CHAPTER SONG - Cool For The Summer - Demi Lovato

I tensed as someone smacked Ash's shoulders beside me. He titled his head up, a grin spreading across this face. "Alright Ashy boy, you lost the bet." The student, wearing a football jersey told him before his eye's flickered to me and paused for a split second.

Corn-nuts.

I looked away, not missing the wink he sent in my direction that felt like a nasty bug crawling on your arm. I interlocked my hands on the table, keeping my gaze on them and feeling the bounce of my knee starting up.

Ash pushed his chair backwards. "I did lose indeed. Let's do this then." he chuckled, getting up. "Momma didn't raise no bitch." he added in, turning away from the table. Mateo, who sat across from me, narrowed his glare at Ash. "What are you doing, Ash?" he called after him.

The football player still stood there just mere inches from me. The front of his body behind my chair. Now, this shouldn't be a big deal. To most it wasn't but it is to me. Has he ever heard of personal space? It's common knowledge. Doesn't his pea brain know this? Okay, that's mean. I'm sure his great, but it doesn't mean I want him just inches behind me. So I dipped my head down, looking down at my lap and the tip of my pointer finger anxiously starting to tap on my locked fist. Please, sweet cherries, please back up.

Instead of reply to his brother, Ash kept walking, and winked over his shoulder. Which his older brother didn't find so funny, not even remotely as he stared at the back of him like he could laser his butt or something. Maybe he was trying to use telepathy with him? That's actually kind of cool. If I could have one, just one superpower, that would be it.

I glanced up, noticing both Mateo, and Maddox staring at Ash. Even Maddox who's been glued to his computer this whole time, looked like he was ready to spring out of his chairs. "His up to no good." Maddox muttered, narrowing his glare at Ash.

The football player that I was doing everything to ignore became unignorable when he stepped forward, bumping into the back of my chair and pushed my chair forward into the table. My stomach clinched as I took a deep breath, trying to not climb under this table or hide in my hands. But would it be stupid looking if I actually did hide in my hands? I won't even climb under the table. It would totally make me look a little loony and I almost sighed at the fact.

I could hear more people around me, but I tried not to think about it. I did my best to stare at my lap like it was life or death. Up until, I heard the chair beside me scratch, and I glanced up thinking Ash was back. I was wrong, so wrong. It wasn't Ash, I wish it was. Maybe if I shut my eyes and wish really hard then when I open my eyes back up it will be Ash instead of the football player.

Frozen, I sat there, staring at the guy with thick brown hair spiked up with gel I could smell from here. He smiled and that rounded his face a little around the edges. "Hey gorgeous, I don't think I have seen you around." he said.

My breath hitch, clinging to the back of my throat painfully. And another finger pressed gently into my interlocked fist. I turned my head away, happily, and stared at the finger touching me. The long, stern finger that belong to Mateo, who's hands were pulled in front of him, locking in a fist, mimicking my own.

I blinked at it, at where our skin was pressed into each other. Or more like his skin, and did I mention hot? Like he was actually really warm. For some reason, I did not expect his skin to be warm. I don't know why I expect him to be ice man or something. Beside the point, his finger was touching me. Another thing that shouldn't be a big deal but was.

Mateo leaned forward, just an inch. "You should leave. Now." he said, tone dropping down just a notch as he eyed the football player sitting beside me. The edginess of his voice made even Kirsan looked up from his dictionary and lean forward to see past me. "I advise you to listen to him." he said, pointing his highlighter at Mateo.

The football player eyed them, his gaze hopping between them, and me? I slid down my seat, correction, I tried but Mateo reached out and grabbed my fist, sending me a look. Nothing like the kind he was giving the football player. This one was full of kindness, and reassurance that I needed. I was okay. He was right there and Kirsan was right beside me. They won't let anything happen.

I looked back down, feeling goosebumps spread on my arms as the football player chuckled. Then he shrugged, raising off the chair just as someone cleared their throat really loudly from somewhere in the cafeteria. And only when I heard him walk away did I look back up, meeting Mateo's stare. He watched me with a little bit of worry and lots of comfort. I gave him a small smile, glancing down at my fist that he was still holding onto and prayed he didn't let go. He didn't.

"Children of this shitty generation! Listen up!" Ash's voice bombed from somewhere behind me and I turned to see what he was up too.

