Welcome to New Haven (18 page)

“I like it.
 
I seem to have more free periods now, which is awesome!”
 
said Riss.
 

“And…we have the same classes, so our free periods are together too.”
 
Added Kayla with a grin.
 

“I’m not looking forward to swimming tomorrow though.”
 
Said Dev and Holly’s head snapped to her.
 

“Swimming?” Holly’s heart raced.
 

“Yeah, it starts again this week.” Dev said.
 
“After the schedule change, the principal said swimming would be for the next two semesters at least.”

Don’t panic.
 
It’s already sorted.

Holly tried to calm herself buy repeating those words in her mind.

The girls had a few more laughs, at the boy’s expense and had their Chinese takeout before it got to the time Holly and Dev needed to leave.
 
As soon as Holly pulled the car away from the kerb Dev pounced.
 

“Ok let’s talk”
 

“Wow you don’t waste any time do you?” laughed Holly.
 

“Nope. Now spill.”
 
Said Dev with a knowing smile.
 

Holly had the feeling she’d done this before.
 

“Ok, on one condition.”
 

“What’s that?”
 

“Spill about Ben.”
 

Dev let her head fall back for a moment.
 

“There’s nothing to tell, really.
 
Alex and Ben have been friends since we were in kindergarten. When we got older, I guess I kinda got a crush on him. He never saw me like that though. I mean, he sees me like a sister, or cousin at least. Well, anyway, I still think he’s kinda hot but…”
 

“But what?”
 
Holly knew there was more to what Dev was telling her.
 

“Nothing…he’s family.”
 

“Uh huh”
 
Holly said, narrowing her eyes at Dev.
 

“I won’t say anything, Dev. If you have feelings for Ben, I’ll keep it to myself.”
 

“Can I tell you something?
 
It may sound a little weird though.”
 
Dev said as she shifted in her seat to look at Holly.
 

“Of course”
 

“It
is
weird, but…I feel like I’ve known you for years, not just a week.
 
I can’t explain it, but…shit…I sound like a stalker!” Dev laughed.
 

“No, I know what you mean”
 
Holly said as she glanced to Dev.
 
“In my last school, I didn’t really know many people and I’d been there for six years. I’ve known you for just over a week, and I’ve joined in with a lot more stuff with you and the girls.”
 

“Really?” Dev asked with a huge grin on her face.
 

“Yeah. I’d never been to anybody’s house, exchanged homework help or even been on a day out…ever…and I’ve done all of that with you guys!”
 

“Oh my God! Now, I feel all warm and special.”
 

Holly burst out laughing.
 

“Now that we’re officially BFF’s, tell me what’s up with Alex.”
 

“Oh God”
 
Holly groaned.
 

“You can trust me” Dev said, squeezing Holly’s hand on the wheel.
 

“I know.
 
But just…don’t repeat any of this to
anyone
.
 
Not even Alex.”
 

“Not even Alex?!” Dev asked in surprise.
 

“
Especially
Alex”
 
Holly said firmly.
 

“Oh…ok” Dev nodded.
 
“So what is it that makes you not want to talk to him?”
 
Dev got right in there with her question.
 

“It’s not that I don’t want to…it’s…I can’t.”
 

“What? Why?”
 
Dev asked, confused.
 
Holly felt the flush in her cheeks as she became embarrassed.
 

“I can’t seem to speak, at all, around him.”
 
Holly glanced and saw Dev’s confused frown.
 

“What do you mean?”
 

“You can’t figure that out?” Holly asked as if Dev was doing it on purpose.
 

“No. You
can’t
speak to him.
 
Why not?
 
I don’t get it.”
 
Holly blew out a long breath and swallowed.
 

“My brain and mouth don’t seem to be able to function together around him.”
 

Holly’s face grew hotter as Dev stared at her, then burst out laughing.
 

“That’s not funny!”
 

“I know, I’m sorry.”
 
Dev said as her laughter subsided.
 

“I don’t like doing that but I seriously lose my senses.
 
I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
 
I
really
don’t think I should be telling you this…”
 

“Well I do”
 
Dev interrupted Holly’s rant. “You
so
should be telling me.”
 

“But he’s your brother!” Holly said, her voice going up an octave.
 

“Even so, I doubt you’d want to discuss it with anybody else.”
 

“True”
 
Holly said in resignation.
 

“Also…” Dev added “…you like
like
him”
 

“Oh God!” Holly groaned. “Me and the rest of the girls at school huh?”
 

“Well, the other girls can’t like him like you do.”
 
Holly stopped at a traffic light and looked at Dev.
 

“How so?”
 

“Well, for one, they flirt like mad around Alex, or trying it on whenever they can. You’re the only one who
doesn’t
want him to know which, I think, means you’re better and not out for a quick rumble with him.”
 

“No! I…Uh…no.”
 
Holly stumbled over her words, shocked at what Dev had just said to her. “I don’t want a ‘quick rumble’ or anything like that. Oh my goodness.” Holly ran a hand across her forehead before pulling away from the traffic light.
 

“See? I told you.” Dev beamed, knowing she was right. “Are
 
you a virgin?”
 
she said unexpectedly and Holly was amazed she kept control of the car with Dev’s question.
 

“
What?!
”
 

Holly’s facial thermostat went up a few degrees and her heart responded by pounding through her ears.
 
Holly didn’t answer and Dev just kept staring.
 

“Yes” Holly managed to whisper.
 

“I thought so”
 
Dev said quietly.
 
“I am too. I think it’s great.”
 

