Once everyone is finished we clear away the plates and boxes and all squeeze onto the sofas. I'm sat between Ethan and Grayson- Ethan has his arm around my shoulders and I lean my head on his shoulder.
"So what movie should we watch?" My father exclaims as the talentless 'talent' show comes to an end. Ethan looks at his phone- it's 8:30pm. He also checks several texts that he's recieved. 2 from Scarlett, 12 from the football team's group chat and 1 from his mom. He looks at his mom's first.
'Hey Eth, I'm assuming that you're at Tara's :) is Gray with you? He didn't come back home?' She wrote. Ethan replies with 'don't worry, he's fine :) we're having pizza and movie night at Tara's. Might be back a bit late :)'
"What about transformers?" I ask Dad. I know that's Chase's favourite plus I don't even mind it so it's a win for the both of us. Chase immediately starts jumping up and down, running to the DVD rack and picking out the first ever transformers movie. He pushes it into the DVD player and hits play on the box. I look back at Ethan's phone- I probably shouldn't be reading his texts but no one ever texts me so he's the only contact with the outside world that I have on weekends. Ethan bursts out laughing, trying to hide his phone from me but I see it anyway. It's a message from one of the 'jocks' in school. It's about me. 'I still don't get why you hang out with that nerd girl that you're so attached to. She looks like something I'd draw with my left hand. And I can't even draw with my right..'
What the heck? Just because I'm not the prettiest girl in school means that I'm good for nothing? He doesn't even know me. Plus, that insult was the lamest thing I've ever heard in my life.
"You gonna stick up for me or what?" I ask Ethan. He stops laughing immediately and gives me puppy dog eyes.
"It's just a joke T" Ethan shrugs "It's funny"
"I don't find it very funny" I shrug back. I don't care that some randomer thinks I'm ugly but for Ethan to not stick up for me like that? I thought we we're best friends.
"Here" Grayson says handing me his phone "Say whatever you wanna say to them. I don't care" I take it from him and read the whole conversation. One message catches my eye. 'Dude back off, she's his best friend for a reason. Just cause she's ugly as shit doesn't mean that she isn't a nice person' Grayson just backed me up. Well kinda- minus the 'ugly as shit' part.
"It's cool" I shrug giving the device back. It's almost as if he wanted me to see what he'd said to those baffoons. I shrug it off pulling a blanket over myself and settling into the couch to watch the movie.
--
Midway through the film and Grayson has already covered himself over with half of my blanket. I feel a hand rest on my thigh. My left thigh. Grayson's side. I look to him but he's too engrossed in the movie to notice. What is going on with this boy today? I cough slightly to get his attention. He looks to me with a look in his eyes that I can't read.
"You good?" He whispers as so not to disturb my family. I nod with a confused look on my face and slowly turn back to the TV. I shift in my seat just incase he thought my leg was part of the chair but his hand doesn't move. This isn't a big deal. Forget about it.
--
Once the movie has finished, my parents declare that it's time for them and Chase to go to bed. It's about 10 o'clock and they 'have to get up early in the morning'. The twins also agree that they should get going back home because we have school tomorrow. I walk them out and Ethan hugs me goodbye before starting off towards his house. Grayson doesn't leave the porch straight away.
"By the way, I don't think you're ugly as shit- I just didn't want the guys to tease me" He states stood with his back to me, watching his brother progress down my drive way. "Goodnight Tara" He says before walking away. I raise my eyebrow at his peculiar behaviour before shutting the door and running upstairs to my bedroom. I change into one of Ethan's old shirts and climb into bed. I pull out my phone and text my only other friend from school.
(T= Tara, C= Cailin)
T: weirdest thing just happened.
C: what???!!!
T: me and the twins were watching a movie with my parents and rat of a sibling and Grayson- yes you read that right. GRAYSON put his hand on my thigh.
C: that's so weird. I thought you guys hated eachother.
