Alright guys, so I totally recommend reading my responses to your reviews at the bottom. It'll really be helpful (to some extent) and will def clear out some confusions. But really, it'll show y'all how truly grateful I am that y'all are reading my story :)
SIX
"Crushes are stupid and liking people is stupid and feelings are stupid."
: :
I sunk into one of the armchairs positioned around the living room, my eyes still closed as I was only dimly aware of the conversation going on around me. They were all planning the attack on Butch…
Oh God. I've just dug myself a huge hole that will take a whole lot of scrambling to get out of.
I opened my eyes and took a quick look around at all my friends.
Mitch was excitedly saying something to a frowning Brick, obviously about the "genius plan". Robin was sitting in the chair opposite me, her eyes sparkling as she stared at me. Todd and Serena were whispering in each other's ears, but by the way Serena was giggling, I doubted it had much to do with the plan.
As for Boomer… He wasn't in the living room anymore.
"Where'd Boomer go?" I asked the room at large.
It was Robin who answered. "He said something about getting a drink."
I frowned, suddenly becoming aware of how thirsty I was. Or maybe I just wanted to put off the planning.
"I'm going to get some water," I said, rising to my feet and exiting the room before Brick could call me back.
I hurried to the kitchen and paused in the doorway. Boomer stood with his back to me, his hands gripping the edge of the sink and his head lowered so that I couldn't see his face. I felt like I was intruding on something very private.
"Uh… Boom?"
Boomer gave a huge start of surprise and spun around. When he caught sight of me, his jaw set and he avoided my eye, instead opting for looking at the wall right above my shoulder.
"Are you OK?" I asked tentatively, stepping forward into the kitchen.
"I'm fine," he replied shortly, still not meeting my eyes. "I was just… thirsty."
"Me too." I tried to laugh off the awkward moment as I walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a can of lemonade.
Popping it open, I held the can out to Boomer. "Want one?" I asked.
Boomer simply shook his head, his eyes now fixed on the floor.
I bit my lip and turned away, taking a sip from the drink as I closed the refrigerator door.
"Why did you agree to it?"
Boomer had spoken so quietly it almost surprised me that I'd heard him. I turned to face him and saw that he was finally looking me in the eye, but he displayed no emotion whatsoever.
"Why did I agree to the bet, you mean?"
Boomer nodded stiffly. "You've never gotten involved in the Summers/Brick thing before now. So why did you agree to it?"
I hesitated a moment, drinking a bit more of the lemonade before replying, "Well… he sort of forced me to…"
"He didn't force you to do anything," Boomer snapped suddenly.
"Woah, Boomer, what's up your ass?" I said, my eyes slightly widened.
"Nothing," was his short reply. "I'm going to go… back to the living room. I'm sure they'll need help in this plan of theirs."
Before I could say anything else, he was gone from the room. I stared at the spot he had occupied a few seconds ago, utterly stumped at why he was so angry.
I finished off the lemonade, threw it in the bin and followed Boomer into the living room. Everyone seemed to have gone into full planning mode. Even Serena and Todd had come back from Planet Lovers to talk through the plot.
Everyone, that is, except for Boomer. He was sitting with his arms crossed, glaring out of the living room window. When I walked into the room, he didn't even glance up, but instead intensified his glare as though the world outside had done him great, personal wrong.
Brick smirked up at me from where he was sitting on the lounge. "So you ready for the plan, sis?"
I glared at him. "Since when did you let me date let alone date the guy you hate most in this world?!"
Brick seemed to think for a moment before saying, "Look, I knew that the guys wouldn't rest until it happened, so I thought: why not? It can't hurt. Besides, unlike real relationships, I'll be closely monitoring everything that goes on."
I let out a childish huff and flopped down on Robin's chair's armrest, crossing my arms.
"OK, so now that you've had your little temper tantrum," Brick said, "Can we start?"
I simply rolled my eyes and grumbled under my breath in response.
"Great!" Brick said in an over-enthusiastic way, clapping his hands together.
"First off, we're going to start with your clothing, hair and make-up and such…"
"Shoot me right in the foot." I grumbled.
: :
I stretched out on my bed two hours later, staring up at the ceiling and wishing that I could find some time machine that I could use to go back and undo my decision.
"There is no time machine, Bubs," Robin laughed from her spot on the edge of my bed.
She had decided to stay after the boys left. Serena had left with Todd for a romantic stroll down Sunset Beach.
I looked at Robin strangely for a moment, wondering if she could suddenly read minds, until she sighed and said, "You said it out loud, silly."
"Oh." I returned my gaze to my ceiling with a heavy sigh. "What have I gotten myself into, Rob?"
"A whole lot of trouble, that's what," Robin replied matter-of-factly.
"Thanks Robbie, you're such a big help," I said sarcastically.
