"... so then Blakey here, runs the hell out of the lake, and what do you know, there really is a leech," Josh said, laughing even more.

We were still sitting around the table. We'd just finished eating the desert, Nanaimo bars, which I had learned, were one of Anita's many specialties, and Josh had kindly agreed to tell me embarrassing stories about Blake even though the one concerned had all but choke Josh from across the table. His parents were on my side, and urged Josh to go on, laughing at the memories with him.

"How the hell was I supposed to react? A freaking leech. Just so you know, it's not the best feeling in the world. And I was freaking nine years old," Blake scowled beside me, looking annoyed.

I laughed beside him, which earned me a glare.

Ha ha

"Wait, you ain't even heard the funny part yet. So Jay and I, we tell Blake that he has to take his shorts off because there might be leeches hidden in them. And what do you know? Next thing, Blake is wriggling out of them, screaming like a newborn baby," Josh burst laughing while Blake hung his head in shame in his hands.

"Ow, poor Blake," I laughed.

"Oh, it's not even the worst part," Josh grinned, and then Blake raised his head.

"Please, for the sake of me, please just stop," Blake begged.

"Heck no," Josh grinned wider and then looked back at me, "So you have this butt naked Blake, leech on his leg, screaming and crying, while his brother and I are all but pissing ourselves and that's when Catherine decides to show up."

I started to laugh hysterically right there.

"Hey it's so not funny! You wouldn't be laughing if you had been in my position," Blake scowled beside me, his hands covering his face.

"Oh, but I would never have been stupid enough to actually take my shorts off," I laughed.

And I really wasn't the only one.

Josh of course was clutching his stomach with laugher, and Anita's shoulders were shaking with them, and Blake's parents chuckled lightly too, but there was something about the way they looked at me.

I really shouldn't be self conscious like that. They probably weren't even looking at me, but at Blake. But it just felt like their gazes were on me. It was strange.

"Oh, trust me. If you had grown up with my brother and Josh you'd have taken your pants off. Those two together would have scared away the freaking devil," Blake snorted.

"Thought you and Josh were the perfect pair," I said, still laughing a little.

It was a funny story. And I also grasped at any embarrassing story I could have about Blake.

"Oh, when they were younger Josh and Jay were often mistaken for twins actually. And people thought Blake was their little brother tagging along," Sophia said, a small smile on her lips.

"Tagging along? You make me sound like a dog," Blake rolled his eyes.

"Aw, don't take it the wrong way my brother from mother. We actually enjoyed your company when you weren't engrossed in one of these many books of your," Josh told him, still laughing.

"He was the booky type when he was younger?" I asked smiling a little.

Blake was leaning his head in his palm, elbow against the table, bad etiquette right there, and was shaking his head slightly, discouraged.

"Yeah, he was the perfect little loner kid, with his painting and piano playing and reading. But then, me and Jay, we corrupted him," Josh grinned widely.

Blake rolled his eyes.

This was the most I had head about Blake's brother since I had known he had one. As much as I had more question erupting in my mind, I didn't want to push my luck. If he had something to say, I had to let him say it to me on his own, right?

Well, at least, that was what I tried to convince myself.

I looked outside through the window, at the sun setting down, and thought about home, and Dad and Tyler that might be needing me right now, that might be unhappy or crying while I was here having fun and laughing.

And I wanted to feel bad, but all I could feel was good.

And I felt ashamed for that.

"I should go soon," I told Blake, half-heartedly.

I hoped he hadn't heard that too much.

"Alright, if you say so," Blake trailed, frowning a little.

Hmm, weird.

Could have Blake also wanted me to stay?

That would have been weird considering he was being publicly humiliated by Josh with me here.

"What's going on?" Sophia asked, smiling.

"Lexi's gotta go," Blake explained to his mom.

"Oh already?" she pouted a little. "You'll come again, right? We didn't scare you off?" she smiled.

"No, I had a lot of fun tonight. I just have to get back to my family."

"Alright I get that," she said and then Anita was getting up, and starting to clean the table, everyone helping.

"I left my bag in your room," I told Blake while I put my plate on the little carry-on.

