After practice, we went back to the shop again (guess who requested that). Everyone was talking about a group name as we ate our ice-creams. Of course, Emma was still working so we made her sit with us.
“Why don’t we call it Leroy’s Squad?” Leroy brought up suddenly as we thought of how we should call our squad now. , and we grimaced at that.
“That’s the dumbest name I’ve heard of!” Hannah retorts. She’s gotten comfortable around Leroy and now they’re always teasing each other.
“Well, what’s the ‘perfect’ name then smarty Hannah?” Leroy raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll call it, Teen Titans,” She says and we burst into fits of laughter. I told her to try and impress Leroy by being funny, but she doesn’t really have to do that since Leroy likes her back. I mean, it’s really obvious, she’s just the naive one. Anyways, we’ll just have to go with the flow now.
“What about Justice League?” said Luke. We laughed harder, my sides hurting from how much we were laughing.
“Or Dax’s Avenger Squad?” Dax suggested.
“What kind of a lame name is that, Dax? Mine is much awesome from yours,” Leroy retorted, before turning to Eion. “What about you Eion, what would you say?”
The robot looks up from his phone for the first time since we’ve sat here. “X-Men?”
Hmm, he’s not bad at jokes after all. Even if it’s cringy…
“How about Strawberry Group, since you’re very fond of that flavor”, Leroy playfully and made a disgusted face.
“Or Robot?” I exclaimed, only to tease the robot, “Robot Group!” I exclaimed, just to have fun. All of us except Hannah and Luke roared with laughter.
“Uhm guys?” Hannah frowned while Luke looked at us with a confused expression, not knowing that it had become an inside joke. Leroy then explained it to them, and they finally laughed too, joining in the fun. I expected Eion to kill me or at least glare at me, but when I glanced at him, the corners of his lips were slightly curled upward. It’s not too evident, but it was definitely something.
Is he smiling?
The others didn’t notice it since they were busy laughing, but the shock was evident on my face. I glanced at him again, he was staring at me, a small smile still plastered on his face.
It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see him like that. Instead of being annoyed, he just –smiled. And that’s a miracle for someone like him…
Well… at least he’s improving. I decided to brush it off and laughed as Leroy cracked yet another crazy joke. And after hours of just talking and hanging out with each other, we ended up not having a final name for our group. Whatever at least we enjoyed the day.
After hanging out a few days passed and me, Emma, and Hannah decided to have a sleepover at Hannah’s house.
“Oh my gosh!” Exclaimed Hannah while dramatically laying on her back as we are now in her room. Thinking about his brother, Luke, who is living here, made me agree instantly.
“Um, can someone please tell me what’s happening? I am feeling outdated.” Emma asked, groaning in irritation. We were eating chips, we just finished watching two Harry Potter movies, which is my suggestion. I just shrugged my shoulders at her and stared at Hannah’s state.
“Until now, I really can’t believe it! Imagine, your long-time crush was partnered with you! And the wedding is two days away. I think I will faint.” Hannah stood up and paced around the room all the while, we just watched her doing that.
“Lucky you,” I said. “And did you ask us for a sleepover just so you could fangirl?” I asked.
She shot me a look, “Well, what’s wrong with being partnered with Eion?” She asked.
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Emma said excitedly. “I wish I could go to that wedding though…”
Hannah faced her, “Don’t worry Emma, you’re our friend, of course, you’d be invited!”
That made Emma glee excitedly and thanked her.
Hannah just chuckled, “What are friends for?”
“Can you two please shut up? How I wish I were partnered with someone else. Like Dax? Or Luke?” I said.
Yeah, Eion and I were practically friends last week but for the last few days, I doubt it now…
Anyways, I wanted to be partnered with Luke.
“Why? Eion is cute!” Emma said. I looked at her like she’s insane. Cute? I think that word doesn’t come in a sentence with Eion…
“Look at him clearly, Emma. He is… Rude and cold….” I said.
Hannah looked at us silently, then spoke up, “You know, Snow… Eion, my cousin and son of Uncle Adam… he was once a…” She paused. “I hope you believe me… He was a good boy, you know.” Said Hannah, sitting at the edge of the bed now beside me.
Emma wiggled her eyebrows at me. I just stare at her, deadpan.
“Good boy?” I asked. Really, did Hannah have gone mental?
“I don’t believe it either, but I remember my aunts and uncles talking about him once when I was a child… we were not close then since he has always been distant…”
“What happened? Why is he cold and rude now?” I asked curiously.
“I guess ask him yourself. I don’t want to lose his trust since I am one of his close cousins.” She replied.
“And I believe he is nice. He just doesn’t want to show it.” Emma added.
That caught my attention. Flashbacks entered my mind. We already hung out a few times now and I feel like Hannah’s right.
After minutes of our girls’ day, I have to pee from my continuous drinking of water earlier.
“I’ll just go to the bathroom,” I said to them. They both nodded, busy surfing the net. Once I descended the stairs, I saw Leroy and Dax hanging out in the kitchen.
“Hey, Snow!”
“Hello Snow!”
I stopped in my tracks, I closed my eyes, preparing for disaster.
Turning around slowly, I smiled at them. “Oh, hi guys! What are you two doing here?”
Leroy drank a glass of water before replying, “We should be the one asking that question.”
“Oh, Hannah invited me to a sleepover,” I answered.
“Oh, that’s great… we boys are hanging out here. You could come and say hello to Eion and Luke,” said Leroy.
I winced. “Uhm… not thank you.” Not now when Eion and I are not on good terms. I said my goodbyes to them when a thought came to me.
Oh right. Now that I remember it, I think those two owe me. I didn’t have a chance to do this last time….
Leaning towards Leroy, I grabbed his ears, “Owww! What was that for?” Leroy was groaning in pain while rubbing his ear. I pinched his ear harder. Good, I really wanted to do that for a long time.
“I just feel like doing it.. you owe me a lot!” I growled. I just remembered how he left me back when we were looking for Eion last time! “I do not forget, Leroy.”
“Hmm, abusive… I like it.” Dax joked from beside us.
“You too, you’re his accomplice!” And I reached for Dax’s ear but he was quick to dodge me.
He looked at me innocently, “What did I do? I’m not included in that! I fetched the flowers that time right?”
“Please stop!” Leroy yelled, still wincing in pain. “Whatever I did to you, I’m sorry, okay?” Smirking, I stopped pinching his ear and bid my goodbyes to them, heading to the comfort room.
I saw them grinning ear to ear with that irritatingly knowing expression plastered on their faces. I ignored it and went to the bathroom.
After I did my business in the restroom, I was about to ascend the stairs when I met a beautiful woman.
“You must be Snow.”