Keep Your Enemies Closer

C H A P T E R ~ 1

Charley's POV~
The house was near silent as I crept down the hallway. The boys were in Daniel's room, so the silence was surprising. Normally when they stayed over, it was like being trapped in a zoo, due to their deafening ruckus. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

I tiptoed down the stairs half-asleep, not really paying much attention to my surroundings. But being my reckless, clumsy self, it wasn't at all shocking when I missed the last two steps. Flapping my arms around wildly like a chicken on crack, I took a sharp breath in ready to meet the cold, hard floor.

Instead, a strong, tanned, and strangely damp, pair of arms circled around my waist; stopping my strange, birdish, dance moves.
A light minty smell, infused with the most tempting chocolate invaded my nose, tickling my senses.

I rose my hand, punching the nice-armed intruder in the face, shaking my hand at the stinging pain. I sprung back, causing him to stumble, and I quickly grabbed my trusty broomstick. I was ready to declare war, when I noticed his tousled, soaked hair and entrancing eyes. Not to mention the fact he was shirtless; in all his tired, wet glory.
My jaw dropped as I took in the person in front of me. My eyes trailed down his torso, little droplets of water running down his... well damn, the dude had abs, then back up to his eyes to see that his adorable confusion had already been replaced by his signature smirk.

"Reid!" I shrieked, "What the bloody hell are you doing? In my house? At, I checked the clock in the hallway, "One o freaking clock in the morning?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but the closed it again, as if he didn't know what to say; not to mention the fact he was more flustered than an angry grandma on speed. Well, give me a shovel and call me Simon, that was a first. I noticed his grey shirt hanging out the back pocket of his low hanging black jeans, speckled with drops of water.

"Hey Char Char." He finally spoke in his slight London accent - you could hear the way his time living in Brighton had affected him - the usual glint of evil sparkling in his enchanting, mischievous eyes. I glared at him, hating my stupid childhood nickname.
"Hey twat," was my sarcastic reply, venom lacing my words. Amusement danced bravely and clearly in his orbs.

Due to the fact he was one of my brother Daniel's bestie's, I unfortunately had to endure the last ten years of my life with the imbecile, that some people referred to as Reid West. He had devilish good looks, and was the 'bad boy' of our school.
'Well, about as bad as a goldfish' Me and my friends always joked. I never really understood where the nickname came from, but that was probably down to the fact that my dear brother was also a so called 'bad boy', something that is basically impossible for my teddy bear of a sibling.

Most people thought that they, along with the other three muppets (who I'll come to later), were some sort of gang and were like, in trouble with the law, down to the fact they were 'drug lords' or some overdramatic, surreal crap like that. Hah, those idiots, drug lords! Yeah ok, when I'm the fucking Archbishop of Canterbury, those five morons will be drug lords.

I sniggered to myself. He looked at me confused: Great, now he thinks I'm insane, whoopie doo!

"Thinking about me, babes?" He smirked an evil smirk, taunting me, disguised as flirting. I sure as hell played along.
"Hmm, yeah," I muttered in a low voice. His eyes widened to the size of freaking dinner plates.
"Mmm, just thinking about ways that I could, hmm, you know," my voice was sweet and low, "Get away with murdering you, and manage to avoid a life behind bars!" I finished the sentence, smiling smugly, my voice calm and happy. Reid took a small step back, attempting to look discreet, and gulped.

Howls of boyish laughter boomed down the stairs. I glanced up to see Daniel, Austin, Blake and Jayden leaning over the bannister at the top of the stairs- those god damned stairs - clutching their stomachs in laughter. Austin even had tears trailing down his lightly tanned skin.

I rolled my eyes, looking back at an arse named Reid, to see red creeping up his neck to his perfectly tanned cheeks.

"While they, um, laugh them selves six feet under, do you wanna tell me why your sneaking around my house, shirtless and wet at one in the morning?" I pointedly said. The laughter stopped immediately, and Reid looked, something hidden in his chocolatey irises. Panic? Nah, not an emotion this dude has within him. But it really looked like panic. Shut up, Char, this guy could take a stroll through hell and come out smiling. Yeah, but, most people would walk through their home town and smile. I giggled to myself.

Reid finally looked back at me.
"I was training, oh shit, no wait, I mean sailing." I gave him a skeptical look.
"No, no, I meant walking the dog." He said, seeing my disbelieving look.
"Reid?" Austin's Irish accent trailed from the railing.
"Yeah, mate?"
"You, um, don't have a dog." Austin awkwardly continued, only to receive a slap from Jayden.

"Ow! What the hell was that for? You arse, you know you've got a good hand!" Austin whined. Jayden rolled his eyes, and the pair started squabbling. I looked away from them and at Daniel, who appeared to be having some sort of secret conversation with Reid and Blake. Daniel met my interested gaze.

"Charley, go to bed." He said in a calm, firm voice. I gaped at him.
"Alright, dad!" I muttered, and from the corner of my eye I swear I saw Reid flinch a little. I stepped past him, skipping up the stairs.
"Nighty night, DannyBoy!" My voice was way to enthusiastic, but whatever.
"Nighty night, DannyBoy's friends!" I exclaimed again.

Before I could tuck myself safely away into my room at the other end of the hall, I heard a voice, Reid's voice if you like precision, call me back.
"Yo Princess, what were you doing up anyway?" He asked me smoothly, curiously.
"None of your beeswax, twat waffle!"
"Oh, and Charley?"
"Ugh, what?" I huffed.
"Remind me to teach you how to punch!" He smirked at me, winking.
"Oh, screw you!" I whined, stomping away to my room. Their laughter trailing behind me.