"I know," she replied absently, studying her nails.
I gave a soft laugh.
"So," Robin began, lying down next to me on my bed.
"So?" I rolled over so I was facing her, propping my head up on my hand.
"What happened between you and Boomer in the kitchen?"
My insides clenched but I stared at her calmly. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well," Robin said, speaking slowly as if to a two-year-old, "he came in about ten minutes after you went to get a drink and he looked absolutely pissed off. What did you do to him? Did you two have a fight?"
I sighed. "Honestly? I have no idea."
Robin raised a questioning eyebrow at me and I had no choice but to give in and tell her the whole story, from Boomer's strange position at the kitchen sink when I'd first walked in to when he stormed out.
"I just don't get it," I finished, frowning, looking out the window and at the storm clouds forming outside. What a dull day.
Robin, who had risen to a seated position during the story, now wrapped her arms around her knees, biting her lip.
"What are you thinking?" I wondered, turning my confused frown to my friend.
Robin sighed. "I think… I think what I've been thinking for the past few weeks has just been confirmed," she muttered, more to herself than to me.
"What do you mean?" I questioned, totally puzzled.
Robin, however, didn't answer. She jumped off my bed and grabbed her coat from where it hung over my study chair.
"Where are you going?" I cried, exasperated, as she tugged on the coat and headed for my bedroom door.
Robin opened the door before replying, "I have to go talk to– to someone about something. I'll see you tomorrow in school! Byeeee!"
I gaped after my best friend as the bedroom door slammed, causing her to vanish from sight.
What the hell was wrong with everybody today?
: :
The next few days did nothing to improve my mood. Even though Brick had decided that 'Operation: Summers is going down' would commence next week, it did nothing to make me feel better.
Boomer still wasn't talking to me for God knows what reason and Robin still hadn't let on about what had suddenly been "confirmed". Although, she did look a great deal happier than usual and when I asked what had happened, she simply replied slyly: "Oh that something with that someone went extremely well."
Stupid, secret-keeping bestfriend.
Also, another thing had come in to ruin my life.
That's right. Bunny Crawford decided she wanted to warm up to my brother's friends all of a sudden – or, more specifically, Boomer. For some unknown reason, I was positively furious.
Oh, right. You don't know Bunny and my history. Well, we don't exactly have a "history", but let's just say that I don't exactly warm up to the Queen Bees that run the entire school; And this particular Queen Bee had an extremely painful sting.
"Good afternoon boys," Bunny giggled, stopping by our table at lunch with a tray of food in her hands and two of her plastic bimbo clones standing behind her.
"Bunny," Brick practically groaned. Bunny had made it almost tradition to flirt outrageously with any male specimen in the school.
"You guys wouldn't mind if we sat at your table, would you?" Bunny asked.
I silently pleaded with the boys to yell "NO!" at her, but of course, boys being boys who like to perve on particularly well endowed girls, allowed her to sit.
Bunny shimmied over to where Boomer sat, set her tray in between him and Todd and squeezed herself in the middle. She flashed Boomer one of her famous, most flirtatious smiles. To me, it looked more like a grimace, especially when aimed at Boomer.
Boomer, however, seemed to think differently. He grinned back at Bunny and they immediately swooped into a private conversation. He even whispered in Bunny ear at one point, causing her to giggle painfully and slap him on the chest with a playful smile.
I rolled my eyes and stabbed my fork into my wedges with as much force as I could muster. Looking up, I caught Robin's eye. She gave me the strangest look – I could swear it was sympathetic – and sighed. What was that about?
"So, Bubs," Bunny began and I was extremely surprised that she was addressing a mere mortal like me - "It's OK if I call you Bubs, right?"
I rolled my eyes, hoping she'd get the message. Of course, Bunny being Bunny Crawford, didn't.
"Anyways, Bubs, I heard that you and Butch Summers had a little… er… romantic session in the hallway the other day." Bunny winked at me. "So, what's going on there?"
Of course, the only reason she would bother talking to me would be to get information on Butch. I rolled my eyes again.
"We just talked," I stated flatly.
"Oh, of course. You just… talked." Bunny winked at me again as if we were old buddies or something.
I simply glared in return.
"Wow, Bubs, if I didn't know better, I'd think that you were glaring at Bunny," Christina Evans, one of the clones I mentioned earlier, said with a high-pitched giggle that caused me to wince.
"Oh, really? Imagine that," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Wait, you don't have a problem with us sitting here, do you Bubs?" Bunny asked, flashing me an innocent puppy look.
There was silence at the table. Every eye was on me, except for Boomer's, which were fixed on a football game being played a few metres away. Even though he wasn't watching, I could tell he was listening.
That no good slimy piece of-
"Of course not," I said sarcastically, smiling just as innocently back at Bunny.
