The Element of Surprise

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Olivia's P.O.V.

My cheeks flush red at his tone of the word "friend". He is still looking down at me with an expression I couldn't identify. There was still a cocky smirk plastered across his handsome face, but there was a gentle playfulness to it. As if we were playing a children's game, harmless, and not completely embarrassing me in front of strangers.

I hear pounding footsteps coming from a dark corner where I'm guessing the stairs lead. Two men come into view shoving each other roughly. They both had a beach boy short of look to them. Sandy blonde hair, deep tan, sharp features, and no shirts. They both had almost the exact same features... twins. I am scared that they will break something.... or someone, meaning me. I take a step back so that I am partially behind Claude. He looks down at me with an apologetic expression.

"Hey," he says, but the giant men continued to push each other around, hard enough to break through a wall. One of them falls to the ground with the other on top of him. "Hey!" Claude shouted in a deadly tone. Now, that got their attention.

Their gazes traveled in our direction, specifically viewing my presence, before they both jump up with huge grins on their faces. I shrink further behind Claude and hide my face.

I trust Claude, but not these men even if they are friends of Claude's. I have never met them before and their muscular bodies combined with various nasty looking scars covering their chests equals a very frightened Olivia.

As if sensing that I was uncomfortable, Claude lays a hand on my lower back, rubbing in small circles, while at the same time, pushing me so that I am next to him and not cowering behind him like a puppy.

The two strange men's gazes travel down at his arms disappearing behind my back and I flush with embarrassment. I may not know who these males are but that does not mean that I cannot get embarrassed around them.

"Guys, this is Olivia. Olivia, these are my cousins, Bobby and Benny." Clause introduces cautiously.

"Hi." I whisper. Both of the men just stare at me for a moment before roughly sticking their hands toward me.

"Well hello there!" they exclaim at the same time. My eyes widen as I take a tiny step back. With Claude's reassuring hand still soothing my back, I return the tiny step and shake both of the men's hands, cautiously.

"Hello" I greet the twins quietly without looking up.

An awkward silence settles between the four of us, and the atmosphere grows thick with tension. Bobby and Benny were still grinning at some private joke and Claude is shuffling his feet, embarrassed.

"Well," said Bobby...or was he Benny, "you are a lot prettier than Claude said you were." he says raising his eyebrows suggestively. My cheeks are set aflame by the comment.

"T-t-that’s not-I n-never said any-"  Claude stutters in seeking a response. The twins’ laughter bursts from their chest like a balloon popping on impact. Claude huffs out a big sigh, grabs my hand and begins to lead me upstairs. We slowly walk down a dimly hallway for a moment, Claude shuffling uncomfortably.

"Hey, I am really sorry about my idiot cousins." he says awkwardly. I chuckle softly at his cute, shy behavior.

"They are not idiots. They...have character." I say. He lets out a hardy laugh.

"Well, that is one way of putting it." he mutters under his breath. He abruptly stops in front of a door at the end of the hall.  "Do you want to hang out in my room?" he asks shyly. I hesitate for a moment but I know what my reply will be.