-Tee-
Caleb laughs aloud as he looks at the pictures that litter my parent's house.
"Awww, you were such a little dweeb." He says looking at a photo of me and Arie with the rest of our Boy Scout troop.
I tried to ditch the jackass but he jumped into my car.
Before I can respond my mom appears on the stairs.
"Hey baby. You're early." She smiles warmly as she slowly glides down the stairs and wraps me in a tight hug.
"I didn't have anything else going on. Do you mind?"
"Of course not. It'll just be hours until Evie cooks." She tells me releasing me and looking to Caleb.
"We aren't eating here?"
"No. Evie and Claude invited us over. Is this Caleb?"
I look over and Caleb blinks at us with an unassuming smile obviously waiting to be introduced.
"Yes, Mrs. Andrews. It's so lovely to meet you." Instantly I'm disgusted as he oozes sweet country boy charm.
"Please call me Audrey. I'm far too young for such formality."
"No, he'll call you Mrs. Andrews, and if I catch him calling you anything else I'll roast him." I snap.
My mom frowns.
"What's up with you?" She asks concerned with my rough outburst.
"This is Georgia. Would you be ok with me calling his mother by her first name?" I cross my arms already knowing her answer.
My mom considers it for only a moment before turning back to Caleb.
"Mrs. A is good." She offers.
That's what I thought. Southern manners are not negotiable.
Caleb nods politely.
"So what will you boys be doing in the meantime? Dinner is at six."
"Not sure yet."
"Ok, just relax. By the way, you got a package."
"What is it?"
"I didn't open it. It's from your grandparents I put it in your bedroom."
"Ok. Guess I'll go there first."
"Alright. I was just about to go for a swim. It's so nice out today. Maybe you both join later." My mom smiles brightly at Caleb and I really wish she wouldn't. No telling what that perve is thinking.
Caleb literally beams with excitement and I grab the back of his collar and pull him towards the stairs.
"We are fine Mom. Didn't bring trunks. Enjoy your swim." I tell her without looking back as I drag Caleb up the stairs.
I push Caleb into my room before I close the door behind us.
He laughs as he drops himself on my bed.
I glare at him before locating the package.
"You are no fun. I was just kidding earlier." He chuckles as he sits up on his elbows.
"He he hell. It's not a joke. I catch you flirting with my mother and I'll break your knees."
He waves me off, " Yeah, Yeah. You are wearing that threat out."
I glare at him until he puts his hands up signaling surrender.
Moron.
I look around my desk for a box cutter. I locate it and open the box.
I can't help but smile despite my sour mood when I see the brand-new iPhone. I quickly read the card.
To celebrate one year down. Pop and I are over the moon proud. Keep up the good work but always remember to also take a rest. See you soon, Nana and Pipop loves you."
-Xoxo Nana and Pop.
I tack the card to my bulletin board. I put the phone back in the box deciding to switch it over when I get time later.
"Fuck! Who is the hottie next door?" Caleb says all of a sudden reminding me of his existence and once again souring my mood.
I turn around and he isn't on the bed. He peers down out the window.
"Who?"
"The blonde next door."
He can't mean Aunt Evie she has dark hair.
I walk over to look out the window to see who he means. My window overlooks the Whites back yard.
There is a guy and a girl hanging out beside the pool. They are really animated and I didn't recognize him until Arie threw his head back and laughed.
I will always recognize that smile.
I don't think I just turn and sprint from the room. I leap down the stairs startling my mom in a robe seemingly on her way to have a swim and dash out the back door. I quickly walk around the pool and head to the long gate that separates our backyards.
I reach over and unlock the gate from the other side so I can enter.
I get it open and step onto the other side. The moment I do I freeze. I wasn't wrong it's Arie.
🌹🌹🌹🌹A/N :
**{Vegas- Doja Cat}
He looks up at the sound of my dramatic entrance.
He stands up from the lounge chair and steps into a pair of platform wedges. He walks over to me with his friend behind him. It's as if time slowed down... or was it my heartbeat quickening.
He is almost unrecognizable. His hair has gotten longer it's past his shoulders and bleached blonde. It feathers away from his face. He is barely dressed in a knitted crop top and red short shorts. His belly button is pierced and there is a small butterfly tattoo near his navel.
As he approaches I survey him beginning at the very top of his head where his ringlets used to corkscrew out in every direction; to his large gold hoop earrings that dangle around his face and the deep crimson color on his lips.
He lifts his red heart-shaped sunglasses and pushes them into his hair.
He stops a few feet from me and a tinge of dissatisfaction churns my stomach. My heart and body haven't touched him in almost an entire year. I didn't know that I expected him to run into my arms until he didn't causing my heart to throb.
It didn't occur to me how often he used to do that even if we had been apart only a few hours.
The pain it causes my heart surmising this becomes too much to bear so I push my thoughts back towards cataloging everything that wasn't there before.
My eyebrow twitches with the tension of keeping my expression neutral even though I'm annoyed by the thin cream silk robe falling off his shoulders. It's obstructing me from viewing his body to my satisfaction.
But then I realize that any stitch of clothing that covers his body is too much because to put it simply I want him naked and crying beneath me. I want to punish him and make him cry out my name. Say the name that he avoided for a year over and over again.
He smiles, "You're here?"
My gaze lifts up to look at his big hazel eyes. I don't know if I like how heavy the mint-colored eye makeup is; it seems to distort the stunning color of his eyes but my mind leaves that thought behind as quickly as it came when I notice how long and gorgeous his eyelashes look.
