Only Ones Who Know - Derp Crew High School AU

Chapter 11: An Italian Warning

(A/N: This part's going to be shorter and more just to continue the last one.)

"Is this the place?" Steven asked pulling up in front of the coffee shop. I nodded yes and sighed, re-reading the text to be sure. It's been a day since Cielo's fight with Ryan, and today we've agreed to meet for coffee, just me and him. Cielo is out with Scarlett and their friends, so Steven agreed to drive me.

I know she plans to work it out on her own, because she's stubborn like me, but I need this. I've never even sat down to talk to him; it's always been around Cielo or Dad. If he's going to be dating my sister, I need to know him. Even if he has left a bad impression on several occasions.

"Yeah, we're kinda early. Thanks for driving me, Stevie."

He shrugged and grabbed my hand, pulling me in for a kiss. "No problem. And if you need back-up, I'll be around."

I chuckled at the thought of my tiny, condensed-ball-of-rage Steven jumping in a scuffle with me. But I don't think he'll have to - at least not today.

Finally, I let Steven go and gave him one last kiss before he went off somewhere else to wait for me. I went inside the coffee shop and ordered my drink, grabbing a table for two. A few minutes later I spotted a mop of blonde hair in a Granite Hills hoodie walking through the door.

"Ryan!" I shouted, waving my hand. He turned and made his order, then joined me at the table.

"Hey, man," he greeted, shaking my hand. "What made you want to hang out today?"

I shrugged my shoulders and took a sip from my cup. "No reason. I mean, you're dating my sister and I hardly know you. And I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot, so I'd like to make it up to you. So, how'd you meet Cielo?"

He laughed and got his cup from the waitress. "I went to my physical science class that morning and saw someone new sitting in the desk beside me. The teacher had her stand up and tell the class who she was because she was new, and for some reason I don't think she liked me that first day." Neither did I, bud. Neither did I. "But the next day we finally spoke to each other and her friend Jessie helped set us up."

"Oh, that's nice. That's how I met Steven, well, except for the whole 'us not liking each other' thing."

"Huh. So, how did you know that you were... you know..."

"Ryan, it's okay, you can say it. Bisexual's not a dirty word. Anyway, I started feeling it when I was about 13 but I didn't tell anyone until I was 15, on my birthday of all days. Actually, Cielo was the first person to know. It wasn't easy, and it was even a little scary, but everyone eventually warmed up to it."

He nodded and sipped his coffee. "That's pretty cool, man. Cielo said she thought you and Steven were really cute together."

I blushed a little when he said that. "Yeah, he's a real cutie. But back to you. How are things going with Cielo? She talks about you all the time."

It was time to test him. I knew how things were going between them, I could hear their fight last night. But I'd like to hear his side next. I'd know if he's lying.

"It's... okay," he started. "I messed up last night, Tony. I really did. I don't really trust drunk me."

That last line... "Wait, what?" I asked, hoping I didn't hear that last line. "You don't trust who?"

"Last night I got a little drunker than usual and I saw my ex Amelia at the party, and I started dancing with her. Cielo saw it and she got a little mad, then we shouted at each other and she left."

Right now, I thought I was going to need Steven's back-up offer. "Dude, are you serious? What were you doing drinking in the first place? How were you going to get home? How was Cielo going to get home? You do realize that little 'stunt' almost broke her heart, right?"

"It was a mistake, okay? We talked about it on the phone last night and we cleared everything up. It was a one time thing, and I'll never see her again, well, her as in Amelia. Relax, okay?"

"But you didn't answer my questions. You were drunk? Who was going to end up driving her home?"

"Dude, I had it all figured out. Relax."

I leaned back in my spot and threw my hands over my head. He really wants to get himself knocked out, doesn't he? "I can't relax. Her room's right next to mine, and I heard everything. I just knew for sure that you had the nerve to put your hands on her. She's my everything, I have every right to be worried."

"It's settled. You don't have to get all worked up about it. Chill."

I leaned closer to him and looked him square in the eyes. "Look, she may be able to forgive you. Hell, she can forgive you as many times as she wants. But just know, if you hurt her, with your words or your hands, I'll never forgive you, and I'll never forget what you did. You won't always be able to come back to her whenever you screw up. And remember, make her cry one more time, and you'll be doing the same. Got it?"

He nodded, but I needed more. "Go on ahead, say it. Look me in the eye and tell me you got it. Tell me that you'll never hurt her again."

"I got it. I'll never hurt her again."

I nodded and stood up, grabbing my half empty latte and downing the rest. "Who knows, you might turn out to be a good guy after all. Have a nice day, Ryan." Before leaving the shop, I sent Steven a text to get me, then sat down on the curb to wait for him. A minute later, his car pulled up beside me.

"Hey, babe. How'd it go?"

I shook my head and put the seat belt on. "Yep, still hate him."

"Really? What'd he do?"

"Apparently, he was being a drunk asshole when he and Cielo had that fight. I have a bad feeling that this won't end well. He's going to break her heart, I know it."

Steven rubbed circles on my hand and kissed my cheek. "Hey, it'll be okay. You just have to stick by her and keep her safe. She needs you now more than ever." He cranked up his car and headed back towards my house, with nothing but the radio filling the air.