Chapter 8

Since my syrup trick with Easton backfired, I need to think of a new trick and quick. I walked around my room, my cell phone on speaker as Jessie gave me ideas. Easton was out, although it was 10:30 PM, not that it was late for the bad boy. We do have school tomorrow, though.

"You could always go into his room at night and put his hand in warm water." I contemplated that idea for a moment. I immediately discarded it along with several others because of the main flaw- that meant I had to enter his room. Not only was I deathly afraid of heights, I was also not too fond of the idea of entering his room when he was in there- not that I'd enter when he wasn't in there.

"No, that requires me entering his room when he was alseep." I excused. Jessie knew about my fear of heights.

"Well, you can always-." She started but was cut off by my 'shushing.' As I was standing right in front of the window, Adrian entered, removing a ski mask and gloves, and then tossing a backpack onto the floor as he kicked it under his bed. His ruffled brown hair was pushed back as he quickly shed his black long sleeved shirt, revealing a white t-shirt. He tossed the black shirt into a garbage bag. I heard him mutter something about 'hating yellow and stripes, yuck' as he tossed a yellow striped shirt on the ground and he kicked it carelessly. I couldn't help but smirk. He quickly placed on a colored shirt and just as he was about to change his dark pants, I coughed over dramatically. He turned and stared at me for a second before a slow smirk spread across his face.

"You're a peeping Tom." He began approaching the window. Just as I was about to ask him why in the world was he was coming home so late and changing so quickly, a loud car beeping caused me and him to jump. He waved his hand as if saying 'bye,' and he looked as if  he was about to say something stupid before he changed his mind and closed the curtains, but not the window fully.    

"What was that?" Jessie asked, curiousity laced in her voice. I shrugged.

"I'm not sure. But I think I have an idea." I replied and I waited until I heard his bedroom door close. I watched him from the small gap between our houses as he got into his friend's car that was impatiently running. I started to elaborate on my plan to Jessie.

---

I leaned out of my window, prying his window open even more to make sure that I had enough room. I looked down and gulped. How did he do this before? I grabbed onto the ledge before gripping it tightly and pulling myself across. The room wasn't as dark as I thought it was going to be because he left a side lamp on.

I looked around, taking in the sight. I'd never been in a guy's room before. I walked over to his bed, looking at the duller red color of his walls and the black and gray color of his sheets and blankets. He had a king sized bed and I was tempted to sit down on it but I didn't have enough time and that would've been weird (plus, who knows what lurks on them?).

Instead, I ducked my hand under his bed, coming in contact with the book bag he'd shoved under there. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I felt footsteps approaching the room and I dived under his bed, pulling the gray bed ruffle down to hide me. I heard the doorknob turn and the door opened, letting in a gust of cool air. I bit my lip and tried to cover my mouth.

I remembered what he said, or didn't say, about living with his mother. Or I'd just assumed. Did he have any siblings? I'd have to ask to know for sure. I heard her riffling around in what sounded like a plastic basket. She muttered something about laundry and I'm guessing that's what it was. I heard her steps nearing the bed and my instincts told me to shuffle backwards but she might leave and come back with a broom and start hitting me with it. Instead of approaching the bed, she was approaching the window.

"Is that a girl's room over there?" She asked herself. I imagined her looking at my walls. She sighed loudly.

"I really should've scoped this place out before letting them choose their rooms. I really hope she's not a teenager. Or a pre-teen, he's so careless about leaving doors and windows open while he's changing. I can't have him flashing the neighbors." I held back a snort. "It'd be even grosser if it was a little girl." She snorted to herself. We had a close call today.

I held back a bark of laughter, biting the inside of my mouth. After I heard the door close and retreating footsteps, I waited a minute or two before I slid out from under the bed, taking the backpack with me.

I opened the backpack and took out spray cans with colored caps. What were they? I thought for a moment before I realized: Spray paint. Does he vandalize property? No, he goes around painting pictures for the homeless. I frowned before I stuffed them back into the bag, zipped it up and stuffed it back under his bed. I quickly managed to get across and into my room. After forming a plan, I went to bed.

This morning I actually woke up on time and was able to get ready for school without rushing. I even managed to squeeze a nice breakfast in. The drive to school was quiet, I didn't play any music today and I quickly shut off the car.

"Are you ready?" Jessie asked me. I gave her a confused look.

"Today, we're going to do a bit of shopping for your date." She smiled innocently.

"Since when was this planned?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and she just winked at me before she turned and started walking backwards.