I blink at him realizing with the wedges he is kind of normal-sized.
I can feel the awkwardness growing between us when I don't answer for far too long but I don't care.
How can I be so full of rage, lust, bitterness, and love all at the same time?
The silence stretches on and Arie starts to fidget with the many bangles on his wrist. His body wiggles with nerves beneath my intrusive stare. The gold bracelets clink together attracting my eyes to his long red nails and many rings on his fingers.
I hadn't realized Caleb followed me until I hear him clearing his throat directly behind me to break the tension of my silence.
"Hi, I'm Caleb." He says as he steps up to stand beside me instead but even then my eyes never leave Arie.
Arie smiles brightly obviously thankful for any excuse to focus on something other than me and offers his hand to Caleb.
"I'm Arie it's nice to meet you. Also, this is Bryce. Bryce this is Tee."
Bryce offers me a strained smile making it obvious he knows about me.
After the introductions, another awkward silence starts to settle in before Caleb opens his fucking mouth once again.
"I don't mean to be rude but are you a boy or a girl?" Caleb asks.
What I know for sure is Arie hates this question. He frequently gets it and depending on his mood he will do one of three things. Flip you off, ignore you, or curse you the fuck out.
"You're blunt," Arie says with a raised eyebrow.
"Always."
I roll my eyes he didn't mean it as a compliment dick hole.
"Why do you care?"
"Just curious. You're really pretty but you don't have boobs."
Ugh, the explanation of a fucking child.
"And this affects you how?" Arie asks as his expression changes to disgust.
"I'm a little bummed. I like boobs." Caleb says with a chuckle.
"Why should it matter to a complete stranger what's happening on my chest or between my legs? What? If I show you my dick will you suck it?"
Arie snaps. His face is already turning red in outrage.
But Caleb is forever cool as a cucumber no matter the carnage he causes around him.
He smirks,
"I might. Are you up for it Arie?"
Arie's eyes go big in shock. He blinks for a few moments before looking at Bryce as if he couldn't possibly have heard correctly.
They both just stare at each other for a minute before breaking out in laughter. They hang on to each other while laughing uncontrollably.
Caleb starts to chuckle obviously satisfied with his handiwork and my stomach spurs from just how out of place I feel.
Being out of place anywhere Arie exists is foreign and frightfully uncomfortable.
Beside, with, around, in front, inside Arie...is my place. Or it was.
"I didn't mean to offend you. I just think you're gorgeous." Caleb clarifies after the laughter starts to die down.
Arie rights himself and eyes Caleb in a way I don't recognize.
"You are very forward," Arie says as he puts his hand on his hip.
Caleb shrugs casually. "I just want to know if I should call you her or him before I try to get you into bed. Either way though...
Aries eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline while Bryce suppresses an obvious laugh with a cough.
Again my eyebrow twitches from the tension of not rolling my eyes into my head.
What a fucking dirtbag.
Arie scoffs, "What the fuck? Does this level of directness work for you? I have known you all of three minutes and you're asking for sex?!? "
Arie tries to express dismay but there is no mistaking the blush that's spreading across his freckles. He likes it.
Caleb shakes his head. "I'm not asking for sex. I will get you into bed I'm just making you aware."
Arie is stunned silent he just blinks his long lashes.
"Him or her are his pronouns. He doesn't mind." Bryce offers as Arie and Caleb stare at each other.
Arie grabs Bryce's arm and starts to drag him away.
"On that note, see you at dinner." He says as he turns his bright red face away from us.
"Dude, why didn't you tell me you had such eye candy in your neighborhood? I'm visiting more often." Caleb says the moment the pair disappear into the house.
"Shut up dickhead." I snap as I turn around and walk back into my backyard.
It doesn't surprise me to find my Mom waiting by the pool with furiously furrowed brows.
I return a scowl of my own and start to ask her why she didn't say anything but then decide it doesn't matter. Instead, I walk past her into the house and slam the door behind me.
-Caleb-
"What is wrong with you?" I ask him as he drops himself onto the couch.
This kid is so fucking bipolar which I knew long before he slammed the backdoor in my face after we left Aries back yard.
What the hell did I do?
His head drops back. "Just leave me alone."
"You have been in a pissy mood all week. It's getting old."
"Then stop talking to me." He snaps.
"I much rather be talking to your mom or that hottie next door but I'm also a good friend."
"Is that why you follow me around like a leech?"
"Maybe. Dude just tell me what's eating you."
"Nothing. I'm just stressed."
"Stressed with what?. You are practically the MVP, your grades are unreal, and you have a smoking-hot girlfriend. Why are you always so miserable?."
"I'm not." He mutters as he rubs at his temples.
"Then fix your attitude. Also, are you and Arie close?"
He looks at me suspiciously.
"Why?"
"I don't know I sense something."
"Sense what?" He asks more defensively than is necessary.
"Do you have feelings for him?"
"He's a guy."
"And?"
"I'm straight."
"But really Tee who is that...guy? He is ridiculously hot for a Sunday afternoon."
"You met him. He's Arie, we grew up together."
"I wonder if he has a boyfriend. Can you find out? And also get his number for me."
"Ask him yourself at dinner." He stands from the couch and heads out.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm taking a nap don't follow me. Just find a corner to annoy and stay there until dinner. Don't hit on my mom or I'll beat the shit out of you."
He says not bothering to look back as he heads out of sight.
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