Holly chanced a quick glance at Dev and then back to the road. She smiled as she said
 

“I do too.”
 

“We’re
good
girls”
 
Dev said with a smirk and raised an eyebrow.
 

A though popped into Holly’s mind.
 

“Wait…You said Alex is a
good
boy. Does that mean…?”
 

“Hey I’m not saying anything. It’s not my place.” Dev said as she folded her arms and looked out of the window, still smiling.
 

Holly had a feeling in her stomach. Relief? She didn’t know. Not that she had a right to delve into Alex’s private life.
 
What he does, or did, was none of her business.
 
But, Holly couldn’t help feeling happy that Alex wasn’t like ‘that’.
 

Holly could tell the boys, at school, that were.
 

She’d been propositioned by Jake, had leering eyes on her and she’d also overhead somebody saying that he wouldn’t mind ‘taking her for a spin’.
 
‘
Ugh’
 

“Please don’t say anything, Dev.
 
I don’t want Alex to think I’m just another girl on the long list who likes him.
 
Especially when he doesn’t like me that way.”
 
Holly said as they pulled up outside Dev’s house.
 

“I won’t.
 
But, if Alex wasn’t concerned, he wouldn’t have bothered at all.”
 
Dev pulled her lips between her teeth for a second.
 
“Ok, he didn’t tell me not to forget to text.
 
He told me not to forget…to see why you don’t talk to him.
 
So…what should I say?”
 

“I don’t know.
 
Maybe just say I was overwhelmed.
 
Like I told Kay and Riss.”
 

“Yeah good idea. Text me when you get back.”
 

“Will do.” Holly was relieved that she could finally say what was bothering her, well most of it, but also relieved that Dev wouldn’t repeat it.
 

The last thing she wanted was the whole school to find out and then to be a laughing stock.
 
She could see it…
’Dev’s friend likes Dev’s brother.
 
He doesn’t like her back…awkward!'
 
then follow that up with points and laughs, and she would have to go crawl in a hole somewhere.

Alex had been pacing his room for the past ten minutes after Dev sent a text that they were on their way back.
 
Seeing Holly in the car, earlier had left him confused.
 
He noticed that she watched him come out of the house but when he looked at her, she stared for a second before looking away.
 
She’d blushed, he’d definitely seen that. Whenever Holly looked at him, it made him feel…happy?
 
He never liked the way Stacey looked at him, it creeped him out, made him feel…dirty.
 
But, when Holly looked into his eyes… ’
I want her.
 
I want her to want me.’
Alex ran his hands over his face.
 

“Grrrrr”
 
he growled to himself.
 
He didn’t know what he was doing, he was nervous, and he was getting flutters in his chest.
 

Alex stilled when he heard a car pull up.
 
Looking out of the window, he saw Dev get out of Holly’s car, they waved and then Holly drove away.
 
Alex ran down the stairs as Dev walked through the front door.

“So, what did she say?
 
He asked impatiently.
 
“Whoa, let me get in first!”
 
Dev laughed.
 

“Come on, Dev, I’ve been dying here!”
 

“Ok Romeo…Firstly, Holly
is
quite shy and she’s new.
 
When we’re all together, or she’s in a crowd, she gets a little overwhelmed.”
 
Dev answered.
 

“What? That’s it?”
 
he asked disbelievingly.
 
He could see that Dev was holding something back from him.
 

“Sorry, Alex. Look…we talked in the car.
 
She said a few things, but she doesn’t dislike you.
 
At all.
 
Keep trying though, but don’t push her for a conversation ok?
 
I know you’re thinking ‘oh she’s ok with the girls’, but I’ve been with her since she started.
 
There’s only four of us and, believe it or not, she doesn’t talk to Kay and Riss as much as me either.”
 

“I’ll try, thanks.”
 
Alex said, and he hugged Dev.
 
He turned back to the stairs to go to his room.
 

“So you’re ok?”
 
she asked from the bottom.
 

“Yeah. I’m fine. Like you said, Holly’s new. The times I’ve spoken to her there’s been a lot of other people there.
 
So her being shy kinda fits.
 
I feel a bit stupid now, getting so worked up over it.”
 
Alex could feel a dull ache in his chest, dropping low into his stomach.
 

“Don’t feel like that.
 
You’re
not
stupid.
 
Just…I don’t know…take it slow and let her include herself as much as she feels comfortable.”
 

“You sound like Mom”
 
he replied with a small smile.
 

“Well then, Mom is very wise.”
 
Dev beamed.
 

“I’m going to draw, so I’ll see you later little sister.”
 

“
By two minutes
!” she shouted as Alex laughed on his way upstairs.
 

He was going to take Dev’s advice but also, he wasn’t going to leave it at just that.
 
Dev was hiding something.
 
He’d talk to Ben.
 

Chapter 8

In homeroom, Dev assured Holly that she didn’t say anything to Alex and that he accepted her being ‘overwhelmed’. Holly felt bad that she was lying to him, but there was no way she could face him if he knew the truth.
 
That she liked him.
 
Really
liked him.
 
Even that didn’t seem right, like it wasn’t enough to describe how she felt.

It’s just the newness and strangeness of it all.
 
It’ll calm down.
She kept telling herself, but so far that hadn’t worked.

Stacey was still shooting daggers at Holly, and she didn’t understand why.
 
The girls had told her she was jealous, but Holly thought that was nothing compared to the anger that could be felt rolling off of Stacey.
 
There seemed to be more to her jealousy than people were aware of.