T: we do.
T: I do.
T: I don't know.
C: well what's changed?
T: he stuck up for me in front of his football friends and he cares about this boy I met an awful lot.
C: sounds like he's got a crush on Miss Tara King ;)
T: I hope not. I still can't stand him.
C: anywhooo, you mentioned a boy?
T: his names Lee, he's 17 and he's really interested in brains and stuff and he's in a band.
C: not another one who's gonna use you for your brain?
T: that was one time. Not every guy is like him.
C: my boyfriend flirted with you and lead you on to get answers for the vocab test in German. I'm pretty sure most boys would do that.
T: aren't you glad that I told you? You're rid of that loser now. :)
C: what are friends for hey? ;)
C: listen, I gotta go, mom keeps yelling at me for being on my phone this late apparently it's 'bad for my eyes'!
T: she's right you know :D
C: whatever know-it-all :) night x
T: night loser.
I place my phone on the side table next to my bed and roll over onto my front. I close my eyes and think about today.
--
"Get up!" I hear before feeling something jumping up and down on top of me. Not something. Someone.
"Get off me you little rat" I say sitting up quickly and pushing my brother off of me.
"Mum said get up. You're late" He says rubbing his elbow from where I knocked him to the ground. He sticks his tongue out at me before leaving my room. I climb out of bed to see that Chase was lying. It's 6am. I never get up this early. I take my phone from the table and unlock it, clicking on the messaging app. 1 unread message from Lee :). It was sent at 2:34am. I open it and read. 'Hey Tara, I know that I'm supposed to wait like 3 days before I call you but this is a text so I'll allow it ;) I was wondering if you wanted to hang out later? I mean like after school or something? It's Lee btw :) x' I'm glad he texted- I wasn't sure if I was supposed to text first or if he was. Guess he did. I text back: 'hi :) that would be great! you're probably asleep from your late night last night but text me later on to arrange something yeah? x' I set my phone down and get changed for the day ahead. I put on a black vest top, my burgundy PINK baggy sweater and black leggings along with some black vans. I leave my hair loose but attach a black hairband to my wrist because I always have to tie my hair up.
I grab my school bag and head downstairs. Mom has already put toast with butter on the kitchen table and is at the sink washing up.
"Hey mom" I smile as I sit down in my designated chair. She spins on her heels to look at me.
"Hey honey" She smiles. She's drying up a glass with a race car on it.
"Where's Dad and Chase?" I ask. Normally Chase is sat opposite me throwing anything he can find at me, but not today. Normally Dad's sat on the couch looking at his watch until the hour hand meets the 7, but not today.
"They're both feeling a little under the weather today so they're staying at home watching TV in your Dad and I's bed"
"Oh well that sucks! Are you feeling okay?" I ask. Chase looked well enough when he was jumping on me at the crack of dawn.
"I'm fine but I should be asking you the same thing!" My mom exclaims. "They've been puking quite a lot so if you feel at all strange or sick then tell me right now and I'll call the school and tell then you aren't going in"
"Thanks mom but I feel fine" I smile. I look at my phone again. 7:25am. Where did all that time go? "I should get going and hurry Ethan up or we'll be late to school" I smile again, getting up. I kiss her cheek before picking up my school bag and walking out the front door. I run across the road to Ethan and Grayson's house and let myself in the door. "Ethan? Are you ready?" I yell.
"He's not here asswipe" I hear Grayson before I see him appear at the top of the stairs in front of me.
"What?" I ask as he advances towards me.
"He got a ride with Scarlett. Not that she invited me" He rolls his eyes.
"He did? He didn't tell me that?" I say slightly hurt, slightly confused.
"Newsflash, he doesn't care about you right now. He just wants Scarlett. He's been texting her non stop since we got back from yours yesterday."
"What happened to him not wanting to be 'friends with benefits'?"
"He thinks he can get her to 'settle down'." He rolls his eyes whilst using his fingers to create air quotes around 'settle down'.