"We'll even get some stuff to help you with your prank." She grinned widely. Those words reeled me in. 

---

"Tomorrow." Ethan said, surprising me as I closed my locker. My hand went to my heart in an attempt to slow it down. He can't just sneak up on people like that.

"I know." I nodded with a small smile on my face.

"It might be a double date," He smiled. I gave him a confused look. "Nicholas is going to ask your friend, Jessica, out." Ethan said. He used Jessie's whole name, I should warn him not to.

"You should call her Jessie or Jess; calling her Jessica is like asking her to stab you." I smiled and he laughed, nodding before he pointed behind him.

"I've got to get going, I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled widely as I nodded and waved.

---

"You're not serious?" Jessie asked me as I stood in front of the black shirt.

"I am, I want it. It's pretty." I held onto the sleeve. She just laughed and pushed it away whilst shaking her head. I frowned, giving her an annoyed look. We were shopping for our double date and she wouldn't let me get anything!

"Get a shirt of color, at least. You can wear black jeans for all I care." Jessie bargained, causing me to sigh. 

"I don't understand why I couldn't just wear something I already had." I shrugged. She laughed, rolling her eyes while muttering something along the lines of 'silly girl.'

I finally found a shirt that was my favorite color, purple of course. I was also forced into buying 4 others because they, and I quote, 'make you look more like a girl and they match your skin tone.' One of them was peach and had these stupid floral words on it, 'Follow your Heart.' One that I actually liked was a blue one with a gray anchor on it. I bought one of them just to annoy Adrian; it was yellow and had stripes. The next one I bought because I liked it. It was supposed to be a shirt but I bought it for pajamas. It had a pretty cupcake on the front of it. It was white and the cupcake was different shades of pink. I also got a pair of dark blue jeans, knowing I'd find a pair of sneakers that match my outfit at home.

Jessie ended up buying a pink sweater and light blue jeans. She also spent half an hour trying to find the right shade of lip-gloss to match not only her sweater but her skin tone as well. When we were getting ready to go eat an early dinner, I decided to run to the prank shop while I gave her my order and she said she'd order for me.

At the prank shop, I bought several spray cans that matched the ones he used for vandalism, as far as I know. I bought 6- the same amount that he had in his bag. I bought one that was yellow spray paint and it was washable. I bought another one that was neon pink spray paint that was also washable. I bought one that was just aerosol that was said to smell like 'farts' and I wasn't willing to test it out, another that smelled like rotten eggs, which I'm sure of, plus one that smelled like skunks, and one that reeked of dog pee. Despite the odd looks I was getting from the cashier and the 10 year old boys behind me, I was smiling widely. I was going to get my revenge.

"What's in your bag?" Jessie asked me as I approached the table where my food sat in a package. I smiled wider before getting comfortable.

"Aerosol." I answered proudly. She gave me an odd look as I explained the prank to her, she just shook her head. I smiled innocently as she gave me a disapproving look.

"You're evil." That was all she said.

---

I entered my room with my bags in hand. I placed the aerosol bag near the window before I excitedly raced around my room. I heard the door opposite to my room open and I ducked my head out of the window. The fresh air hit my face and I sighed in content.

"Why are you staring into my window like a creep?" Adrian asked as he swung the window open with one hand. He was dripped with sweat and I cringed.

"Why are you all sweaty?" I wrinkled my nose.

"Football practice." He sighed. He had clean clothes in his hand so I was guessing he was about to take a shower.

"Go take a shower." I wrinkled my nose again. He just smirked.

"I am; care to join me?" He asked. I gave him an annoyed look.

"No thank you, Easton." I sneered as he shrugged.

"It was worth a try. I have a question." He rocked back and forth on his feet. I thought of all the bad things I've done this week, especially when I climbed into his window. I'm guessing he saw my face turn and his eyes widened slightly.

"Geez, you were racking up a list of crimes, weren't you?" He laugheed. I sighed, rolling my eyes but it was the truth. He let out a chuckle.

"I was going to ask you; would you take a shower with Ethan?" He asked, smirking but I saw anger behind it. I growled angrily.

"No, Easton. I wouldn't. Go take your shower. The children in China are keeling over from the smell." I spat, crossing my arms.

"That offer's still on the table." He winked as he walked away. I waited until I heard the door close and the clicking of the lock. I waited until the water had been on for about 5 minutes before I climbed into his window.

