Again ~ A Luke Brooks Love Story

Chapter 38

PAISLEY'S POV:

It was towards the end of the movie (when the fat woman slides down the boat) that Ava started crying. When the sound came through the baby monitor, all of the others death-glared me, even Luke who was transfixed on the movie. I think he may have been crying. Grace and Taylor definitely were. Rosie was watching it with no emotion displayed on her face and the other boys all had ranging expressions of boredom. I sighed, though I hadn't really been enjoying the movie and got up, taking the baby monitor with me.

Ava's cries were even louder at the bottom of the stairs though she stopped when I went into Gina's room which is were her cot was.

"Hey princess," I said softly. "What's up?"

As soon as I stepped in the room, I could smell exactly what was up.

"Oh darling," I said, wrinkling my nose. "I guess you need a nappy change."

Ava smiled at me and replied though I couldn't make out anything she was trying to say.

"Come on then," I said, gently lifting her out of the cot. I spread her changing mat on the floor and lay her down on it.

When I had changed her nappy, I tried to get her to go back to sleep but she just wouldn't settle.

"Do you want some company?" I grinned. "I'll stay but only because the movie's boring. Don't tell daddy; he seemed to be enjoying it."

Ava gurgled in response. Clearly she had no intentions of telling Luke anything.

"Good girl," I said.

I stood Ava up and she immediately toddled over to her dolls house. She was good at walking but she sometimes got unsteady so I followed closely behind, ready to catch her if she fell.

The dolls house was her favourite, and she loved re-arranging the furniture. She held bits up to me, as if asking me opinion on where they should go. I nodded and agreed with her where necessary, just loving spending time with her.

After she had been playing for about ten minutes, I could hear someone coming up the stairs. I didn't recognise their footsteps so I knew it wasn't Beau, Luke or Jai. They were too light to be a mans meaning that it had to be either Rosie, Taylor or Grace. I presumed they were going to the toilet and continued playing with Ava.

It was surprising to me, when the footsteps stopped right outside Gina's bedroom door. I looked up as they knocked. "Paisley?"

It was Rosie. I was surprised. I thought she had made it pretty clear that she couldn't stand me.

"Yeah, I'm in here," I said. "Come on in."

Rosie came in tentatively, all of a sudden looking tiny and pathetic. She hovered by the door, unsure if she should step in properly.

"The others were just wondering were you where," she explained. "They sent me."

"I just didn't want to watch the movie," I said. "It was pretty boring."

Rosie nodded to agree with me. She seemed to be debating whether she should leave or not. To me, it was obvious she didn't want to.

"You can stay up here if you want," I offered. "It's only going to get worse."

She grinned, something she never did in my presence and took a seat on the bed. A silence, not comfortable yet not awkward settled over us. Rosie shifted around and I looked down at Ava.

Rosie startled me by speaking. "You must think I'm such a bitch,"

"Of course I don't," I said hurriedly. "I just don't know you very well."

"But I'm so horrible to you," she said. "If I were you, I would probably hate me."

"Why are you horrible to me?" I asked. "I've never done anything to you, have I?"

"No, of course you haven't," she reassured me. "It's just... Well, I'm sure you already know. My brother is out to get him and I figure the less ways he's got to target him, the less successful he's going to be. So I tell Sean you're a total bitch who doesn't give a shit about Luke. You're not, but I guess that's why I'm awful to you. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Sort of," I said. "It's a lot more plausible than my theory."

"What's that?" Rosie asked, sounding interested.

"I used to think you like him," I admitted.

To my surprise, she burst out laughing.

"Do you all think that?" she asked."Even Luke?"

"I think so," I said, smiling as well. "You don't, do you?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "I mean, I'm sure he's a great boyfriend but there's no way I could ever think of him like that."

"Well that clears that up then!" I said. "I didn't really think that was true though. It just seemed like the only answer."

"I don't like Luke, trust me," she assured me.

"Who do you like then?" I asked suddenly.

She instantly turned bright red and started stammering. "No one really... Wouldn't say I liked him... He barely knows I exist."

"Just tell me," I grinned. "I can keep a secret."

"OK," she gave up. "It's Jai."

"Jai?" I repeated dumbfounded.

"Yeah," she said dreamily. "Isn't he just perfect?"

"I suppose," I shifted uncomfortably. "Why haven't you told him?"

"All the times when I could have he was going out with that other girl," Rosie sighed regretfully. "He was so happy and I couldn't ruin that for him. Now Sean is having one of his phases and dating anyone would be stupid. God knows what he would do."

"Gosh," I said dumbly. "That must suck."

"Yeah," Rosie frowned. "Yeah it really does."

JAI'S POV:

After five minutes of Rosie disappearing upstairs, I was next to be sent. I crept up the stairs quietly because I thought Paisley might be putting Ava to sleep and would not appreciate me clonking about. When I heard the two girls talking, I was at the top of the stairs. Mums door was partially open, meaning I could hear their full conversation. I know I shouldn't have but I stopped to listen.

"Who do you like then?"

It was Paisley. Apparently she was asking Rosie. I immediately focused more.

"No one really," Rosie stammered, obviously embarrassed. "Wouldn't say I liked him... He barely knows I exist."

"Just tell me," Paisley urged. "I can keep a secret."

"OK," Rosie said finally. "It's Jai."

Jai. My heart stopped beating completely. The girls kept on talking but I didn't hear any of it; I was too shocked. She liked me! All those years of crushing on her and she would have gone out with me at the click of my fingers. I can't believe I've wasted so much time. She likes me!

A grin slowly formed across my face. I was suddenly happier then I had been for ages. Without alerting the girls that I was there, I turned and walked back downstairs. The others all looked up quizzically when I came back alone.

"Ava won't settle," I lied. "They're just trying to get her to sleep."

"I should go help," Luke said reluctantly.

"I wouldn't bother," I said. "They seemed to have it all under control."

Luke shrugged and turned back to the TV to watch the end of the movie. I sat back down on the sofa, my grin still on my face. She liked me.