"I'll go get it," he said and turned around, all set to sprint away.

"No, don't worry, I got it," I told him and walked towards the hall to get to the Titanic stairs and then Blake's own ones.

"Aw Pumpkin, are we going to have to fight this one?" Blake smirked a little.

"No fighting, because I'll be winning. Because I always win," I smirked too, but then Blake pushed me a little, laughing and sprang out of the dinning room, and just like a reflex I started running too, to reach my bag first.

It wasn't until I was pushing Blake in his stairs that I thought about all the fragile things sprawled everywhere in the house.

Thank god I hadn't broken anything.

Blake and I sprang towards the second floor, to the couch, where I had left my bag, pushing each other, but Blake reached it first and then raised it over his head, stretching his arm as far as it could go.

And he was smirking at me.

"Give it Blake," I ordered him, pulling his arm down but it wasn't moving.

He was strong.

"Nah ah," Blake laughed, sticking his tongue out at me.

God, this just felt like kindergarten all over again.

"Blake," I sighed, but then found myself skipping a little to try to get the bag, grabbing onto his arm, still pulling.

"Give in Pumpkin. It's not going to work. You lose. Admit it. Admit you can't win against me," Blake said in an evil voice, his eyes gleaming.

"I'm not admitting anything," I answered, my voice challenging and then raised my knee to his stomach trying to make him bent so I could reach the bag, but Blake squirmed away from me, and then we were pushing each other, fighting.

"You'll never get it, Pooky," Blake smirked wider than ever.

Oh, that was it.

I climbed up the couch and then jumped on Blake's back.

Blake started to laugh, but fell back on the couch, squishing me under him, his weight on me, his back against my stomach.

"Blake... can't breathe," I hissed, pushing his back.

And then Blake turned around, but he was still on top of me, and facing me, and my eyes widened.

Oh crap, oh crap, crap, crap...

Blake just stayed there, his smirk slowly fading to another expression I couldn't quite pinpoint, while I was breathing heavily and freaking out.

Just push him off Lexi.

Push.

Him.

Off.

But somehow, I just couldn't.

All I could do was stare in those grey eyes of his, and that perfect face of his, and be hit by that oh so nice smell.

"Kids, you almost knocked a vase o—" Josh voice said, coming from the stairs and then Blake eyes changed like he just realized the position he was in and got back on his feet off of me.

No.

Wait.

Back it up. Did I just really think that?

"Blake," Josh said, shaking his head a little, a smile playing on the edge of his lips, while I got up too.

"What?" Blake asked sharply, his hand running in his hair.

"Nothing, I just wanted to mention you kids need to watch it next time you just can't keep your hands off of each other and feel the need to rush to the bedroom so fast," Josh grinned proudly.

Oh god.

"That's so not what was going on here," I defended myself.

"Whatever," Josh said, waving the matter away, and then turned around and walked down the stairs.

"Don't call me Pooky again," I told Blake, and snatched my bag that was still in his hands, relying on his apparent confusion right now.

"I'll call you how ever I want," Blake said, the smirk reappearing on his face.

"Dumbass," I mumbled.

"Thanks."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Blake asked.

"Oh, I'm going to go sell myself on the streets. Why?" I told him, smirking a little.

"Well, you know, lab report," Blake chuckled. "But I guess we can always procrastinate if you need to go make money."

"Yeah, let's procrastinate," I agreed.

"So, you'll tell me the street, I'll be sure to drive by, throw you some pocket change. Or I could be your Richard Gere," Blake smirked more.

"Oh please, no Pretty Woman references," I sighed.

"Why not? You're the one who started it with the making the streets thing."

"Yeah, but I'm not the Julia Roberts here, you are," I laughed but then I stopped, hit by another of my many epiphanies. "Is that why you don't like getting kissed? Like Stacey said? Because you don't wanna get attached like Julia Roberts? Oh, did I unravel a secret here?"

"What Stacey said? You listen to Stacey?" Blake snorted.

"Okay so no kissing problems?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Was it Ernest Hemingway that said never delay kissing a pretty girl or opening a bottle of whiskey? I think it was," Blake said, ignoring my question, looking thoughtful.

