The Life Of A Crazy Girl And Her 10 Brothers

Walking My Snake

I spent most of Friday avoiding Seth and ignoring his obvious irritation. I'd left homeroom early so I wouldn't see him in the hallway and ate lunch in the bathroom. Every time I happened to see him, I turned the other direction, even if we'd made eye contact.

So you're just gonna eat in tve bathroom for the rest of the school year? Ember texted.

I haven't thiught that far yet, I texted back.

My newest revelation wasn't helping me in the slightest either. It didn't matter what my thoughts were, they always strayed back to Seth.

"What's with you and Seth?" Corey asked, on our way back home.

Of course they noticed. Stalkers. "Nothing."

"Please," he scoffed. "Everyone can see that you're avoiding him."

"Maybe it's because I can't stand him?"

Caleb snorted. "Yeah right. I literally watch you make eye contact with him and turn the opposite direction. You've never actively avoided him before."

I shrugged. "Maybe I've changed."

Caleb changed a small look with his twin and the car burst into laughter.

"Shut up!" I yelled as they cackled.

"That's a funny one," Corey said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

"Focus on the road, dumbass," I grumbled.

They chuckled all the home until I jumped out of the car and stormed inside, heading to my room and then the shower, flipping Chase off when I saw how he'd been steps away from the bathroom.

"Hurry up," I heard him say from behind the door.

"Don't rush me, you prick," I responded and turned the shower on.

Still clean shaven from the party I'd met Owen at, all I needed to do was wash with some lightly scented soap. When I stepped out the bathroom, Chase was lying on the hallway floor on his phone, waiting for me to get out.

I rolled my eyes, walking past him to my room. "So weird," I muttered and closed my door.

Facetiming Ember about my sneaky link, I decided on a zip up hoodie (forgoing a bra since it was coming off anyway) and plain black joggers.

Ember wrinkled her nose at my outfit choice. "Where's the flavor?"

"There's no way I'm going to squeeze myself into an outfit that I'm going to be taking off later. Fuck the flavor, where's the comfort?"

She laughed. "I'm at my job now, text me how things go later?"

I nodded and we hung up.

Now I just need to wait for Milo, I thought, hearing the front door open and at least five voices greeted Seth.

Fuck! Can't he go home already?

On my feet in an instant, I flipped off my light switch and scrambled into my bed seconds before I heard a knock. When there wasn't an answer, the knock came again.

"Wake the fuck up," Chad said, impatiently.

Relief coursed through me. At least it's not Seth. I opened the door, greeted with the sight of a frowning Chad and blank faced Seth.

I shot Chad an angry glare. "What do you two want?"

My brother grinned. "I heard you were avoiding Seth, so I wanted to see how this would play out."

A second, maybe two, was all it would take to wrap my fingers around Chad's throat. As I contemplated it, fear flashed through Chad's eyes. Sounds like a great idea.

He stumbled back a step just as I lunged at him, but a warm hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Let go," I hissed at Seth.

Chad used that opportunity to dart down the stairs, flipping me off. I started after him, but the grip on my wrist tightened.

"Don't," Seth said. "We need to talk."

Hell no.

I gently detached my wrist from his hand and a nervous laugh spilled out of me as I looked everywhere but him. "Funny you should say that, because I have to go walk my snake right now."

He glared and opened his mouth to answer, but my phone went off.

"Hello?" I answered.

"You ready?" Milo asked.

I didn't take my eyes off Seth and watched his jaw clench as I said: "Yeah, I'll be outside in a minute."

There was no way I'd be spending the night at Owen's, but if the sneaky link was good enough, I'd have a hard time walking. Knowing Ember would be at work, I had recruited Milo as my designated driver.

"Where are you going?"

"I told you I have to walk my snake."

He followed me to the stairs. "Avy, be serious."

I pressed a hand to my heart. "You don't believe me? Why would I lie about having to walk my snake?"

Just as I was about to open the front door, his hand latched onto my shoulder and gently turned me to face him.

"Hey," he said softly, "just tell me where you're going? Please?"

There he goes with those stupid puppy eyes again. I was drowning, no, I was melting, in his stupid eyes that made me want to tell him my bank account number.

"I'm—" Milo's horn blasted and snapped the small amount of sense I had back into me. "Don't worry about it."

Slipping out of his hold, I ducked out of the house and hopped in Milo's passenger seat.