Kirsan sighed, turning too. "The fuck is he doing now?" he asked, following my gaze to where Ash stood on a lunch table with his hand's cupped around his face. "Do I have everyone attention?" he yelled, scanned the room and he did. He had the whole cafeteria sitting in silence and watching him.

He grinned wildly. "Lovely! My birthday is this weekend, and I lost a bet, so I am inviting all of you to the party. Friday, Devil's waterhole be there or be square. The entrance requirement is a box of cookies. No cookies, no fun."

He stepped forward, leaping off the table, and landing on the ground like a pro. I would have totally face planted that move. Then he turned to his friends as the cafeteria erupted into chatter about everyone's new friday night plans. And I turned back to the table, hearing Mateo sigh deeply. "Think he will get offended if we don't come?" he asked, no one in particular.

Maddox snickered. "Knowing Ash he would not talk to you for a month."

Mateo tipped his head towards Maddox. "That sound's good, no?" he asked. Maddox thought about it for a second before sighing and shaking his head. "He will probably send his snakes onto you. Which fine, I'll send Alvin on his ass but do we want to get on my sisters bad side?"

Mateo's nose wrinkled, he faces twisting his disgust. "I'll be there then, with a box of fucken cookies."

Maddox chuckled, dropping his gaze back to his laptop. Turn's out, Maddox was a wizard with a computer. Currently, he was building and programming a whole video game for Ash's birthday. A Formula 1 training type of game. Apparently, the one that is currently out, Ash has all but memorized and was bored with.

Beside me, I glanced over at Kirsan who was still highlighting word after word in the dictionary. Competence. Aptitude. Dominion. Supremacy. Game. Gain. Ascendency. Asset.

None of them made sense or clarified what in the world he was doing. All I knew was that he went out, bought a dictionary and was now highlighting words in it. The big question was why, and he has yet to answer the four time's Mateo asked, the two time's Maddox asked, and the one time I asked. Quietly, I watched him highlight another few words. Potency. Sovrans. Rule. Nous.

The chair scraped beside me and my whole body tensed again as I turned my head slowly. I only relaxed which I saw Ash grinned like a Cheshire cat. "A party, seriously?" Maddox asked him, looked up at him from the laptop screen. It was only me with them today. Sara has a group study she had to attend. And if it wasn't for them, I'm sure I would be hiding out in the library or something.

Ash shrugged about to reply when a pair of hand's landed on his face and titled his head up sharply. "Yes Ash, a party? Seriously? And I heard about it with the rest of the fucken lunchroom?"

I titled my head up, seeing a gorgeous girl with platinum hair sitting mid back and a pretty blue clip keeping her bangs from unbearding. She looked down at Ash with pale blue eyes and a deep scowl. But Ash's grin grew so wide you would think he won a million-dollar lottery as he looked up at her. "Does that upset you, firefly?"

Maddox sighed deeply. "Lil's leave him alone." he said, grabbing his napkin, and throwing it at them. It just landed on the table, not going very far and made Mateo chuckle. And his sister tipped her head up, the scowl sharpening even further. "This is between Ash and I. Shut it Madds." she shot at him, then looked back down at Ash. Her hardened look softening just a bit, but it was still good enough to cut through ice.

She pressed her hand's tighter on his face, squeezing his cheeks together. "So lighting bug, you weren't going to tell me? After everything we have been through? I'm wounded."

Ash rolled his eyes before sticking out of his tongue at her. "I'll make it up to you." he said and she regarded him for a second before rolling her eyes and dropping his face. She walked around him and grabbed a chair from the other table, dragging it loudly over to our table. Maddox's gaze flicker up, watching her tell she dropped down in the chair. "Since when are you in this lunch period?" he asked, annoyance waving in his tone.

She lifted her finger, pointing past me. "Brother, I thought you would be happy to see my beautiful face but beside the point, it's since I found out Aster has been eating lunch by herself in the library. Seriously guys? You all are villains."

The table turned their attention to where she pointed and right next to Mateo sat another girl. When she got there, I have no idea. I swear I didn't hear her even sit down. And she smiled, two pretty dimples appearing on both of her cheeks. Mateo titled back a little, put one of his arms over her shoulder, and holding my fist with his other hand. "Aster, why didn't you tell us you had this lunch?" he asked, narrowing his gaze at her but it was a lot softer then the once he gives his brothers.

