Not What it Seems

Chapter Six

~Jane~

Alex had to be the biggest asshole I had ever met.

Cash and I were sitting side by side in the backs seat, thighs pressed close together as I gave Alex directions to my house.

"So," he said, looking up at us through the rear view mirror, "what were you two planning on doing at your house?" He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. Cash clenched his fists. "I'm not cock-blocking, am I?"

I rolled my head back and leaned it on the seat, looking up at Cash. His fist clenched and unclenched, and I knew that if he took a lunge at Alex now, we would get into an accident. Impulsively, I reached over and took his hand, threading our fingers together. His fingers curled around mine, and I saw the hint of a smile appear on his face.

"Uh, hello? Anyone gonna respond?"

"Some guys were going to jump me," Cash said, staring Alex in the eye through the mirror. "We're going to Jane's house so they wont find me."

"Mr.Popularity is running away from a fight? There's a shocker."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Cash snapped, and Alex laughed, coldly.

"It means that you're a bully, Cash. God forbid someone starts a fight with you, because you'll never let them live it down." Alex met my eyes in the mirror and I glanced away quickly.

"But seriously," Alex continued, "What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing, Alex, we're just friends." He squinted his eyes at me, and I flinched back, slightly. Cash squeezed my hand.

"You swear?"

"I swear," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Okay, so go out with me."

I nearly had a heart attack.

~Cash~

"Hey, man," I snapped, "Quit perving on my-"

"On your what, Cash?" Alex asked inquisitively.

I stumbled. "-friend. Stop perving on my friend." He eyed me suspiciously before turning back to the road. We pulled up in front of what I assumed was Jane's house, he turned to look at her.

"I'm serious, Jane," he said, and she stared at him.

"Really?" she asked, and as he said yes, I knew that he wasn't. I knew all he wanted was to prove was that there was something going on between us, he had no genuine interest in Jane. And to be honest, I wasn't sure if I'd rather have Jane dating Alex, or have Alex know that I like Jane.

I watched her closely as she considered. "Umm," she said, "I guess. I still think you're an ass," she stated, and I held back a grin. "But one date, Alex. Just one."

He laughed. "At the end of one date I'll have you begging for more."

"Shut up," she grumbled and flicked his forehead before getting out of the car. Her house was... not a house. It was more of a ramshackle cottage, if anything. She walked up the walkway to the door, and unlocked it. It creaked open, and we followed her inside.

She left the lights off as she went, dodging couches and other pieces of furniture like she had done it a hundred times in the dark. I knew the feeling. When you had limited money, you saved any way you could, and electricity usage was a deal breaker.

"Is your Dad going to mind that you have two hot guys in your room?" Alex asked, and then smirked. "Well, one hot one, and one okay-looking one."

"Fucker," I said, under my breath as Jane pushed open the door into her room. It was plain, with simple blue sheets on the twin bed, and books cluttering practically every inch of the room. It was basically a library, with not much else in it.

"My Dad doesn't live with us anymore. He hasn't since my parents got divorced this summer," she admitted quietly.

There was a desktop on the desk in the corner, and a few photographs taped to the walls. Otherwise, it was fairly empty.

"You got any booze in this place?" Alex asked nonchalantly. I rolled my eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" I snapped, "You really think Jane has-"

"There is, but you can't drink in here," she cut me off.

"Why? Is your Mom anal about that?"

I wanted to hit him. "No," Jane said, sitting down on her bed, the springs creaking beneath her. "My Mom drinks a lot, okay? I'd just rather not have to deal with more than one drunk person daily."

I sat beside her on the bed, not too close, not too far.

"That sucks," Alex said, and he plopped himself into her desk chair, spinning around.

"What do we do now?" Alex asked after a moments silence, and I really wanted to hit him, because if he weren't there Jane and could have been having some in depth conversation about our lives.

"Do you...want to play Scrabble?" Jane asked, and I knew this was a bad idea with Alex in the room.

"Dirty Scrabble?" he suggested, and I cringed. Typical.

~Jane~

Don't even ask me how I got into this situation- playing Dirty Scrabble on the floor with two gorgeous guys sprawled out beside me. When did I become that girl? The girl who freely invites and brings home boys like it's no big deal? It's a huge deal! I'd got Cash Anderson, and Alex Pino, archenemies, sitting in my room playing board games!

I almost laughed, it was so hysterical.

"Oh come on!" Cash complained, "How did you get all the letters to spell 'penis'?"

Alex laughed, "These things just gravitate towards me."

"Not surprised," Cash said, and I rolled my eyes.

We had been playing for almost an hour, and Alex was winning by... a lot.

I spelled out 'boob' across the board and both guys laughed at the same time.

"What?" I frowned, and Alex shook his head.

"Sweetheart, 'boob' is not a dirty word. Boob is like what an eight year old says when they run around yelling, "I have boobies!""

"Are you kidding me! It means breast! Come on, that's not fair," I whined as Cash flicked the pieces off the board and onto the carpet. I groaned.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen," Alex said, standing up and stretching his arms above his head, "brings the game to an end since I must leave now."

Cash and I booed him.

"Fine," I leered, laughing, "go on and keep being such a boob!"

Alex chuckled at me. "You're actually like a five year old." I pouted. "A cute five year old," he added, and my face flamed. "Alright, Anderson, if you want a ride home you gotta get your ass up now!" Cash groaned and stood, stretching in the same way Alex had. His shirt rode up, revealing a strip of the tanned flesh above his belt. "Staring isn't polite, Janie," Alex whispered in my ear when Cash was turned around, and I shrieked, swatting at him.

"Later Jane!" he called out, laughing as he walked down the stairs and shut the door behind him.

"Bye Jane," Cash said, smiling at me gently as he walked out my bedroom doorway. He paused, turning back to me. "Do you want to eat lunch with me tomorrow? In the parking lot?" he blushed at the mention of the parking lot because it was obvious he wanted to hide me, and our friendship. Which was fine, because I wanted to hide him too.

"I'd like that," I said gently, and he grinned wider at me before walking down the steps and following Alex out.

I flopped onto my bed on my stomach, arms spread wide and grinned into the sheets.

What the hell was happening to me?