Settle Down

“Unbelievable! He’s so stupid!”

Dylan watched quietly as a fuming Crystal stormed into the room, probably over something stupid that Daniel did. She paced back and forth in front of them, running a hand through her short brown hair as she angrily glared at the floor.

“Crystal? What’s wrong?” Avery asked softly, her bright, blue eyes following every move her cousin made.

Dylan couldn’t help but let his eyes linger on Avery. The way she bit down nervously on those full, pink lips or the way a strand of her hair would fall in her face, but she’d just blow it away. Those vivid blue eyes that reminded him so much of the ocean. How if the two of them were to stand up at that very moment, he’d tower over her small frame by an entire foot. She was beautiful.

He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to calm his raging hormones down.

“He called you that?”

Whoops. Too distracted, Dylan didn’t catch what Crystal had said about the current situation.

“Yes, he did.”

Avery furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, and it was probably the cutest thing Dylan had ever seen a girl do. What’s wrong with him? He has a girlfriend and he can’t let himself fall for this girl. Think about Britt. Britt, Britt, BRITT.

“What exactly is a ‘daft’?”

And then he found himself stifling in a laugh, clearing his throat as a cover. “I think that’s British for stupid.” He answered, only to receive a glare from Crystal. He raised a hand in defense. “I was just defining, not describing.”

“Oh, shut up, Dylan,” Crystal mumbled, falling down beside Avery, who gave her cousin a warm smile.

“Why exactly did he call you a...daft?”

Crystal shook her head, running a hand over her face. “Because he’s an asshole.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say –

Dylan shut his mouth closed when Crystal shot him a murderous look, sinking further back into his seat.

“Can we please just go to lunch? I’m starving and food is the best cure I can think of right now.” Crystal got to her feet, pulling Avery up with her as they made their way to the door.

“Um,” Avery stopped in the doorway, turning around to look at Dylan. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

He couldn’t help but smile at how incredibly generous she was, but he shook his head nonetheless, desperately wishing he could. Wait, what? No. He didn’t.

“I’m good, thanks though,” he replied.

She nodded her head, but smiled at him anyway. “I’ll see you some time then.” And she was gone.

“Yeah, some time,” he mumbled to himself, averting his attention to his empty coffee cup, unable to get the image of her out of his head.

Mustering up enough strength, he focused on Britt, who he loved so much because she was amazing, quirky, and adorable. She cared about him in ways no girl has ever, except for his mom, of course.

“Have you seen Crystal?” Daniel charged into the room, seeming as though he was out of breath. Sort of.

“Uh, yeah, she just left to have lunch with her cousin,” he answered, still trying to concentrate on all the reasons why he was in love with the girl he was currently with and who he has been with for almost a year. “Hey, what’s going on with you and her?”

Daniel ran a hand through his short hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I honestly haven’t a clue. She thinks I called her ‘daft’ but I really wasn’t directing it towards anyone. I was frustrated because I kept messing my lines up and she was joking around too much and things just…” he paused, trying to figure out the word he wanted to say, but coming up short.

“I’m sure she’ll get over it,” Dylan tried to comfort him, but Daniel stared mindlessly at the floor.

“Yeah,” he mumbled before heading out of the room.

Dylan sat there a moment longer, still trying to force his mind to consume itself with nothing but Britt. Feeling a vibration in his pocket, he quickly pulled his phone out, smiling at the name on the caller ID before answering.

“Hey Britt,” he smiled, suddenly all thoughts of Avery vanished from his mind.