Three's A Crowd {6}

                                    

                                          
                “Okay Vic, are you done being an asshole so we can hang out?” Alex asked, coming up to Tadder after school. Tad was standing with Ronnie at his locker.
                          
                “Yea, I’m done being an asshole. Now I think I’ll be a dick. After that maybe I can be an armpit,” Tad said, rolling his eyes.
                          
                “Vic, come on! Can’t we just hang out? You’re acting like a huge jerk right now,” Alex said in annoyance. Tad grinned. “Sure, sure Alex,” he said and slipped an arm around her waist.
                          
                She relaxed a little. “Fine. Let’s go to your bus,” she said. Tad felt a moment of alarm, realizing he had no clue which bus his brother rode. He glanced at Ronnie.
                          
                “Quit smoking the green, Victor. You ride bus 15,” he said, rolling his eyes. Tad relaxed a little, but Alex made a disgusted face.
                          
                “I hope you aren’t smoking weed Vic. That’s what idiots do,” Alex said. Tad rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Nope. That’s for people like that stupid idiot Ian,” he said.
                          
                To her credit, Alex’s expression didn’t change. She just nodded in agreement and smiled softly at him. “Don’t you ever do those bad things Victor Bailey,” she said and kissed him.
                          
                “Oh, I won’t,” Tad said with a smile once she had pulled away from him. Tad had gotten high with Syd a few times, but the two had both agreed that Victor never would. Victor was different than his brothers, and the triplets knew it. He was the “good” one, in a sense. He was much more polite, kept his bad opinions to himself for the most part, and didn’t do stupid things like drinking and drugs.
                          
                “Text me later Ronnie,” Tad said with a wink. “On it Victor,” Ronnie said with a smirk. Tad led Alex out of the school and over to bus 15.
                          
                The two got on and sat down together. Alex looked at Tad curiously. “Vic, are you feeling ago? You look a little pale,” she said in concern, bringing her hand to his cheek gently to see if he felt warm at all. He didn’t, but she still found herself worried.
                          
                “I feel better than ever Alex,” Tad said with a grin. The bus eventually pulled up to his mom’s house and he and Alex got off, holding hands.
                          
                They walked inside together and into the kitchen. Tadder made popcorn and set the bowl between them on the counter. Alex took a handful of popcorn and put it in her mouth.
                          
                “Jesus you eat like a fucking pig,” Tad said in disgust. He dropped the popcorn he’d been holding back into the bowl. “Made me lose my appetite. Fatass.”
                          
                Alex looked at him with eyes that were clearly hurt, confused, and angry, and embarrassed all at once. She dropped her pop corn back into the bowl and swallowed the handful in her mouth, glaring at Tad.
                          
                “Vic, seriously? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you being such an asshole?” she demanded furiously.
                          
                Tad leaned back and shrugged. “I’m not. I’m just being honest,” he said and laughed. Alex stood up and turned to leave, but Tad grabbed her hand. This was too much fun for him to just let her leave. He wanted to see the bitch cry, just like Victor had cried.
                          
                “Calm down. You’re overreacting. I swear you’re PMSing. Just sit down,” he said and pushed her into a chair. She glared up at him.
                          
                “Why are you acting like this Vic? You’re never a jerk,” she said, clenching her fists. Tad almost exploded into more laughter. What was she going to do? Hit him? He could kick her sorry ass in seconds. Tadder Bailey was no gentlemen. Screw chivalry. If a bitch wanted to fight, he wasn’t afraid to take her down.
                          
                “I’m not acting like a jerk. You’re just eating like a pig,” he said with an unconcerned shrug. She blushed furiously.
                          
                “Whatever Victor. You can call me when you’re done being a complete shit head,” she snarled and stood back up. She went to leave, but Tad grabbed her hand again.
                          
                “Let me go Vic!” she snapped, trying to yank her hand free. She was probably going to tongue that Ian guy like the slut she was.
                          
                Tad smirked. He had to make sure she didn’t “break up” with him before he and Syd were done messing with her.
                          
                “Maybe after a catch a goodnight sleep we can hang out again. I was at my dad’s all weekend. Hard to sleep there. So I’ll get some sleep tonight, and you can get some cover up for that zit,” he said.
                          
                He released her hand. She gave him another disgusted look before shaking her head at him and leaving the house. As the door slammed, Tad found himself laughing again.