At that moment, Alonah honestly didn’t understand what she’s feeling. She couldn’t even decipher what it actually is except for the fact that she was completely overwhelmed by the information she was forced to process in such a short while.
As a result, the only thing she could utter was, “What?”
The guy in question let out a chuckle as he casually rested his face against his propped elbow, a charming smile slipping on his lips. "I assume you didn't know it was me?"
"So you’re not Lu’s stepbrother?”
Xavier looked at her in complete bewilderment as he tried to comprehend her question before he burst out laughing.
The embarrassment that followed soon after when she realized what she just asked slowly crept up on her. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks while Alonah silently cursed herself. She’s completely making a fool out of herself because of how nervous she currently feels, not to mention how taken aback she was by the situation.
Obviously, she doesn’t take surprises as well as she thought.
“Of course not.” By this time, mirth overtook Xavier’s entire expression. “Lu doesn’t even have a stepbrother to begin with. Did you really believe what she said?”
“Well, not really since it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of it but gave her the benefit of the doubt.” Alonah replied timidly.
“Honestly, I was quite confused why she introduced me that way because that was the first time she did that too. But after I heard your name, I finally realized why she said that.”
Now that she thought about it, she didn’t really understand how it would benefit Lu or either of them by introducing Xavier as her stepbrother. But after she heard him say that, she understood too why her best friend did that--it was purely just for her own entertainment, wanting to see what our reaction would be once we both realized who the other is.
Considering how Xavier reacted earlier, she’s pretty sure Lu had her fill of the amusement she seeked. After all, no one really expected him to drop the call as soon as he heard her name.
“Oddly enough, I seem to understand too when you pointed it out.” Alonah sighed.
As he took in her reaction, he chuckled. “Some friend she is, huh?”
“Oh you have no idea. I can’t even count the number of times I got nearly in trouble and got in trouble because of her.” A frown marred her face when she recalled all the times she would constantly be running and getting yelled at due to Lu’s misadventures. “Honestly, how is that girl not in jail yet?”
“That’s because she’s great at what she does. You’ve seen what she can do, yes?” Xavier questioned.
Alonah sighed. “That girl will be the death of me.”
“You and me both.” Xavier gave her a grin that made her blink her eyes a couple of times because of how handsome he looked. “Now, did you really have no idea who I was?”
“Well, we wouldn’t be here talking if I did.” Came Alonah’s reply. “I would have bolted out the door because of how much my nerves would take over me.”
"I’m glad you didn’t then. Although, I may have already beaten you to the punch in that area since I did drop the call when I knew it was you.” She couldn’t help but smile because of how adorable he looked with that sheepish expression currently plastered on his face. “Nevertheless, I still came back so I guess that counts as something, yeah?”
Alonah laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.”
He grinned "So, Ally—is it okay I'll call you that?—how have you been?"
It was only at that moment that Alonah seemed to have realized how her previous feeling of nervousness was now gone. She honestly didn’t know in which part of their conversation her jittery feeling went away but she had a feeling that it was when her and Xavier started to compare notes about how much of a troublemaker their mutual friend is.
But right now, as the realization hit her once again about how it’s the Xavier Sturgeon she’s currently talking to, that nervousness kicked back in tenfold.
"Um...Ally?" He asked as he c****d his head to the side.
With her not really noticing that Xavier called her attention several times now, Alonah took that time to assess the Irish guy.
To put it simply and direct to the point, Xavier is a handsome guy--and a hot one at that. His hair is somewhat brown, but it's also like a dirty blonde kind of color. Confusing, she knows. It wasn't styled like what she saw in the previous photo Lu sent her. It actually looked like he just woke up with that hair of his. His eyes are a darker shade of hazel, the kind that you would definitely not mind staring at for the longest time. If she’s being honest with herself, it’s safe to say that she fell in love with his eyes the instant she saw it. His eyelashes are impressively long, and she’s quite jealous on why he was gifted with such long eyelashes. He has a fair complexion, and his lips are slightly paler than usual, along with a well-defined jaw
"Hi." She finally managed to breath out as she finally got a grasp of reality.
He chuckled at her and looked at her through his—again—impressively long eyelashes. "Wow, you really are surprised, aren’t you." He remarked and she smiled sheepishly.
"Well, it isn't everyday that I get to talk to the person Lu has been friends with for so long." She replied.
“And the person she constantly talks to you about, right?”
A blush tinted her cheeks right after she heard Xavier say those words as she looked at him with an expression akin to embarrassment.
Well, even though he’s already this cocky so early in their talk, at least his voice is more comforting and angelic than Reese's dark and sardonic one. She honestly didn’t know how she ever found that attractive once upon a time.
