Sonata

"Oi, Lee, scoot yer ass ova; Eve is 'ere."

I heard Oli as I tried to pull open the van door.
Tried because right when I grabbed the metal handle, his hand flew to the lock and he pushed it down.

I glared in confusion at the back of Oli's head, wondering why the hell he wouldn't let me inside. I thought that maybe he had done it by accident. He couldn't of possibly pulled that stunt intentionally. But as I began to knock on the window, then bang on it, I realized that it was completely intentional.

I was wearing a blue tee and a thin, grey cardigan being the only thing to shield me from the weather.

It was 11:00 at night, it was very cold, and the forecast for Wilcom had been humid and rainy for the past week. They knew this, and especially he knew this, because whenever he walked me up to the house, he'd complain about how it felt like he was in the Artic Ocean; wet and freezing.

Whatever the fuck that meant.

So just imagine the pissed off expression I sported when I had to stand outside the van, when I could've very well have been inside. If someone would just open the goddamn door.

Oli was, obviously, sitting closest to it, then Lee in the middle, and if I cranked my neck to the right, I could mildly see Curtis.
But I couldn't tell through all the condensation on the window.
I continued my raps on the glass to no avail.

I then glanced towards the back seat helplessly, where Tom and Nicholls were staring back at me like, as cliche as it sounds, deer in headlights.

"Oli, just 'ave yer bird sit 'n the back."

"Malia, move yer ass."

The two continued to argue at a profound volume, but everyone else had their attention on me; standing in the horrible weather as I pleaded with my eyes and actions to let me in.

From what I could tell, Lee was about to object to Oli again, but suddenly his face contorted into one of agony and he fell over to the floor; holding what seemed to be his nuts.
I raised an eyebrow, and Oli finally opened the door with a grin as big as his face. I don't know if that was because he knew he was in trouble or if he was genuinely happy to see me.

Either way, I wasn't pleased.
His smile dropped when he saw me, and right there that told me that he didn't think he had done anything wrong.
Bad Oli.

"Wha' is it?"

I was too irritable and cold to answer him with a dignified response, so instead, I just rolled my eyes and climbed in past him to the middle seat. Unfortunately, it was still by his side, and I wished that I just sat in the back with the two other boys.

The air was stiff once I entered and turned my head away from Oli, and instead in Curtis' direction. He looked at me skeptically, but began to slowly smile as I wasn't made at him.

My right side, however, still had a lot of explaining to do.

He made a grab for my hand, but I pulled it away in order to put on my seatbelt. So it wasn't as though it was a total rejection, but he didn't attempt it again.
I could hear Lee snickering from behind us, then the rumble of the engine as Keane started the car and took it out of park.

"Eve, wha's-"

"Why aren't you driving Curtis?"

His eyes raced between me and Oli's baffled face; the after effect of being interrupted, only to be ignored. I could just see his composure (or lack of it) from the back of my head.
He was frowning and taken aback simultaneously. Probably even that little pout of his coming into play soon after the initial shock had rolled over.

"Uh..."

He coughed uncomfortably.

"Keane needs ta a'just teh yer American ways. Practice makes perfect, aye?"

"Not necessarily."

It was a voice that I hadn't heard before. I searched around, almost in fear that someone else had sneaked into the van. As ludicrous as it sounds, considering there were six boys and me; a full ride, but my mind was in short lived shock.
There was a smack of skin and a "shut up." from Nicholls.

It was Tom that spoke.

I barely heard it, ever, so it was always surprising when I did. It's not to be taken lightly when I say that he was a borderline mute.

He spoke in a different tone this time, explaining my urgency to find the unknown voice. It was one that sounded light and at ease in their surroundings.
Yeah, never heard it before.

"I'm sorreh I lef' yeh out there."

My glare was back.
So he did know that he was in deep shit. At last, I peered over at Oli, and just like I predicted, he had that face. It's only been about a month and I could already read him like a child's book. I huffed as I turned away again, only to have him curl his hand around my neck delicately and move me back around.
Damn him for his charming gestures.

