{COMPLETED} ✔ December Bloom

fourteen

Dante;

I strolled casually down the hallway, smirking to myself.

Norah is a romantic?

Jesus, what a loser.

There's no such thing as romance or love, only lust. And, if she even thinks that she'll find romance here, uh, not going to happen.

I wonder if she realizes that there are no such thing as soul mates and the only love is in sappy romance novels.

I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my Levi's, shaking my head at her naïveté.

Suddenly, my mind flashed back to just earlier, yesterday.

-Flashback-

"I think I really like Norah." Braden told me.

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened.

I was shocked.

Then, my eyes narrowed and I looked suspiciously at him.

"You aren't playing a joke on me are you? Did you lose a bet or something?" I asked him. Braden's eyes widened.

"Hell no! Of course not, I really do like Norah. And…I want to go out with her and stuff. I honestly do…" he trailed off looking miserable. I rolled my eyes.

What a sap.

"Yeah, yeah…look, there are thousands of pretty easy girls who are willing to sleep with you and you pick a challenging one who is, by the way, an ice-block?!" I asked him, incredulity showing in my voice. Braden's eyes darkened…creepy.

"Don't talk about Norah like that. She is not an . Crazy. Whatever you're trying to imply! She's a sweet, adorable and amazing girl." Braden sighed.

I rolled my eyes and made gagging noises, miming retching.

Braden glared at me. I let out a long breath.

"Do you expect me to take you seriously? For one, it's Norah. Uh, she's a freak and ice-queen in case you hadn't noticed. Secondly, you are Braden fucking Saunders for goodness sake! Ultimate catch and playboy, free and available, young. In it for the sex, remember? Number three, you can't just like her like that! It's so...unnatural and not Braden Saunders. 'D' you're meant to be wild and uncaring. Norah is a committed-relationship kind of person you idiot. And finally, you've hardly said anything to her, just bits and pieces! I've said a lot more to her than you and I hate her!" I ranted, making wild gestures with my hands.

Braden smirked at me.

"Sounds like someone has a crush on me if the describing and flattering just now was any indication."

"Shut up."

"Ooh, you sound like a girl. Right. Dante, first of all, I do like Norah. Why do you have such a problem with it? You hate the girl, I'm sorry that you have a best friend who happens to like her but that's the way the cookie crumbles, mate. Second of all, how do you know I want only the sex? I mean, yeah, it's totally awesome, don't get me wrong, but how do you know I don't want a relationship? For your information, I do want one. I'm sick and tired of being a 'playboy' as you so eloquently put it. I want to be in a real relationship, with someone who cares for me and I care for too. Thirdly, I don't care anymore. I like her a lot, Dante. I think that this could actually be something you know. And lastly, I may not have said much to her but I don't care. I feel a connection, I've just been very uneasy about it."

"Oh, please. This is lust, it's life."

"Shut up, Dante. I'm having a moment here, don't go ruining it."

"Now who's acting like a girl?" I inquired, raising my eyebrows mockingly at him.

He shook his head, looking very pissed. A dark shadow passing in his eyes.

Instant recognition.

"Hang on! Wait, Braden. Is she…Norah's the one you've been crazy about all this time? The one who's been making you all freaky and that?" I asked him. He rolled his head to look at me.

"Uh, no. It's 'century'-old Mrs. Goldenstein with the bad breath, flabby legs and pole shoved halfway up her ass, who's been turning my legs to jelly," he said sarcastically, "of course it's Norah you loser! What do you think? Are you that much of a retard?"

"Okay, jeez, just checking."

Braden sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"I do have a dilemma. I want to ask her out but I don't know how to go about it…" he bit his lip nervously.

"I'll help you." the words flew out of my mouth before I even realized what I was agreeing to. I smirked to myself though as I thought how much fun I could get out of this…oh, easy as pie.

-End flashback-