Phoenix

Chapter 16

                              Movie Night

Essence's POV
_ "Sure" I take him up on his offer. In return, I receive a sheepish grin from Phoenix.

_ "I really hope you are not weirded out by the fact that I basically invited myself over to watch some movies." He looked kind of stiff and nervous. I smile at his dumb-ass, shaking my head.

_ "Trust me Roosevelt" his eyes sparkled with an unidentified emotion when I uttered his last name, "if I didn't enjoy your presence I would have kicked you out a long time ago." I tease him.

_ "Aw shucks Essence, you're making me blush." He jokingly covers his face with his hand.

_ "Besides, you brought food, how could I ever pass up on that." I raise an eyebrow at him, smirking.

_ "I see what you're doing little zaffiro" He narrows his eyes at me. I try to push away all the weird feelings I had at the mention of his  nickname for me. "You're just using me to get free food." Phoenix pushes himself off the bed, his muscles flexing, and starts closing up to me. "Is that a way to treat your best-friend?" He closes his eyes and places a hand to his chest pretending to be hurt, before opening his eyes again. Mischief ignited his amber orbs as he took a few more steps towards me. That's when I finally realized what was happening... but it was already too late.

Raven's POV
Returning to my dorm room after classes, I noticed a male figure standing in the hall before my door.
As I made my way closer to him, the curly blond mop of hair and sparkly cerulean blue eyes made the individual before me all too familiar.

_ "Myles?" I greet the boy in confusion, "what are you doing here?"

_ "I told you I wasn't going to give up until I get your number." He flashes me a million dollar smirk, which usually, would make any girl's panties drop.

_ "So you came to my dorm room... to get my number... how did you even know which is mine anyways?" I raise a skeptical eyebrow at the all too giddy golden boy before me.

_ "Followed your friend" he nonchalantly shrugs. I sigh in exhaustion.

_ "Look Myles, I'm not one of your typical chicks that will easily fall at your feet. I think the purple streaks and gothic clothes explain it all. Go find yourself another girl to play with." I turn and open the door.

_ "That's exactly why I want your number" his tone was more serious now. "Please... give me a chance. I'm not anything like the stereotypes they've pinned on me. I though you out of all people would understand." He takes a few steps towards me cautiously, despair tinting his deep voice. As I felt his presence close behind me, my breathe hitched up in my throat. I hated the effect that bundle of joy had on me.

_ "Why me Myles? Why try so hard to impress a gothic purple eyed freak when you have tons of gorgeous girls drooling over you?" I keep my voice neutral, as to not give away the fact that I was actually starting to lose control over myself.

I never had a boy spare a second to glance my way my entire life. Why would someone take interest in me now? I was always the outcast, the sore thumb sticking out among Essence and Destiny. The loner...

_ "Don't call yourself a freak!" Myles retorted. "Your purple eyes are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen..." he pauses as if taken aback by his own words as much as I was. "Fuck Raven... YOU are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. And I don't know why you built your walls up so high... but please let me in for god's sake." By his angsty voice I could tell he was growing impatient. His words caused a warm blush to find its way upon my cheeks, and he seemed to notice, because my body's reaction made him chuckle. Damn you pale skin.

_ "But we're so differen-" I begin before he cuts me off.

_ "How would you know that when every time I try to talk to you, you either roll your eyes at me and leave, or hit me with that sassy attitude of yours?" He crosses his arms and raises his brows at me daringly.

_ "You know what! Fine... if getting my number will mean your annoying self will get off my ass then so be it." I extend my hand in which he places his phone and smiles at me victoriously, his big blue eyes almost disappearing under his cheeks.

_ "I knew you couldn't resist me babe." His cocky persona was back.

_ "Keep on dreaming Armstrong" I couldn't hold back the laugh any longer as I stared at his dorky expression. I shake my head one last time before entering my room and shutting the door, only to be faced with yet another annoying person.

_ "So... Myles Armstrong?" Destiny wiggles her eyebrows foolishly. "Who would of thought, a goth girl and a golden boy." She grinned so hard that the expression 'smile from ear to ear' was actually turning to reality.

_ "Exactly... no-one would of thought." I roll my eyes, her reaction only confirming my insecurities. "Besides there's nothing going on. I'm sure he just wants to get in my pants."

_ "Honey, no boy discreetly follows a girl's best-friend to their dorm room and waits around half an hour for her to get there, only to 'gEt iN HeR pAntS' " Destiny rolls her eyes, drawing quotes with her fingers as she mocked me. "And are you really going to let stereotypes and people's opinions get in the way of a potential relationship? That's not the Raven I know. The boy is whipped Rae. He was begging for your number out there. Believe me when I tell you, boys never beg for anything. Their ego is too big." I look at my friend from the corner of my eye, letting her words soak in. Was she right? Am I letting my insecurities get the better of me?

Essence's POV
I almost fell off the bed as Phoenix attacked me with tickles. As he tortured me relentlessly, I laughed so hard that tears escaped my eyes. As he proceeded to make high pitched noises, I tried swatting him off but he was way too big and heavy for me to match.

_ "Nix... please stop" I managed to say in between my fits of laughter. My abdomen had began to hurt from all that insanity. "PHOENIX GEORGIO ROOSEVELT!" I finally snap at him. "Hands off!" I menace. Once his grip on me loosens, I flip us around and straddle him. "Time for payback bitch." As I tickle him once, his body doesn't react.
"NO!" I gasp. "Are you not ticklish!?" I whine, hopelessly trying to get a reaction out of him. He just lay there under me, unphased, yawning.

I pause for a second, and Phoenix raises his head. We had both picked up on the same thing. Footsteps. I hastily check the time. 10 PM.

_ "Shit! The nightly check. I completely forgot!Quick Phoenix hide!" I rush.

_ "Where!?" He yells in a whisper. Shit shit shit shit... the lady checks the whole room... everything, the closet, bathroom, under the bed, we wouldn't get away with it... unless..
My eyes land on the window.

_ "Phoenix, out the window. I literally have a tree outside my window. Climb it!" I practically push him out. And just then, there's a knock on my door. I look back to see Phoenix had disappeared. I click play on my movie and immediately open the door.

_ "Mrs Murphy! Good evening!" I greet, my voice oozing with honey.

_ "Good evening Ms.Heisler." The woman eyes me calculatingly. She steps in and glances at the movie I had playing on my laptop before checking the room like every night. By the end of her tour, Mrs Murphy pointedly looked at me and said.

_ "Interesting choice of perfume." I took a whiff of the air only to notice it reeked of expensive male cologne.

_ "My brother was here earlier this evening. He left only a couple of minutes ago." I lie to her expertly without faltering not once. She raises her head and looks around one last time before exiting my room. I breathe out in relief.
Phoenix comes stumbling through my window.

_ "Well that was a close one."

_ "Your perfume almost gave us away dumb ass!" I roll my eyes at him.

_ "Oh shush you love it."  He counters.

We glare at each other for a few seconds before bursting into hushed laughter.

The rest of the night was quite uneventful, as we cozied up in bed and watched several old movies while eating the snacks Nix had brought along with him.