It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 20

“Say it again.”

I groaned, banging my head back on the passenger’s seat of Kyla’s car.  We were on our way to school, and she’d just finished giving me a mouthful about how I needed to keep her updated with news, I needed to invite her to skip-school days no matter how sudden it was, and how I needed to remember this speech for the rest of my life—or else I would regret it.  Apparently, if I didn’t follow through, she would strangle me with her bare hands.  Nice, right?

“I, Brianne Nichols, promise thee, Kyla Strutters, that I will forevermore be faithful to thee and only thee.”

I struggled not to laugh as Kyla shot an irritated glance in my direction.  “Okay, for one, I don’t appreciate the sarcasm.  For two, I thought I told you never to speak of my last name again.”  She sighed deeply.  “I cannot wait until I get married to Oliver and have my last name changed!”

I rolled my eyes, leaning back further in my seat.  “Yeah, because Pyker is suck a brilliant last name,” I drawled sarcastically, allowing an amused smile to spread across my face.

“Hey,” Kyla whined in Oliver’s defense, “leave Oliver alone!”

“You haven’t even talked to him,” I felt the need to point out.

Before Kyla could answer, I’m a Barbie Girl went off on my cell phone.  As I dished my phone out of my pocket, Kyla laughed heartily, muttering something along the lines of, “Who’s the poor soul that was granted that ringtone?”  Because, apparently, being made of plastic wasn’t fantastic—at least, not to Kyla anyway.

Whatever.  Her loss.

“Hello, Barone,” I greeted.  Yeah, I gave the ringtone to Dannon.  Why did I give him such a girl ringtone, you ask?  For the look on Kyla’s face—an expression so hilarious that I wanted to burst into laughter.  I averted my gaze to the passenger window, not really in the mood to laugh. 

“Hello, Nichols.”

At this I had to laugh.  Darn him and his funny tones!  “Not cool,” I muttered, shaking my head with a smile still on my face.  “I didn’t feel like laughing.”

Dannon, seeming confused by my reaction, mumbled an, “Uh . . . ?”

I mentally stuck my tongue out at him (There was no point in actually sticking my tongue out.  I mean he wasn’t even in the car.) before replying.  “Speechless?” I teased.

“Hey, Dannon!” Kyla called cheerfully.  I turned and watched as she smiled, bouncing in her seat.  I cocked an eyebrow at her, not really sure why she was bouncing up and down as though she were sitting on a bouncy ball.  It looked rather odd, to be honest.

“Kyla says hi,” I relayed, turning away and twirling a few strands of hair within my fingers.

“Hello!”

“Dannon says hi back.” My eyes shot to the roof of the car as I silently prayed that I wouldn’t have to play messenger.

“I did not say ‘hi,’” Dannon corrected, “I said ‘hello.’  There’s a difference.”

“Whatever!” I exclaimed.  “Anyway, why did you call me?”

Dannon sighed dramatically.  “Can’t a guy call a friend without being questioned?”

I was about to answer, but Kyla decided to abruptly veer to the right, turning onto another street.  I let out a frightened shriek, almost dropping the cell phone as I frantically grabbed for anything to keep me steady.  “Jeezum, Kyla!” I hollered as the car began moving at its original place again.