His Nepenthe | complete

11. Other

O T H E R P E O P L E

*

I almost turned around and left as soon as I saw her.

It seemed like the thousandth time that we had met in crossways, and she had someone with her. But, unfortunately, the fate of our next encounter had already been decided as we met eyes.

"Hi," Brandy greeted behind a laugh, her bubbly attitude somehow amplified by the sandy blonde girl beside her.

"You need to stop following me or we'll keep running into each other," I muttered back, hoping she would get the idea that I wasn't the kind of person to make conversation with in general. Even if I had proved otherwise a few nights ago.

The girl next to her scoffed light-heartedly as Brandy's smile refused to falter, "Charming," the blonde noted.

"Right, you haven't met yet," I noticed the way that Brandy's delicate fingers held the hand of the other girl tightly, and found myself wondering what that would be like to hold such a porcelain part of someone else, "Well, this is the best person in the world and absolutely incredible individual, Saoirse*," Saoirse put on a fake grin as she met my eyes, clearly putting up the act for Brandy's sake. It wasn't uncommon for people to find me dislikable, "And this is the grumpy Christian."

I gave the blonde a curt nod before raising an eyebrow to the brunette, "Thanks for the introduction, Brandy." I spoke sarcastically, refusing to please the blonde by her side.

She beamed, unaware of Saoirse's distaste in my attitude, reaching up to my face and patting my cheek, "No problem, sweetheart."

Saoirse eyed me sceptically, "It took fifteen years to get my title, you've know her for what, a month or so? I don't know what you expected." Her Irish accent was prominent in her voice as she spoke.

"Thanks, Shay. You make me sound lovely," Brandy replied sarcastically, a soft smile still lighting her features.

"You are lovely," Saoirse teased the girl, bumping Brandy's shoulder with her own.

Brandy sensed the sarcasm, gasping dramatically, eyes darting from Saoirse to me and back.

"Rude, I am!"

Shay turned to me with a smile much similar to Brandy's; loving and warm. Maybe she was beginning to see me the way Brandy did - with false hope, "You've got a wild ride ahead of you, Christian. She's crazy."

"Lucky me," I rolled my eyes, watching Brandy's jaw drop slightly. A small smirk reached my lips at her reaction.

"Excuse me, I'm right here," a cute pout reached her pink lips, her naturally blushed cheeks emphasising the expression.

"Exactly." Saoirse tapped the tip of Brandy's nose with a mock condescending smile, "Easier to discuss you with your image fresh in our minds."

Brandy huffed, letting go of the blonde's hand to fold her arms over her chest, pushing up her bust to incidentally enhance her female figure, "Fuck me, I should have never introduced you. You're both just as mean to me as one another."

I knew she was okay with the teasing by the spark in her golden eyes and the ghost of a smile that could help but to pink the side of her pouted lips.

"But the difference between me and him is I'm the cooler one," Saoirse eyed me up and down in jest, a shrug of her left shoulder, "Sorry. Facts."

"No, I totally agree."

An inquisitive eyebrow arched on the blonde's face, "Are you being sarcastic?"

I raised the same eyebrow with a mirrored tone, "I couldn't possibly be sarcastic now, could I?"

Her sceptical look faded, all signs of hostility towards my shit attitude melting away at my sarcastic statement. Her smile lit her features as she finally approved of me, "He's fucking fantastic, B," Shay nudged the brunette's arm with a suggestive wink, "hot and snarky."

"I know," Brandy stated matter-of-factly, resting a hand on her hip with attitude, "and what did I say about calling me B?"

"Don't?"

Wait.

"Exactly!"

Did Brandy just, sort of, call me hot?

She certainly didn't say I wasn't.

"You could call me S," Saoirse gave Brandy a playful wink, knowing fully well the brunette wasn't impressed by the nickname.

Brandy held her tongue between her teeth in a cheeky smile, "I'm pretty sure that's copyrighted."

I rolled my eyes as I took proper notice of the conversation - rather than what was implied in the conversation - catching on to what the two girls were referencing, "Are you both seriously arguing about Gossip Girl nicknames right now?"

Saoirse raised a rather impressed eyebrow, clicking her tongue as she began her interrogation into my knowledge, "How would you know? Is it your dirty little secret that you love the Gossip of the Girl? I guess that makes sense as to why you're so snarky," she tapped her cheek as she eyed me, "Hmm, who are you most like? Maybe... no. Not one of the boys. You're like Blair. Bitchy but fun."

Brandy merely gawked at me, excitement evident in her eyes at my acknowledgement to a show I'm sure she was in love with.

I shook my head, shoving my hands into the pockets of my hoodie as I explained, "My brother's ex was fucking obsessed. Every time she was over I would hear or see bits an pieces of her watching the show," I scratched my bottom lip with slight hesitation to continue. The look of humour in Brandy's expression convinced me, however, "She would quote it, watch it, tried to live it, I swear. Wanted my brother to cheat on her, wanted to cheat on my brother with me. She would throw herself on me when I was fourteen. She sure was one fucked up drama lover. She didn't take long to become an ex."

The brunette didn't let up her excitement at the explanation, however, far too intrigued by the idea that my favourite show was Gossip Girl, "You love it, don't you? Secretly."

I cocked an eyebrow, a small smirk reaching my lips as I challenged her, "If I were to say yes then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?"

"I can't believe he likes Gossip Girl more than you," Saoirse shook her head disapprovingly at Brandy, who continued her standoff with my stare.

The roll of her hazel eyes ended the battle, "I don't not like it, god, I just don't have 6 seasons worth of time to worry about which guy Serena is going to choose or who Blair 'accidentally' slept with. I couldn't care less who 'Gossip Girl' is either. Probably one of the dudes. It's just a lot of stupid drama that could be solved easily with some honesty."

I was surprised on her take of the show, having known many people who would oppose the statement wholeheartedly.

"Touché"

I cleared my throat, remembering why I was at the mall in the first place, gesturing to the exit, "I should probably get going, I'll see you sometime. Interesting to meet you, Saoirse."

Shay gave me a curt nod in return, "You too, Christian."

"Bye," Brandy let out a soft laugh, her natural blush accentuating her golden eyes looking at me though her lashes with a playful grin.

She left me with a wave, her teeth gently grazing over her plump pink lips. Her last word was no syllables, really. Her last word was that sexy sway of her hips and that stupid fucking lip bite.

God damn this girl.

*

* pronounced sear - sha (Irish)