;love is blind, friendship closes it's eyes

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, tucking my head to look down the sofa at my brother.

Eli cuts me a quick glance. "If this is about Maddox, I don't wanna know."

I snort. "No, not about Maddox." I confirm, blowing out a small puff of air. "Do you still think about why mom and dad brought us here?"

Eli sucks in a deep breath and sighs it out, his chest playing along with the movements. "Sometimes." is all he answers, looking back to me. "I'm guessing you do?"

I nod, my left cheek rubbing against the cool black leather of a seat. "I miss New York." I admit. "I just think the move was so sudden we didn't actually get the goodbye we deserved, y'know."

I can see the clogs turning in my brothers brain, he's either going to snap at me and call me a dumbass or comfort me by saying..

"I miss New York too, Tee." he shrugs like it's nothing, before turning his body and propping his self up against the back rest. "How about this," he starts. "Christmas break is coming up, so why don't we go to Nan's penthouse?"

I bolt up into a sitting position, excitement rushing through my veins. "Really!?" I gape. "Aw you'd do that for little ol' me?"

He laughs. "You're my sister, idiot. Of course. And besides who wouldn't wanna spend Christmas break in a penthouse in New York freaking City!"

I squeal. Kneeling up on the seat, capping my hands together like a demented seal.

"Who's spending Christmas break in NYC?!" Jason's voice exclaims from the doorway.

Whoa, I didn't even hear the door open.

"Me and Tee, you in?" Eli holds his hand out as Jason slaps it in greeting.

"You fucking bet. New York at Christmas time? Like a god damn movie!" He boasts which causes me to giggle.

Jason greets me with a kiss on my cheek as I'm knelt up facing over the back of the sofa. Maddox, Cammy and Miles follow behind, Miles wraps one arm around my neck while fist bumping Eli, Cammy sends me the shooting gun fingers - typical Cameron - then Maddox pulls me into his chest and drags my body over the back of the sofa.

"Put me down, Hunter!" I squeal while laughing.

"Oh, you wanna go down, okay." He drops me, hands still on my back and my legs go sliding between his. "Like this?"

"No, you freaking idiot, on my feet!" I howled.

As Maddox tried to stifle back laugh, he pulled me up and placed me on my feet, wrapping his arms around my shoulders swaying me side to side, tugging my back firmly into his front.

"Safe to say the date went well." Miles snickered.

"Maybe too well." Jason joined in, giving us a not-so-subtle wink.

"Maybe a little too well." Cammy snorts.

"Can we not? She's my sister." Huffed Eli, slapping Miles and Jason around the back of the head at the same time, then nudging Cammy in his ribs.

"So we're on for NYC?" I asked, craftily changing the subject.

"Like you even have to ask." Miles snorted, Jason nodded eagerly in agreement.

Cammy shoots Maddox a knowing smirk and nod.

Ugh. Men.

"I'll ask the girls too, we can make it a group get away." I announce, removing myself from Maddox's grip and flopping back on the sofa.

✫✬✫

It's time for business studies, and y'know what that means? A class with Maddox.

It's like ever since our date, I can't get away from him.

Although the date did us some good, and I can now - kinda - stand him, it's just getting harder to resist him.

Since the Peaky Blinders disrupters a couple nights ago, we've nearly kissed, like what.. Five whole times, and every time I've left him hanging - not because I wanted too, but I know if we continue being the way we are, one of us is going to get hurt, and my bet is on me.

"Are you sure you Glam-ma is going to be okay with us all crashing her penthouse?" Steph asked in a low tone as the professor continues rambling on about revenues or some shit.

I nod, sinking further down in my seat. "Mhm. Nan's one of the coolest. I called her the other night and she even asked to join." I snickered.

Hannah lets out a held back gasp. "Please tell me you said yes." She replied in a whispered exclaim.

"Hell no, you think I want my nan around those animals." I nod, gesturing to Maddox, Mason and Jason sitting a couple rows ahead.

Maddox is blatantly not listening, chucking a basketball up in the air and catching it, then spinning it on a finger. Jason's got his headphones on bopping to whatever song he's listening to, while also drumming the desk with his fingers, and Mason is sat making paper planes and throwing them over to a bunch of sniggering sorority sisters.

Hannah snorts, and Steph shakes her head in some kind of amused disappointment.

"Good call." Steph remarks.

While Hannah had another class, Steph and I had free time before my lecture that I shared with Jason started, so we swapped a few texts and decided to meet at the Coffee Den before class.

Steph is at the other side of the café talking to some footballer named Drew Miller, and his girl bestie Thalia Ashford - who's super sweet by the way.

While I get left at the table with a dubious Jason.

"Am I making it obvious?" Jason says unsure of himself as he takes a quick glance backwards.