The backpack was in the same place as I'd left it and I dragged it out cautiously. I felt the adrenaline pumping as I quickly unzipped it. I took the cans that were in there out along with the cans I'd purchased. I grabbed the caps, switching them quickly so he wouldn't notice. I purposely put the red cap, his favorite color, onto the fart can.

After switching them, I zipped up his bag and slid it under the bed. I repacked my plastic bag and quickly dived into my window, hurting my elbow in the process. I lied on my back, raising my fist as I sighed. Success! I sat up quickly, fixing my disheveled hair.

"Hi!" A squeaky voice said and I nearly jumped 10 feet up into the air. A little boy sat there with a large grin on his face. He had brown crazy hair that covered his eyes. If it reminded me of anything, it was Justin Bieber's previous haircut- when he first made it big. He had large green eyes, much like Adrian's and I smiled at him.

"Hi there." I leaned on the window, putting my arms out and leaning my head on them. He was adorable. He had to be 6 or maybe 7.

"What's your name?" He asked me as he ran a hand through his hair. He blinked his eyes, his long eyelashes tangling for a second before he opened them. He was absolutely adorable. I wonder if Adrian looked like that when he was a kid. They sure do have the same eyes, eyelashes, and hair.

"I'm Fiona." I replied, smiling brightly. I'm barely around kids, unless my cousins count- who I barely get to see. "What's your name?" I asked him.

"I'm Matthew but you can call me Mattie, everybody does." He introduced, smiling widely. I noticed his two front teeth were missing. That explained his lisp.

"So Fiona, do you know my big brother? Aidey?" He questioned me. The way he pronounced my name made it sound like Theona. I realized that Aidey was Adrian. I laughed lightly before I nodded.

"I know him, yeah. What about him?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I smiled at the little boy. He giggled before replying.

"He doesn't like me being in his room." He said in a somewhat whisper, the whisper that children do that's not really a whisper but you don't have the heart to tell him.

"Why not?" I asked, frowning slightly. I hope Adrian wasn't a cruel older brother. That's really unattractive. Not that he's attractive because he's really not. Who are you trying to kid?

"He says I break stuff." Matthew explained, giggling.

"Do you break stuff?" I asked and he nodded sheepishly. He was just so darn adorable. I could dip him in cheese and eat him like a nacho.

"I broke his CD's and a controller for his Xbox 360." He confessed as I gasped.

"Did you apologize?" I asked him. He nodded and then frowned.

"But he broke my Spiderman action figure and he ripped my favorite book." He said, furrowing his eyebrows as if tears were threatening to pour out.

"He's a meanie!" I exclaimed, making him laugh. I didn't even notice the water cut off and the door opened. Matthew darted towards the couch in an attempt to hide. I laughed quietly.

"Mattie, get out of my room!" Easton whined, approaching his brother. He had on Batman pajamas.

"But I'm talking to Fiona." He pronounced my name sounding like Theona again. It was adorable and I felt like I was going to die of adorableness.

"She doesn't want to talk to you, Mattie. She'd rather talk to Ethan." He stated. I ignored the latter but came to Mattie's defense.

"No, Mattie's adorable! Just look at his eyes! He has beautiful hair. I wish I had a little brother like him. He's so innocent!" I sighed. Easton fell into a fit of wild laughter when I claimed that Mattie was innocent. Mattie's face tinted pink.

"My hair is better than his, and so are my eyes," He pouted once he realized what I'd said about his little brother. "You've been in here for how long, 15 minutes? And you got more compliments than I have in the weeks that I've known her." He told his little brother.

"See? She does want to talk to me!" Mattie's cheeks were slightly tinted red as he smiled.

"Are you blushing? Do you like Fiona?" Easton asked, wrinkling his nose. What's so bad about me?

"Hey? What's so bad about liking me?" I asked, frowning.

"I never said that, Aidey!" Mattie said, furrowing his eyebrows as his lower lip trembled.

"Don't be such a baby." Easton rolled his eyes at his little brother.

"Still over here wondering what's so wrong about liking me." I piped in. Easton turned towards me and shook his head, as if disgusted.

"We've got a crying kid over here and you're worried about yourself. So conceited, Fi-Fi, so conceited." Easton teased. I felt my jaw drop.

"You made him cry!" I said, crossing my arms.

"I'm not crying!" Mattie exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"See? He's a big boy." I said, relief flooding through me. The last thing I needed was him telling his mother that Easton and I made him cry. The woman doesn't even know me yet and she'd already have a bad view of me!

