Love at First Fight

Chapter 11

When the doorbell rang, Indi's heart stopped. She even knew it was Karmen because her friend had just texted her saying she was outside her house. But Indi couldn't control what her poor little heart freaked out about.

"Indi!" Grey yelled, from the living room. "Karmen!"

"Karmen, come up here!" Indi yelled back.

As Karmen stepped through her door, she said, "You're so bossy today."

Indi lifted her head from where she was currently being a sad puddle on her bed. "I'm sorry." She pouted.

Karmen laughed. "It's gonna be fine." Sitting next to Indi, she gestured to her dress and her wavy hair. "And you look super cute."

"Thank you." Indi grumbled, as she sat up.

Karmen laughed at her friend again. "If you like Kai so much, why don't you just talk to him?"

"What? Like him? I don't like him. Why on earth would I like him?" She grimaced a little, she knew she'd defended herself a little too vehemently.

Rolling her eyes, Karmen said, "Oh, I don't know, because he's smart and sweet and cute-"

Indi scoffed, cutting off her friend. "He is not sweet. He's always mean to me."

"Always?" Karmen asked doubtfully and then she made Indi meet her eyes and said slowly, "He's mean to you because he likes you, dummy."

Indi squinted at her friend and mumbled, "Well, I don't know about that." Then added reluctantly. "But, okay, maybe I do like him. Just a little."

Karmen grinned triumphantly. "I knew it!"

"But he hates me." Indi pouted again. She knew she looked pathetic, but she couldn't bring herself to care. At least it was only Karmen, who had seen her in many worse situations.

"Just talk to him." Karmen smiled reassuringly.

"I've tried to talk to him." She argued, half-heartedly.

"Well, try again." Karmen said, firmly.

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

Karmen's eyes went wide with excitement and Indi started shaking her head. "No, no, no, don't make me go down there."

Karmen was nodding her head, a big grin taking over her face. She tugged Indi off the bed, saying, "You've got this."

As the two girls descended the stairs, Indi saw that the twins had already been ushered in and were talking to her brother. They looked up at the same time and gave Karmen and Indi identical grins. Wow, they'd never seemed so... twin-ish before.

Indi hesitated at the bottom of the stairs and Karmen tugged on her hand, hissing under her breath, "Stop being such a baby."

"Hey guys," Karmen greeted the group. Indi locked eyes with Kai for a moment, but looked away quickly before her blush had a chance to betray her.

"Hey Karmen," Aiden said, a mischievous look in his eyes as he smiled down at her.

Karmen squinted her eyes at him, but only said, "So, I was thinking we could play volleyball. It's about to get too cold and it may be our last chance to play. Who's in?"

Grey piped up. "Well, maybe I'll play with you guys later, but Marcus is about to get here and we are going to play the new Red Dead Redemption."

"Sweet, well I'm in." Aiden said, and then glanced at his brother. "Kai?"