Dates, Guns and Me

PART 1: DATES. THREE

Jada was the quiet one. Vera was the talkative one. I knew that.

But something was off today. Jada was unusually quiet while Vera kept talking like a radio without a f*****g off switch.

I sighed for the umpteenth time not knowing how to tell Vera to shut up. I didn't put Netflix on on her tv just to ignore it and listen to Vera talk about...

Oh my God. I don't even know what the hell she has been going on about!

I was just about to tell Vera to shut up but Jada beat me to it,"V, can you shut it?"

"Mind reader." I said to Jada, sighing in relief that Vera was finally quiet. Mainly because she was in surprise that we both told her to shut up.

I knew that her being quiet would only last for a minute and I was right when she finally closed her mouth she had left hanging open. Clearing her throat, she said to us,"Seriously? That's all you guys can say to all I've been telling you?"

Aw, for f**k's sakes, V. Cut the drama queen bullshit for once, okay?

But when once I took a look at her, I saw she actually looked hurt. Made me wonder what the hell she had been saying to us. Am I a bad friend for not even listening to her at all?

Vera understood the look I was giving her and with a loud sigh and a huff, she said,"Wow, so you weren't even listening to me??"She shook her at me disappointedly.

I folded my lips, not knowing how to tell Vera that to be fair, I was listening to the part where she said she needed to have a spa treatment and a massage.

Vera looked away from me and turning her back on me, she faced Jada,"Jada?...Wow, so you too weren't listening to me?" She then chuckled a bit and murmured, "That's real cute."

"Aw, come on, I was listening to you."That was Vera's brother, Terence.

He was sitting on one of the sofas, with us here in the sitting room. And, even though he was talking to Vera, he had his pretty blue eyes locked on his phone screen and a silly smile on his face while he typed something on his phone.

Yeah, right. Because with your phone in your hand and that smile on your face, you'd be listening to your younger sister go on about a random blab.

In case you didn't notice, I was sarcastic.

Vera was also of the same opinion I was. She folded her arms-she usually did that when she was annoyed- and with a huff said to Terence,"Yeah, right, Terence Bale."

Terence finally looked up from his phone and stared at his sister in a are-you-kidding-me? way,"Seriously? You think if I wasn't listening to you, I'd say I was? Vera darling, I ain't scared of you, you know."

Vera huffed again, looking even more annoyed," Great. The people that you want them to listen to you, don't and the one person you don't want to is the one that actually does."

Terence chuckled and looking back at his phone, he said,"Aw, I feel bad, Vera."

When we were in middle school and early high school, I had a crush on Terence. He's by far the most handsome guy I've ever seen. But, he used to make me cry a lot then. He was mean to me, used to say and do mean things to me. If his parents asked why he was so mean to me, he'd say," Come on, elder brothers usually give their younger sisters a hard time." I don't know if he figured out I had a major crush on him or Vera told him or something, but he made sure his and my relationship was totally platonic and stayed on the brother-sister level. After sometime, the crush I had for him faded completely. Now, I couldn't be more grateful for how he made our relationship seeing as he's a total jerk and fuckboy to girls now.

Vera chuckled at his sentence then, said," But you know Terence, your advice is the last one I need right now, seeing as you're a terrible flirt."

"Runs in our blood, Vera." Terence chuckled, still typing out on his phone, a smirk on his face.

No s**t, to be honest. Vera was just like her brother. She was a huge flirt. Being with more than one guy at a time and breaking all their hearts after they became attached to her.

Terence looked up from his phone again and said to Vera, "Besides, I wasn't planning on giving you any advice. I still like to think that you haven't ever kissed a guy before, haven't made out with a guy, haven't even had s*x with a guy, okay? In fact, that you could be a nun, if you wanted."

Vera laughed at her brother's words while I smiled at that. Terence was real protective of Vera when it came to guys. He felt like all guys were like him. And to be honest, 80% of all the guys are.

Terence continued, his eyes now back on his phone, "Also, I wouldn't want to hear the name of any of the guys that are...doing my sister." Looking back up at Vera, I saw seriousness on his face though he was really trying to keep his face on a lighter mood, as he said," Might mistakenly find him and beat him up one day."

Vera could see how serious her brother was too but, she scoffed and said to him, "Right. And so many girls' brothers should also mistakenly find you and beat you up."

Damn right, V.

Terence chuckled at his sister's statement,"Word." Looking back down at his phone, he muttered but loud enough for us all to hear, "Touchè, Vera."

By now, I was highly interested in the conversation as I wondered what the hell Vera had been talking about. I honestly thought she was still going on about how she was due for a massage. But, obviously, she had ditched that topic long ago.