"What exactly does he think he has that none of the other boys who have tried don't have?" I laugh.
"Don't ask me" Grayson laughs.
"So are you ready then?" I shrug. I don't usually take Grayson to school, especially not when it's just us two.
"You want to drive me to school?" Grayson smirks.
"Well I don't want to, but I'm here and it saves your mom driving you" I shrug once again. Grayson's smirk turns into a broad smile as he walks towards me.
"Thanks" He beams. "I'll go get my bag and then tell mom" He says walking into the kitchen. I follow closely behind, partially because I want to see Lisa. "Mom, Tara's here" He states. What? No cruel nickname today?
"Hi Mrs Dolan" I beam as I embrace her into a hug.
"Hi Tara, I'm sorry but Ethan isn't here" She smiles, holding me at arms length.
"Yeah, Grayson told me so I thought I may as well drive Gray instead, seeing as I'm already here. Plus that means you don't have to turn out" I beam at my second mother.
"Gray huh?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me.
"What?"
"I thought you hated this half of my twins" She laughs.
"Hate is a very strong word Lisa" I laugh too.
"We gotta go or we'll be late T" Grayson says throwing his bag over his shoulder. He soon realises his mistake in calling me T "I mean, Tara, butt breath, dickface" He stutters.
"Nice save" I wink. Did I just wink at Grayson Dolan? Maybe I am sick.
"Can we just go?" Grayson says, hugging his mom goodbye and then walking quickly out of the room.
"Bye Lisa" I smile.
"Bye" She manages to say before Grayson appears again and takes my hand, pulling me out of the house behind him. We get to my car and I sit in shock for a second.
"What is your problem?" I say annoyed.
"I didn't want mom to ask loads of questions" He shrugs.
"Why would she ask questions?" I ask, putting my key in the ignition.
"She does it with every girl I like"
"What?" I laugh.
"I don't like you though, that's the whole point"
"You're such a sweet talker" I roll my eyes and turn on the car. "And I was actually beginning to tolerate you" I mutter.
"Tara I'm sorry" Sorry? I've never heard that word escape from his lips before.
"Sure" I laugh.
"I do like you, I mean obviously I must if I insist in hanging out with you and Ethan all the time. I just don't like you, like you" He clarifies.
"So if you 'don't like me'" I say, putting air quotes around it. "What was all that about yesterday? With your hand on my thigh?" I say as we approach the school gates. Luckily for us, we don't live too far away so we won't be late. Hopefully.
"What? I had my hand on the cushion the whole time" he excuses.
"You knew full well what you were doing" I smirk.
"So what if I did?" He says reaching over, putting his hand on my thigh again. "Does it make you nervous?"
"No" I say trying to keep my breathing steady and my eyes on the road ahead. I find a parking spot as he slides his hand up slowly. "Ok that's enough" I say pulling into the spot and turning the engine off.
"What's wrong?" He says not removing his large but gentle hand.
"I'm your brothers best friend. You shouldn't be doing this. I'm not someone you can just fool around with. I offered you a ride because I thought maybe after 13 years we could actually try to be friends but I guess not." I say grabbing my bag and sliding out the car. I begin to walk away as I hear the door slam behind me and footsteps approach. I hold my key up and lock the doors of my car as I get further away. The bell rings.
I burst through the doors to see the corridors are already empty. Suddenly, I'm pushed against the wall and Grayson's face is inches from mine with his hands either side of my face. What is he doing? Is he crazy? We're going to be late. If this goes on my permanent record I swear I'm going to kill him.
"Who says I'd just be fooling around with you?" He smirks before pushing off against the wall and strolling to homeroom.
A/N: go check out oreolovinq 's Dolan twins fanfic because it's amazing and I love it!! She's a great writer and her fanfics are so dramatic so hit her with votes and comments and tell her that I sent you!! Thanks xx