Arranged

Chapter-19

"Right. Here's a pack of frozen peas for the bruised knuckles," Allison said as she reappeared in the room and handed a green-white, iced packet to Darian. He took it gratefully and managed to smile at her, though his expression quickly morphed into the pissed one he had been sporting since the moment that guy had passed that comment at Kelly.

Allison grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her to one corner of the living room, slightly farther from where he sat in one of the armchairs. "What happened exactly?" she hissed, staring wide-eyed at her. Kelly raised her hands and pressed the sides of her temple with the fingers.

"It was –" she began, but the rest of it was drowned under a drilling noise. Allison closed her eyes and took a deep breath; Kelly knew she was bidding time. Her friend gestured for her to speak and she attempted again.

"It was –" And once again, the drilling happening two rooms away drowned her voice. Allison gave a tight-lipped smile, held up one finger and walked gracefully to the arch through she had entered the room. A second later, she bellowed down the hall, "Are you assholes without common sense?! I have guests here! Cut the crap for tonight! You guys are already two days late on schedule! Ass–!"

Kelly firmly clasped a hand over her mouth before she could continue. "I think they get the message," she said gently and glanced over her shoulder at the startled Darian. His mouth was wide open and the packet of peas had slipped from his grasp. She smiled apologetically at him and he nodded in acknowledgement, picking up the dripping packet.

"Anyway," Allison said once Kelly removed her hand, "let's continue." She turned around and smiled at Darian as if nothing had happened, while he responded with a nervous wave of the hand. Kelly chuckled as they went back to their corner and she finally said, "It was Max –"

"Max who?"

"Max, Rob's best friend. He –"

"That punk? With tattoos all over his left arm and a new girl in his right one every week?"

"Yes. That one. So, he bumped into –"

"That ass is still in town?" Allison interrupted yet again and frowned.

Kelly took a deep breath and said slowly, pronouncing each word as clearly as she could, "Al, honey, if you dare interrupt again, I will sock you well and proper."

Allison promptly pulled her lips into her mouth and pressed them together. Darian watched in amusement the sudden change in dynamics in their discussion.

"So, Max, the tattooed womanizer who is the best friend of Rob, bumped into me an hour ago. Well, I think he purposefully did it; I was not paying any attention to people around me at the time. Anyway, he began his routine of public accusation, but before he could get to the cursing part, Darian punched the daylights out of him. Nose and gum bleeding, and he screamed like a girl while running away. And since we were like three or four blocks away from your place, we are here right now. Oh, and this is Darian Summers, by the way," she appended, turning towards him and speaking the last sentence loud enough for him to hear. He held the wet packet in his left hand, wiped his right hand on his jeans and extended it to Allison while Kelly narrated, "This is the crazy friend I told you about – Allison Greystone."

"Yes, I did recognize her voice," Darian said as they shook hands.

"Right. I knew you were Luke the moment I saw you," Allison said with a wide grin. Darian stared at her for a passing second before he looked away and chuckled.

"That name really stuck, huh?"

"You bet."

"Maybe I should just go ahead and get my name changed officially."