Phoenix Drop High was never one to call a snow day, and Garte Ro'meave was never one to risk his reputation. So when he was given the chance to show off the perfection he made his family out to be, he never turned down the opportunity.
In all truth, the weather was nowhere near being acceptable for a snow day. The wind was bitter, but it was nothing new. Snow laid on the ground like a white blanket, and the sun would be blocked from when clouds would roll in to thicken it.
I push open the door and kick the snow off my shoes. I place them beside the door before hanging my coat on a nearby hook. The stairs stand in front of me before I steal a sneaky glance in the direction of the kitchen. Zianna smiles softly before rushing off in the direction of what I assume is the bathroom.
Vylad has my math book, and I needed it for the assignment due on Monday. And even though I have the entire weekend to do it, I want to finish it off before Saturday hits. It's not like I have any parties I have to go to tonight.
The sound of a door shutting causes me to look up from my feet on the stairs. I'm prone to tripping on this staircase. My own staircase I could run up and down in grace, but I always managed to stumble on the Ro'meaves'.
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
My eyes look up to meet Garroth's. I smile before looking around and walking towards him. "Vylad has my math book. He said come by and get it some time before five. What's with the outfit?"
Garroth appears to be pleased with my question before looking down at himself. He fiddles with the tie before reaching up to mess with it. Could it be that Garroth Ro'meave can't tie his own tie correctly? I doubt that. He's just playing me.
"I'm surprised Vylad didn't tell you. We have a photoshoot for a magazine cover today."
I shake my head and flick his hands away, replacing them with my own. This causes us to be closer, and my cheek heats up before I try to focus on the knot he has made. "You know Vylad isn't one for those. Of course, he didn't tell me," I chuckle. He lifts his chin up for me, giving me easier access to his neck. Chomp. "But should I frame it on my wall?"
"I wouldn't be opposed to it."
"What the hell are you doing?"
My hands freeze in place before I turn my head to see Kandi. She stands there in her doorway, skeptical. I quickly finish straightening the tie before taking a step back and placing my hands to my sides.
My eyes dart between Kandi and Garroth, and it appears that Garroth remains to be unfazed as he leans against the door frame with his arm folded across his chest. "All women feel the need to fix a man's tie."
"Women wouldn't need to if men were capable of doing it right the first time," I retort.
Kandi nearly snorts from her place before I notice the two pairs of heels hanging from her fingers. Open toed. I expect nothing else coming from her. She questions if she should go with red or stick with black.
Garroth makes a stupid comment, and Kandi inches closer to us. He takes a step back, like he's in retreat, inside his room. I'm dating a wuss. Secretly dating a wuss. He decides to back out of this conversation and watches our small interaction.
"Well, the red is a nice pop of color, but it may be too much next to your mom. You may want to wear black. It'll balance your brother's tie."
"Is the dress too much? Should I change?"
If Garroth and Kandi didn't know me as well as they do, they'd assume that I'm checking her out. I glance up and down her outfit before wiggling my nose slightly. "I think it's fine," I comment. It's tight, but it's modest. It's a longer length, about knee-length, so it's not like it's a club dress. It covers her up. Garte has nothing to complain about. "Zianna is wearing a pencil skirt, so the tightness can't get you in trouble. I think you look like a hot businesswoman."
She nods, and that's the end of the conversation. The red heels are tossed back into the room, and they clatter against the center of the floor. She bends over to put the black heels on.
Vylad opens the door and stops when he sees me. He nearly laughs. I look out of place with my ripped jeans and sweater compared to his dressed up siblings. I like to think I'm more comfortable than they are.
We tease each other, and I sense a newly formed tension in the air. It couldn't be Kandi, so I assume it's Garroth. I push the feeling off and walk into Vylad's room with him. In here, I feel like I can breathe again.
He walks up behind me and comments the book is on his desktop. He claims he doesn't know how he got my book, but I know he stole it because he forgot his. "I'll grab it after we change your tie. I don't like the blue. I could change it to pink."
I'm unsure if I've seen Vylad in pink before. I don't know if he'd be opposed to it, but his nose scrunches up from the corner of my vision when I walk over to his closet to check out his ties.
"I don't own a pink tie."
My hand brushes up a dark green tie, and I pull it out. "We could change that," I comment, turning around. Vylad begins to undo his tie before tossing it onto his bed. "I think you should wear green. It'll look nice with your tan skin, and it matches your eyes. Green has always been your signature color, after all."
He lets me put the tie on him. This is the second person today I've done this to. Vylad doesn't fight me on this. He knows me well enough that it's better to let me win than to fight.
Zianna's voice echos up the stairs, and I look at Vylad. It appears our time together is up. He chuckles and reties his shoe while I reach from my math book. I hug it to my chest as we walk out of the room.
Kandi looks at me, furrowing her eyebrows. She shakes her head and looks towards Garroth. There seems to be a conversation between them that I missed.
"Well, m'lady," I start, bowing my head at her with an extending arm. "May I escort you down the stairs?" Before Kandi goes to speak, Garte comes out of the master bedroom, giving me a look saying 'you're not supposed to be here.' His silence is pure disapproval. "It looks like my duty here is finished. Au Revoir!"
My feet are quick on the steps as I try to make my escape. I know for a fact Garte is commenting at the top how I'm strange, and he questions why they associate themselves with me. I personally couldn't care less.
I have my book, after all.
