Unlikely

4. Not today

"Tinsley what is it"? I ask, half knowing the answer.

"Hi everyone. Hi V", I hear an all too familiar voice behind me.

I turn and I can swear I choke on my own vomit. David Fisher is standing in front of me looking the same, save for a muscle upgrade.
Leave it to do that look good. Oh Velvet you have got to be kidding me. You're do not checking him out right now.
I just don't believe it. I have a feeling I have to talk now else they're all going to take me to the nurse

"Fisher", I acknowledge curtly "you don't have to say hi twice. I'm a part of everyone" I say tightly and take my seat beside Mason. "And it's Velvet to you" I mutter. Although I don't think I can continue eating.

"You haven't lost your touch Velvet. That's good to know", he says, a bad attempt at a joke

" What do you want Fisher"? Thalia snaps, obviously losing her patience. I wish I have more of that

"Well, it's good to know you're all doing great. I just came to say hi. I'm back to Clifford High", he says awkwardly.

"It's senior year man, why do you want to make things awkward"? Mason pipes up in between bites of food.

A part of me wants to know but another larger part of me knows I won't survive it without exploding.
"Mason, this is no time to start small talk.  David was just leaving", I say, finally finding my voice " right?" I ask tightly.

He takes his cue turns to go. "See you around then", he says to no one in particular.

"Pfft!" Thalia scoffs. "The nerve of him"

"And just how shameless can one be"?

"Uh, guys? We  should be getting to class", April says with an awkward smile.

I just stand animatedly and head to my locker. Millions of thoughts running through my mind. I would've forgotten Tinsley's locker was one away from mine if she didn't poke me. Hard.

"I don't mean to interrupt but we have to be in the lab", she sighs and takes my hand, leading me to the class.

And that's how I attended the rest of my classes. Physically but my mind elsewhere.

As Tinsley and I headed towards the students' parking lot, we saw Thalia. "Hey, ready to go home?", she asks, saying bye to a few friends.

"Yh, Tinsley's coming too," I mumble and head for the drivers side

"Woah big girl! I love you. A lot. But I think I should drive because  honestly, I don't know who looks worse between the two of you." She says looking at Tinsley and I. "Keys please"

I just hand them over and get in the car. Tinsley probably feels worse. I mean, you don't find out you have a sister who isn't your mother's daughter every day.

"So guys I just want to tell you that I know this is going to be a deathly silent and uncomfortable drive home but I'm okay with it because you don't need my voice mixing with your thoughts," Thalia says. "I understand and I'm going to respect your wishes of grave silence"

"Oh Thalia," I groan "Do you think you can make that possible?"

She chuckles and continues in silence till we get home. When we were all settled down, she enters the kitchen and begins to make dinner. It's my turn to do that but she probably knows  she'll die from excess salt if she allows me into that kitchen.

As if reading my mind, "Velvet you do know you're making dinner tomorrow and next. I doing this because I'm nice and hungry", she yells from the kitchen.

After dinner, Tinsley is still here and I think she's sleeping over. We practically share my room anyway.

"I think  I've given you two enough time to think", Thalia says dropping her phone "can someone talk before I lose my mind?"

Tinsley sighs "Oh Thali you can't even imagine"

"David Fisher is back," she says blankly "anything else?"

"Yeah. A lot", I say, telling her about Tinsley's dad.

" I did not see that one coming" she wheezes. "Oh I'm sorry Tinsley" "Velvet? What's up? Or is Tinsley going to say your problem?" She asks one brow up.

"Of course I'm not okay. He's in school." I huff

"V I think we established that fact this afternoon. Your problem is that you still like him. And stop saying 'he' like he's some kind of plague. He's only your typical jerk. Don't kill yourself over it", she soothes.

Oh good God, she didn't just say I still like him. "I don't like him Thalia", I scoff. "And he's a plague."

Tinsley chooses this moment to chuckle "And that's why you're sick from this plague because we all saw you checking him out during lunch V" she was smiling now. "You liked what you saw"

"Oh V stop kidding yourself. Its totally okay if you still like him. I mean, you're only human," Thalia says, getting off the couch to the kitchen. "Ice cream anyone?" she asks

Tinsley and I share a look and stand up together, heading for my room.

"Thalia, ice cream doesn't solve everything" Tinsley yells from the door.

"She hopes it'll make her love for Lee go away," I yell back and laugh. "Plus it just going to be strawberry ice cream and I ain't doing that. Not today" I say and close the door. Oh I know I'll pay for that.