The Square Root

Tristan composed his posture and let go of my arm that he was examining. “Oh hey Jr, I just came to check on uhm, Hazelyn,” he said, clearing his throat. “I heard what happened last night,and yeah,” he said rubbing the back of his neck.

“I didn’t know you guys knew each other,” Ryan said.

“Oh, we uhh knew each other from camp a few years ago,” I lied, saving my ass.

“Oh, okay then. I was just checking who was at the door,” he said raising his eyebrow at me, letting me know that he wasn’t believing my lie. “And to ask where the garbage is.”

“It’s uhm - under the sink,” I told him. He nodded and walked back into the kitchen.

“What the fuck is he doing in here?” Tristan whisper-growled at me.

“Relax, it’s just Ryan,” I said to him. “He stayed with me last night.”

“Relax? I’m a guy. Every guy knows of Jay’s rep, Lyn. Did he try anything on you? Was he the one that attempted to… you know,” he asked.

“Oh my goodness! No. He didn’t, he’s not like that,” I defended. Why? I don’t know. Probably because of the fact that if I didn’t run into Ryan last night, I would’ve ended up in a different light. And maybe because he had some kick ass pancakes. “Plus, if it was him, you really think he’d be here right now?”

“You have a point,” he said thoughtfully. “And I knew it! You shouldn’t live alone, you’re moving to the mansion, or we’re moving here.”

“No. I’m fine. Nothing happened. Just relax,” I sighed. “Now, go before he starts thinking stuff.”

He made an ‘eww’ face. “I remember the last time that happened,” he shuddered. Let’s just say the whole school thought we were dating, since he took me home when I forgot my car. Yup. Awkward! Since it was so awkward, we just told them that we were siblings, and it was… funny. Everyone was surprised. Very entertaining if you ask me.

“We can reminisce later, now you have to go,” I said pushing him out the door.

“Geez, being kicked out of my own sister’s home,” he mumbled. “But bodyguards!” he insisted.

“Leave!” I said pushing him out, then waved at him. “We’ll talk about the body guards some other time!” I quickly said and closed the door on his face. I ran back to the kitchen to see Ryan sitting on the table, texting somebody.

“Hey, sorry about that,” I said, sitting in front of him.

“It’s fine,” he said, putting his phone away. “So, you and Macintosh, huh?” he smirked. I rolled my eyes. “First, it was Kyle, then Gabriel, and now Tristan?” he laughed. “Damn, you’re one player,” he said shaking his head. I rolled my eyes.

“You’re just jealous that all these guys are all after me,” I joked.

“Maybe I am,” he winked.

“You should go home and sleep,” I told him.

He scoffed. “And leave you? No.” he said sternly.

“Go,” I told him.

“No!”

“Go”

“No”

“Go!”

“No”

“Fine,” I mumbled and walked out into the living room, and turned on the TV. I checked my phone for messages, and there were at sixteen missed calls, and 12 new messages. I checked the missed calls first. There were 4 from Alexa, then the rest from my brothers. The messages were from Stephanie, Alexa and My brothers, asking if I was okay.

I took that time to reply to them, telling them that I’m fine and they didn’t need to call the police knowing that Ryan took care of that already. I was seated on the corner of the couch where the two parts of our L shaped couch met, when Ryan sat next to me, put a pillow on my lap and laid down on it.

“What’re you doing?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

“Sleeping,” he simply said.

“On my lap?” I asked

“Yup.”

“And why?”

“So I’d know nothing would happen to you.”

I suddenly had an internal argument whether it was a cute gesture or not. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Dolciani,” I sighed.

“Better safe than sorry,” he mumbled, his eyes closed.

Aww. He looks so cute while he’s sleeping

Are you serious, Hazelyn?

He is, look at him. He seems so, angelic.

Looks can be deceiving

“How am I to sleep when I can feel your eyes burning onto my face?” he asked, popping an eye open.

I slapped his cheek gently, and laughed. “Don’t be so conceited Ry,” I told him, going back to watching TV.

“You need to stop calling me Ry or Ryan,” he whined.

“You need to stop calling me Haze!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

I pushed his head off my lap and stood up with my arms crossed. “Why do you hate the name Ryan?” I asked him.

“I just do,” he said to me. “It’s gross and ugly,” he huffed.

“You’re gross and ugly,” I mumbled.

He glared at me, and huffed. “Why do you hate the name Haze?”

“Because it isn’t my name. My name’s Hazelyn,” I said to him.

“I’ll let you call me Ryan if you let me call you Haze,” he finally said.

I glared at him, and rolled my eyes. “Fine,” I mumbled.

