Despite the Pain

Chapter 4

"Hold on a second," said Gisselle, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Ryan Bryson and Alina Crawford? Seriously? Alina and Ryan."

"Yup," I smirked. I had struggled to wrap my head around it during my walk home yesterday, too. My firsthand experience with either of them was limited, but Alina Crawford was nothing if not a shrinking violet, and Ryan was a boisterous shithead.

"Isn't she younger than you?" Callum frowned at Gisselle. Ryan tormented Callum for years, but when he started dating Gisselle the torment took a turn for the specific. Callum still occasionally complained about being called a cradle robber.

"She's the youngest girl in our class," Gisselle said, raising her eyebrows at Callum.

"Huh," he nodded, rolling his jaw. "Good to know." Just wanting to heighten up his ego. I rolled my eyes, hoping at the very least I wasn't putting myself in the middle of some battle between the two of them. When we reached home Callum stopped, giving Gisselle a kiss as Helena and I climbed the stairs to the front porch. "I'll stop by to walk you home later?"

"Yeah," Gisselle smiled, squeezing his hand before letting go. It's code, and I don't know why they keep pretending walking is all that happens on those trips back to her house.

The three of us went inside to find a note on the table from my mother saying that she'd be out for most of the evening, though I didn't think she was seeing Albion again for another day or two. So that meant she's working at the hospital.

We lounged around the living room, pretending to work on homework but doing more talking than anything else. Gisselle sat on the floor, letting Helena sit behind her and work an elaborate braid into her hair. She dropped her head back into Helena's lap, looking up at her. "So what do you think of him?"

"Albion?" Helena pushed Gisselle's head back upright, frowning as she pulled out part of the braid and started over. "He's nice, I guess."

"Is he?" Gisselle smirked at me. "He's kind of cute, you know." I just shook my head, watching the blush creep into Helena's cheeks.

"Maybe," she shrugged. Gisselle raised her eyebrows at me, silently asking if she was getting to Helena. I pressed my lips together, nodding and looking down at the book in my lap to hide the smile I couldn't hold back.

"I bet Dawn thinks he is," Gisselle said, and I looked up at her, deadening my expression as much as possible.

"Gisselle," I said, cocking my head to the side.

"Well," she laughed. "She would if she'd seen him in that little wrestling uniform, anyway." I gave her a look, and she raised her hands. "Just saying. That might have been most of the reason I bothered going."

"To check out Albion's ass?" I smirked.

"Maybe his brother's, too," she grinned, shrugging. "And Aaron Lee has nothing to be ashamed of either, for the record. Don't tell Callum."

"You're awful," I laughed.

"You should pay more attention to these things," Gisselle said, smoothing her hand over her braid as Helena tied off the end. "You're missing out on a critical portion of your teenage experience."

"I don't think the wrestling team's asses are all that critical to my experience," I said as I shifted in my seat, rolling my eyes before turning my attention back to my book.

"Your loss," Gisselle shrugged before turning to Helena. "Switch. Your turn." The two of them swapped places, and I half listened to them talk idly as I read, most of my attention focused on the book. I couldn't help but wonder how serious Gisselle was about thinking Albion was attractive, though, and how much was just to get Helena flushed and embarrassed.