Strawberry Blonde

五十二

The bang on the door caused me to jerk out of my slumber.

The pain in my stomach stopped me mid way and my loud grunt made Tanner wake up slowly.

" Where am I ?" He said dazed and sluggish.

I pushed his legs off me with the little strength I had and grabbed my phone.

" HASSAN OPEN THE DOOR !" A ferocious scream echoed from the door as more furious bangs seemed to shake the house foundation.

I heard Tanner scream and point his finger at our living room window which through the blinds, Bryan's eye's were squinting in on us.

" We're under attack !?" He yelled holding onto a throw pillow.

The banging on the door continued which was growing louder and more rapid as my phone now started to ring.

I sighed, getting up angry and stomping to the door opening it.

A fist struck my shoulder making me fall directly on the hard floor reeling in a new pain.

" Oh my god ! I'm so sorry !" Laurence's soft voice quickly followed my decent, before I could even blink he was helping me off the floor.

" Finally, BRYAN HE OPENED THE DOOR !" Charolette called out before entering my house walking past me and Laurence.

A ruffling sound came from behind Laurence and Bryan poked himself out from the bushes.

" I think a lizard crawled into my pants ?" He said unsurely shaking his cargo shorts walking inside. Both of them not saying hi to me.

" So how was school ?" I said to Laurence as the other two walked deeper.

" Ehh ya know, it was school. How was being home alone-

We both stared over towards the living room. Bryan and Charolette had their hands folded looking at Tanner who was almost neon red in the cheeks now.

" Hassan..."

I forgot I didn't tell them he was here.

" I can explain !"

He took a deep breath in.
" And let me guess, this is going to start with just trust me right ?" He mocked.

" He wanted to talk about something important before you guys came over ! He wanted to talk in person, I tried to keep it over the phone but I did need the help setting up."

" That's why you have me, not him, I could of helped you, I even said I would leave school early if you wanted me to. How long has he been here ?"

Underneath the anger in his voice there was a spec of sadness. Did he think I cheated on him ?

" Laurence ? Nothing happened, I just didn't want you to worry-

" How long...has he been here."
His voice was getting deeper. It was actually starting to scare me a little bit.

I gulped.
"Since you called earlier."

He was silent.

He stared into my eyes then back towards the three.

" Okay !" He said putting a smile back on his face.

He wrapped his arm around me helping me walk forward.
I kept staring at him but there was nothing, not even a tilt back in my direction.

Yeah, I think I messed up. This relationship stuff is more dramatic than I thought.

" Well ?" Charolette said, looking around my house.
" Where's the fun ?"

Laurence helped lower me down on the chair next to the couch far away from Tanner and he sat next to me on the chairs arm.

" Ooo popcorn !" Bryan said sitting on the floor popping a couple from the bowl in his mouth.

Laurence was fidgeting then finally spoke.
" Does no one want to address the elephant in the room ? Earth to Tanner."

" I was taught, if I have nothing nice to say then don't say it at all." Bryan said having his back turned from Tanner.

" Well I wasn't but who know's what this psycho is capable of, he's probably plotting how to make our disappearance look like an accident right now" Charlotte said not taking her eyes off him.

" I think I should go-

" WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS !? He's a person, just like the rest of you with feelings and emotions. I'm the one he's been targeting, and if I could give him another chance why can't you guys !?" I said cutting Tanner's request to leave off.

Bryan turned to him looking him up and down.
" We use to be friends, bestfriends, until-

" Until what ? He stopped talking to you ? You stopped talking to him ? Well you both are here now so you got a chance to hash it out. His life incase you didn't know, hasn't been the easiest, you ever decided to ask him that ? See how he was doing Bryan ?" I asked with a sharp tone in my voice.

" I invited you guys here because we all came together and became close even though we shouldn't had. The new kid, the loner guy, the athlete and the cheerleader, we all come from different niche's can't we just try to get along ?" I huffed.

The atmosphere was awkward now.

We all stayed quiet avoiding eye contact with each other.

" Anyone hungry ?" Tanner asked.
" I'll order pizza ? If you guys want, I had some pocket change saved up."

Bryan looked like he was resisting the urge but eventually caved in and turned towards him.
" Can we get a meat lovers pizza ?"

" Oh you sure would go for that option huh ?" Charolette joked.

" HEY ! Italian sausage, bacon, pepperoni, and ground beef stuck together with delicious melted cheese is AMAZING !" He shouted back.

" No let's get a pineapple pizza !" Laurence said.

" Pineapple's !? Okay maybe I'm rethinking this relationship." I jokingly said.

He put his arm around my neck playfully putting me in a headlock as everyone started arguing about pizza toppings.

" The answer is clear ! Stuff crust with just extra cheese !" Charolette opposed.

This is what I wanted. Everyone just having a good time, being themselves, unloading the stress from a school day and having fun with friends and potential friends.

A safe place of my own making with a family of my own design.

A real high schooler life.