"You're deviating from the subject Blake."

"You're asking ridiculous question Pumpkin."

I glared at him. "You're annoying when you do that. Why can't you just give a clear answer for once?" I asked.

"Should I give you everything you ask for?" Blake asked me, snorting.

"Yeah, totally!"

"And why should I do that?"

"Because I'm fun and witty? And because I have an awesome bod?" I offered.

"Fair enough," Blake answered, nodding his head, smiling a little.

"Are you going to answer the question?" I pressed.

"What? You want to know why I don't particularly like kissing Stacey? It's a mutual disinterest. Stacey didn't particularly like kissing me either. I haven't seen the appeal of kissing someone I don't like yet, but if you have, that's fine. Does that answer your question?" he asked and then took a step closer towards me, staring straight in my eyes and for one second, I felt like blushing.

Wait, what?

I didn't blush.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," I mumbled.

"Alright, now my turn to ask you a question. Do you still love him?" Blake asked, his eyes still boring into mine.

Woah.

What the hell?

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

"Who do you think? Do you still love Alex, even though he obviously hurt you? How can you still be close to him after whatever he's done? Because you might not remember Shawn's party but I do and trust me, it wasn't pretty," Blake said, snorting, with an ironic voice.

Why was he asking me that?

Why was he even mentioning it?

"You don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled.

"That's a lame excuse of an answer. But that just proves my point. You don't want to answer all my questions, then I don't need to answer all of yours either, alright?" Blake said.

"Alright," I agreed.

But this felt... I was going to say unfair, but in fact it was the complete opposite. It was completely fair.

And I didn't like it.

And this was like not a good example, talking about the whole Alex deal, because Alex's secret was not mine to tell.

"I guess you have to go now," Blake said, frowning again, his voice and eyes completely losing the little arrogant feeling it at held mere seconds ago.

"Yeah, I got to go check on Tyler. Be sure he didn't set the house on fire or hitchhike to get to Vanessa," I snorted lightly. "Oh speaking of it, are you still going to help me plan something to get her back for a few days?"

"Yeah, don't worry Pumpkin," Blake smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

We both walked back downstairs, and then everyone came to say goodbye.

Anita gave me a big hug and pinched my cheek, smiling warmly. Blake's dad also gave me a hug, though less bear hugging as Anita's but still I was a little surprised.

Josh just grinned, raising his hand for a high-five but then hug me too.

Bunch of huggers.

Sophia held me in her arms and whispered, "thank you," her voice so caring I was confused.

But I was getting used to confusion around the Eatons.

Blake stood there.

It was a weird two seconds.

Should I hug him? Shake hands?

That would be weird.

But I kinda wanted to hug him, and smell him inconspicuously.

This could become a problem...

"Bye Lexi," Blake said, just standing there, and I was not going to make a move or anything so I guess I settled for nothing.

"Bye Blake," I replied and then I looked at everyone, "thanks for everything."

"You're welcome. Come back anytime," Sophia smiled while Christopher came to stand by her, holding her around the waist.

"Okay, bye everyone," I said, smiling and waving, and then I opened the door and stepped outside, before closing it behind me.

_____________

Hello my little Pumpkins. It's 11:30PM. I'm in my mother's kitchen in the dark writing this note. I'm back home for the weekend because it's my mother's birthday tomorrow. This week was the week of birthdays. (it was Eve's birthday yesterday) that's why I haven't uploaded Virgin and the Whore yet. I apologize for it. I'm working on it. Hopefully I can finish it tonight.

Eventually I'm going to get the hang of uploading on time. XD

If you have any questions about this chapter you can leave it here.

Otherwise, I'll be doing the live reading on Monday evening, once I'm back to my apartment, so around 7PM I think... 0_0 I'll put a countdown on my instagram page so you don't miss it (instagram.com/kaygiard). Sorry, on Sunday I'll probably be running around the family estate during the day, and trying to beat my brother at board games in the evening. It might get bloody. Pray for me. XD

Bye byyyyye!