The Girl Next Door | A MyStreet Book

See You Under the Mistletoe

~Dante's POV~

When we got to Aphmau's house, Chelsea was already there. I expected her to be there with Zane or Cassidy, but it was just her. Maybe Zane and Cassidy wanted to have some family time together. Or maybe Zane wanted to be antisocial, and dragged Cassidy along down with him. It would've been nice to see Cassidy again... But at least this gives me the excuse to save her's and Chelsea's presents until Christmas Day.

Gosh, Chelsea looked so beautiful.

She looked at me with a raised brow, tilting her head slightly. Irene, was I staring? Me, Dante, staring? No. Ah, that's terrible. I just waved at her, and she gave me this small wave back, that tiny and graceful smile curling on her lips. Her smile was so gorgeous. Irene, I'm fantasizing over the wrong girl again.

I made my way towards the kitchen, going to grab a glass of water. Garroth followed me into the kitchen and gave me the side eye, sighing under his breath. "Dante, I know you're a player, but please don't pick my sister to be one of your pawns again. She had enough of that in high school," he muttered, almost scolding me. Was I playing her again?

Laurance placed his hand on my shoulder, wrapping his arm around me, "Yeah, Dante. If you're gonna look at her like that, then what is Aphmau to you? I thought Aphmau was the main chick you're going for. Is she not?" He teased. It was obvious they were trying to get me off Aphmau's trail and knock me out of the competition, but I wouldn't let them win just like that. I couldn't.

"Psh, you guys think I'm gonna fall for your dumb tricks?" I joked, shaking Laurance's arm off of me. "I'm not going to back off from Aphmau anytime soon. Besides, it's not like I'm playing your sister," I glanced at Garroth. "I'm just being friendly!"

Garroth scoffed, "Uh huh," he hummed lowly, grabbing a cookie and an extra glass of water. "I'm gonna bring this over to Chelsea. Good luck trying to get that mistletoe before me." He teased, turning over his heel and heading over to the living room. Laurance and I followed his movements, quickly seeing that Aphmau was there talking to Chelsea in the first place. That made the two of us trail right behind him.

Chelsea took the cookie and glass of water from Garroth with a thankful smile, turning back to Aphmau to listen to her story about Katelyn not wanting to host. Chelsea laughed along, shaking her head in disappointment, "Irene, the first party we have with all of us together in years and all Katelyn wants to do is stay in her room? Party pooper." She hummed, glancing up at the stairs. "I can try to pry her out, but I don't think anything I do will help. It's not like it's the kind of weather to play volleyball outside." She giggled afterward, Aphmau laughing along with her.

The doorbell rang again, and Aphmau hurried to the door. Garroth and Laurance hissed under their breaths, Chelsea noticing and sighing. "Irene, if you're trying to talk to her just do it," she rolled her eyes at Garroth specifically, patting his arm. "Or are you scared?"

"I'm not scared! Why would I be scared?!"

"Because you're Garroth," she joked, getting a chuckle from Laurance and I.

Garroth rolled his eyes, about to protest before Laurance interjected and changed the conversation. "So, Chelsea, you still play volleyball?"

She shrugged, tilting her head to the right and then back to the left. "I play sometimes... I think the last time I played volleyball seriously was on the college team. Other than that it's more just been teaching Cassidy and forcing Zane to play with us."

My interest peaked. "Cassidy plays volleyball with you?"

"She tries to," Chelsea shrugged. "She's not a prodigy, but then again, she's a little kid. She loves to hit the ball at Zane and then laugh at him when he can't pass it back." She giggled a bit, Garroth snickering behind her. "You should play with her sometime. I think Zane's getting all worn out from the bruises. She'll aim for your face though."