“Well, you aren’t exactly wrong about that.” She told him. “It was more of getting me ready on how to interact with you and the things I should know. For example: you’re cocky.”
Even through the screen, she could tell that Xavier is highly amused by their current exchange. “And am I?”
“Oh definitely. No doubt about that.”
He laughed. “You aren’t really one to sugarcoat, are you?”
“Just when it comes to certain people.” The side grin she gave him only made his grin widen even further.
“And it just so happens that I’m one of those people.”
“How perceptive of you.”
Despite her words sounding so brave and confident, all she really wanted to do was shut up and not say anything more. She doesn’t even know how he would take her bluntness or if he would be offended by the things she said. Granted, those weren’t really words of insult, but it was still something you don’t tell someone you just met.
If the ground could just swallow her up now, she would gladly take that.
"Thanks, I do try.” He flashed her another one of his grins.
It seemed to her that he didn’t really mind her saying those things because of how jovial he still is, but you never really know what’s going on inside someone’s head. For all she knows, he’s already thinking of ways on how to murder her.
“Ah, no wonder.”
He soon regarded her with interest, a cheeky smile started to appear on his lips as he asked, “So, I assume Lu has told you a few of the many things I'm good at?"
She raised an eyebrow. Wow, thirty minutes still hasn't passed and he's already really proving to her how cocky he is. That’s twice now so there’s no way her statement about him being cocky is not true.
"Now, don't get too cocky." She heard a voice say behind her, and she turned around to face a grinning Lu and Ian.
Well, this is awkward.
They made their way towards her and Lu took a seat at her left side, while Ian immediately dived in for the bed, not bothering to see—or know—if his feet hit me and Lu.
Alonah stared at her best friend for the longest time. “What happened to going to the bathroom? How did he,” Alonah pointed at the grinning Ian. “end up being here?”
Lu gave her a shrug and a sly smile. “I called him over. The stupid guy is here anyway so might as well just let him come so he can talk to Xavier as well. Besides, he doesn’t really have anything to do since he doesn’t really have a life.”
Alonah’s head is spinning.
When she came over to Lu’s house, all she was expecting was her and her best friend hanging out together just like any other day. Instead, what she got was even more than what she bargained for.
If she knew this is what she’s going to get as soon as she came here, she would have just endured her boredom at the comfort of her own home and heeded Lu’s words when she said she was busy.
Seeming to only connect the dots now, Alonah realized that when Lu told her she was busy, it was probably because she talked with Xavier. Last time she remembered, Ian mentioned how Lu and Xavier were having a fight. They must have talked it out earlier.
Ian gave Lu a scowl. “The stupid guy is here, you know.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” Lu replied nonchalantly.
“What she said was true though.” They heard Xavier say through the screen. “After all, you’re a shut-in idiot.”
Probably used to the insults he receives from both Lu and Xavier, he merely ignored them and turned his attention to Alonah, who is currently assessing the situation she’s in.
"So I see that you and Xavier already talked." Ian remarked as he flashed her one of his heart melting smiles.
He's really good looking, that one she’ll admit.
"Yeah, well." Alonah answered timidly, trying to keep her voice cool and collected, even though she’s already shitting bricks right now and every fiber of her being is telling her to run away.
Despite her being able to spend some time with Ian along with the chance to get to know him better, she still gets nervous when the guy is around. After all, no matter how nice the guy is, she’s still walking in unknown territory.
Xavier snickered at Ian’s remark. “Way to point out the obvious, Ian.”
“Shut up, Xavier. No one asked for your opinion.”
“Seems to me like you’re only deluding yourself.”
“No, I’m pretty sure you’re the delusional one here.”
Lu sensed her best friend’s tensed aura and put a hand on her shoulder, a gentle smile plastered on her lips. "Relax, it's not like they bite. I swear, they're really nice."
Hearing that, it calmed her down a little. It’s really a wonder to her how Lu is able to manage that.
Ian and Xavier turned to look at her with a small smile, their short-loved banter now coming to a stop. "Yeah, Ally. Just relax. You'll get used to us, I swear." Xavier said and Lu turned to look at him with a sly smirk and raised eyebrow.
"Oh, so you call her Ally, now. What happened between the two of you while I visited Ian to go and get him?" She asked, a mischievous smile slipping on her lips.
Her mouth hung agape while Xavier just smirked back at her best friend. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old. We talked, and then she became attracted to me so she kissed me, and of course I never turn down an opportunity to kiss a beautiful girl like her and—"
"Wait, she kissed you? Through the screen?" Ian asked, amusement empowering his emotions.
Alonah honestly couldn’t tell if Xavier was just being an i***t or if he really is an i***t. Either way, it wasn't going great for her. Just how cocky is this guy really?
