Hallows: Duets

We're Homies, As You Say

Kanye West- Can't Tell Me Nothing

Ashley:

Lily and I are sitting at what looks like is going to become our usual spot in the cafeteria. It's by the biggest window that's facing the football field. Man. That was brutal. I don't think I've ever had that much information crammed into my head in one morning before and I've done late-night study sessions with both Anthony and Kelly at the same time.

"I think I'm in love," Lily says breathlessly. I look over at her like she's lost her damn mind. I think we've made that pretty clear.

"Dude, that was brutal," I shake my head.

"I know. I can't wait for tomorrow morning when she makes us practice," she nods.

"Mmm," I groan, pushing my Caesar salad around my plate.

"Like, she really ripped us a new one," she nods happily. "She didn't have a ring. Do you think she's married?"

"I didn't see one either. Why do you ask?"

"I need my dad to meet her," she shrugs.

"You want her in your house? I don't even want her in my suite. She's mean," I shake my head.

"Who did you guys get?" Dante asks.

"Get this," Lily says excitedly and goes as far as dancing in her seat. "Sloane Dumont,"

"No," Kelly jumps up. "You two got f*****g Sloane Dumont and I'm over here with Will Montgomery. You lucky bitches," she drops into her seat. "I should have learned music over math. It's just f*****g boring,"

"She's joking, right?" Lily scoffs. "Math over music? No,"

"Nope. Kelly is numbers crazy. It's why she handles all the money," Carter says. "Even for your daddy,"

"Do you have pompom bullshit tonight or can we go up and try to finger each other?" Lily asks me. Tony chokes on his chicken Alfredo. Dante looks over at her with a glare.

"I don't have cheer," I laugh.

"So, you're open to suggestions?" Dante asks.

"She's kidding. She means she wants us to play," I laugh.

"I want to make a good impression on Sloane," she nods. "Although, you looked really hot in that uniform. When do I get to see you in it again?"

"Friday, right? We have a game?" I look over at Tiffany. She nods but is completely focused on something on the other side of the room. She's staring at some guy. The guy is talking to one of the other girls on the squad. "You good?"

"I'm fine," she growls. Tam leans away from her hating her tone.

"Anyway," I glance back at the girl again and sit up straight. "Practice is on Wednesday and I look pretty good in our practice attire. You can use some sun,"

"Mmm, okay," she nods. I'm trying to help her get a little more fresh air and sunshine. "Carter, when is my dad getting back from London?"

"On Thursday,"

"Okay, I have three days to get her something cute. Convince her to have a full spa day. Have her trim her f*****g split ends. I mean your hair is short as hell. How the f**k are you not taking proper care of it, Sloane? This is going to be a lot of work. Michelle!"

"Miss De Laughrey," I jump when her personal assistant appears behind me.

"Where the f**k-" Anthony looks her over.

"Come on, Michelle. We have work to do," Lily gets up and starts to walk out of the cafeteria with Lucifer following behind her. "Don't forget my food, Michelle,"

"Oh," Michelle rushes back and takes her plate. "Excuse me," she picks up the plate and bows before running after her.

"She's going to get her ass beat by Friday," Carter shakes his head. "It's been a minute. She probably needs it,"

"Yeah, that's what she needs," I scoff at him.

"That girl is f*****g nuts. Your soft patient approach will not work on her. That is one Stallion you cannot tame, Villanueva," he rolls his eyes at me. "Many have died trying,"

"Don't make this personal, Kennedy. I will make you swallow your words. Again,"

"Really?" he grins. "How much are you willing to wager?"

"Oh, s**t," Kelly shakes her head. "Can you guys not fight right now?"

"You don't have anything I want," I scoff taking a drink from my water. Why am I eating healthy today? I look over at Dante's food. He's eating pizza. Is this because of his essence?

"I am one of the richest men sitting at this table. I can literally get anything you want. Just name it," he counters.

"Okay, dickhead. This is what I want from you. If I can get Lily to behave accordingly and by my means. You have to stop talking to me like I'm a f*****g child and you have to admit that you were wrong on paper so I can frame it and put it up in Dante's study,"

"Oh, that would look amazing next to the head mounted on my wall," Dante mumbles. I glance at him wondering what he means by that.

"All right, mini jackal, and when I win, you have to go on the Winter Tour with the band as their personal assistant,"

"Oh, pulled out the big guns," Tony laughs.

"Unless you think you can't do it," he smirks.

"You're on, f**k stick," I hold my hand out for him to take. He looks down at my hand. Using his index finger and his thumb he gives my hand an awkward shake.

"You shook on it. No takebacks," he smirks.

"I feel like that's not an even trade," Dante admits.

"The girl is demanding my respect," Carter scoffs. "I beg to differ,"

We all jump when Tiffany suddenly crushes the plastic cup in her hand. I look back to see the girl touching the guy she's been intently watching since she sat down. Tiffany's eyes are wild with anger and hurt. I haven't seen her like that since I rubbed Aubrey's face in her own s**t.

"Oh, sweetie," Kelly sighs taking the plastic pieces cutting into her skin.

"I'm done eating," I say and get up.

"Fifty bucks on her f*****g up Madison with the tray," Tony rushes out from behind me.

I walk up to the two of them. As soon as Halestorm looks up at me he moves away. The plate clinks against the girl's forehead loudly when I throw it at her. I take my tray and slam it down on her head as she screams.

"Stop f*****g around with other people's boyfriends, b***h," I growl.

"Ashley," Halestorm looks down at me.

