Blizzard Blackout

“Brian is here but we’re not together, Dan,” I told him quietly. “We broke up, he’s been cheating on me and he doesn’t want the baby.”

“What?” his face turned blank and instantly I regretted telling him. I had forgotten how protective Dan had been of me. “He did what now?”

“He’s trying to change, he’s working on being a better man,” I promised him, squeezing his hand as I pulled out the walkie talkie. “Matt, I found a girl who works at Hot Topic and I found a guy in Cole’s.”

“Head out, we’re meeting in the center again,” Matt’s voice broke and I put the talkie back on my hip clip.

“Sexy,” Dan smiled cheekily at me and then he followed me out of the clothes. “Is Brian with you now?”

“Yes,” I told him biting my lip as I looked up at him.

“I’ll behave for now, and I’ll let go,” he let go of my hand but winked at me. “Don’t think I haven’t forgotten how much you mean to me, I’ll take his ass down in a heartbeat.”

“Thank you but I have it under control,” I kissed his cheek and pulled him by his shirt after me. We came out of the clothes and walked to the front doors, where Brian and Kayla were waiting. Kayla looked up first and smiled, nudging Brian in the ribs. He glanced at her and then followed her gaze, instantly his face turned blank, he seen Dan at my side. “I found Dan, can you believe it.”

“You know him?” Kayla asked with a smile on her face. “Well isn’t that weird.”

“Yeah, Matt said we’re all meeting now so come on,” I told them and watched as Brian ground his teeth, set his jaw and turned completely around and walked ahead of me.

“Oops, pissed him off,” Dan whispered in my ear humorously and it took everything in me not to giggle because it interested me and amused me that Brian cared enough to be pissed off that I found my ex boyfriend, who happens to swing like a windshield wiper, both ways.

“Is Brian okay?” Kayla slid back and started walking evenly with me, she whispered but she really didn’t have to because Brian was to far ahead to hear us, he was fast walking to get away from us.

“Brian is my ex-boyfriend, this guy right here, Daniel Somerton is my ex-boyfriend also, Brian and Dan never got along,” I explained to her the short version. It was true; Brian and Dan were like oil and water. They couldn’t get along to save their lives. Brian was arrogant and always thought he didn’t need any help where Dan would lend a hand or asks for someone’s help if he needed it. They clashed in personality trait and many other things. “Needless to say, Brian is kind of angry I found Dan of all people.”

“I completely understand, you poor girl,” Kayla patted my shoulder sympathetically and left it at that, since we were nearly at the crowd that was forming in the center of the mall. A few new faces struck me as odd, only three others, two men and one woman.

“Kasey—“Matt made his way over to me and paused when he seen Dan. “Dan? What the hell are you doing here?”

I smiled when Dan and Matt exchanged a brotherly hug; Matt always loved Dan for being such a good boyfriend to me, and best friend. “I came back to California last night, I needed some clothes because they lost my luggage at the airport so I figured I’d come shopping, apparently I have bad timing,” Dan told him jokingly as he leaned back.

“Speak of the devil,” Val stepped forward, whispering to herself but I still heard her. “And he shall rise. Hey Danny boy.”

“Valary DiBenedetto,” Dan smiled and held his hands out, Val squeaked and jumped into his arms. Compared to Matt, Dan was the only guy Val ever had the hots for, she loved Matt with everything in her but she thought Dan was the hottest guy she had ever seen, she loved him, but she was in love with Matt.

“God I missed your British ass,” she kissed his cheek and jumped back down, giggling as she crossed her arms. “I just can’t believe your back in Cali, maybe now you can stay with us.”

“I’ve missed him, that’s for sure,” I told Dan, hugging his side but was interrupted by Brian as he walked up and cleared his throat. “Okay, so this is Kayla, we found her at Hot Topic.”