“Good, now come on. I need my pillow,” he said pulling on my wrist to make me sit back down and he then flopped his head on my lap, on top of the pillow. I rolled my eyes once again (for probably the millionth time) and went back to watching the show that was playing.

The show finished, and I looked down at a peacefully sleeping Ryan on my lap. I didn’t know that I was running my hands through his soft hair and twirling them between my fingres. I quickly stopped, and Ryan groaned.

“Don’t stop,” he mumbled. I smiled softly and ran my hand through his hair aimlessly once again and started watching TV again.

*I met this girl, who likes her heavy metal,
She gets excited when slipknot plays on Leno*

I heard my phone ring and immediately grabbing it, with my eyes closed. When I felt that it was in my hands, I quickly tapped the screen and rubbed my eyes to rub away the sleepiness from them. I quickly looked at Ryan if he was still asleep. I sighed in relief when I saw it didn’t wake him

I looked at it. “New Message” it read. “Alexa” I quickly opened the message and read what was in it. ‘You okay? Have you eaten? How are you? Want me to bring food over?’

She’d kill me if she knew I was with Ryan. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. No I haven’t, and it’s okay, I’ll grab something,’ I replied and put my phone on silent. I checked the time, and it was 3pm, and I guess I skipped lunch. It’s three?! I guess I fell asleep too. I didn’t wanna move and wake him up, so I just stayed seated where I was.

A few minutes later, I heard Ryan groan then get up, eyes still closed. He leaned back on the back of the seat then popped an eye open looking at me sleepily. I chuckled softly, seeing his hair is pretty messed up. He then rubbed his eyes and looked at me again, then around.

“Morning sleepy head,” I greeted.

“What time is it?” he asked, followed by a yawn.

I looked back at my cell phone. “It’s 3:30,” I told him

His eyes widened. “I slept for 6 hours?!”

“Pretty much,” I told him. “You needed it”

He yawned again. “I’m so tired,” he said.

“Why don’t you go home?” I suggested.

“I’m not leaving you here alone,” he rolled his eyes.

“I can call Alexa to keep me company,” He shook his head, no.

“Sheesh, I now get a babysitter,” I mumbled.

“Go get dressed,” he told me, and standing up to stretch.

“Why?” I asked.

“Just go,” he told me and rolled his eyes. “We’re going somewhere,” he said.

“Uhh.. No thanks,” I told him.

He rolled his eyes again. “You really think I’d do something?”

“Yes,” I joked.

“Just go, you’re so stubborn,” he complained.

“You are too,” I pointed out, but started running up the stairs anyway. I quickly took of my tank top and my shorts, and threw them into the laundry basket. I walked into the bathroom, into my closet and just put on some sweats with a plain green shirt, then put my hair in a pony tail. I jogged back downstairs, 5 minutes later, grabbing my phone and wallet on the way. “Let’s go,” I said to him.

“That was quick,” he said, sitting on the couch, looking comfortable. He was wearing sweats too. He looked at me from head to toe. “You’re leaving the house in sweats?” he chuckled.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Most-,” he started, then he smiled. “Right, you’re not like other girls,” he said. I gave him a wide grin, and he rolled his eyes. “Let’s go,” he said grabbing my keys. “We’ll take your car since my sister brought my car home already,” he said. I nodded and held out my hand for they keys. “Nope, I’m driving,” he said and got into the driver’s seat.

I took my seat, and looked at Ryan. God, he looked hot in that outfit, and driving a stick-shift car just made him fire hot. What the fuck am I thinking? I quickly looked outside the window. “You didn’t have to stay, you know,” I told him so that he wouldn’t feel obligated to need to protect me.

“I know,” he said. I glanced at him.

“Why did you?” I asked.

“As I said, I don’t know. I had the feeling to need to stay with you, protect you,” he said, a look of confusion on his face. I could tell he was as confused as I was.

“Thanks,” I told him.

“You’re welcome,” he told me. “So, do you still hate me, or what?” he asked with a smirk.

I playfully glared at him. “Just a little,” I told him truthfully. I mean, he isn’t that bad. It’s just that he just has a bad reputation.

“So, you’ll give me a chance?” he asked, unsucessfully masking his nervousness.

“Chance for?” I asked, confused.

“To prove myself. That I’m not like the rumors say,” he said to me.

“I guess. I mean, that’s the least I can do for saving me.”

“Good,” he said, and turning up the radio. For several minutes, the radio was the only thing heard between us, and it was a comfortable silence. I looked around, and it looked strangely familiar. I mean, many streets in South California look alike, right? My eyes widened. Oh shit, that’s a familiar street.

Ah Fuck.

