𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐄 𝐃𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐑𝐄, c.d.

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲

CHAPTER TWENTY | GETTING RED
The boys stood in front of the restroom mirrors, coming their hair and fixing their suits, getting ready for Neil's play.

"Beautiful baby. Henley Hall, here I come." The red headed boy began to push his way through the group of boys, making his way to the front of a mirror.

"Excuse me, just a moment. Yes. You're so cute." Cameron slowly ran a comb through his hair, Todd trying to mess it up. "Come on, Todd. I'm trying to fix this."

"Come on, Nuwanda. You're gonna miss Neil's entrance." The boys quickly tried to finish up, fixing their blazers and coats one last time before they left.

"He said something about getting red before we left." Cameron looked up at the tall boy, asking what the hell that meant as Pitts shrugged. "I, uh-- Well, you know Charlie." One of the stalls slowly opened up, Charlie's hand emerges, holding a small brush and a bottle of red paint.

"So, Charlie, what's this 'getting red' bit?" Charlie opened his unbuttoned shirt to show a large red lightning bolt painted down his chest, a smirk on his face. The group of friends asked the boy what it was.

"It's an Indian warrior symbol for virility. Makes me feel potent, like it can drive girls crazy."

"You mean Cove?" All of the boys oohed and awed, making Charlie grin, nodding his head. The Dalton boy slowly buttoned up his shirt as everyone prepares to leave.

"Oh, come on, Charlie. Cove's waiting."

..........

"Cove, right?" The Overstreet girl turned on her heels to see the small blonde girl her brother had been hung up on since the dinner with the Danburrys.

"Yeah, you're Chris. Knox talks a lot about you." Chris chuckled, nodding her head as she looked down at her clasped hands. "If it means anything, Knox is a good guy, and I'm not just saying it because he's my brother. He's sweet and kind, and he looks out for me. I couldn't have asked for a better brother to grow up with. He'll treat you wonderfully." Cove watched as the girl sighed, making her take a deep breath, telling her what she needed to hear. "No offense, but I know he's better than that jockstrap boyfriend of yours." The blonde Noel girl nodded, which kind of surprised Cove, agreeing with her.

"I don't doubt that. He came to my school with a poem and flowers. He read it to me in front of my entire class. Did you know about that?" Cove nodded her head, running a hand through her freshly curled hair, trying not to mess it up too much.

"The guys convinced him to go but that poem was all him. The boys call him a true romantic."

"No one's ever done that for me before." Suddenly, the two girls heard a whistle from the end of the staircase, right by the boys restroom.

"Pretty lady." Cove looked at Chris, the two girls smiling as she turned to see Charlie coming towards her.

"Chris." The rest of the boys stopped at the staircase, looking at the blonde girl. "What are you doing here? Go ahead, guys. I'll catch up." Charlie and Cove move away from the two, pushing the group of boys towards the exit as Meeks stands still.

"Cove, grab Meeks." The girl rolls her eyes, walking towards the staring boy, grabbing him by the arm sleeve to drag him outside with the rest of the boys.