My Best Friend's Brother // Young Love Book 1 ✔️

My Best Friend's Brother Ch. 5

Chapter 5



After I'm sure that Charlie is out of our sight, I turn my attention back to Eric. He's happily grinning like a mad man and I'm more than slightly alarmed. Oh, dear. I hope he didn't get the wrong impression.

"What game should we play?" he asks, looking around the arcade.

"I don't know, maybe air hockey?" I suggest.

He nods and we walk over to that area. I stand opposite from him, looking awkward. What' new?

"Tell you what, if I win, I get to kiss you." Eric's all competitive now, so I try to look like I'm not intimidated, which I certainly am. "If I win, you get to buy me..." I glance around for something ridiculous. "That big stuffed elephant!"

He follows my gaze before smiling back at me. "It is on, girl!" he says confidently.

Little does he know that I'm the air hockey queen. Can I get a boo-yah? Boo-yah!

Okay, I should noy have been cocky. Like at all. He won by five points. I am a total idiot!

Don't say I didn't warn you.

You didn't.

Really?

Yeah, you didn't.

Oh.

I don't wanna kiss this stranger, regardless of his good looks. He collects the tickets, slowly walking towards me, the socially inept. "Can I collect my prize now?" Eric asks playfully.

I look up into his sky blue eyes. "I don't know," I turn around, trying not to sound scared. I don't want him to notice that I'm trying to run away, which is what I'm doing. A hand pulls me to the side. I gasp and mutter, "Eric, no!" It's a boy with dark brown hair and amber, almost gold, eyes.

"Nope, it's just me, Charlie. Or did you already forget?" he answers in a heated whispher. He frowns at me, looking at Eric with a new found hate. "What's going on? I've been looking for you all night!" he roars, never taking his angry eyes off of Eric.

"We were having fun. Right, Elouise?" Eric looks at me, probably waiting for a yes.

I step between them and say, "Yeah, no harm done. It's okay, Charlie." Charlie's jaws clench and I almost flinch. He nods slowly and takes up my hand. My heart pounds inside my chest as he leads us away from Eric. From the arcade as a whole.

Well, at least he saved you from that kiss.

My brain's right, Charlie did save me. "Thanks," I mumble shyly.

He looks at me funny but a smile manages to break through. "For what?" His brotherly friendliness is back to normal.

But I kind of liked that possessive boyfriend side of him.

See what I mean?

That wasn't me, that was you.

I'm still a part of you.

I ignore my mortal enemy and just focus on the real conversation. "For saving me. For sure I didn't want to kiss him," I say, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"You what?" Charlie shrieks, glaring at me.

I decide to look down and I realize that our fingers are still intertwined. I slowly pull my hand away, hoping he'd interlace them back together. But he doesn't. He simply says, "Uhmm, sorry." making us both blush.

Cue in the awkward silence.

"What's for dinner? KFC, McDonald's, what?" Charlie asks as we walk around the mall. He seems like he doesn't remember anything. No almost fight. No awkwardness. Nothing. It's like none of that ever happened.

"McDonald's is fine with me."

He nods and we head over there. We pass by Forever 21 and there was a this especially cute dress. "Look, Charlie, it's so pretty." I yank him by the shirt like a little kid. He chuckles, probably thinking I'm pathetic. I just might be.

He shakes his head and says, "You don't look good in purple," he states and I look at him in disbelief. Eyes wide open. Jaw hanging low.

"Geez, thanks for that little self-esteem booster." That hurt a tad bit. Okay, maybe a little more than that.

We sluggishly stroll around the mall until we reach said fast food chain. I sit on one of the cushioned seats and am currently thinking about how stupid I am. He obviously sees me as his sister's best friend or his sister. I shudder at the thought. I sure hope he doesn't think of me as his own sister.

After a little while, he appears by my side, holding a tray with cheeseburgers, cokes, and fries. I reach for my wallet but he quickly stops me. "It's on me." And that was it.

I tried not to talk too much. He really hurt me with his words, but it's hard to pretend to be unaffected when the person who hurt you is sitting right across from you. Not to mention staring at you.

"Don't look at me like that." I snap, but it sounded like a plea.

"Are you mad that I took you away from your kiss?" he asks. I thought he was kidding, but his face says I'm dead serious.

"No," I reply, softly.

"Then why are you quiet? You've been blabbering the whole day. About Andrew."

Way the go, Charlie. You managed to make this even more awkward for me.

"Hey," he leaned forward, poking my shoulder.

I can't help it anymore. I smile. "You really think I look bad in purple?" I stare down at my trembling fingers, scared of what he'll say.

But he says no and I sigh with relief.

That night, I planned on crashing at their house. I guess Cindy and I are going to catch up. "You called your mom yet?" she asks and I nod.

"Yeah," I said, towel-drying my hair long brown locks.

"So..." Cindy scoots in next to me. "What did you do with Charlie all day?" she asks giddily.

"Oh you know, we mentored each other. Then we went on a field trip," I reply vaguely.

She raises a suspicious, perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. "What happened on the field trip?"

I sigh in defeat. "Just the arcade and McDonald's. Nothing happened, Cindy," I grumble tiredly.

She moves away and plops down on her bed. "Okay, but why do you sound disappointed?" she asks, propping herself up on her elbows with a smirk. Her smirk looked oddly familiar. Oh, it's a replica of the smirk Charlie wears.

"I didn't get to buy that purple dress at Forever 21." Well, it's half of the reason.

"Oh, we'll buy it next time." she reassures me and I lie down on the other bed.

Being best friends for so long, I've got a bed here. Cindy has one in my bedroom too if you're wondering.

"If Charlie and I ever start to date, will you be okay with it?" I whisper quietly.

"I knew it!" Cindy jumps at the idea.

I shake my head. "No, we're not, I was just curious."

She purses her thin lips. "I guess it would be weird, but it's okay as long as you're happy. Although, I'm going to kill anyone if they hurt you! Including my brother."

I smile at her. "You're the best Cindy." She smiles at me even if she already knows that. "Good night," I tell her.

"Night-night," she answers sleepily. I know for a fact that Charlie's bedroom - and bed - is opposite to the wall right beside my bed. So I snuggle closer to the wall and whisper, "Good night, Charlie." And if I'm not just imagining this, I swear I heard him answer back. With an unfamiliar softness, he whispered, "Sweet dreams, Elouise."



* * *



Yes, that would be Andrew/Drew on the side. Sorry he hasn't appeared much, but he will!

The song Diane Young by Vampire Weekend is on the side too!

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