Head Over Sneakers | on hold

[ 5 ]

   I TREATED TODAY like I would any other. I woke up, threw on a cosy jumper and grumbled under my breath—all the way down the stairs and straight into the kitchen.
   Like any other morning, I didn't greet my parents or my brother, not even my cat. I wasn't a morning person if you couldn't already tell.
   Contrary to belief, I didn't feel moved or affected by Devon's 'confession'.
   I was extremely certain that it had to be his way of getting to me in a teasing manner. Of course he didn't like me, he spent his life tormenting me for goodness sake. I wasn't foolish enough to believe his words.
   I wasn't so nieve to believe the old saying of 'if he teases you it means he likes you'. It just didn't make sense. Not one bit.
   I chewed the piece of toast that was nicely lathered in chocolate spread, my tastebuds dancing with excitement at the sugar rush I already seemed to be experiencing with utmost delight.
   Mike eyed me, then glanced at the toast and then rolled his eyes. "You and food." He tutted, sipping his mug of coffee, perching his chin onto the palm of his hand as his elbow held him upright.
   "You and coffee." I retorted with a short and sweet reply, in hopes to shut down the conversation instantly. It was way too early.
   An hour passed before I was ready for school and heading down the stairs once again, I reached for my keys and then grabbed the door handle. Sighing in dismay, I pulled the door open and shut it behind me.
   Raising my head, my body ceased all movements. With a thin line upon my brow forming and my mouth agape, my confused took in the vision of the boy I hadn't thought about for one second since he 'confessed'.
   "What the hell are you doing here?" Devon raised a brow. Confusion brewed within his expression.
   "I'm here to pick you up?" He stated as if it were the most obvious explanation.
   My gaze shifted between his car and his figure. "Why?"
   Devon pushed himself off of his car, shoving his hands into his pockets as he moved closer to me.
   "Because I'm trying to get you to like me back?"
   Silence enveloped the two of us in a single bubble. My agape mouth closed instantly and I felt as though I were dreaming.
   And then I burst out laughing.
   Hitting my hand against my knee, I bent over, a shrill of laughter escaping my lips as I ran a hand through my hair to push it back.
   Wheezing, I stumbled around before regaining my balance and sucking in large quantities of air to fill my lungs.
   "Phew, who knew I could laugh this hard on a Wednesday morning?" I rubbed my stomach, feeling a slight pain spread throughout after the muscles in my stomach had tightened and released.
   My gaze shifted back to his brown eyes and then my laughter completely ceased. It didn't seem as though he was in the slightest bit amused.
   Devon's expression mimicked that of a rock. Solid and unmoving.
   The tips of his brown hair curled ever so slightly, a strand blew across his right eye and the colour of his skin was tinted with a light pink colour.  
   With such an unmoving expression, he mimicked that of a mannequin in a store window: well dressed, still and with an expression that was oddly confusing.
   "Why aren't you laughing?" I nervously coughed, moving past him and raising my hand to slap his back in a joking manner.
   Before my hand could make contact with his back, the world around me twirled like a ballerina, my vision blurred at the sudden movement as he spun me round to face him.
   With a grip that was neither sore nor soft, his eyes locked with my own.
   "I wasn't joking yesterday."
   My brows, once again, met.
   "I like you."
   "Devon—...I get it, you're trying to tease me, b—but it's not funny, so..."  
   My right hand reached down to try and shimmy his hand off of my left.
   Breaking eye contact, I tried to force him to release his grip.
   "Why don't you believe me?" He questioned, his tone slightly higher but hurt or anger were neither evident.
   His lip curled into a soft smile and I found myself lost for words. I didn't know what to say. What could you possible say in a situation like this? It was so...cliché.
   Pushing him away with slightly more force, I began to pinch myself. "This can't be real." I muttered, flinching as each pinch become more aggressive and painful.
   "This can't be—..." Devon reached forward and grabbed my hand before I could continue on.
   "Why don't you believe me?" He reiterated. The left side of his mouth lifted every so slightly to form a slanted grin.
   "Why should I believe you? For all the time I've known you, you've countlessly teased me, annoyed me to no end and consistently used me as your target. Why would you like me? I'm just Mike's twin sister, I'm not even your friend, I never have been. I'm just the girl you've always liked to tease."
   Devon's gaze softened at my reply.
   I never raised my voice nor spoke harshly. I merely stated facts that were all very true.
   Devon released the hold he had on me and allowed my arm to drop back to my side like a pendulum swing.
   "You're more than Mike's twin sister to me. You're ace. My ace."
   "That's unbelievably cringey."
   He shrugged, the boyish smirk of his returning to his lips once again.
   "Give me a chance, ace."
   I crossed my arms at his words instantly. "What? Give you a chance to woo me?"
   "Yeah...or are you scared?"
   I scoffed.
   I was called many things: lazy, unorganised, loud...but one thing I certainly wouldn't tolerant, was being though of as scared.
   I wasn't scared of anything and I wasn't going to let Devon Hunter's, of all people, hold that upon my head.
Scared of falling for him? That was the joke of the century.
   "I'm anything but scared and I still don't believe you..."
   "Do I sense a but coming?" Devon chimed.
"...but—I suppose you can try to—you know, make me fall for you, or whatever. Though, I highly doubt it's ever going to happen, but, I'll let you try. I think this could be kind of amusing for me."
   Quirking a brow, I grinned. "Some free entertainment and I get to watch you fail...yeah, give it your best shot. Woo me."
   I laughed and Devon only smirked in response. Reaching for my hand, he held it within his own and shook it.  
   "You got it, ace."
   Not releasing my hand, he pulled me towards his car and opened the door for me, almost as though he was some gentleman. Laughable. I shook my head and gave him a thumbs up.
   "Nice start."
   He flashed his charming grin and shut the door for me. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding in and sighed.
This seems so cliché. I thought. And then, just a little bit, but not a lot, I may have smiled.

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