Not So Complicated

Chapter seventeen

Carmen's POV

"Guys please take all the snogging into your room please." I groaned when I saw Esme and Dan making out on the makeshift bed in the living room.

They pulled away from each other and sat up straight, all flushed and out of breath. Huh.

"I come bearing food, so lets dig in, I'm starving." I announced and set the take away boxes on the table.

"Well, we're starving too." Dan stated and we dug in instantly, discussing about our endless college assignments.

"Oh, by the way, who's up for watching Breaking Bad now? I've been wanting to finish it." Esme spoke.

"Put it on then, lets finish it." I replied and Dan agreed.

Taking a bite from my pizza, we all settled in front of the laptop and just then my phone pinged.

Arlo: Hello, my darling.

That's when I realized that I had missed him all that while. Something didn't feel right not having him around or his flirting or his cockiness or his lame jokes or his warm smile.

That's when a genuine smile made its way onto my face and I felt good on the inside.

Me: Darling? Really? You remember me now?

Arlo: That was my stupid brother who sent it. Btw, I always remember you;)

Me: Enough of flirting.

Arlo: Miss me? Miss me? Miss me?

Me: Just a little:P

Arlo: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww<3

Me: Stop.

Arlo: Oh, my stupid brother says hi to you. He says he's excited to meet you!

Me: Hello to him too. Although idk why he's excited to meet me?

Arlo: Because he thinks you're hot.

That threw me off guard.

Really?

Me: Is he saying that or are you finally admitting that I'm hot? ;)

Arlo: Me admitting that you're hot is like you admitting that I'm sexy and hot which is impossible. So yeah, its him who told that.

Me: HUH.

Arlo: You don't believe me? Okay, you can hear it from him, he's anyways going to stay with me for the next ten days.

Me: Is he? That's so cool! Now I'm waiting to team up with him and annoy you more;)

Arlo: You haven't even met him and you're already teaming up with him? Unfair.

Me: Everything is fair, MY DARLING.

Huh.

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"Where. Are. You." Arlo spoke through the phone as Dan and I wove through the ocean of students rushing through the cafeteria.

"We're in the cafeteria trying to walk out alive. What's up, anyways?"

"Ask Dan to throw his phone away and both of you meet me in ten. Innis Cafe. Today."

"Drama queen."

"No, I'm not. You were the one to tell me that you were trying to walk out alive from the cafeteria. So who's the drama queen?" He questioned me.

"You. Anytime, at any point of the day, its you."

"Oh, shut up, who talks in a squeaky voice early in the morning just to get on my nerves?"

Arguing back and forth with him, Dan and I reached Innis Cafe, to see that Esme had already joined Arlo at the table and another little boy who looked like Arlo, yet he didn't resemble him.

"And look who's finally here!" Arlo exasperated seeing us taking our seats right opposite to him and his brother Adrian, diagonally seated to Esme.

"Carmen, the famous and Dan the ever known laundry basket. Hi, you guys. Nice to know that you guys are doing well and alive despite of putting up with Arlo." Adrian added, sending us down the laughter lane.

"How is it that your brother is so sweet and you're the exact opposite?" I asked Arlo, who had still not stopped rolling his eyes.

Something was weird. Arlo was unusually quiet and briefly avoided eye contact. He was looking a little lost and let his little sibling do all the talking while he hogged his burger. Adrian and all of us chatted away, leaving me wondering how the siblings resembled in uncanny ways and gave me a feeling that Adrian was the younger version of Arlo, but somehow, he had something in him which was totally different from Arlo, which was something that I couldn't figure if it was a bad thing or a good thing.

"Hey." Arlo snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"What."

"What what."

"What what what."

"What what what wh-"

"What's going on with you two?" Dan casually interrupted.

"Going on with us? Nothing, Dan. Ask your best girl friend, I'm sure she's got a perfectly acceptable explanation for being so cranky without a particular reason-"

"Okay, guys, cool it. No one's cranky, no one's annoyed, all is well, the world is awesome, now lets all eat, shall we?" Adrian ended the conversation but couldn't stop Arlo and me from looking at each other in a slightly perplexed manner.

I didn't even know what was up with him, but I managed to calm myself down. It was so not like Arlo. Or it was like him, but which I had never witnessed.

His perplexed gaze was turning slowly turning into a glare which I could not bear for a minute longer.

"I'll catch up with you guys soon. Bye, Adrian."

With that, I headed home, allowing the mixed feelings and confusion in my gut to keep me company.

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Author's note:

Its been way too long since I updated. Millions of apologies.

Stay tuned, stay safe, until next time!

Love,

Peaches;)

P.S. unedited