Before You Go (Book 1, the Before series)

Chapter 5 | Rocks and Rain

THE FIRST THING I DID was pick up the rock he'd thrown at my face and fling it, so it hit his head, hard.

"Ow!" He rubbed his scalp, then looked up and grinned at me.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Are you drunk again or high?"

He rolled his eyes. "I see you haven't lost that sense of humour. Are you going to let down your hair, Rapunzel?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Henry Allen still hadn't lost his enthusiasm for Disney movies or characters. Not that I was complaining. It made him an excellent choice for movie marathons since he was fine with even the most girlish movies.

"Just use the back door, we're not Romeo and Juliet," I hissed.

Henry nodded seriously. "You're pretty, but you're not my type."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You like em' male and horny."

Henry scoffed and disappeared for a few minutes until he opened my door and stepped inside, shutting it as quietly as he could behind him.

"Like your brother," he winked as he dove onto my bed, resuming the conversation.

I scowled. "My brother remains straight as a stick."

"I think I've seen some loopy sticks somewhere or the other." I knew he was joking since he did it every single time.

"What brings Prince Henry to my humble abode?" I shoved him off the bed so hard he fell off with an oomph and swore from his spot on the floor. Grinning, I pulled the covers to my chin and pulled it to my side so he would have as little as possible.

"Hey, sharing is caring!"

I tugged my blankets back as he tried to snatch them away. "Who said I care?"

"You're right. You're a cold-black-hearted witch, who doesn't share her food or her sheets."

I snorted. He had gotten even more dramatic since the last time I had seen him if it was possible.

"I wonder how you can fit through the door with such a huge head and a matching ego."

"Burn!"

I rolled my eyes. "What is it? What happened?"

Henry smiled in a way that hid pain underneath. "You know it's complicated, Bella."

Glaring at the nickname I said, "Stop calling me that, I'm not a vampire."

"Yeah, you're not sparkly."

"No, I'm just not into guys who watch people sleep. That's just weird."

I rolled over so I was facing him. His dark eyes glinted as he whispered, "Is it? I could watch you all night."

Chuckling, I replied, "You'd be snoring before you were one minute in."

"True."

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I trudged down the stairs yawning and rubbing my incredibly messy hair, Henry on my heels. Sitting down on the barstool in the kitchen, I pulled a plate of warm pancakes to me and drowned them in syrup.

Isaac raised an eyebrow at Henry's and I's tired expressions—he liked to kick in his sleep—and assumed the opposite.

"Rough night?" He grinned.

Henry had the nerve to wink. "Wouldn't you like to know."

I ignored the two as I hungrily scarfed down every single bit of food on my plate as well as the mug of lukewarm caramel coffee, which was Isaac's, but he was too busy making innuendos that he didn't notice.