City of Blind ✓

Why?

I AM SUPER SORRY IF YOUR SHIP DIDN'T SAIL! WHICH IN THIS CASE IS LISTRID (AS PER MAJORITY) BUT COME ON, ASTREAL IS CUTE TOO!

BTW, THE SHIP NAME IS SUGGESTED BY AMAZING kirtirockzz !! YOU ROCK GIRL!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I opened my eyes to see horror stricken face of Asher, angered face of Aiden, beaming one of dad and confused one of Alex.

I sighed. I can never catch a break.

"I said. I have a date."

"With?"

"When?"

"Where?"

"Why?"

"Shut up!" all 4 of them, zipped their lips. "Why? Really Alex?"

He narrowed his eyes and I rolled mine.

"I have a date with Neal. He will pick me up at 7 tonight and I have no idea where he's taking me. And it's a date because he likes me, duh."

I tried to cover my blush up at the last part.

"You're not going."

"He can't like you!"

"What if he takes you to forest and murders you?!"

I sighed in exasperation and looked at dad for help. He cleared his throat.

"She is going and that is final!"

I beamed as my brothers looked at dad incredulously.

"You're supposed to polish your non-existent gun right now!" Asher threw his hands up in frustration.

"Am I?" dad questioned, totally lost.

I shook my head and glared at Aiden when he tried to instigate dad.

"Dad! Whose side are you on?!" I whined. He rubbed his neck sheepishly and looked between my brothers, Alex and me.

"I trust, Astrid. She is going on this date as she is a grown up lady now. But I will like to give this Neal, a talk. No arguments!"

All of us zipped our mouth as dad marched away in what he thought was defiance.

I seriously love my dad!

~~~~~

"I still can't believe you're going with that-"

"Don't dare complete the sentence." I warned and Alex sighed.

"I am just looking out for you, Astrid. I don't want you hurt."

I smiled through the mirror.

"I know."

He smiled back.

"You look cute by the way."

I gave him a huge cheeky smile and gave myself a once over in mirror. I was wearing a huge mint coloured 'nerd' shirt over black ripped skinny jeans, a few bracelets, my black beanie and sneakers. Asher refused to do my hair and dad only managed to remove the knots.

I heard a car horn and my eyes widened. I quickly raced down the stairs to avoid Neal's death but damn, I was late.

Figuratively, of course.

Aiden and Asher were shooting daggers at him as he squirmed under their gaze. I cleared my throat and approached them. Neal's eyes lit up immediately and he smiled at me. I blushed.

Damn! He looked hot.

He wasn't wearing his geek glasses and that made him look hot instead of cute. He had a black leather jacket on over a maroon tank and black jeans with vans.

"Stop scaring the kid away." Dad pushed both Asher and Aiden away from the door. "Come in, son." He ushered Neal in and sat him on couch.

"I am Henry, Astrid's father."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Neal."

They shook hand and then dad shooed me away. I bit my lip and gave a thumbs up to Neal.

I hope he survives it.

Dad and Neal were meeting for the first time. Neal wasn't at the barbeque dad arranged for our friends and dad was always absent when he came to here for Journalism project.

I looked back towards upstairs. Alex didn't come down, was the feud between Neal and him that serious?

I bit my lip and raced upstairs as I decided to confront Alex in the meanwhile.

"Hey."

I startled him from his trance and he looked away from my picture collage, sheepishly. I didn't miss the calculating look in his eyes as he analysed those pictures.

That look sent a weird heavy feeling in my gut.

"I was just-"

"It's alright." I chuckled "I put them up so that people can see it, you know."

He rolled his eyes and started collecting his books.

"Isn't your date here?" I eyed his slightly clenched jaw as he forced out the words.

"He is."

"Then why are you here?" he stood up straight and looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. I sighed.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah?"

"Alex, we have been through a lot together and I don't know about you, but I take you as my friend now. And I really don't want any tension in my relationships if Neal and I take a step ahead."

"What are you talking about?" he cocked his head to the side like a lost puppy.

"Why do you and Neal don't like each other?"

"I am totally lost here." my frown deepened as I knew he was telling the truth.

"Neal told me that you had a bad history that's why he doesn't like you. Do you know about that?"

"He said that?" he asked baffled. I nodded. "Well, I honestly have no clue about this but on my part, I am not very fond of him because uh no offense but he gives me bad vibes. Like, I killed his pet cat or something so uh yeah. That's why I steer clear of him."

He shrugged and I nodded gingerly. Either Alex is genuinely lost or he is an amazing actor.

I shrugged the issue away. Whatever it is, it's between them and I will make sure to not let it come between my relations.

"Astrid!"

"That's my cue." I smiled at Alex and left him in my room to pack his stuff as I jogged downstairs. I bit back a chuckle upon seeing Neal's pale face.

He survived but poor thing is scared for life.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You can leave now, Neal seems like a nice chap and I hope he won't forget the little chat we had together."

Dad smiled in amusement when he saw Neal shudder and nod.

"Uh- we should leave now, pump-Astrid."

I nodded and looked at Aiden and Asher who were smirking at him while making hand gestures of punching and cutting his throat.

Even I shuddered.

~~~~~~

DONT KILL ME FOR MAKING YOU WAIT FOR THE DATE!

DONT KILL ME FOR NOT PAIRING YOUR SHIP!

I LOVE YOU!

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