When we got home, I was pleasantly surprised to see Hayley over. She and Eli were sitting at the kitchen dining table, doing his school work. Seeing them reminded me of the times when I used to tutor Walter and how nervous, but excited I’d been about it all in the very beginning.

“Hey,” Hayley lifted her head to grin at us when we came in.

I grinned back, “You guys good?”

Hayley nodded, “Yep. Did you two have a good work out session?”

I chuckled, “Yeah we did.”

“Your arms are definitely getting more toned,” Hayley commented and then she glanced at Walter. “Yours too.”

“They were already like that,” Walter joked with a smile as he went to the fridge for a cold drink.

Hayley nudged Eli, “Maybe you should join the boxing club too.”

Eli fixed her with a questionable look, his green eyes half open, “You think I’m not buff enough for you?”

Hayley smiled and shook her head, “I like you the way you are.”

“Right answer,” Eli sent her a small smile before turning his attention back to his books.

“So are you saying I’m too well built?” Walter asked Hayley with mock offence written on his face.

“Well you’re nothing like Phoenix,” Hayley said with a smirk and I grinned.

Both Eli and Walter raised their brows and looked at us, wanting to know if we genuinely found Phoenix’s muscles more attractive. They were too funny.

“Phoenix is just Phoenix,” I said to them. “We like you two the way you are.”

“Same,” Walter put his arms around my shoulders.

Eli rolled his eyes and rubbed the red mark under his left eye. It looked sore and I wondered which Santiago had given it to him.

“How did you get your parents to let you come over?” Walter asked Hayley with a curious expression.

“I told them I was at a friend’s house,” Hayley answered. “They didn’t really believe me, but surprisingly, they let me go.”

“That’s good,” I smiled.

“I don’t care what you tell them,” Eli said. “As long as we still get to see each other, then I’m good.”

Hayley smiled fondly at him and then looked down at the table, probably thinking about the fact that Eli still hadn’t told her that he loved her, even after a year. She was too scared to say it first because she really believed there could be a small possibility that he didn’t feel the same way. I knew he loved her, he just didn’t know how to say it...or maybe he didn’t feel the need to, because he thought that Hayley already knew it too. Boys were more complicated than girls were, to be honest.

***

The front door was opened and then closed loudly and we turned to see Phoenix walking up the stairs with an angry expression. He was muttering about something under his breath and we heard him slam his door shut upstairs.

Hayley had round eyes, “Maybe I should leave.”

“It’s not you,” Walter told her. “He didn’t even see you.”

“Phoenix is cool with you now anyways,” I assured her.

“Cool?” Hayley squeaked. “He doesn’t really speak to me.”

“He could be a lot worse,” I told her, remembering how terrifying and mean he used to be to me.

“He doesn’t mind you being here,” Eli said to Hayley, giving her a gentle smile. “I actually think he likes that you’re helping me with school and stuff. Walter was the first one of us so far to actually finish and graduate, but let’s be real...his grades were shit – ”

“I passed,” Walter said defensively.

“Yeah, only just,” Eli said back. “Phoenix would like it if I were able to do better.”

“Either way,” I said before Walter got too frustrated at his brother. “The both of you doing well could encourage the triplets to take school more seriously too. That would be good for them as well.”

They murmured in agreement and miraculously the voices of the triplets themselves were heard from outside.

“Oh great,” Eli sighed. “That’s the end of the peace and quiet.”

“I swear as soon as you mention them, they appear,” Walter muttered to himself.

Hayley and I laughed at their lack of enthusiasm and the triplets let themselves into the house, just arriving back from school. Eli must have had a half day.

“Shit Giovanni,” Hayley widened her eyes. “Your face.”

Giovanni only attempted a cocky smile, “I got him worse, don’t worry.”

“Got who?” she asked, still staring at Gio’s badly swollen right eye.

“Miguel,” he replied. “Or Manuel, it was dark. I couldn’t really tell.”

“Are you in pain?” I asked him in concern.

“Nah, it doesn’t hurt much,” he only shrugged.

“Look at you, getting all the attention from the girls,” Gomez rolled his blue eyes. “It was the same at school the whole day, all the girls asking Gio if he was okay. It was annoying.”

“You sound jealous, more than anything,” Severn said with a smirk.

“Jealous of what? His looks? Because we look the same,” Gomez replied sarcastically.

“Jealous of the attention he got,” Severn said. “Clearly your French crush Clementine hasn’t been showing you much interest.”

“Her boyfriend has,” Gomez said with a smirk playing on his lips.

“What do you mean?” I widened my eyes. “Is this some sort of crazy love triangle?”

“No it wasn’t like that,” Gomez explained. “He told me to stay away from his girlfriend. He’s noticed that she’s caught my eye.”

“And Gomez must always have whatever catches his eye,” Severn raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. “You’re so greedy, man.”

“Yeah and you’re so lazy,” Gomez muttered back.

“Well I’m rooting for you Gomez,” Gio said as he started to stuff his face with the sandwich he’d been making himself on the counter. “I wanna see if you can pull it off.”

“Stealing another guy’s girl?” Hayley asked incredulously.

“It’s really not that hard,” Gomez shrugged. “I can charm anyone.”

“Oh really?” Walter smirked. “Then why haven’t you ever had a girlfriend?”

“Because I don’t want one,” Gomez replied. “All they’d do is boast about how they’re dating a Simpson and then constantly bug me about all the family business. Just so they can spread it around the school.”

“Not all girls are like that,” Hayley said fairly.

“The girls I hang around with are,” he replied.

“The good girls are way too scared to even talk to us,” Severn added with a grin. “But I still find that cute.”

I saw Walter smile slightly and I did the same. I guess I used to be one of those girls.

“So what did you say to the French girl’s boyfriend when he spoke to you?” Hayley was interested to hear.

Gomez started to laugh lowly, “Nothing. I just punched him in the mouth.”

Hayley covered her own mouth in shock and that set Eli off laughing. He laughed so hard, Giovanni, Severn and Walter joined in too. I smiled, only because they found Hayley’s reaction so funny. I actually felt bad for the boyfriend who’d got hit in the mouth.