I took a glance at Jada and saw that she was still not interested in the conversation. Her attention looked divided, like she was thinking about something.

Vera said to her brother, with a shrug, "And, it's not like I'm the one that always gets my heart broken. I never end up on that side of the break up."

By now, my curiosity was killing me," Wait. What's going on?"

I probably shouldn't have said anything because if looks could kill, Vera would have me six feet under the ground by now. She gave me the hardest glare I'd ever gotten that I actually shrinked back. Even Jada's dad's looks had never scared me like this and trust me, Mr Delgado has got the scariest looks.

"Are you serious?!" Vera accompanied her glare with that exclamation while she shuffled her butt in the sofa. Something she does when she's highly annoyed.

I sighed because I felt bad. Vera would never do me like this. She actually does listen to me all the time. Despite the fact that she does talk a lot, she was also a great listener when she wanted to be.

"Come on, V" I said to her softly.

"No. f**k you." She then stood up from the sofa and started walking out of the sitting room, heading for the dining room.

I stood up immediately and started following her. Anything to make Vera feel special.

I stopped and looked over my shoulder and saw Jada still sitting on the couch, watching Vera and I walk away, indifference on her face.

I gave her a look for her to follow us. She just glared at me. I wasn't backing down. I widened my eyes at her. I knew I won when she rolled her eyes at me. Grudgingly, she got up from the couch and walked behind Vera and I sluggishly.

I heard Terence chuckle. I don't know if it's because of our unnecessary drama or because he couldn't believe that whichever girl he was texting had fallen for his bullshit again.

Vera stood by the fridge in the kitchen, taking large swigs from a carton of milk. When she noticed that Jada and I were in the kitchen with her, she paused and turned to stare at us.

Jada slumped on one of the stools in the centre of the kitchen, in the most unladylike manner, wordlessly. While I climbed up and sat on the kitchen island, not knowing how to go about telling Vera to tell me what she has been talking about.

Vera was the one who said something, "So, both of you really weren't listening to me."

This time, her face showed more of hurt than anger. Vera was this dramatic and emotional.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were saying something important." After I said it,I realized how that sounded. Then sighing, I said to Vera," You know what? Scratch that. Let's just go with, I'm sorry."

Jada snickered like she couldn't care for all these emotions that were flying about. Trust me, that's typical Jada. Hardly ever showed emotions. If you didn't know her well, you'd think she's a stone cold b***h but actually, she was a huge teddy bear on the inside.

Jada then said after snickering and rolling her eyes, "I got problems of my own, you know?"

Vera nodded,"Thought as much. I know you've been quiet but you've been exceptionally quiet."

Hey, I noticed that too.

Vera then c****d her head, looking concerned,"What's going on, J?"

It was just like Jada was waiting for someone to ask her that cause she just said immediately,"I saw this..." She then paused and looked up at Vera. Shaking her head, she said, " You know what? Let's hear yours first. You go first."

Vera smiled. Then, huffing, she said," I don't have the strength to say all that again. I'll just cut it short. Remember, I told you guys that I was supposed to give a tour to four new students, yeah?...Yeah, they were three guys and one girl. The guys are seniors like us while the girl is a junior. They'll start officially tomorrow. One of the guys, Darren wouldn't stop flirting with me. He's tall and so damn cute-"

"-Got dimples?" I cut Vera short.

Vera nodded.

Oops. Vera was a sucker for guys with dimples. Now, tall and flirty?

Damn.

"So what's the problem?" Jada asked, and honestly, me too, I couldn't see the problem," Guys flirt with you all the time"

Vera sighed deeply, " He's all over my i********: now. Liking all my posts and he's in my DM, asking me if he could see me."

"Still don't see the problem, V.This is a normal thing, ain't it?" I sighed, really wanting Vera to get to the point.

Vera said in a small and vulnerable voice,"I- I ...I think I wanna see him too."

"Wait, what?"

That was Jada and I. We both jinxed.

Vera nodded.

"Seriously????"Jada and I jinxed again.

When Vera just sighed and reached for one of the kitchen stools and sat on it, I knew she was serious.

"Wow. You never care about guys like this to want to see them too. Vera, could you be having a crush on this guy?? You never care this much but look at your face, girl!" I exclaimed. When Vera didn't say anything, I said to her, "Well, you ain't going anywhere. You don't want to seem desperate, okay? You're going to see him in school tomorrow, ain't you?"

"But..but it's just going to be two friends hanging out?" Vera suggested.

Yeah, right.

"Friends? You hardly even know this guy!" That was still me, trying to make Vera stay and not go after this guy.