"Snickers, what kind of drug did you take to make you say all of things?" Lu asked, the amusement in her voice too impossible to miss.
Well, that's surely a first, she thought. Lu calling someone by a pet name is surely foreign to her ears since she hasn’t really heard her call anyone by a blatantly obvious pet name.
"Snickers, I don't do drugs. I only play with girls and play with their hearts." Xavier said as he smirked at the three of them.
“Not really a good way of impressing the girl you’re interested in.” Ian remarked, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. “If I were Ally, I would dump you before anything has even begun.”
“What? I was just stating facts.” Xavier said. “But you’re right. I’m turning over a new leaf.”
Lu raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re surprisingly easy to talk to today.”
“Oh that’s because I want Ally to like me.”
While Lu and Ian chuckled at his response, Alonah on the other hand is blushing profusely in her place as she tries to comprehend his words.
The guy sure knows his way with words, she’ll give him that.
Putting aside Xavier’s words at the back of her mind, she looked at Lu and Xavier and asked, "You call each other Snickers?"
"Yeah. We've been calling each other that for a few years already." Lu explained while she smiled at her and Xavier gave her a sly smirk.
"They've always been the closest." Ian chorused as he scrolled through his phone aimlessly.
"I guess that explains things."
But it certainly doesn't explain the weird sensation she’s feeling, like what happened is a great punch to the gut. Her emotions are definitely out all over the place now.
"Hey! Blockhead! Open the blasted door right now!" An authoritative voice commanded, making Xavier chuckle in his place, Lu roll her eyes, and Ian shake his head amusingly.
While there was little old Alonah, who looked like a lost little puppy, having no idea what the hell is going on.
"Alright, alright." Xavier replied, still chuckling. He stood up and she heard a door opening, along with footsteps that echoed around the room. Soon enough, a very beautiful girl with chestnut hair and captivating chocolate brown eyes walked in, with her now in perfect view of the camera.
She instantly made a dive for his bed—Alonah could tell because the laptop Xavier is using shook—as a bit of her hair was sprawled on the laptop. "Boys are so stupid, you know." She said as Xavier frowned at her.
"Oi, we are not stupid. Girls just think that we are because of the things we do." He reasoned out, but she could hear the girl snicker in the background.
As far as Alonah could tell, the girl still has no idea that Xavier is currently talking to someone.
Xavier sighed and pushed the laptop forward, making the three people he’s talking to, see half of his room—a sight that is no doubt familiar to both Lu and Ian, but foreign to the only trespasser in the room. He lied down beside her, while she just sighed; a sad one at that.
"Alright, what happened?" Xavier asked as he c****d his head to the side to look at her.
"Remember Jake?"
Xavier scoffed. "Why wouldn't I remember that jerk? He stole my f*****g girlfriend from me." He stated and she looked at Lu in shock. She was already looking at her and she pressed a finger against her lips to silence her, probably wanting to hear what the girl had to say.
The girl beside Xavier let out a sad laugh. "Of course. I remember that. That was the first time I ever got to see you cry over a girl." She said and Xavier growled.
"Shut up. Now, what did that asshole do?" He asked and the girl sighed again.
"He dumped me." She finally dropped the bomb and she heard snickers coming from both Lu and Ian. Xavier sat up at what he heard and looked at her wide eyed.
"Why?" He asked, the playful demeanor he had earlier already out of the picture.
The girl also sat up and tamed her messy hair. "You know, the usual. Dumped me for my best friend." She said, and Alonah could already practically see steam coming from Xavier's ears.
"That stupid wanker! I swear, if I see him, I'll throw him at the back of my car, drive to the nearest cliff, and leave him to decompose there." He seethed and the girl let out a soft chuckle. That seemed to calm him down a bit because a small smile slipped on his lips.
Honestly, Alonah felt like she’s watching a movie right now. It also doesn’t help that she’s seeing the both of them through a laptop screen.
"I knew that guy was too f*****g good to be true." She heard Ian mumble beside her, as he scrolled through his phone angrily that you could hear how hard he’s tapping his phone
"That little piece of s**t will definitely get it from me when I visit them there." Lu said quietly as she texted someone on her phone.
Alonah really wanted to bolt out of the door now. She feels like she’s witnessing something she’s not supposed to. However, Ian and Lu didn’t seem to mind having her there and hearing whatever Xavier and the girl were talking about because they made no sign of kicking her out of the room.
She looked at the screen again, and saw that the girl was already hugging Xavier as she cried against his shirt. "You're getting snot all over my shirt, Lau.” Xavier remarked with a fake disgusted tone as the girl pulled away from him only to punch him on the shoulder.
