𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒

Chapter Nine

Alex opened three big bags of crisps as Noah got comfortable on my bed and Hailey at my desk, exploring my new stationery.

"There's no way that my parents agreed to this," I remarked, looking around at them all.

Alex shrugged. "Of course they did; we're studying for our Chemistry test," she responded, winking at me.

I opened and closed my mouth. "We don't take Science together," I said, watching her deadpan me. "You lied?" I said, pulling a face, "I thought you weren't the lying type?" I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'm not unless it's a necessary evil. You know I'm an honest gal, Issy, just like you,"

Well, I'm not necessarily honest. My whole life is a lie. Even to me, sometimes.

"Do you have anything interesting to watch?" Noah asked, glancing up at my shelf full of films. It was nothing compared to Caleb's, but it was certainly a start.

"Yeah," I said, throwing a small budget film called 'Player' at him. He rolled his eyes and stood up, placing it back onto the shelf.

I joined Caleb, who was staring at my most recent painting. I was always quite nervous about my works—most people mistakenly took it for modesty, but my paintings were the biggest source of my secret.

He glanced over at me when I joined him, before turning back to the painting and gazing at it inquisitively. "It's very abstract," he said quietly, knowing that I liked my paintings kept quiet.

I nodded. "I guess so,"

"You guess so?" Caleb asked, smiling, "You painted it,"

"Yeah," was all I said, rubbing up and down my arm uncomfortably.

Turning back to it, he cocked his head to the side. "What's it meant to be? It looks like a...sort of messy sunset, or a swarm of butterflies, or..."

I bit my lip. "It's more so...a feeling," I answered, growing nervous when his eyes landed on me. "Or an experience,"

He hummed, eyes deep in thought as he took another look at the painting. "I like it,"

I smiled, "Maybe I'll paint you one," he grinned in return, and I felt my cheeks flushing.

"I've chosen a film," Noah said, interrupting us. I turned to see his eyes already on me. "'One Of Us Is Lying'," he said, holding it up.

Whilst Noah was setting up the film and Caleb and Hailey were discussing something to do with architecture, Alex joined me on my bed. I turned to see her smiling at me.

"You look creepy," I told her, before laughing.

She hummed, "I'll pretend to be offended so I can talk to you about this discreetly," I frowned at her, "you were just flirting with Caleb,"

My eyes widened and I started flushing again. Stupid, stupid blood flow. Stop it! "I was not,"

She nodded. "That's not what your red cheeks are telling me," She said, tapping my left cheek gently.