I Hate My Brother (editing!)

29.

**mild mature content**
• • •

"You're not going to tell me there's nothing going on."

"Well, there isn't!"

"How do you explain the arms around you thing?" I smirk.

"Oh c'mon! You know it better. He does it with everyone!"

Cass and I can't stop teasing Ally about Drew being flirty with her all of a sudden.

"I think he's trying to get a reaction." Cass says.

Ally raises an eyebrow. "From who?"

"Wayne, duh." I answer.

"Oh." She begins to bite her straw, casting her gaze downwards. Anyone could see she's hiding something.

"Spill." Cass' the one who can't hold her mouth.

"Um, he uh, he stopped by the Pizzeria yesterday."

Cass and I gasp dramatically. "And you didn't tell us!"

"I'm offended!" I clutch a hand over my chest.

Ally rolls her eyes. "It literally happened last night. Plus, should I go back and talk about how you," she points at me. "Hid about Zacson, and you," she points at Cass, "hid about Carson?"

Cass and I share a look, not having anything to defend ourselves with. Right. Cass and Carson somehow started flirting with each other awhile ago without our knowledge. She insisted it isn't anything sexual, but they are definitely texting each other way too much that they even secretly chat via their phone when we are all in the same room.

"Fine. So what happened? He brought a girl?" Cass asks, curious. Wayne is relatively distant. He really only opens up whenever he's with the guys. Even though Cass hangs out with us almost on a daily basis, he has barely said more than twenty sentences to her.

Ally shakes her head. "He was with his martial arts friends, I think. They were all in their uniform and all."

"Uh huh."

"Nothing much. He gave me a tip. A $50 tip. And drew me a smiley on the receipt. That's all." She blushes slightly and continues to stir her drink with the bitten straw.

"Oh my god!" I get excited for her. That's a huge progression in their non-existent relationship. "$50!"

"Chill." She giggles. "He's just kind."

Kind? If my brother's anything, he's absolutely not kind.

Just then, I feel someone come up to me from behind and wrap their arms around my shoulder. Said person bends down and pecks me on the top of my head.

"See you in ten at my car, okay?"

I nod shyly, aware that there're hundreds of people in the cafeteria who might be watching. It has been two weeks since my car accident and I no longer have my car with me. Thankfully, my insurance will be footing the bill for the repairs but it will take awhile to fix it considering the extent of damage. Moreover, I'm not ready to drive soon again yet. Zac has offered to drive me to and fro school as much as he can. Whenever he can't make it, only then I'll hitch a ride from Wayne or Carson.

I don't know whether my brother, or anyone else for that matter, knows about us; but Zac has been a lot more affectionate with me in public now. In front of the girls, he no longer minds sneaking a kiss or two.

"Jeez. You two, just date already." Cass teases.

I still don't know what are we, since we haven't talked about it. But I'm happy. And it takes a lot for me to feel that way. I haven't felt genuinely happy in a while.