his smirking lips. In pure shock of my brother’s retarded nature, my eyes widen. A heated blush spreads over my entire body. This has to be the most I’ve ever blushed, seriously. In a move that doesn’t require much thought I lean up in the middle of the front seat and smack Dan upside the head.

The sound of my hand hitting his dumb ass brings a smile to my face. Of course, it doesn’t last, especially when he only sits back and laughs at me.

“
You’re such a jerk Daniel. And if you must know, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” I seethe.

I resume to sitting back, my face still on fire. Even though Gabe is chuckling, I can’t help to notice that he moved his knee from mine. For some reason, I feel cooler with the empty space between us.

Maria chastises Dan about teasing me. Not real stern though and it lasts about a second too short for my liking. She turns on the radio, in her own way of changing the attention from me. I so need thank her later, I think. But what’s on the radio is a little unnerving, and distracts me. The caster is giving a news update.

“
This year’s newest cold vaccine was administered for the first time this morning.” A man’s voice says.

“
That’s right Dave, now I heard that this drug wasn’t even tested before being given out to the public. Any news if this is true?” a woman’s voice replies.

“
As far as I know, it was supposedly tested overseas before coming here. If it was tested again, once crossing into our boarder, that’s not known.” Replies Dave.

“
Well, that’s our Country for you. Too trusting of the wrong people, and going after innocent ones. All I have to add is that, I for one will not be getting this supposed miracle drug. Now, let’s return to tonight’s top twenty line-up with number fifteen Katy Perry’s Extraterrestrial.”

I’m glad for the music to fill the car, I hate radio shows. This one though was actually talking about news and not celebrity gossip. This is unusual, not to mention the topic. I’m actually glad to be living in a small town a ways from the city; we don’t get many drug trials coming to our pharmacies. Why would a drug be handed out as a vaccine, to something that’s not curable? Who knows what goes through someone’s head as they push things like this.

I’ve stopped trying a while ago.

I’m just glad I don’t have to worry about it for a while.

I notice that the road gives way to gravel, and know we should be close to Austin’s house soon. His family is actually one of the wealthiest members of our little community. So he lives on a good three acres of land. Whereas most of us here have a good section of space between houses, his is actually miles of space. With no one around to complain about the noise, it’s perfect for parties.

Even though I’ve been to Austin’s before in the past, as we pull up front, I’m in awe of it.

The house is set back from the road, so most of us park along the front yard. There is a long flowered walkway leading up to the porch. It looks like a three story farmhouse, but more expensive than the ones on my side of town. The whole first floor is surrounded by the wrap around porch and has floor to ceiling wide windows. I can see that all the lights are on inside, and can almost feel the vibrations of the music from outside.

Maria finds a spot to park amongst the lawn space, between a dark truck and a motorcycle. Once the car is off, Claire finally stops texting and immediately gets out closing the door behind her. Gabe slowly gets out, and with a smile holds the door for me. As I get out, Dan and Maria are already following Claire inside.

Suddenly I’m wishing to have waited for Matt, I hate going to these kinds of things alone.

Shivering, I linger by the car just staring at the houses massive presence and what waits inside. Noticing my hesitation, Gabe offer’s his arm to me. I look at him hesitantly for a moment, and then I think why the hell not?

So with a small smile, I place my arm on his and I let him lead me on.

Chapter Four

Once inside the house, the music is a lot louder. So loud that my ears are already pounding, but I try not to let it show. We step into a large foyer filled with coat racks and purses lined about, a few girls linger here drinks in hand.

Passing by, we come into a hall that splits three ways.

To our right is a grand living room filled with dancing bodies, and some wallflowers. To the left is a hallway leading to a closed door, and a winding staircase. Straight ahead goes down to the kitchen, and the back patio. The door to the patio is open and I can hear people yelling and splashing in a pool. Gabe leads us into the living room, and breaks away towards a group of blondes on the other side of the room.

He doesn’t look back, but it’s just as well.

Dan and Maria are already dancing, and I see Claire sneaking out to the patio. Looks like I’m alone, wonderful. Not wanting to stand around like a weirdo, I make my way to an empty wall to my right, and take up my post. Everyone in the room seems to be in one stage or another of drunkenness. It’s actually pretty amusing watching people dance when they are wasted, they think they are so talented. That is until they fall, like the hysterical girl across the room.

Shaking my head, I take in my surroundings.

The living is actually pretty decent, if not for the large group of kids. The windows all along the wall gives the illusion of making it bigger than it is. The drapes hanging on them are all pushed back and you can see the entire yard. Cringing, I think this place can’t be very private. Let alone be that great to wake up to with a sunny day, well, maybe for a morning person.

For which I am not.

So busy being nosy, I don’t notice something trying to sneak up on me until it’s too late.

A small mass of fur is suddenly jumping at my legs, and I instinctively I bend my legs and try to flinch away. Before I even have a chance though, it’s already jumping down, and ready to jump up again. The thing is about the size of a large house cat, and is covered in light brown fur. I almost would mistake it for a cat, except as it jumps it keeps making little yipping sounds. At the second assault attempt, I’m laughing and I reach my arms out.

I catch the brown fur ball, and am rewarded with a slobbery kiss.

Satisfied with the attention, it leaps from my arms and runs out of the room. Wow, if only I had that much energy. Cleaning off slobber on my face, I see that Gabe is making his way over to me from across the room. In his hands are two cups filled to the brim with a frothing liquid, and he deftly hands one to me.

