Dedicated to WBA4life, you make me write better! Thanks for always motivating!

Chapter 8.

You have that weirdo now.

~~~

"Where's the food?"

Rylee huffed as Nina's twin brother, Krish pushed past her into the house. Nina followed and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about him. He's always hungry."

"I expected it." Rylee assured her. When it came to Krish, there was only one thing he was truly interested in – to find out where the food is.

Rylee heard the banging of utensils and shook her head. "How are you two twins I'll never know. He's a crazy guy, extremely talkative, gets detention all the time, got kicked out of our school and then there's you... our little innocent lamb."

Nina shrugged. "Well, twins can be polar opposite."

"Yeah, you two definitely are." She pointed at Krish who was already sitting on the couch with a bag full of chips and the plate of homemade cookies next to him. "How did you get the cookies?"

Krish pointed at the kitchen. "They were in the cabinet. You must learn how to bake like your mother Ry-Ry, these are delicious."

"Give me some!" Mikaela ordered and Krish slapped her hand away. "Get your own."

Her eyes narrowed. "Come on! Don't hit a girl."

Krish rolled her eyes. "Don't play that game with me, Mikey! You have sat on me and put my head in the mud. Don't start discriminating now."

"We were eight."

"We were still alive."

Nina sighed. "Well they won't stop bickering ever."

Rylee nodded. "Sometimes I feel like they are the siblings, they fight so much."

"Mikaela can have him then, he's a pain in the ass. Just yesterday he put all my white clothes in the washing machine with his brown pants. Now my white clothes look like someone's shit on them."

Rylee's lips twisted as she resisted the urge to laugh at Nina's visible misery. "Damn."

"Um hmm. He's the worst, honestly."

The doorbell rang and Rylee turned to open the door. "That would be Sven."

She opened the door and blinked, not believing her eyes. Her lips moved but no words came.

She wanted to scream and kill Sven but she couldn't move. She was horrified by the scene.

"Hey Ry-Ry." Eloise's silvery tone cut through her shock. "Long time no see. Hope we are on time."

She glared at Sven, her jaw clenched and her teeth gritting so sharp that they might break. "What the fuck?"

Sven rubbed his forehead, guilt clear on his face. "Sorry, she read your message."

Eloise pushed past Rylee into the house. She put her bag on Rylee's shoulder, passing an overly sweet smile. "Keep that in a safe place, will you? It's Prada. Oh, and I'll have a diet coke."

"I am really sorry." Sven muttered and walked inside.

"Hey! Um I hope I can join too." And with that Harvey Blanc entered too.

Rylee stood there, staring at the empty space in front of her. "Well, somebody please kill me." she prayed into the thick tense atmosphere. This was not how today was supposed to go. It was a disaster before it had even started.

Closing the door, she leaned her back against the door and contemplated her options – text Aahan and tell him to not come or let him come and turn this meet-up into a whole drama filled scene. Aahan would never talk to her again after this. She knew Eloise well and she was never up to any good.

She pressed against her pants pockets but her phone was in the living room. She quickly went inside and grabbed her phone, her fingers flaying over the keypad. 'Hey change of plans, don't come. Sorry.' And sent.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang again. Everyone stared at each other and then at the door.

"I'll see. Wait here." Rylee ordered and rushed towards the door, mentally praying it wasn't who she thought it was.

She opened the door to see a confused Aahan and Zack. He showed the text with a light frown. "Change of plans?"

She looked behind to make sure no one was there and whispered. "Yes, sorry. The Blanc twins are here so it would be a bad idea."

"I don't understand."

Zack's expression was sour and annoyed. "Told you this was a prank. She's only playing with you."

Rylee scoffed in hurt. "Am not. I didn't know they would be here."

"And yet they are. In your house."

She glared at Zack who glared right back.

"So should we leave?" Aahan asked, not quite understanding the situation at all. Rylee had asked him to come and he had.

"Yes." Rylee said at the same time Zack said. "No."

Her eyes narrowed once again at Zack. Did he not understand how destructive this meeting could get? "What are you doing?"

Zack took one step closer to her. "Showing him your true colors. Making him realize that he should have never talked to you." He whispered to her and then with one intimidating look he stepped inside, pushing Rylee to the side.

Rylee leaned on the side wall for support, staring at Zack with frightened and worried eyes.

Aahan stepped in too, passing her a box.

She looked at him in confusion. "What's this?"

"I read that you shouldn't go to someone's house for the first time empty-handed."