"But.."Vera tried saying but I just shut her up with a "No!"

Jada chuckled though there wasn't any form of amusement on her face," I understand how she feels."

Wait what??? What is going on?

Jada ran her fingers through her thick black hair as she said," I..I saw a really pretty girl today."

I had to suck in breath to stop myself from screaming or squealing, as Vera loved to do.

Yes, Jada is gay. She came out like a year ago and ever since she came out that she was gay, it was like she became embarrassed about it. I don't know why. She didn't want to talk about having a girlfriend with anyone and once, when I teased her about staring at a girl longer than necessary, she got so angry with me that she talk to me for three straight hours, which was uncalled for, if you ask me.

So, her bringing this up now, I seriously didn't know how to act about it. I know Vera was dumbfounded too.

Jada continued, ignoring me and Vera's silence," Saw her in the bathroom today. Never seen her before. Mysterious beauty. Green eyes..."

"...Dark haired? Tall?" Vera continued Jada's description. Guess she was not that dumbfounded, after all.

Jada paused and staring at Vera with her dark as the night eyes, she nodded.

Vera nodded too,"Yeah, Arabella. She's a new student. The girl I mentioned that's a junior. She's the younger sister to the guy that's hitting on me. Darren."

Jada muttered under her breath, "Wow."

I broke down into chuckles," Wow. So these siblings just come into the school and make my two best friends fall in love with them?"

"Who said anything about love?" Jada said with sass.

"Please, shut up. This is the first girl you're ever talking about." I snickered.

"Still." Jada argued.

"You should see them, Liv. My God!" Vera sighed and took the carton of milk to her lips again to take a large swig.

"So, good looks runs in their family, huh." I said cheekily.

Vera shook her head, "Not just both of them. All of them. Plus the other two guys. They all looked like they stepped out of a fashion magazine. But, I didn't really like the other two guys though. They were kinda cold. One was just staring at me , with a blank clinical expression. While the blond guy kept glaring at me like I killed his mother and he was going to kill me or something."

I laughed lightly at Vera's description while Jada gave the ghost of a smile.

"The only person that was quite warm was this Darren guy. Others made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't show it though, of course." Looking at Jada, she said to her,"Your girlfriend was cold too, you know."

Jada said with a small smile,"She's not my girlfriend. She caught me staring at her in the bathroom through the mirror and I couldn't even say hi. It was like I forgot how to speak. Probably thought I'm a creep or something."

I said to Vera," Plus, we know that the only reason Darren was nice to you was because he likes you. He probably thought that you had such a nice bum."

"Because I do have a nice bum!" Vera rolled her eyes, a smirk on her perfect face.

"Nah, I was making fun of you." I sputtered into laughter.

"f**k you." Vera laughed too,"Just know that-"

"-Vera, I'm heading to the hospi-oh hiiiii!!"

I turned to see Vera's mom putting her head through the door, all dressed up in her srcubs.

Vera's mom was the prettiest doctor I had ever seen. Mr Bale sure did hit big when he got Shelly, Vera's mom to marry him.

"Hi, Jada. Hi, Olive. Sorry, girls, gotta run to the hospital. Have an emergency to take care of. Bye. Love you guys!"

She didn't wait for a reply and just ran off.

Seeing her made my heart miss a beat and made me remember that I needed her.

So, I jumped down from the kitchen island and ran after her. Terence wasn't in the sitting room anymore. Don't know where he was and Mrs Shelly was just stepping out the front door.

"Shelly!" I called her back.

She took a pause and turned to face me. Seeing my face, she pursed her lips at me and asked me,"You want to tell me something?"

When I nodded, she nodded too then said, "About your...?"

She didn't finish her question but I knew what she wanted to ask me so, I nodded.

She nodded again then said to me, "Okay, honey. I got to hurry to the hospital. We'll talk when I get back okay? I should be back before 9pm, okay?"

"Okay." I smiled at her and nodded.

She came to me, gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek then said to me,"I love you."

"I love you too, Shelly."

And with that, she was out the front door.

I rushed back to the kitchen to watch my girls arguing about who's to oder the next Chinese take out.

I smiled to myself, observing how having a crush made both of them react differently. Jada, becoming more quiet than usual and

Vera, becoming more chatty than usual.

But then, my smile faded when I remembered what I wanted to discuss with Shelly, Vera's mom.

My thoughts were cut short when Vera asked me," Liv, wasn't I the last person to order the Chinese take outs?"

"That was me, b***h!" Jada and her aggressiveness.

I sighed loudly, gathering the energy to tell them that it was in fact me, who ordered the last take outs.