London Has Your Eyes

Chapter 10. Alex

I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. They're all so beautiful, all of them, one is more beautiful than the other. It's like a buffet when you don't know which cake to eat.

Daniel and Liam are such opposites. All they have in common is that they're tall and have cubes on their stomachs, lots of them, like a pyramid. Liam's blond hair flutters chaotically in gusts of wind, and the blue of his eyes makes for a swim. Who's been telling stories about ugly friends? That's nonsense. These don't give in to each other in the slightest. He seems more open-minded than Daniel. He talks a lot, smiles a lot. You can see that he's quite pleased with himself, understands his attractiveness, but he's not arrogant. I think Liam understands attraction very well, and I'm more than sure he uses it willingly.

The man Daniel led me to, Tyler, is another story. As soon as we walked up, he glared at me. Despite his ostensible politeness and friendliness, Tyler's presence is a little worrying. This tall, dark-skinned guy with his dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail would have been cute if it hadn't been for the intense stare in his brown eyes.

- Hey, bro,- Daniel says, shaking his hand, - meet Alex. I'm trusting her to you for the duration of the game. Alex, this is Tyler. He's in charge of video, he shoots the games and all of our parties.

- Hey Tyler,- I say to the handsome guy, his stare makes me uncomfortable but I don't let on, - nice to meet you. Daniel, don't worry, I won't get lost,- I smile. - Come on, let's have a win. We'll be cheering for you.

Daniel runs off to the field and Tyler and I are left alone in the presence of a little awkwardness. I feel like he keeps studying me, and it's very stressful.

- What's up with you and Dany? - He finally breaks the awkward silence. An unexpected start to the conversation. His harsh tone is a little disconcerting, and I'm ready to defend myself.

- What? Nothing, just hanging out, and why do you care so much? - I answer a little defiantly.

- He seems to like you,-Tyler ignores my question, continuing on.

- Hmm, even if he does... You make it sound like something scary,- I'm grinning.

- It depends on what you want him to do,- Tyler continues in a completely serious tone.

- Look, Tyler, whatever it is, I'm not going to respond to your attacks. Why don't we deal with him on our own? I get it, you're friends and all, but I don't understand why are you wearing your mom's apron and taking care of him so much, Daniel seems to be a big boy already,- I snap in a harsh tone, too. I don't want him to feel superior and corner me when I'm supposed to be defending myself. No way. Tyler seemed to pick up the change in my voice, because he loosens his grip a little.

- I'm not taking care of him, I just don't want a repeat of history. Because it was me and Liam who had to clean it up. And it wasn't the happiest moments of my life,- Tyler concludes.

- What's the story? - I can't hide my curiosity. I had read articles earlier about Daniel's stormy romance, but then there were a bunch of publications about him and random women.

- Daniel's past girlfriend had tore him into shreds. At first she was very sweet, she got into our company, he was totally into her. But the girl had a surprise: she leaked all their intimate details, all his private stuff. It was just before the premiere of the first film. Well, Sophie, his agent, quick as a whistle, she pressed this... I don't even know how to call her... well, she deleted it, but something was still instantly shared. He was smeared. And it was me and the guys who got him out of that shit state. He's not a weak one, of course, but no one expected such a set-up from her. She had us all fooled.

Honestly, I'm a little stunned by these revelations. Daniel doesn't seem like a broken-hearted guy at all. He's a little closed off, of course, but I thought that was a mark of his popularity, nothing more.

- Look, things happen in life. But I'm not her, and I don't have to answer for anyone else's actions but my own. I think Daniel's old enough to take care of himself. Besides, I don't aspire to be his girlfriend; I have to leave in a few days, so just relax,- I informed him. I don't see the point in bickering with Tyler.

My speech is interrupted by the phone ringing. It's ringing from home, and there's no way I'm going to miss it; it's too important to me. Finding my mobile phone in my bag, I rise from the grass and move to the side, away from the brown eyes that stared at me. I don't want him listening to my conversations. He doesn't need to know what's going on in my life.