Robin snorted into her orange juice but when Serena looked at her questioningly, she simply shook her head and said, "Sorry, choked." I caught her eye and we shared a secret grin.
"Oh good," Bunny said, completely missing this silent interaction, "because if you did, I wouldn't want to have to force you to leave."
My jaw dropped at her sheer big-headedness. Who the hell said that? At a table where they weren't even welcome, no less!
"Careful, Bubs, if you keep your mouth open that wide flies will get in," Chloe James stated matter-of-factly, her eyes twinkling.
I stared at the bleach blonde for a moment before rolling my eyes and standing up.
"Where are you going, Bubbles?" Brick asked quickly.
"Away," I replied shortly, swinging my bag over my shoulder and heading off across the grass toward the brick wall I liked to sit at.
"Pity," I heard Bunny carrying voice say. "We were just getting to know each other."
I glared over my shoulder at the brunette, only to see her completely lost in Boomer's eyes. Boomer had draped an arm around her shoulder and was now smiling down at her flirtatiously.
Anger bubbled inside me and I kicked out at the soccer ball that was rolling past me. It flew through the air and landed in a tree.
"Oi, what's your problem?!" one of the soccer players yelled out angrily, heading over to the tree.
I made a face at his retreating back and flopped down in front of the brick wall, leaning my back against it.
What was I thinking? I knew better than to let Bunny Crawford get to me. After all, I'd put up with her ever since Eighth Grade, what was so different about today?
'Uh, maybe the fact that she was getting a little too cozy with Boomer?' suggested a voice in the back of my head.
But what did I care if they got together?
Even as I thought this, my insides writhed with anger and I drove a stick into the ground, gritting my teeth as I did so. Sighing, I threw the stick to the ground and buried my face in my hands.
I was really going to have to control my feelings if I was going to snag Butch any time soon.
~End Of Chapter~
Alright, next chapter will probably be dedicated mostly to Butch and Bubbles, probably with some of Boomer and Bunny will definitely be making a comeback, maybe in a few later chapters.
REVIEW RESPONSE TIME! It's a bit long. You've been warned :)
HEY ANON :) I'm so sorry you're confused, that definitely wasn't my intention. Maybe I didn't explain it well. Brick and Butch's friendship ended because Brick found out that Butch was sleeping with his girlfriend at the time. Ultimate betrayal y'know? Bro code and all. So right now, Brick just hates Butch in general. (might be worth checking out the first chapter again). Besides, Brick hates anyone who likes Bubbles haha. And yes, I admit our fav red head is definitely kinda manipulative, forcing Bubbles like that. She's no pushover, believe me, but her agreeing to the bet is pushing the plot forward. So it's necessary. So no 180 here.
Guest: Bloss and BC def will be in this. Just wait :)
Lola02: wow, I'm honestly surprised that so many people want Bloss and BC haha. They'll def be in this story, but it's just not their cue yet. Hopefully y'all don't get bored of waiting. Hmmm, Bubbles and Boomer together huh? WELLLLLL, haha. But seriously, Boomer and Bubs do have great chemistry, I agree. But I love seeing my characters suffering. Call me sick, call me twisted. Mwhaahhaa.
Guest: Has Boomer really liked Bubs for forever? I don't knowwwww haha. Honestly my final pairing will probs be decided by a poll. I love a good Blues paring, but I've got a soft spot for Butch and Bubbles together. Stay tuned.
CandyLuv99: BLOSSOM AND BUTTERCUP WILL BE HERE, PLEASE STOP THIS! bwhahaha im kidding. Y'all love them I swear omg ahah. But for real, they're coming soon. But You've actually raised a good point tho, WHERE is Princess in all this?
Guest: Blossom as a cheerleader, BC as a girly girl. That's what I've been seeing a lot lately. I like the idea, but my girls already got their roles in the story. Although, I could incorporate these into their storylines too. Stay tuned.
Dinosaurs R Dead: I hate whiny Bubbles with a passion, so yasss she had to have spunk :)
ApZl24: Thank you so much for your review! Hopefully I can make y'all proud when I introduce Bloss and BC. y'all are really expectant :)
The World - XXI: aww thank you for you review :) oooh a fellow Butch lover? Perhaps we are meant to be?
Luna and The Star: The pairing is undecided for now. Hopefully it'll be definite soon.
MusicAngelTwins: BUTCH FOR THE WIN HAHA.
Ashuri: Boomer is the cutest, but Butch is my guilty pleasure :) your review made me smile so hard for some reason haha.
Miyuki Chiyo: Brick and Bubbles are the only family pairing (So far, anyway). But the others are definitely linked one way or another :)
CandyLuv99: BAD BOYS ARE SO HOT YESSS I AGREEE.
Asuki-sama: my very first review on this story. And it was long too. Thank you so much :) you're the best, honestly. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Much Love you guys,
Shiloh :)