The Quirky Tale of April Hale (Quirky Series #1)

2.32: Public Enemy

I was the in the shower when the first call came. It went unanswered because I was in the middle of this battle called 'Putting Nair without Ruining Your Skin'.

The second call came, but that was in the same time when Ryder glanced at me as I was stepping out of the shower. I could hear him audibly gulp, and his self-restrain only lasted a good five second before he hoisted me to the bed for a form of exercise that would require me to jump back to the shower afterwards.

The third, fourth, and five call came, but I was too occupied to answer that.

The sixth call didn't come in the form of any electronic mean.

Because the sixth call came when Quentin rapped at Ryder's door at 6 in the evening. The rap alternated between soft and hard and some kicking and sometimes mixed in with screaming. We were on the bed in a tangle of limbs, and it took every ounce of my willpower to get up and put on some jeans.

"It's just Quentin," Ryder said. "Don't answer the door now. Just let him think that we're not home."

"That would be lying," I explained the concept to him. "You see, I don't know if you know, but you tell something that is not true, it will make people sad."

"I swear I'm going to EAT YOUR HEAD OFF, RYDER FUCKING BLACK!" Quentin's voice boomed.

"Sad or angry," I amended my lecture. "For Quentin, it's usually the latter."

Ryder tightened his hug towards me and started giving me butterfly kisses on the side of my head. And then he started licking me-

"MY EAR IS BUUURRNING!!" Quentin yelled. "You better not doing anything to my sister, you fuckerhead!"

"Wow, our sibling-telepathy is finally connected," I said, in awe. "I've been waiting for this moment for many years. In fact, there are times when I thought that either me or Quentin was switched at birth because we never showed any signs of twin-pathy."

Ryder was burrowing his head on the crook of my shoulder, his breath tickled me. "Damn it."

-

The first thing that Quentin said when Ryder finally opened the door was: "Please tell me that you did not did what I thought you did."

"Winning nobel prize?" I guessed. "Starring in an embarrassing viral youtube video? Getting roped in to a dangerous heist ala Baby Driver?" I thought about the last speculation. "I can't drive that well, thought."

"Come here, you big dreamer," Ryder kissed the side of my head, to the very horror of my brother.

"You guys did, didn't you?" Quentin said resignedly.

"We did get back together recently," I nodded.

Quentin pulled at his own hair. I cringed as I imagined how painful it must be, because he wasn't only pulling his hair, he also started scratching his own face, too, and he made sounds only people who needed exorcism make.

"I'm sorry I'm asking you this," Ryder said, "But can I punch your brother so that he will stop all of this shit?"

"Please don't," I replied as fast as I could. As much as I wanted all those screaming to stop (it made me want to scream, too), I hoped for the budding friendship between Ryder and Quentin. It would be on the top of Things I Prayed About.

Quentin only reverted back to normal when Bella emerged from her room. Her eyes were bleary, her hair was askew, and she had an expression that would make babies cry.

Ryder, Quentin, Bella and I stared at one another for a very long time as the newfound silence ensued.

Bella managed a creepy smile. "That's right," she said, and then she slam her door shut.