"Even when I'm crying, you're still a jerk." She said and he laughed as he reached out to her and wiped her tears using his thumb.
She couldn’t help but silently coo at the scene unfolding in front of her. She really wishes she had someone that sweet in her life. Well, she has her brother, but he mostly just teases her right after I go and cry to him about something.
But seeing Xavier like that, who would have thought that the guy actually had a sweet side? Not to mention that she’s seeing it so soon after only just talking to him. Well, he probably forgot that they were still on the line but still.
"Stop crying, alright? He's not worth it." He said and the girl smiled. "Let's just beat the s**t out of him, yeah? Wouldn't be too hard since the bloke even whimpers from a slight glare he receives from Xander and I."
A scoff escaped Lu's lips. "And here it is, Xavier playing hero again." Ian and Alonah chuckled beside her, noting that she said those words quietly for only the three of us to hear. She gave us a small smirk. "But Lau, that guy's really a dunderhead for letting an amazing girl like you go." She chorused, making both the girl and Xavier turn their heads towards us.
Surprise masked both of their faces as they turned towards the source of the voice, making Alonah conclude that she was right about her assumption of Xavier forgetting they were still there.
"Lu!" The girl exclaimed happily.
And just like that, her foul mood turned to a happy one as soon as she saw Lu on the screen. But as soon as she saw the only unknown person on the screen, she looked at her with a friendly smile.
"Hello, what's your name?" She asked and she smiled sheepishly.
Well, again, this is awkward.
"Hi." She replied and she saw Xavier smirk in the background.
"Get used to that, Lau. That's the only thing she ever says." Xavier said and Alonah scowled, making the girl in front of her laugh.
"Stupid jerk. We still don't know each other that well and he's already insulting me." She mumbled irritatingly.
Surprisingly, the girl apparently heard what she said. Alonah really thought she said those words quietly, but it just doesn’t seem like that’s the case.
"Well, get used to it too. That's just how he is." She explained and Alonah smiled at her. But when she heard Xavier's laugh echo around the room, she stuck her tongue out at him when he looked at her.
He walked closer towards the camera and sat beside the girl. "You want it inside my mouth? Because I'd gladly take that chance." He suggested flirtatiously, and she can't help but gag at what he said.
At this point, Alonah didn’t even know what to think of Xavier anymore. There’s just too many sides of him she’s seeing all at once that it’s making her head spin more than it did earlier.
"I'd rather die than put this," She pointed to her tongue as she stuck it out once more. "inside your mouth." She deadpanned and he laughed.
Ian chuckled beside her while Lu giggled. "Good one. Lu, this girl seriously amuses me to no end." Xavier said as he looked at Lu gratefully, almost like it was a great achievement of hers or something.
"Anyway, what's your name?" The girl asked again, and this time, Alonah plans on answering her question rather than just saying a greeting.
"Alonah." She replied and the girl’s face instantly turned to shock.
"Oh my gosh, is she who I think she is?" The girl asked any of the three giddily.
"Yup." Ian replied before flashing Alonah a knowing grin.
"Oh my gosh, I am so happy to meet you!" She answered and Alonah smiled politely at her.
Xavier only smirked as he looked at Alonah fleetingly before turning his attention to his friends. “I bet you guys my newest Ferrari that she doesn't have a clue on who she's talking to right now." Xavier said confidently, and Ian and Lu can't help but grin sheepishly, silently confirming his thoughts.
The girl pouted. "You guys," She whined. "you're so mean." She said, directing it to Ian and Lu. "My name's Lauren. I'm Xavier's cousin. But, you probably already knew that."
And then, it dawned on her.
She's Xavier's cousin. No wonder they have some similarities. She was wondering about that the moment she saw her.
Alonah only smiled sheepishly, confirming what Lauren just said.
Lauren turned to face Xavier. "We have to fly down to Lu's right away!" She said frantically, and Alonah’s mouth hung agape.
What the hell is happening here?
Lauren turned to look at the three people on the screen. "Lu, we'll be there as soon as possible. I can't believe Ian really did leave us. Cheating bastard." She said, making Ian laugh beside Alonah.
"Well, I do try." He replied with a smirk.
Lauren turned to Xavier again. "Inform the others." She commanded, while Xavier groaned in his place. She turned to them again. "Bye guys! See you soon!"
And with that, she hung up, leaving the three friends to stare at a blank screen.
"Well, that was surprising." Ian commented after a long pause.
Lu turned to Alonah with a grin. "Are you ready to meet the others?" She asked.
She sighed. “Do I even have a choice?”
“Nope!” Lu replied happily while Ian just let out a laugh
“Then, I guess I am.” She replied grimly.
Oh, this is going to be really eventful.
Aksara