I'm mindlessly scrolling through Insta, I look up to see him sitting across from me like an angry chicken trying to brood like a model.

"You was, now you just look like you're trying not to shit your pants." I remarked, boredom at full capacity.

"Shit, I am? Okay, okay.." Jason quickly changes position, sitting like he's posing for a bad cologne ad. "How about now?"

I look up and combust with laughter. "Now you look like a turkey with a broken neck."

He grunts before dropping his head onto the table. I pat him on the shoulder like the bad friend I am.

"There, there." I cooed, which earned me a look up and a death glare from his narrow blue eyes. "What? I'm a sucky friend, what can I say?" I snorted.

"You're not funny, Tee." he rolled his eyes and dropped his head on the table again.

"If you like her why don't you just tell her?" I ask, pointedly.

Jason lifts his head and props it up on palm. "Steph? I can't, she'd laugh in my face." he grimaced at the thought.

"Don't be stupid. She can be a bitch yeah, but I highly doubt she'd laugh at you if she knew you were being serious. She'll never know if you don't." I advised him, my shoulders raising in a small shrug.

"I could say the same to you about Maddox." He deadpans, raising an accusing brown brow.

"I don't know what you're on about, Cooper." I flatly replied, looking back at my idle phone.

"Mhm. That's what I thought." He snorted. "When you tell Maddox, I'll tell Steph, until then back off."

"Pussy." I remarked, not even glancing up from my screen.

"I am not a pussy." He scoffed, "- but that blonde over there is." I look up to see his gaze following a pretty, shoulder length bob girl walking past us. "I'll be back if she turns me down." He quickly says before darting after her.

I honestly can't help but roll my eyes. Being around these ballers I'm surprised I don't have extra strong eye muscles I roll them that much.

As fast as Jason disappeared, Cammy appears. The black haired, brown eyed, 6 foot baller jumped into Jason's seat, out of breath and looking rather guilty.

"Jeezus, Cameron, you scared me!" I exhaled, holding my hand over my pounding heart.

"I was with you last night if that red head asks! Okay? Thanks, Tee." he quickly rushes out, glaring at me to please comply, picking up a menu and attempting to act casual.

"What? Why?" I asked, but before I could get an answer a leggy red head with emerald green eyes stalks over, placing both hands on the table, leaning over in between the two of us.

"Cammy." She says sourly, before turning to me. "And you are?"

"Tori? I drawl out, slight attitude to match her massive one. "You?"

"Laura." she quips.

"Okay? Can I help you, Laura?" I retort.

"Was Cammy Hills with you last night?" she says primly, giving Cammy a whole other level of death glare.

I nod solemnly. "He was. Why?"

"Doing?" was her fast reply.

I glare at Cammy as if to say give me some kind of hint, thankfully he says something before I do which ends up with me looking like a huge dick.

"Laura, we had fun. It was a blast, but me and you were never going to happen. You knew this." he says solemnly. "So please, don't try interrogate my friend here, she's not one to be messed with."

As quickly as my jaw dropped, it was picked back up in time for when Laura glowers down at me. I nod aimlessly like a tool.

"Good luck with this one, sweetie. You're gonna need it." She sneers, flicking her red hair over her shoulder and sauntering off.

I can't even begin where to start with this.

"You don't even wanna know." Cammy states, as if he reading my mind.

"You fucked and ducked?" I asked, raising a smug brow.

"No, no no no. First of all, we didn't fuck," He protests, holding his finger up. "she sucked my dick. It was at a frat party last week, and from the get go I told her I don't date, she was all fine and dandy with that, until I nutted, then she turned into this crazy, mad woman." Cammy finishes with a grunt. "I owe you one though, Tee. Seriously." he gives me a small smile of relief.

"You certainly do, Cameron. And I'll cash in soon, right now I have class." I say, gathering my things together and making my way towards the exit, where Steph is waiting for me.

"It's Cammy you dumb hoe!" Cammy yells after me, sniggering afterwards.

The sniggering came to a complete dead end when I replied. "Bye, Cameron!" I called back sweetly over my shoulder with taunting smirk I know he loves to hate.

"Bye, Mrs Hunter!" was his ass-hat reply, which earned a narrow eyed, go-fuck-yourself look paired with my middle finger, much to CAMERON's amusement.

It was scary getting close to these guys.

They were Maddox's friend after all, but over the past couple weeks I've gotten to build a friendship with the boys I haven't shared with others before. It's like we had all known each other for years.

The way we taunt and mock each other, being able to insult and tease without having to worry about hurting ones feelings. I felt comfortable around each and every single one of them, and I'm glad Eli has a good group of guys to look out for him.

Which I was extremely thankful for.