I take it and drink it greedily, not caring what it is.

Shaking his head at me, he leans beside me on the wall to my right.

“
I didn’t picture you as a drinker.” He tells me as he takes a gulp of his own drink.

“
And yet you brought me one anyway?”

I glance at him, and I can see the smile in his eyes as he watches me.

“
Touché.”

He looks away to survey the room and I try not to pay so much attention to him. How he can flirt with everyone with breasts in the room, and yet be so weird around me I’ll never know. I try to pretend I’m not looking at him as I take another drink. He glances my way again, and I almost choke. Already I can fill the effects of the drink, it must be stronger than it tastes.

“
So did you want something, or are you just trying to get me drunk?” I say.

“
Neither actually, just don’t like that Matt lets you come to a party like this alone. I’d never do that.”

“
Ugh, I’m not alone moron, I came with all of you. Have you already been drinking and don’t remember the car?”

He gives me a mock glare, and shakes his head.

“
No, head case. Alone. As in with no date. Any guy could just try to paw at you all night, and no one would be able to stop them.” Gabe says, as he turns to face me further, while crossing his arms over his chest.

“
Yeah well, for your information I can take care of myself. Matt knows that, I don’t need you to protect me.”

“
Trust me, I know you can handle yourself. I’m just trying to be friendly. I wouldn’t want my girl alone, if I was Matt is all.”

“
In the name of friends, since Dan is yours, shouldn’t you be nicer to his sister, me?” I say as I cross my arms facing him fully now.

“
I am being nice, what are you talking about?”

“
Yeah right now. But not every other time we’ve been around one another. So what’s up with that?”

He looks genuinely confused or maybe a little offended for a moment. But then his eyes darken and a look crosses his face that I can’t decipher. He leans a little closer and is about to say something, when over his shoulder I see Matt walk into the room.

I can’t help but feel relieved and a little disappointed at the same time.

I really did want to know what Gabe’s problem with me was, but deep down I don’t know if I really do. I don’t think I’m ready to see a different side to Gabe. For all his teasing and irritating comments, I know he’s safe. I can trust that things with him will stay constant. I don’t have to feel guilty talking to him, or be nervous around him.

I care about Matt, and I don’t want anything to make that confusing.

Gabe, noticing that I’m distracted glances behind him and see’s Matt. Seeing my escape, I weave around him. I don’t look back as I make my way to Matt, I don’t want to see his expression has to say. And I really don’t want to know what he’s thinking, or not thinking in this case.

Matt seeing me comes toward him, smiles and his face lights up with delight. My heart flutters at the sight of it, and I can’t help but smile myself. With a spring in my step, I lean up to him and place my lips on his. Even with the light pressure of it, I still close my eyes and sigh into him. He raises his arms, and he places them at my lower back and gently pulls me closer to him. The pressure of his lips starts to deepen, but I place my hands on his arms and lean back with a smile. Raising my eyes I try to savior everything about him.

Being taller than me, I fit perfectly in his arms and I feel safe and warm. His blue eyes are bright with intensity, and his blonde hair falls nicely around his head. I raise my hands automatically and run them through his soft waves. He smiles at me, and pulls me in for a hug. I cling to him, and wonder not for the first time how I got such a wonderful guy.

He’s far too beautiful for someone as plain as me.

With a kiss to my temple Matt leans back, and takes my right hand in his left. He looks up over my shoulder and with a smirk nods his head. Turning around to look, Gabe is in the same potion I left him in, watching us.

Watching me.

I’d forgotten about him for the few seconds with Matt. I try not to flinch at the thought, but why do I suddenly feel so guilty? He watches me for a moment longer, before nodding back at Matt. Not saying anything, he turns away and gets swallowed in the mass of dancing bodies. I try to ignore the hurt expression I saw on his face. Surely he’s not thinking anything about me, like I’m not about him. That’s what I’m going to keep telling myself anyways. Smiling up at Matt, I try not to let my face show anything but happy to be with him.

Apparently not noticing the weirdness, he squeezes my hand and leads us towards the kitchen.

Chapter Five

As we make our way into the kitchen, we pass Dan and Maria. They are off to the side now, talking with a friend of Maria’s. She’s a tall girl, with flowing blonde hair. Like Maria she’s a waif of a girl, and just radiates shyness. Waving as we go by them, I think to myself that her name might be Emily but I wouldn’t bet on it.

The kitchen, even with its large size is very crowded, as we push our way to the drinks lining the counter. Matt releases my hand to reach for a bottle containing a white liquid. He pours both of us a glass, and hands one to me. I take it, but only sip it. I already feel a little dizzy from the drink Gabe gave me. Matt doesn’t notice though, he’s listening to his friends Austin and Alex arguing over something.

Trying to get his attention, I lean back on the counter to face him.

“
So how was work tonight, any excitement?” I say.

“
Actually none at all, the shack was quiet all night. Rudy called out, and I couldn’t leave Justin on his own. He’d probably set the place on fire, just trying to get a pizza out of the oven.”

He shifts a little so that he’s standing in front me, and leans in close so that his arms on either side of me.

“
Well your one hell of a driver, made it here in no time at all. And with time to change, I don’t even smell the usual pepperoni aroma.” I smile at him teasingly.