East Chapel Academy

Chapter 20- Marcus

"Hey, don't do that!"

    I yelled picking up the grape that had just hit me in the back of the head. Nick had insisted I come over since I had ditched him earlier in the week. I sat on his bedroom floor as we played video games.

    "Are we going to talk about Nia soon or are you going to be your usual brooding self?" Nick asked from the couch.
His bedroom was massive, even bigger than mine. A large couch stood in the middle of the room in front of his flat screen tv and almost every gaming system in existence. He was an only child so he got whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.

    "I didn't realize I was brooding."

    He took a swig from his Red Bull can. "It's fine, I think it's just your face."

    I threw the grape back at him. He caught it in his mouth and smiled. "Spill it, Garret."

    "She came over. She met my mom and E.J. We studied," I said. "And I may or may not have tried to kiss her."

    "Excuse me." Nick leaned forward. "Did I hear that right? You tried, as in you didn't succeed?"

    "No, I didn't succeed," I told him. "Because right as I was about to E.J decided to barge in, and ask if we would jump on the trampoline with him."

    Nick laughed. "Are you serious? You got cockblocked by a five-year-old?"

    Groaning, I ran a hand down my face. "Don't remind me. I thought maybe she wouldn't be down for it, but she's a fucking saint, and agreed. She was almost too excited to get out of my room."

    "Did she want you to kiss her?" he asked.

    "Yes, she did. Do you think I would try if she didn't?"

    He shrugged.

    "We talked about it," I told him. "She doesn't think I'm a creep or anything."

    "Well, that makes one of us." I reached over and punched him in the leg.

    "Ow! Fuck, it was just a joke!" he exclaimed clutching his leg. He better be glad I couldn't reach his face.

    "It wasn't funny," I grumbled.

    "Jesus," he sighed. "Since you and Nia are kissing now. I'm assuming that means you guys are dating?"

    "Nope." I rested my head on the couch. "I'm not even sure if she wants to date me."

    "She must if she was going to let you kiss her," he rationalized. "Unless she just wanted to hook up. But Nia doesn't seem like the type to me."

    I exhaled. "I don't know, man. My mom thinks I should ask her on a date, but my dad thinks I should talk to Sam first."

    "I always knew Barron was a smart man," Nick said. He would never call my Dad by his first name to his face.

    "I am," I promised. "I'm going to talk to him tomorrow."

    "I think you guys should just do it the old-fashioned way, and fight it out."

    I rolled my eyes. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. "We are not going to fight."

    "I'd bet on Sam over you, anyway." He hopped over the side of the couch, and pulled another energy drink from his mini fridge. "He'd probably kick your ass."

    "Hah," I scoffed. "Yeah, right." Not only am I faster than Sam, but I'm also bigger than him. He can't even keep up with me during practice.