Despite the fear residing in her she smiled and thanked him. As soon as he disappeared into the living room, she opened the box.

Her smile fell. "Where the hell did he read that a bell is a good gift?" She muttered, staring with twisted confused emotions at the golden oxidized long bell. Where was she supposed to keep it? When was she supposed to use it? Get a pet cow and hang it around her neck? What kind of a house gift is this?

Closing the box back, she walked inside bracing herself for a horrible evening.

"So Rylee tells me you are pretty weird." Eloise said, staring with innocent eyes at Aahan.

"Rylee said that?" Zack instantly fueled the already lit fire.

Rylee glared at the red haired and hazel eyed snarky girl with distaste. She couldn't wait for a minute before digging her claws into Aahan. "I did not say that."

"She's also a liar." Eloise whispered and winked at Aahan.

Rylee fisted her hands and took a deep breath to stop herself from pulling the fake hair on Eloise's head. She glowered at Sven, letting him know how annoyed she was that he bought the Blanc Twins to her place.

Sven avoided Rylee's gaze, staring into his lap. But the damage had already been done.

Krish sensed the tension and pushed his hand towards Aahan. "Well. Aahan, we have never met. I am Krish." He pointed at Nina. "That sweet snake's twin."

Aahan stared at the two of them for any similarities but found none. "You two don't look like twins."

Krish flinched a little and took his empty hand back. "Um, well we are unidentical twins."

"Even so. Your hair color is different and so is your eye color. Even the face structure has no similarity."

Krish glanced at Rylee in a 'Who-the-fuck-is-he' look and Rylee started to feel guilty. "Drinks anyone?" she called out, wanting to put this evening to an end already.

"Yes, please." All of them groaned out except for Aahan who said. "No."

"Are you sure? Coke? Orange juice? Anything?"

Aahan shook his head and Rylee sighed, heading into the kitchen to get the Coke out of the refrigerator for others.

"He's a sample piece." Harvey muttered as he entered the kitchen right behind Rylee.

Rylee didn't turn around and didn't bother to reply either.

Harvey stared at the cabinets and then pulled out the second drawer, smiling at the jar. "Your mother still keeps the cookies here." He opened the jar and took two out.

Rylee looked at Harvey, scowling at him. "They aren't for you."

Harvey nodded and kept one cookie back. "Can I take one?"

Rylee didn't reply. She passed three bottles of Coke to Harvey. "Close the drawer back."

Harvey closed the drawer and stepped in front of Rylee. "I am sorry."

Rylee scoffed, shaking her head. It was a little too late to apologize. "For what exactly?"

"For leaving without telling you."

Rylee rolled her eyes, pretending that his actions hadn't broken her heart and made her miserable for days and weeks. It had been the toughest time for her life and she didn't want to think about it, not now. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Why?" Harvey's tone hardened. "Because you have that weirdo now."

Rylee looked into Harvey's eyes, her lips thin and eyes narrowed. "No, because you didn't care enough to be honest."

"You know I didn't mean to not tell you. I was going to."

Rylee scoffed, clicking her tongue against her inner cheek. "Really when? Next birth maybe?"

Harvey took a step closer. "I have missed you, Rylee."

Rylee took a deep breath. "I have not." She lied and with that she stepped to the side and walked away. "Get those bottles, Harvey." She reminded.

Harvey stared at the empty space and closed his eyes and sighed desolately. He couldn't figure out if going to France was a mistake or coming back here was. Either way, he planned to make Rylee Brooks his. After all, first love can't be so easily forgotten, can it?

Rylee passed the bottles to everyone. "So what are we talking about?"

Mikaela looked at Aahan and scratched her neck. When she had suggested this meet, she didn't think it'd turn out like this. Knowing that the Blanc twins are here, made her feel guilty, especially after looking at Rylee's fake smile. She turned to Aahan. "Well Aahan, tell us a little about yourself."

Aahan blinked and nodded, straightening his back and folding his arms. As if this was an interview and not a friendly meeting. "What do you want to know?"

Mikaela observed at his stoic face and suddenly couldn't think of a single thing to ask him. "Uh. Um."

"Where do you live?" Eloise asked.

"The Arena Park Lane."

Most of them ended up spurting out their drink. Even Eloise was in utter shock. Her jaw dropped and eyes wide open. It was rather rare sight to see Eloise so stunned. "The-the Arena Park Lane?"

Aahan nodded, not understanding why they were reacting so. "Yes."

Eloise leaned back a little, she licked her lips and stared at Aahan. "Isn't that like the richest lane here?"

Once again, Aahan nodded. "It is."

Mikaela whispered to Rylee. "Did you know this?"