I pull back and swing at him. My fist connects with his stomach. The sound he makes echoes in the high ceilings of the silent cafeteria. He falls to his knees and then on his side as he tries to gasp for air.

"Knock it off, d**k head," I step over him and walk out of the cafeteria. Kelly and Tam rush after me as make my way over to the lockers.

"Definitely channeling her inner Dante," Kelly laughs.

"What a f*****g asshole," I shake my head.

"You do remember she lost her virginity to your boyfriend, right?" Tam asks.

"I do. Yes, and she paid a big f*****g price for that. He doesn't need to be tormenting her any more than the rest of us already do,"

"You know, I never noticed before because I wanted to f**k you but now that you're off the menu and I legit can no longer have you. You really are kind of a buzz kill," Kelly shakes her head. "Carter was telling me the other day and I refused to believe it but holy s**t. I see it now. It's a lot more obvious now that you've got your soul entangled with that maniac,"

"I was never on the menu," I shake my head. She snorts.

"Keep telling yourself that, baby face. I would have rocked your f*****g world," she tucks her hair behind her ear and blows me a kiss as she walks away.

"I wish I had her level of confidence," Tam sighs.

Some dumb i***t decided that it was a really good idea to put all of us in bio-chem together. Dante and Kelly played fifteen games of rock paper scissors to decide who my lab partner was going to be only for the teacher to assign us by roommates. Since Dante's and Carter's dorm rooms are right next to one another, they have to be partners.

"Okay, we have to beat Dante and Carter into the f*****g mud," Lily whispers as Kelly passes out the syllabus. I laugh and nod.

"Lily, you read my mind. Just one thing, I'm not very good at science s**t," I admit.

"Neither am I, but you know who is? Michelle," she grins. "She has a masters in some engineering s**t,"

"Why is she working for you?" I laugh.

"The money. She's at H.U. getting her doctorate,"

"And you're stressing her out with your crazy s**t?" I shake my head.

"It builds character. When she leaves she's going to have the backbone of a harpy. No one is going to push over my baby," she smirks.

"Lily, what do you know of the Southside?" I ask her.

"Absolutely nothing. I've never stepped foot there. Look at me. I'm a real princess. I'd get shot up and the dudes would probably f**k the bullet holes,"

"Anthony and I are going-"

"I'm in," she cuts me off.

"Really? You don't even know what I was going to say,"

"You said Anthony and I," she smiles. "That's all I needed to hear. Are we going to f**k s**t up or are we doing some creepy s**t?"

"Both but creepy s**t first. I want to sneak some money to my mom. More importantly, are you in love with my best friend?"

"You're BFFs with Anthony Daniels?" she looks me over. I nod. "No, but I am a big fan," she lifts her t-shirt to show me a tattoo on her ribcage. It's a set of drumsticks with his initials carved into the bottom. "Before I started working for my dad, I was president of the Tony Daniels Fan Club. I'll take you to a meeting sometime,"

"Oh, my god. You're insane,"

"Yeah," she nods and pinches my cheek. "You would be too if your last name was De Laughrey, silly. Anyway, do you think I have a shot at f*****g him?"

"I think you have a shot at making him burn down your house with your step-mom in it,"

"Ashley," she says my name fondly and loud enough for everyone to look over at us. "You say the most romantic s**t. Do not make me a believer. Can you imagine? Me, heart broke over a boy. May the lord have mercy on his soul,"

"Given who the boy is. May the lord forgive me for what's come," I laugh.

Kelly is going to murder me but I just want to help Tony and rub Carter's face in s**t. Metaphorically of course. The gods of Evil have blessed me because Anthony and I have CAL. one together. For once, I'm crushing it at math because of Kelly.

"Are we still on for tonight?" Anthony asks, going over my answers.

"Yeah, do you mind if Lily comes with us?" I ask. He slips my work back.

"Number eight is wrong. I do not but I smell a plot," he smirks.

"Okay, you're into Lily. Lily is into you. What's the problem?" I ask.

"She said that? She said she was into me?"

"She is as you said. Obsessed with you," I shrug. His cheeks flush red. How not Anthony is that reaction?

"This is scary territory for me," he admits. "I've been into this girl since before I knew what being into girls was. If I go for her it's going to hurt if she kicks my heart in the ass the way Kels did. I-" he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. I put my hand over his. "I want to kill her every time I see her in his arms, you know? I started drinking again,"

"I know, sweetie. We can smell it," I rest my head on his shoulder. "Sometimes you smell like s*x and blood,"

"Me and Beli are at Lil Scrappy's a lot as of late," he nods.

"She's perfect for you, you know that right? She is a creepsville Queen. You're the King of the Creeps. And as much as I hate to say this. She's human. If she hurts you and you want to kill her. It's doable,"

"Do you really love me that much? I feel like we just vibe in the same frequency sometimes," he smirks.

"Yes, you're my homie. I've told you more about myself than I've told anyone else. Except maybe Dante but we're f*****g now so it doesn't count,"

"I didn't know I wanted a sister until now," he laughs.

"With that said, you should stop perving on me. Especially in front of David and Dante,"

"You know I hate Espinosa, right? I think we all do. No particular reason. He just full of himself,"

"You all are," I scoff.

"Yeah, but it's different for us. We're all on the same level. You included. We take care of each other. You'd still be here without Dante. We would still be homies, as you say. None of us would even glance in his direction if he weren't Danny's. He's fam by association. You're blood,"

I sit back taking in his words and they worry me a little. But also, wow. I've never been more flattered.