My Next Door Bully

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 - MAGICAL AND SWEET LITTLE DANCE....

"WOW, BABE. HE BROUGHT you here?" Priya yells over the loud music that isn't really music but more beats. She gulps a red solo cup and I instantly remove it from her lips and place it on the counter near us, she pouts but shakes it off, "I mean, there's definitely something there, right?

We've been here a while, first with Ashton by this many friends dragged him away so it audit Priya and me.

"Gosh, no!" I defend. "We're just friends, plus I like Ben. And he took me on a date." I explain.

"Well, did Ben say it was a date?" I shake my head and keep my mouth shut. "No. I mean Ashton has the hots for you, trust me." She motions to our far right with her head, I follow her eyes and see Ashton sipping a water bottle and talking with some dude but still staring right at us. We lock eyes but neither make a move. He grins and shakes his hand, I wave back. "See? He's been checking you out the whole time we got here, even in the car."

I shift my body so I'm fully facing Priya, "thank you for making me buy it, I never wear it."

"You're welcome, I'm the best."

I smile at her, guiding us further in the house.

She doesn't answer but smiles and lifts her cup back up to her lips, she turns and eyes Ashton with basically animated hearts in them, and sighs.

"You should go for him," I say. "I can see you really like him. And, I'm all for Ben." I move my eyebrows up and down.

"You think? I've always liked him, but the way he treated you was a no-no for me." She waves her finger in my face. I remove her third cup from her hands again. "But I mean, just look at him." She points right at him, I slap away her hand. Not subtle, Priya.

"Go for him," I tell her, ignoring a weird feeling in my chest. "Like right now, you have some alcohol in you, it'll give you some bravery."

"Oh my god, you're right! I should go for it, I like Ashton, so why not?" She turns to me, "how does my hair look?" she runs her fingers through her short strands.

"Amazing," I respond.

"Okay, I'm going!" She picks the cup and gulps the last of it and I throw her a sharp look to which she just shrugs.

She walks over to Ashton who greets her with a side hug even though we just spent the last twenty minutes in the same car. Every time Ashton says something that makes Priya laugh she swats her hand on his arm and lets it linger longer than usual.

The guy who was talking with them clearly gets the vibe and leaves, leaving Ashton and Priya alone.

They start talking and laughing soon on their own, I can imagine Priya's obnoxious self raining everywhere.

I find myself smiling at their view: Priyas petite, short shape in a loose dotted dress to Ashton's bulky and tall figure in jeans and a hoodie (he got cold, weirdo, it's like ninety degrees here). They would look .. cute?

"Hey!" I feel someone greet me and shake my waist in-joke. But I, unfortunately, spill my water on the table next to me, getting my phone wet.

"Oh shit." I hear myself muttering. I grab a nearby napkin and start drying my phone off.

"My fault, Tess," Ben, who shook me, says in his regular accent. "I was trying to surprise you—I suppose I'm no good at this."

I'm suddenly intrigued with the "this" he just mentioned and I find some courage in me to respond, "this?" I arch my eyebrow and smile at him. I quickly forget all about my phone.