"Since you told one of my secrets, Aidey, I'm telling one of yours!" Mattie exclaimed, running towards the window. I watched as it all unfolded. Easton pulled Mattie backwards.

"Oh, no you don't." Easton stated.

"When Aidey was in the grocery store with me and Mommy, he slipped on a plastic bag and almost knocked over an old lady!" Mattie exclaimed. My eyes widened as I coughed, trying to hide my laughter.

"That was one time!" Easton exclaimed, trying to cover Mattie's mouth.

"Aidey likes High School Musical and sings along to it. He doesn't even need the karaoke version! He has it all memorized!" Mattie confessed for his angry older brother. I was in hysterics. "He doesn't even sing Troy's part! He sings Gabriella and Sharpay's!" I felt my sides begin to burn.

"It's time for you to go Mattie." Easton demanded, his face partially red.

"No, don't make Mattie go. He's funny." I said. Mattie's face went a darker shade of pink as he smiled.

"Oh my gosh, Mattie. You're gross." Easton said when he noticed his brothers pink face.

I frowned. What was so wrong about liking me? I watched as Mattie waved to me before Easton kicked him out of the room. I awkwardly sat at the window. Should I stay here? Was he going to talk to me or was he going to close the window and walk away.       

"So why did you come inside so excited?" He asked, smirking as I gave him a confused look. Did he watch me come inside? As if he read my mind, he rolled his eyes before he replied. "We came home at the same time." 

"Oh, I did a bit of shopping." I smirked. He wriggled his eyebrows.

"What'd you get?" He asked. I sniggered at his question, oh boy- he's in for a surprise when he opens that bag later. I grabbed the bag with my shirts in it and began taking out my stuff. I held up the pajama shirt.

"I got this pretty shirt." I smirked as he wrinkled his nose.

"It's a cupcake.. on a shirt." He reached his hand across the window and poked the shirt. I nodded.

"I know, I'm going to be sleeping in this." He smirked. "I also got this." I held up the peach shirt with the floral writing.

"This doesn't seem like your style." He furrowed his eyebrows as his green eyes met mine. I shrugged, nodding.

"It doesn't. But Jessie sort of forced me to buy clothes that were made for girls," I shrugged again. "I also got this." I said, holding up the blue shirt with the gray anchor on it.

"This seems more like your style." He nodded as he looked at the baggy shirt. It was the truth, I wore baggier clothes.

"And finally, I got this." I said, taking out the grand finale. I held up the yellow striped shirt. I smirked as he gagged.

"Why in the world would you buy that horrendous shirt?" He questioned, cringing away from the shirt.  

"I think it's adorable." I brought the shirt closer to me as I held it up. In all honesty, that shirt was probably going to sit in the back of my closet for the rest of eternity but it was worth the 14 bucks to see his facial expression.

"Did you purposely get that?" He stared at the ugly shirt. I nodded, smiling.

"Yes, because of what you said yesterday; how you hate the color yellow and stripes, so why not combine the two?" I asked, smirking.

"I also got this and this." I held up the outfit. My purple sweater and indigo spray on jeans. He let out a low whistle as he stared at the jeans, confused.

"This doesn't really seem like your style either. Why'd you buy it?" He asked, throwing a wink my way. I rolled my eyes as I shook my head.

"For my date tomorrow." I shrugged. His expression went from playful to annoyed.

"Why'd you even say 'yes' to him?" He inquired. I gave him a flat look.

"Maybe because I wanted to." I rolled my eyes. Why was he being so childish?

"Maybe you shouldn't want to." He retorted. I felt my anger rising and getting close to its limit.

"Maybe you should mind your own business." I bit back. Why did he care who I went out with? Was it because this person was Ethan?

"Maybe it's Maybelline!" An adorably squeaky voice sang from the other side of the door. I laughed lightly as Easton called for his brother to leave us alone. Since when did we become an 'us?' At any moment I can close this window and leave him as just an 'I.' But you won't.

"What's your problem with me going on a date with Ethan?" I asked, crossing my arms. The agitated expression made its way onto Easton's face once more.

"He's a player; we share the same locker room. I hear about every single girl he gets with and I'd honestly not hear your name make its way around that locker room because once it does, you're labeled as easy and everybody wants some. And whichever way it goes, whether you live up to the label or you sit at home crying because he broke your heart, I lose. I hear you and your guy friends every night or I hear you crying day and night. And I prefer I hear your snoring, okay?" He heaved. I just stared at him for a minute, maintaining eye contact while he breathed heavily. He closed the window and I just closed mine too.