Then Came You (9 page)

Dana scoffs. “Whatever, I’m getting a snack,” she grumbles, turning around and opening the cupboards.

“Hey! This is
my
house! Get your own food!” Remy yelps, her eyes growing huge.

Dana pauses in between opening a packet of Oreo’s and makes an ‘aww’ sound, batting her lashes at Remy.
“B-but you l-l-love me.
We’re b-bestest friends in the w-whole world.”

Remy groans and sighs at the same time, shaking her head and watching as Dana cheers and fist pumps the air, shoving a biscuit into her mouth, Remy clutching her sides as tears of laughter roll down her cheeks.
“Oh, my God, - your
face!
Ahaha!”
She makes a ‘woo’ sound as she calms down, wiping her

“I
love
you so, so, so, so, so much – Pink Ear or not!” she bursts around the biscuit, spraying crumbs. We all look at her with wrinkled noses and looks of disgust and she shrugs innocently back at us.

After watching Dana’s messy display, I turn back to Remy with an apologetic look on my face. “I can’t, sorry – I’ve got to go soon.”

“To your big d-a-t-e!”
Dana says cheekily with a wink in my direction.

Joey looks up to raise his eyebrows at her. “You did not just spell out the word date – what are you, ten?” Dana flicks an Oreo in his direction and sticks her tongue out at him.

“Nine, actually, but thanks for the compliment,” she retorts. “Anyways… what are you going to wear?”

I shrug, slightly confused at her question.
“Um, this?”

Remy gasps loudly, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god, are you okay? Girl, it’s your first date with
Tyler!
You can’t possible wear something like that!”

“Hey!” I burst, “I’ve been wearing this all day!”

“Exactly!”
Dana grumbles. “You need to get changed and wow him on first sight – it’s in the date book.” I look from Remy to Dana as they both nod intelligently.

I shake my head slowly, “I don’t think Tyler is like that, though.”

Dana scoffs. “Darling,
every
boy is like that.”

Once Dana had finished Remy’s hair and she’d washed it out to show us her bright pink hair once again, we’d left. Joey had gone a little before Dana and I had gotten in her truck, and Dana had promised that she would help me pick out an outfit.

Back at home, I open the door and grimace. The place smells of alcohol and sound empty, meaning my dad is drunk and out somewhere. Dana doesn’t even blink as she charges up to my room and dives into my wardrobe with determination.

“It needs to be comfortable, casual and yet very, very sexy…
aha!
” She cries out, pulling out a pair of denim shorts and a pale pink frilly vest jubilantly. I roll my eyes and sit down, knowing she’s going to want to do my hair and make-up as well.

Half an hour later and she’s curled my hair into bouncy, large waves and added shimmery eye shadow to my lids, before handing me the mascara and lip gloss to do myself. She steps back to admire her work with a smirk.

“It’s official – you are one hot
mamacita
. Can you turn lesbian with me?” She jokes, turning me around to face the mirror. I shake my head at her, grinning.

“You’re a freak and I love you,” I grumble, sliding the wand over my lashes. “Do you think Tyler will approve?”

“Are you kidding?” She scoffs, “You are undeniably gorgeous, and he’s going to be kissing your feet. Now get down there and wait for him!”

I laugh, letting her drag me down the stairs and into the hallway, where she opens the front door. “Now,” she instructs, turning round to look at me. “I want details tomorrow – all of them.
Have fun tonight, babes!”
She hugs me tightly, before jogging out to her car. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She screams out the window as she drives away.

I shake my head, laughing at her, before realisation finally kicks in. I’m going on a date tonight.
With Tyler Masters.

I was pacing the livingroom still when the doorbell rang, signalling that Tyler had arrived. I took a deep, shaky breath, before wiping my clammy hands on my shorts and walking to the door to open it.

There he stood – all bright eyed and warm
smile
as he held out a sunflower to me. I took it with a nervous laugh, pressing my nose to it as my eyes roam over him. He’s wearing a dark shirt and faded jeans, and his hair is as wild as ever. I fight against the urge to reach over and run my hands through it as I take his hand and let him lead me to his car.

“So I was think about a dinner and a movie – that kind of date, right?” He tells me as he starts the car. I nod at him, but he shakes his head slowly. “But, then I realised it didn’t want to be
That
kind of date…”

I raise my eyebrow at him, telling him without words that he needed to explain, which made him sigh with a smile. “I meant that, I didn’t want our first date to be like any other date. Which is why I’m taking you somewhere nobody would ever go on their first date.”

“Where is that?” I ask him warily, my mind trying to guess where he might be taking me.

He smirks, his eyes lighting up mischieviously as he turns to look at me. “We’re going to school.”

School?

I was watching him drive with an odd look on my face, my arms crossed over my head as a thousand questions ran through my mind. I mean, seriously?
School?
The one place teenagers avoid as much as possible, and he decides to take me there on our first date?

Sometimes, I wonder just what goes through the mind of Tyler Masters.

He parked the car and turned to me with a wicked grin on my face. “You ready?”

“For school?”
I scoff, “never.”

“Well, trust me… you are going to love this.” I nod slowly, still unsure as I follow him to the side gates of the school. He takes my hand in his and strokes his thumb soothingly on my palm, smiling down at me as he leads us through the gates. I look at him oddly, and he shrugs in response. “Some friends of mine used to break in here to plan practical jokes and shit… y’know, paint the lockers, oil the floors,
change
 
around
the furniture.”

I give him a horrified look and he bursts out laughing before I can even say anything. “Don’t worry; we’re not going to do anything like that. Tonight is all about you and me.”

I smile, “that sounds surprisingly good.”

