Fast Forward

Chapter 39: On Fire

Chapter 39: On Fire

"Isn't this cute?!" someone clears their throat loudly before a bright light flashes, waking me up.

I lift my head and rub my eyes as Laiken comes into view. "What are you doing?" I ask him.

"What are you doing?" he challenges me.

I glance around and notice that I've completely crossed over to Grey's side. I was sleeping against his arm. In fact, I'm still holding onto his arm, hugging it to my chest. As for Grey, I must have really tired him out because he's fallen asleep in an upright position.

"Did you have to take a photo?" I question, innocently blinking up at Lai.

"Says the one who took a photo of me sleeping just last night," he reminds me with a sharp look in his honey-brown eyes. "Also, when an opportunity like this presents itself to me, I can't, in good conscious, not take a photo. It would be a sin."

"Whatever," I close my eyes again, snuggling deeper into Grey's arm, getting comfortable again – I'm not ready to converse with a moron.

Grey groans in his sleep and then slowly shifts awake. It takes him a few seconds to process before he reacts:

"What the hell?! Get off me, Lawson!" He attempts to pull his arm out of my hold, but I swear, I'll rip his arm right out of his socket first. "When did you get this close to me? You're sick! You're supposed to keep your distance from people. Why are you so dumb?!"

"Shut up, Ferrot," I remark, unfazed. "You sound like a banshee. I'm trying to sleep here."

"Get off!" he snaps, not in the mood. "You're obliterating my boundaries, again! I can practically feel your germs spreading all over me and multiplying rapidly," he shudders, disgusted with the thought.

"You better have clothes on under that blanket, Aqueela," Laiken adds insult to injury by opening his mouth and breathing in my direction. "If you don't, I'll correctly assume that he took a dip in your pond, a refreshing dive in your pool."

Grey flips him off while still trying to pry me off of his arm without hurting me. "Watch yourself. I didn't have sex with my best friend's fiancée, you dipsh*t."

"So, you were just keeping her warm for Jay then?" Laik teases, not knowing when to stop – he's a juvenile.

Grey never responds well to these types of jokes...or any jokes in general.

"Are you blind and deaf or just an idiot? Can you not see that I'm fighting this?!" he growls at Laiken before pushing me with all his might. "Just let go, Lawson! Let go of me!"

"Nope," I reply, unconcerned. Right now, all I want is to sleep.

Laiken busts out laughing at seeing Grey's over-the-top reaction. "Relax, dude. I'm messing with you. I know Jay's your bud. Plus, Aqueela looks harrowing today. Sickness hit her hard with the ugly stick. No sane dude would touch her with a ten-foot pole."

I open one eye to glower at him. "Thanks, Laik. Appreciate it."

"Sorry, Law, I'm just trying to make him feel better by making you feel worse," he explains his logical logic. "Honestly, I'd still do it with you."

Before I can digest Laiken's gross words, Grey stops fighting me as if something is only occurring to him now. "Why are you so hot?" he suddenly asks me.

I lift a shoulder in a half-shrug. "Ask my parents." I drop my head onto his bicep, muffling a yawn. "Also, flattery will get you everywhere."

"No, not like that, you chucklehead!" he roars on. "You know that's not what I meant!"