Rylee shook her head, she was equally astonished. To be honest, she had thought he was poor, with his non-branded clothes and funny hairstyle she would have never even guessed he was filthy rich. He never once bragged about his wealth, never once showed off and never once wore anything that suggested he was wealthy.

Eloise leaned a little towards him, now intrigued. "Who are your parents?"

Before Aahan could speak, Zack interrupted, his signature scowl back on his face. "What is that to you?"

Eloise shrugged. "Maybe we know them. The Blanc's know everyone."

"Still it isn't any of your business." Zack spat.

Eloise narrowed her eyes at Zack. "What are you, his bodyguard?" she suddenly gasped. "Oh my God, you are his bodyguard. Why else would you stick beside him all the time?"

Aahan shook his head. "He is not."

Eloise continued to glare at Zack with a suspicious gaze but changed the topic. "So you joined New Oak High School in freshman year right?"

Aahan nodded. "Yes."

"Where were you before that?"

"Arena Park's private school."

Eloise put her palm over her mouth in daze and shock. She blinked at this funny guy in front of her. "So you were rich since birth." She noted. Which meant there was a high chance she must know his parents. After all she was a Blanc and the Blanc's run in rich circles. Maybe she had even met this boy as a child. But somehow, she could not remember ever seeing his face or hearing his name as a kid. Who was he?

Rylee could see the wheels in Eloise's brains running and she gritted her teeth. Eloise had always been attracted towards money. Despite having a lot of money herself, she was cheap and always greedy. Also one of the reasons she didn't approve of Rylee as Harvey's girlfriend was because Rylee Brooks wasn't as rich as most of her friends and to Eloise that was unacceptable. Wealth was her measurement of a human's worth. And that meant Rylee wasn't too valuable but Aahan – he was a diamond she needed to have.

"Um, why did you change schools?" Mikaela asked curiously. "Arena Park's is a great school, much better than New Oak."

Aahan looked around at the curious faces and he couldn't understand their interest in his life and his decisions. How did something that happened 4 years ago matter to them? What was with these intrusive questions? "Because I didn't fit there." He replied honestly.

"Fit there? You are rich, you must fit everywhere." Mikaela snorted in derision. "If New Oak girls knew how rich you are, they wouldn't leave you alone."

That thought didn't sit well with Rylee. She knew the girls in her high school and most of them were vicious and selfish. They'd pluck out every feather in Aahan's corner and leave him shattered. She cleared her throat. "Let's not tell this to anyone then. He must have a reason to be quiet about it."

Aahan shrugged a shoulder. "Not really. No one asked me about it so I didn't tell. I don't really care if everyone knows it."

Eloise clapped her hands, her eyes shining. Her head was already spinning in evil ways. "That's great. We must definitely stay in contact now. We have any classes together?"

Aahan pondered if he had seen her in any of his classes but couldn't remember at all. He knew all the classes he shared with Rylee but when it came to this fake red haired girl, he couldn't recollect. "Um, Chemistry, I think." He finally guessed.

Eloise smiled, showing her perfect white teeth. "Great let's sit together. Create some Chemistry." Elosie winked at Aahan and then giggled; the shrill tone made the hair on Rylee's neck stand.

Rylee stared at the two with her jaw dropped. Her eyes switched from Eloise's excited face to Aahan's reluctant yet approving face. Was Eloise Blanc hitting on Aahan Millers? Right after calling him a weirdo? Did this girl have no self-respect? How could she be so narcissistic?

"Sure." Aahan replied.

Rylee bit her bottom lip, feeling frustrated. This wasn't how this evening was supposed to go. Now Eloise wanted Aahan and what she wanted, she always ended up getting – in the most brutal and devilish way possible.

Nina looked at her best friend with an amused face. Rylee had never been that good at hiding her emotions, at least not from her. So she could see how the sudden union of Eloise and Aahan troubled Rylee very much.

She immediately jumped to the rescue. "I think I am in the same class. Let's all sit together."

Eloise's mouth twisted in displeasure and Aahan simply nodded again, barely getting affected by this conversation.

Krish stared at the scene in amusement, wishing he was still in New Oak School and could see how this messy and unforeseen love story would play out. He could foresee so much drama. "So Aahan, do you have a girlfriend?"

His answer mystified everyone, especially Rylee.

"I think girlfriends are a waste of time."

And just like that Rylee felt like she had lost a battle that hadn't even begun yet.

~~~

Well, should I post the next chapter now?

Also what should be their ship name?? 

Rylee + Aahan = Rylan or Ryan?

Aahan + Rylee = Aalee or Aalee?