“Surprisingly?”
He raises and eyebrow at me, “is that an insult to me? And here I thought you were on your
way
 
to
falling in love with me.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes even though he probably can’t see it in the dark. “Whatever, can we just get this date over with?”

“Wow, I’m
loving
the enthusiasm here,” he says sarcastically, shaking his head at me with a grin. “Just… do me a favour and lose your eyes.”

I purse my lips, “why?”

“It’s a surprise – duh.” He tells me, taking both my hands and staring at me until I close my eyes. “C’mon, I want it to be special.”

“Fine, but if I trip over, I’m dragging you down with me,” I warn him as I close my eyes and let him pull me into the building. The hallways are eerily silent besides the sounds of our footsteps echoing around the building, sending a shiver down my spine. “Isn’t it always scenes like this where a monster comes out and people die?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” he promises, before lapsing back into silence again. I sigh, breathing in through my nose as he walks me through the hallways. By the time we stop, I don’t have a clue where we are, which goes perfect for his plan. I let go of my hands for a moment, shuffling around until I hear the sounds of keys jingling. My brow furrows in confusion until I hear him open a door and take my hand again, pulling me through.

“Before you open your eyes, I want to talk to you,” he tells me nervously before taking in a deep breath. “Do you remember when we were at the lake – you know, before you climbed the tree?”

“Yeah, I still need to get you back for that,” I grumble before letting him continue.

“Well,” he starts, “I was thinking, about what you said. The way you were speaking about book was just amazing – the look on your face was just perfect and, well, I want to see that look again, so… I hope you like it.” He sighs nervously. “You can open your eyes now.”

When I open them, I look around with wide eyes, my jaw dropping. Candles litter the shelves, a blanket is spread on the ground and there’s a pile of books at the edge, another one placed at an angle in the middle. I don’t have to look to know the title; I already know what it’s called:
Villette,
by Charlotte Bronte.

“You brought me to the library?” I ask him in a shocked whisper, my eyes watering slightly with the overriding emotions at the scene.

He nods
slowly,
his eyes the same golden shade as the candles as he wraps an arm around me and leads me towards the blanket. “I want to see that look on you face – I want to see it all the time.”

“Well then maybe you should lock me up in here,” I smile softly at him, meeting his eyes in the glimmer of the candlelight. “I wouldn’t mind so long as you stayed as well.”

“Of course I would,” he grins, leaning over pressing his lips to mine. His lips move against my lips and I sigh, lifting a hand to stroke his face as the other lies flat on his chest. He strokes my waist, his fingers twisting themselves in my hair as he pulls me closer, a groan sounding out from the back of his throat. I chuckle, pulling away to grin at him.

“I suppose if you’re going to keep kissing my like that then I’m going to
have
to lock you in here with me,” I tease him, only half joking.

He laughs, wrapping his arms around me and dropping us down on the blanket. We end up scrawled on the blanket, my head resting on his chest as he opens the book for me, flipping through the pages. “So…” He starts, he voice still deliciously husky from the kiss. “What’s your favourite part?”

Fourteen

For one of the first mornings since mum died, I woke up with a smile on my face. The first date with Tyler was one of the best moments of my life – come to think of it, so are most of the times that I spend with him. I feel like he’s slowly becoming my drug and I have no way of stopping myself from being addicted. Not like I want to

Downstairs was silent this time, except for the dull ringing of the phone. I wanted to throw my pillow over my face and disappear in my dreams of me and Tyler once again, but it was impossible to do with the ringing playing again and again.

I rolled out of bed with a groan, cursing modern technology as I padded down the stairs and towards the dreaded machine. I pick it up with a scowl and a gruff
“what?”

“Darcy? As happy as ever, I hear!”
Remy
 
giggles
on the other line, annoyingly chirpy for an early morning Saturday. Yes, that’s right, it’s the weekend. The whole week had gone by in a blur; not much happening unless you count hanging out with Tyler and the guys. They were all still as crazy as ever and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t give me a headache sometimes.

“Yeah, you too,” I grumble. “I’m sure it’s illegal to be up this early and be so
happy.
”

She laughs again, “whatever. I was calling to say that you’re coming to my house today to hang out – Dana is picking you up at nine o’clock so
be ready.
Ta
ta
!”
She hangs up and I’m left to gape at the phone lying in my hands, wondering what the hell just happened.

“Jesus, Remy…” I mutter, putting it back and shuffling to the kitchen for food. The kitchen has gradually gotten emptier since my last shop, so I make a mental note to go shopping tomorrow before grabbing the last packet of biscuits and a glass of orange juice, frowning when I’ve emptied the carton.

Dad is out again – I don’t have a clue where since he doesn’t work on weekends anymore. I’ve started to worry lately; he’s been working less and less and the money has started to go down. I throw the carton away with a thud before downing the glass in one, wiping my mouth angrily with the back of my wrist.

Upstairs I threw on jeans and a navy hoodie, running a brush through my thick hair before shoving it up in a scruffy bun. I looked a mess today, which was exactly how I felt. Hopefully, the guys would somehow get me out of my mood when I got there.

There was a honk outside and I walked over to the window to see Dana’s truck waiting for me outside our house. I grin slightly, running out the house and locking the door behind me before heading to the car and sliding in the passenger seat.

Dana was looking at me with a smile, black glasses covering her eyes and her white hair curly and wild. “Hey babe,” she said in her throaty voice, pecking my cheek.
“Ready for our date?”

I groan, rolling my eyes at her. “Just shut up and drive.”

“Well…” she sighs, raising her eyebrows at me with a hint of concern in her voice. “Are you okay?”