Pillow Talk

3~ Cat And Mouse

"Why are you so anxious?"

I glared across the attic at River, trying my best not to snap out a sarcastic remark.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I'm hiding the biggest jerk in the world in my attic. Or maybe it's because I don't know what grade I got on a test." But the comment still left my mouth.

All River did in response was shake his head and laugh as if this was no big deal. I started tapping my foot anxiously again, earning me an annoyed look out of the idiot in front of me.

"Can you stop that? I'm trying to eat here." He gestured toward the piece of pizza on his plate, his eyes narrowed at me. I rolled my own, purposely tapping my foot louder.

"Oh, yeah? Well I'm in here feeding you with the full knowledge that I'm dead meat if my brothers find you." I growled. He shrugged, shoving a piece of pizza into his mouth. I turned away in disgust. Did he have to eat like an animal?

"They won't find out if you keep your mouth shut, right?" He said with a wink. I glared at him until he finally sighed and set his empty plate on the ground beside him.

"Okay, Scarlet. What the hell do you want in return for this?" He got straight to the point, his blue eyes darkening. He couldn't possibly know what I wanted, could he?

"I want you to help me get a date with Issac Perry." I replied, avoiding his intense stare. Before I could bring myself to look back up at him, River broke into an obnoxious fit of laughter.

"Issac Perry? You mean that douchey band geek?" I sent him a dirty look and gestured around us.

"Did I ask for your opinion on him? Look, River. If you don't want me to tell my brothers, then you're going to help me get a date with him." He stared at me for a second, nodding slowly.

"I didn't know you had it in you to blackmail. But all right. What exactly do you want me to do?" He kicked his feet up on to the small box in front of him with a curious look.

"A date. And I don't want this to end up in some cliché mess, all right? You and me, that's never going to happen. I just want you to know that." He rolled his eyes and gestured for me to go on.

"I don't know what I want you to do, River. I just. . . every time I try to talk to him I feel like a statue." I whispered, tugging at a lose string on the collar of my shirt nervously.

"Do you know how sad that sounds?" He finally asked, "What have your brothers turned you into, you poor girl?" I bit back another comment and bowed my head instead.

"I'll help you out, but only under one condition." He added.

"Other then letting you live in my attic?" I questioned. He nodded and pointed at me.

"I want you to stop dressing like you just walked out of an eighties musical and more like you actually care about how you look." I stood up at the sound of the front door slamming shut downstairs.

"Do we have a deal?" He held his hand out to me, grinning. I hesitantly took it with a skeptical look.

"Yeah." I mumbled, "We've got a deal."

*

"Mom and Dad called, they said they should be home tonight." Colin told us later at dinner. My appetite was more then lost as my head whipped up in his direction.

Our parents had been on a business trip in Italy for the last month and a half. My mom had called a few days ago, explaining why they wouldn't be back for another month. So what made her change her mind? Had she gotten into another fight with Dad?