FOREVER?

|Chapter Nine|

We stood, we stared at each other without blinking, so hard as if I was being swallowed wholly by his dark chocolate like pulls. And very slowly, I took steps forward as I closed the distance between us. I  don't remember ever approaching someone, but only walking away or even when Froy asked me out, my feet were glued. But it was Dani now, he was like that magnet I couldn't stop myself from drawing close to. No matter how many times I told myself, I could stay away from him, I knew now how miserably I lied to myself.

The way he wore his cold façade like a perfectly tailored suit, although his eyes sold him out and that half burnt cigarette almost reaching his hand, proved how absentminded he was at the moment. I clenched my fist tight, stopping only a few steps away from him. "Reid..", I never thought his middle name will roll so smoothly out of my mouth, maybe because I never tried to, "I knew you are good, but never expected to be this good", I said looking at the wall up close. It explained why Elle couldn't stop herself from shrieking with excitement, I'd do that too but not in front of Dani.

He dumped his cigarette in the corner before turning to me, "That's a huge compliment coming from you Hails because..", he paused for a second there, "because you hardly speak."

"Jeffrey's here too", he acknowledged with a nod and Jeff waved awkwardly from where he stood. I could tell my brother was as surprised as I was, since he haven't said a word. "Miller, got the stuff?", he asked Tyler.

Tyler pulled out a chocolate bar and tossed it to Dani, which he caught it with ease before he unwrapped it and started eating. Although he looked like a kid, but was no less intimidating. Be it a cigarette or a chocolate bar, I was envious of how he managed to look cool anyway. He pushed his dark hair from his eyes and smiled at me, "Wanna help?"

I ignored him and turn to look at where Jeff and Tyler were walking back to the car. I tried to go after them, but I was stopped by Dani. "Leave them alone."

"Why?", it instantly flew out of my mouth. What were they trying to do with my brother?, I frowned at him.

"Tyler knows a few tricks in football. He could teach him, that's why", he reasoned. Before I could refuse to believe that reason, I was pulled by him and he handed me a brush as big as the one he was holding. His half eaten chocolate smeared on my wrist and I immediately took my hand away, making him look back at me. He seemed offended for a moment, but clearly I saw it wrong when his smirk came back.

"What games are you trying to play?", I stepped back, "Let Jeff and me go."

He chuckled. "I don't think I was the one who told you to come, right? Weren't you the curious one?", he raised his eyebrows. He sighed, "Now since you're here, why not help me whitewash this wall?"

I willingly came and I couldn't really disagree with him. At last I huffed, turning back I realised Jeff and Tyler actually seemed to get along. They were engaged in some talk that I couldn't really make out from where I was standing, so I decided to help Dani. I dipped the brush in the white paint, my hand visibly trembling as I did. What was I really doing in the middle of the night?

"Why are we doing this?", suddenly I snapped, dropping the brush. For the second time, I stopped him tonight. He kept staring at me, that made me more frustrated, "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what, Hails?"

"Like.. like you know me", I look away from him. "You don't know anything", I mumbled.