Who Knows?

"What about your friend in the truck?"

I don't know why, but he made me feel a little uncomfortable. The way he was looking me up and down, stopping too long to linger on my legs and breasts. As fast as I could manage, I took my hand from his and mumbled a quiet greeting.

"I like 'em shy", he grins and winks at me.

"Okay, Tommy, that's enough. Leave her alone, she's too young for you anyways," Bennett luckily decides to butt in. Tommy, huh. His name doesn't fit him. Tommy is such a nice and cute name.

"That has never stopped me before, has it?" Tommy retorts and once again, winks at me.

"Do you have something in your eye, or is it just a nervous tic?" I ask him and cross my arms in front of my chest. Bennett and Tess start laughing and Tommy just shakes his head and starts to leave.

"Whatever, I gotta go. You guys are lame."

"Bye, Tommy Boy," Tess coos and waves her hand at him while smiling fakely.

He slams the door and once again, we hear a car driving off.

"What a douche!" Tess and I say simultaneously. We abruptly look at each other and start laughing loudly.

"You guys are cute," Bennett says, observing us. "Don't let the guys get on your nerves, they can be a handful, I know, but deep down they're nice people."

"Why are you friends with that Tommy guy?" Tess asks her brother.

"Well, without him I wouldn't get to renovate and live in this house, so..." he trails off.

"Ugh, Ben, you need to get better friends."

"Hey, Eli is an awesome friend, mind you."

Eli. I silently try his name out on my tongue. What the hell are you doing, Romy?! It's just a name, goddammit.

"That was the guy with smoke coming out of his ears," Tess says to me, trying to hide her laugh. I don't find a reason to laugh at that. The whole scenario was pretty scary if you ask me.

"Yeah, he has a bad temper but other than that, he is a great guy. My best friend actually so watch what you say, young lady." Bennett points a finger at my best friend and she pokes her tongue out at him. "Are you also 21?" Ben directs the question at me.

"Yes," I confirm. "What happened between the two earlier?" I dare to ask.

"Yes, good question, what was going on?" Tess supports my question.

"It's nothing. The two never got along well, that's it."

"But what were they fighting about?" Tess won't let the subject drop, yet.

"None of your business. Curiosity killed the cat, Tessie."

"Don't call me that, and you should tell that to Romy. If you think I'm curious, Romy will blow your mind."

"Ey, I'm standing right here," I say appalled. "How dare you?"

"You're not denying it," Tess answers in a sing-song voice. I huff out a breath and turn to look out the kitchen window onto the porch. Wind ruffles through the trees that are planted around the driveway and the setting sun begins to cast a pinkish glow over the land. In the background, I can here Tess and Ben talking. He's asking about college and Tess starts complaining about having to study so much. The black truck we originally parked next to pulls up into the driveway and I wonder if it's Eli or Tommy. Please don't let it be Tommy. I look and wait but no one steps out of the car. I turn to Bennett and Tess.

"One of your friends just came back but they're not coming out of their car."

"Is it a truck or a car?"

"A black truck with tinted windows."

Ben nods twice. "That's Eli. He probably needs to cool down some more before he comes out or something."

"Is he always that angry?"

"No, of course not." Ben laughs a little.

"Where does he live?"

"Here with us."

"Oh. Tess said it was just you and one friend."

"Yeah, usually it's just me and Tommy but Eli is d-" he stops mid-sentence. "Uuh, he is just living with us for a few months."

"Why?" I ask.

Ben turns to Tess. "You're right. She is more curious than you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I can't help myself sometimes." I say at the same time as Tess says, "Told ya."

"It's quite alright, don't worry." Ben smiles at me. I really like him and I know that I'll feel at home here. With him at least; I'm not too sure about his friends. "Well, are you guys hungry? I could order some pizza," Bennett offers and we both nod enthusiastically.

"What about your friend in the truck? Does he want to eat something?" Tess asks her brother.

"Probably. I'll go and ask him." With that, Ben makes his way to the front door and toward the black truck.

Tess and I go up the kitchen window to see if Eli finally comes out of the car.

"Don't you think he's scary?" I ask Tess.

"I don't know. A little maybe but as Ben said, he's not always angry."

"Why are they all so freakishly tall?"

Tess laughs. "Good question. No idea. Look at me and then my brother. He was blessed with all the height and I got stuck with 5'5"."

"That's not that short," I tell her, trying to make her feel better.

"Yeah, but you're still taller."

"Two inches, Tess. That's not a lot."

"Oh, oh, he's getting out." Tess points to the driveway. Ben is already walking back into the house and Eli exists his truck. He looks a little less angry, now. The passenger side door opens as well and a woman jumps out of the truck. She's very pretty. Long dark hair, very tan and tall and her teeth are the whitest teeth I've ever seen. Looks like he has a girlfriend. I hope she's nice.

"So, what kind of pizza do you guys want?" Ben asks as he walks into the kitchen, phone already in hand.