"So you are the new girl?" A female voice interrupted my peace and quiet, making me roll my eyes before finishing the last paragraph of the page I was on and let my gaze travel from top to bottom of the female in front of me.
"And you the cheerleader girl?"
"How did you.."
"Ponytail and bow."
"I could be trying out the JoJo Siwa style," she defended and I hid my smile.
"Let's not go that far," I said and she laughed sitting on one of the empty chairs on the table.
"I'm Alice by the way."
"Diana. So Alice, what decree did her Vice Head Bitchiness come up with?"
"Oh Henley. She'll get over it. I'm actually impressed you did that. It's been so long since someone actually did that."
"Oh yeah. Who was the last?" I asked and she shrugged waving me off. "Okay, now I'm curious. How are you still one of them?"
"My dad. He decided to get involved in my life, mostly through school. He's one of the major sponsors of the school and on the board of directors of the school. Wow, I'd never thought I'd be saying that to anyone and feeling proud of it," she said more to herself and I chuckled putting my book down.
"Bet that shut them up."
"Heather couldn't lay a finger on me if she tried," She said cheekily and I shook my head amused.
"And why is that?"
"The last time she tried that she came out of it with a broken nose."
"How did you not get into trouble?"
"Well, it was my word against hers. Little secret, her story had lots of loopholes," she said making me laugh and she joined in before we were rudely shushed. Oh right, library.
"So what brings you here? I mean you're not from around are you?"
"That obvious?"
"Kind of. You sort of lack the sun-kissed look to you."
"Well, I hope I can fix that soon."
"Oh, don't worry. That's what you have me for. Infact a couple of friends and I are having a party this weekend.." she said excitedly grabbing my arm as I got the strangest of feelings and without a second thought I was dragging her down with me under the table.
"Okay okay, who are we hiding from?" She asked excitedly and I rolled my eyes.
"12 o'clock. Look at who just entered," I explained and she got from under the table before rejoining me.
"Chris Black? Why would you be hiding from him? He's practically harmless."
"Who?" I asked before peeking out from under the table and ducking back down when he turned his head. Probably feeling my gaze on him. "No beside him."
"Ryder? What the hell is he doing here? Oh.." She asked before her expression turned cheeky and suddenly I felt scared, not the scared scared, more like wondering what I had gotten myself into. "Oh, girl. Now you have my full attention."
"It's not a big deal. It's a funny embarrassing story," I said feeling the heat rising from my chest.
"It is a big deal. Ryder never has 'encounters' with just any girl. And let's be honest, nobody really tries to hide from him. Girls especially," she said with a devilish twinkle in her eyes and I inwardly groaned. Oh God, she was enjoying this more than she was supposed to.
"Okay fine, but just get me out of here."
"That I can do. Come on follow me," she said and I grabbed my stuff before following her out from under the table and through several aisles till we came out through what I found out to be one of the emergency exits, apparently broken. Now how she knew that I had no idea. But nevertheless I was grateful.
Alice, I have a feeling we're gonna be good friends unless everything goes horribly wrong and I have to go back home. And that's only part of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sorry to call you up on short notice," Lisa said as she opened the door.
"It's okay."
"Hello, Miss Anders," Darius called out from beside me and I turned to her.
"I hope it's okay I brought him along. Once he found out it was kind of hard to say no."
"It's okay. Come on in."
"Is it okay if I go up to Alex?" Darius asked taking his bag from me.
"Of course, he's up in his room," she said before turning to me when he went off.
"Okay, don't forget to give Alex his medicine before he goes to bed and in the morning after his breakfast. On a good day, Alyson eats twice, don't worry, I have noted everything down. What and when to feed her. I thought of what to feed them but I didn't know what to put on the menu so you have control over that," she said showing where I was to sleep. "You'll remember to drop Alyson off at the daycare tomorrow, won't you?"
"Yeah. Don't worry I have hands on everything here," I said realizing I was in for another rambling. "We'll be fine."
"I know you will. It's just a little crazy with my new boss and without the jackass I married," she huffed almost in anger.
"He gets under your skin, doesn't he?"
"If he wasn't my boss, I would have definitely kicked his ass," she said and I raised my eyebrow in question.
"Uhh, your husband?" I asked and she turned to me wide eyed as a rosy blush came over her cheeks.
"Uhh so that's everything. I'll check on you guys when I land in Barcelona. God knows why I decided to take up that job," she muttered under her breath avoiding the subject as she handed me the instructions to take care of her kids as she dragged her suitcase downstairs. "Note down the times for Alex's soccer practice."
"Yeah sure. Is that everything?" I asked as a horn blared from outside and she rolled her eyes.
"Diana, I know I'm already asking a lot from you to stay over and babysit for me but there is one more thing.."
"Hey, Lisa love," a voice came from upstairs and I turned my gaze to the teen coming down the stairs and swung an arm around her making her roll her eyes, playfully though. "Who is this hot cake?
"This is Ethan. A frequent visitor around here so please if he bothers you kick him out, by all means necessary," she deadpanned as he winked at me and I mentally gagged.
"Gladly," I said but his smile didn't waver as he turned to her.
"Aww, now you have her hating me too. Are you still mad I couldn't babysit?" He asked and I looked at her shocked.
"Are you sure that was smart?" I gasped in mock horror and she grimaced.
"I regretted it the moment I did," she said before we burst out into laughter. "Oh don't pout. Your ego is just bruised that there is a girl who hasn't fallen for your charms."
She said before another horn blared out as Alex came downstairs with Darius a step beside him to bid his mom goodbye before I was left with the three males, well one after the two best friends went to play their games.
"So Diana? What's your story?" I heard Ethan ask as I started my way to the kitchen.
"I never told you my name."
"Wow, you really hate me."
"I don't know you enough to hate you or dislike you in any way," I said reading through the list as I leant on the kitchen counter.
"Oh come on, we go to the same school and all.."
"We do? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't spend my time ogling arrogant and hormonal teenage males. But then again, I know for sure you weren't trying to hit on me while she was here. So drop the act."
"Okay, I think we got off on the wrong foot here. How about we start over?" He said looking in least offended and I watched him suspiciously as he held his hand out for me. "The name's Ethan Marshall."
"Diana Peters, but I guess you already know that," I said after a while as I shook his hand making him grin.
"So Diana, what gave me up?"
"Just a hunch."
"A hunch?" He asked surprised just as the doorbell rang.
"Don't get me wrong. You just seem more of a cool guy to be acting macho. Don't lose that," I said hearing a cry through the baby monitor as a voice called Ethan. "Oh shit, close the door on your way out. Alyson is awake."
"You should come with us."
"Dream on," I said going up the stairs and I heard some murmurs before I heard the door closed as I found Alyson awake and standing in her crib holding up her hands up for me so I could pick her up.
God, she was just so adorable.