We passed by a familiar property, and stopped at the next one. The houses were decent sized and very pretty. Very southern California-beach house like. Great. Just great. He lives next door to my parents.

He parked in front of the house and got out, only a fence over, then it’s my parents’ house. Great.

“You live here?” I asked. He nodded.

“We like the beach,” he simply explained leading me to the door, and ringing the doorbell. The door opened, to reveal an older version of Ryan. Maybe with a different hair color, and eye color, but I’m guessing this is his brother. He was just as gorgeous.

“This is new, bringing a girl home with you,” he said stepping aside, and smirking. Ryan grabbed my hand, pulling me inside, and it was, wow. It looked smaller on the outside but it was definitely massive. Half of it was made of glass. Everything was in white and different shades of blue, matching the beach house theme.

“Shut up Jason, this is Hazelyn,” he said, and I stepped from behind him. “Hazelyn, my brother Jason,” he muttered.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, using my free hand and shaking his hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Hazelyn,” he said, then his eyes widened. “Dude! This is Hazelyn!” he exclaimed to Ryan.

“Shut up man!” Ryan growled at him.

He looked back at me, ignoring his brother and shook his head with the smirk that was just like his Ryan’s. “No wonder Gab would go after you,” he muttered. “You’re smokin’,” he smirked and got a smack from Ryan.

“Grow up man!” he grumbled. “Don’t freak her out Jason, please? I’m gonna go take a shower,” he said to him then looked at me. “Just scream if he does anything,” he told me. “I’m gonna take a quick shower,” I nodded, and he ran up the stairs.

“Come,” Jason said, walking to a doorway. I followed him, and we ended up at their living room, where one of the walls was all glass, giving a beautiful view of the ocean. I was very impressed with the design of the entire place. “You can sit, you know. I don’t bite,” he said to me as he plopped himself down on the couch. I smiled and sat in front of him. “So… What have you done to my brother?” he asked.

“Done to him?” I chuckled.

“He’s been complaining about you nonstop since the semester started,” he smirked. “Said you give him such a hard time,” he laughed.

“As if he didn’t cause havoc in my peaceful life,” I grimaced. “And, well I don’t really fall under his spell.”

“I can see that,” he told me, eyeing my outfit. We both ended up laughing. “And havoc? How so?” he asked, intrigued.

“He just keeps feeding on the rumors about us in school, and it’s no secret that your brother has very high social status in school,” I shrugged.

He looked at me, very ammused.

“What?” I asked him.

He shook his head at me, and laughed. “Nothing,” he said. “You know, you tired out my brother last night.”

“I know,” I chuckled. Then I realized how that sounded. “I mean, not like that, oh god,” I said, doing a face palm. “That sounded so wrong.” He just laughed at me. “I meant, he stayed up all night and stuff, and didn’t get sleep, so I made him sleep before coming here.”

“Wow,” he said. I gave him a curious look. “You know, your name seems so familiar,” he said, a finger on his chin, tapping, and thinking.

“Maybe because your brother curses about my name?” I asked, trying to help.

He shook his head. “What’s your last name?” he asked.

“DeLuca,” I told him.

“Hazelyn DeLuca… Where have I- Oh my fuck!” he exclaimed, eyes wide and his pointer finger pointing at me.

“I think I’m gonna scream,” I said nervously.

“You’re- You’re Tristan’s sister!” he whisper-shouted. It was my turn for my eyes to widen.

“How’d you know?!” I asked wide-eyed.

He smirked at me. “Tristan’s my bestfriend, and he told me about his sister that was moving and all that crap so I know about you and Nathan and blahblahblah,” he told me.

“So, you’re not gonna tell Ryan?” I asked him

He scoffed. “Me? Tell my brother these things? No,” he smiled at me. I gave a relieved sigh. “Your brother is gonna kill me if he finds out I just said you’re smokin’ hot,” he said. I blushed and looked away. “So, don’t tell him,” he laughed. “

“Deal.”

“Wait, did you just call him Ryan?!” he asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeap,” I nodded.

“Damn, you got my brother trippin’ about you,” he laughed at me.

“How so?”

“Well, for one, you’re alive calling him Ryan. And two, as you’ve witnessed, many girls fall at his feet.”

I just shrugged. “Well, he doesn’t have a choice, I can call him whatever the fuck I wanna call him,” I grinned. “And oh yeah, and some even fall on his lips,” I mumbled. He just laughed.

“You’re cool, I think we’ll get along,” he smiled at me.

“If it pisses Ryan off, then sure,” I laughed.

“I’m sorry, I still can’t get used to hearing somebody call him Ryan,” he laughed.

“That’s his name, isn’t it?” I smirked.