"Don' be mad sweetheart, I did it fer a reason."

His voice was smooth, like liquid heaven running through my ear, and instead of spilling out the other, it just circulated in my head; into my thoughts. God did he have a nice voice, and it was in a fucking whisper. The kind of whisper that tickles your entire being without having their hands all over you physically.
The kind to make you shiver.

Trying to recover what was already lost, I kept my sight towards the front and not at him where he was surely seductive looking. I'd lose my nerve.

"Oh yeah, and what would that be?"

He was the one to now make an effort not to keep contact, and instead, stared at the dirty van floor; blushing slightly.

"I don' fancy yeh seein' me act like a sod. Fuckin' Malia ova 'ere wouldn' move so yeh could be by meh.-"

"Oi, yeh'r not connected at the hip mate! Yeh see 'er near every damn night! 'S not my fault..."

And as Lee had his rant on Oli; his eyes growing wider with every syllable to leave his mouth, and sometimes, spit along with it, moving farther and farther away from the back of his seat towards us, Nicholls was slowly raising his fist above Lee's lap with a devilish smirk on his face.

Tom even had one.

Matt was completely silent as he jerked his fist down and hit Lee in the balls; the most appropriate way to shut him up, as far as they were concerned, and chuckled loudly with the rest of the van as the troublemaker, who had no grievances in watching other people's pain and humiliation, had finally got his.
The second time that night.

He held his crotch as he toppled over to the right, away from Matt, and towards the arm of the seat; his cheek resting against it as he moaned and groaned. Oli and Matt exchanged high fives and continued to point at their crushed friend. No pun intended.

"Yeh see Malia, maybe if yeh weren't such a twat, maybe that wouldn't be the only action yeh'r dick would get this evenin'."

A) Oli wasn't trying too hard to show me he wasn't an asshole.
B) Boys will be boys.

I was still thinking about our dispute.

"You know I still heard you while I was out there, right?"

His eyes widened.

"Yeah; didn't think so."

...

Keane had told everyone to shut the fuck up once he got on the highway or else we'd be the reason to hold up traffic.
Either by slow driving or a fatal crash.

Needless to say, we were pretty quiet after that.

There was an anxiety that had overcome me as he drove off the exit and onto the freeway, still a little shaky from the experience of driving on the fucking opposite side of the road, and it's not as if going in the fast line was going to make it better. Curtis had grabbed my hand and gave it a tight squeeze; scaring me out of my skin.
He giggled.

"Aye, yeh need teh chill. Keane is doin' sweet as a nut."

Right when he said that, the van swerved to the left swiftly; causing all of us to yell out in incoherence, then everything was okay.

No crash. No burn. But still fear.
I peered over at Curtis with knowing, and he just grinned cheekily and shrugged.

"Well o' course tha' would 'appen."

Then, Oli made a grab for my other hand, for the second time that night, and for the first time succeeding. He seemed to enjoy that, for he gave me that little Oli smile that I loved so much and interlocked our fingers; meshing into a gate of adoration.

He pulled me by that hold over the few inches to kiss my temple. His lips stayed pressed against my skin for a second longer, until he attacked it with smaller kisses playfully and made "nom nom nom" sounds to go with it.

I laughed heartidly and tried to get away, but he wouldn't have it; he had his other hand slinked around the nape of my neck to keep me in his grasp.

Being with him for 30 days gave me no choice but to adjust to his childish habits, which included weird instances like this one.
Weird, but adorable.

"Get a room!"

Oli just gave them the finger.
Cute factor down.

...[&&&]...

We were the last ones on the stairwell, once again.
No one wanted to be at the heels of "the couple".

If you were behind us, it would take you an extra 10 mins to get down the corridor of stairs, and not only that, but you'd also have to suffer your way through all our kisses and flirting; rolling your eyes and looking between the two of us in disgust.
As you were enduring that hell, all the rest of the guys would be way up ahead, at a speed you considered lightning fast, and joking around the whole way down. Every once in a while, you'd get lucky, and one of them would glance back at you.
Out of pity or pleasure, then they'd turn back around.

Just like that.
Spare you a moment and you're still fucked thereafter the two/too happy lovebirds.

I hated putting any one of the boys through that, which is why I held Oli back and let them go past. Typical Oli, of course, when I told him the reason said that he didn't give two shits if they were under the bed while we fucked; giving me a small smile when I showed him my disapproval.

"You're so vulgar." I muttered as I walked ahead to open that wooden door I knew so well.

The one that was the real entrance to the vicinity.

He just laughed it off and said,
"Yeh give meh tha' face, bu' I bet it's ta 'ide the fact tha' yeh creamed yer knickers."

What a dirty boy.
I glared at him, but it couldn't cover up my utter surprise. Was I getting to know the real Oli, finally? I didn't know how to take it honestly. I had always been raised prim and proper -sterile and tasteless- and yet, I couldn't deny that there had also been a not-so-innocent side that grew up alongside. In rebellion or as a natural cycle were my two theories.
Maybe the rebellion just intensified its destiny.

Opening the portal to our haven, he held the door from the top; his arm hovering over my head, as if silently telling me to go ahead and let his chivalry work its wonders.

He may have been a perv, but he was a polite one at that.

I entered, and it felt as though the air had gotten thinner; clearer. It was always like that, as though the whole world was galaxies away and we got abandoned. Or we were the ones to leave the bullshit.

My eyes immediately searched for the boys, who were nowhere in sight. I knew it was crowded, and I knew they were going down the stairs barely faster than Oli and I, so where were they?

"Wha' the fuck is this Curt?!"

I made a sharp look to my right, and I was somewhat disappointed in myself for not seeing them before. Also not realizing that Oli had left my side and found them himself.
It was somewhat of a dumb moment.
Or for me: a blonde moment.

Irregardless, I shook of my fleeting stupidity, and not to mention personal embarassment, and joined the group; pertaining to Oli, Curtis, and some mystery girl.

It might be taken that Oli was pissed off, but in fact, the way he greeted Curtis was indeed yelling, but in a very happy tone. Almost estatic. He was beaming at Curtis and his new friend.
The potential for something deeper was implied though by how close they were.

I couldn't believe that Curtis had already snagged a chick this quickly. I never knew he had that kind of status, but I guess being local celebrities/heroes acquires some sort of people magnet.

I felt an arm wrap itself around my waist and pull me in.
Smiling, I wrapped mine around Oli's thin one also as we both observed the two. Curtis' eyebrows rose up, and then he got up quickly as he apologized perfusely for not initiating proper introductions. The girl stared up at him; a chuckle arising from her pink lips as she rose as well.

She had short brown hair that flaired out at the ends with blonde streaks, pretty skin, and under the lighting: bright blue eyes that reminded me of Tom. Only no one's could top his.
Giving her better vision, and the icing on the cake, were oversized glasses that ranged from her eyebrows to mid cheek. She pulled them off well.

When she stood next to Curtis, she was considerably smaller than him, which I guess wasn't that odd after all for the reverse would be quite stranger. Though he was taller than most guys and she probably had about an inch on me.
That doesn't say much.

"Guys, this 'ere's Kantarli."

Kantarli.
It was the first time I had heard that one, and I was wondering why. It was really pretty. Both their grins got bigger as he squeezed her shoulder with his hand and she looked up at him.

They were so adorable.
Although, I was a little concerned with the fact that he had only known her for what? 5 mins?

As though he read my mind (or possibly my face), Curtis hastily added,
"We met three nigh's ago; I a'mit, I was watchin' 'er, an' when she saw a friend approach 'er, she tackled them teh the floor. It was then tha' I knew I 'ad teh meet 'er."