He shook his head at me and chuckled a little. He then looked at me with some kind of light in his eyes as he softly smiled at me. “It’s been awhile since he has done something good for somebody,” he told me. “He’s the youngest, meaning he has times when he has selfish moments,” he explained. I understood, since I myself, was the youngest as well. “The only time that he actually did something like that was for-“ he got cut off.

“What the fuck are you telling her, Jase?” Ryan said, walking into the room - a towel around his shoulder, drying his wet hair. He was still in sweats, but now in a black V-neck shirt.

“Nothing bro, nothing,” he grinned and stood up. “Maybe I’ll tell you next time,” he winked at me and walked out of the room before I could say anything else.

“Come on,” Ryan sighed rolling his eyes and walked out of the living room. I quickly got up and followed him up the stairs and into a room. It had dark navy blue walls and carpet, a bed in the middle of the room, black side tables on both sides of it with white lamps on top of it. It didn’t seem too dark since the sun was shining brightly outside. I stepped inside, and he shut the door behind me.

“Nice room,” I complimented. He made his way over to U-shaped couch on the other side of his room that faced the massive window that overlooked the beautiful South Californian beaches. He grabbed his laptop on his way there, and laid down on the shorter side, his back to the window and faced me.

“What am I supposed to do? Stand here?” I asked incredulously.

“You can do whatever you want,” he said, looking up from what he was doing and winked. I shook my head at him and let out a soft laugh.

“In your dreams, Dolciani,” I said and took off my flip-flops and sat down on the middle of his bed. I grabbed the remote from his side table and turned on the TV that hung on the wall and laid down on my stomach aimlessly flipping through the channels.

“You guessed right! That’s what was in my dream earlier, that’s why I was sleeping so peacefully,” he said to me as he put his laptop on the coffee table and made his way towards me.

I rolled my eyes and continued to flip through the channels to look for something to watch. A few minutes later, he spoke again. “You know, it hasn’t been a week yet, and I’ve get you in bed already,” he raised his eyebrow at me.

“Perv,” I huffed. “Why did I come here again?” I asked myself “There’s nothing to watch! Oh my god!” I complained flipping onto my back, and looked at the ceiling. I heard ruffling sounds and felt a presence near my feet. I looked forward and saw that Ryan had the remote with his back on the backboard of the bed and he was flipping through the channels, just like what I had previously been doing.

*Run baby run,
Don’t ever look back,
They’ll tear us apart-*

That wasn't my phone.

“Hello?” Ryan said. Oh, that was his phone. “Yeah sure, we have company though,” Pause. “Okay, bye,” he said and hung up. “You wanna go watch a movie?” he asked me.

“Movie?” I wondered.

“Yeah, then we’ll have dinner,” he said and stood up.

“Okay?” I said uneasily, and put on my flip-flops and stood up as well, following Ryan out the door.

“Dinner at the house!” he shouted out then went towards another door, and into a dark room. He flipped the light open and there were 3 cars inside. There was the matte-black Porsche Carrera GT I saw him drive the other day, a red E350 Mercedes convertible, and a blue lexus IS F 2011. He grabbed a key off the wall, and walked towards the Porsche.

“Nice cars,” I mumbled and got into the passenger side.

“The Mercedes’ is my sister’s and the Lexus is my brother’s. My brother and I have a fascination of cars,” he laughed.

“That’s unexpected,” I mumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing, I said I like cars too.”

“You? Like cars? Really?”

“Yup, believe it or not,” I laughed.

“I choose not,” he smiled.

“Try me,” I told him.

“What do you know?” he asked.

I paused for a second, remembering some stuff. “This is a 2008 Porsche Carrerra. It’s a rear wheel drive with a V10 Engine. It’s about 612 Horsepower? Seems to be a 6 speed manual, and the redline’s at 8400 rpm,” I grinned at him.

“You just memorized that,” he scoffed. “What about the Lexus IS F? Know anyting about it?”

“Well, I don’t know much about it since it’s new. But I heard it’s about 416 horsepower and that it has a V8 Engine,” I told him.

“Wow, I didn’t even know that,” he smiled. “You should help me fix up my car,” he said.

“I think this car is fixed enough,” I scoffed.

“Not this car,” he told me.

“What?” I asked. He didn’t have anymore cars in that garaged.

“You’ll see,” he said pressed something next to the light. I assume it’s for the garage. I looked in front of me, and I was shocked. There was this gate, maybe as huge as our mansion’s in front of us. But this one was white. The massive gate opened and we drove into the compound. It was obviously huge. We went through some kind of thing that looked like a hedge maze, and until we finally saw the mansion. It was massive. It actually made my jaw drop. Now that says something.