The girl with lengthy chestnut hair shrugged, her eye's widening as she looked between everyone staring at her. "I didn't want to bother you." she replied, the softness of her voice so gentle that it was like a feather brushing against you skin.

Even Kirsan stopped his highlight. "Seriously, star? We have spoken about this, repeatedly. You don't bother us, and we would prefer for you to be with us, then alone. How long has this been going on?"

Aster pressed her lips together, dropping her head to the lunch bag in her hand's as she started opening it up. "Since the beginning of the year." she answered, so quietly that I barely caught it. But it made Ash gasped beside me, almost making me jump. "Are you kidding Aster?"

Lily pointing her finger at Ash. "I expected better from you." she scowled at him before gesturing her finger at all the people at the lunch table, "All of you. I expected better. How selfish of you to leave her in the library, alone, like some kind of loner. Shame on you."

Ash shot forward trying to bite Lily's finger, but she was quicker and pulled it back. Then, she smacked his forehead instead and made Ash laugh. From across the table, Aster titled her head up, looking at me and extended a stick of celery towards me. I pulling forward and grabbing it. "Thank you." I said, giving her a smile that she returned. Her smile so pretty that I felt my own smile lift even higher. "You're so pretty." I told her, not being able to stop myself.

She grinned, her teeth coming out. "Thank you! So are you. Your Lina right? I'm Aster. These," she pointed at Mateo, Ash, and Kirsan, "Are my bothers."

My eye's widened and shot to Mateo. "You have a sister? Whoa. Wait that means you all are about a year part. Wow that must have been so fun growing up. Your parents must have had a blast." I chuckled and Aster joined in. "You would be shocked by the thing's those guys did. At one point they have to separate them. One at home. One at our grandparents house. And one at Maddox house. Otherwise my mom would have lost her mind with them."

I laughed, only being able to imagine that and Mateo grinned like he was proud of it. "Is that my jacket?" Ash asked, from across the table where his grin was gone and replaced with a look of irritation. Lily, who was wearing the accused jacket grinned boldly at him, sporting a red jacket.

She looked down at herself, furrowing her brows in a thinking manner before dropping the act and replacing it with a knowing grin. "Oh my bad. Did I forget to ask?"

Ash narrowed his glare, losing his normal pretty boy smile now. "Yes Lil's you forgot to ask before you broke into my locket and stole one of my favorite jackets."

"It's not breaking in if you know the locker combination. It's not breaking in when we basically use the same locker to begin with." she retorted back at him, looking close to laughing. In the corner, I watched the two of them communicate with each other in a such a playful way. But there was something more, something like a little fire between the two. They were cute, really cute and I wonder if there's more.

I pulled forward, tucking my leg's underneath myself and sat up on my knees. Leaning forward, I waved my finger between the two. "Are you two like—?"

Lily's attention snapped to me, that scowl returning to her face and making me shrink back in my chair. "Like what?" she clipped, keeping her stare locked on me. I swallowed, feeling uncomfortable again. Oh butterscotch, I didn't mean to upset her, or offend anyone. I just thought—well by the way they communicate and act, I swear they would totally be together. I mean they have the same energy, same playfulness, and totally would look like a dang good couple. Doesn't matter what I thought, I shouldn't have asked.

"Lily." Mateo said, noticing my discomfort, "Play fucken nice before I make you."

I glanced at him, about to tell him it's fine and that I should have kept my little mouth zipped up tight, but Mateo was glaring at Lily with annoyance that could zip anyone's mouth. "It's fine." I mumbled. But across me, Maddox tipped his gaze up. "It's not fine. Lil's lose the fucken attitude and be nice to her. She has done absolutely nothing to you, cool it."

Lily rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically. You see what I mean? That's an Ash move. And scoffed, "I didn't even do anything. Fuck, you are acting like I cut her." she said, eyeing me from her seat.

I shrunk in my seat again, feeling my back sliding down my seat again, till an arm from beside me landed on my chair and made me freeze. Slowly, I turned to look at Kirsan who gave me a small smile before looking past me. He eyed the group. "Let's not start another family fucken feud because you don't appreciate the way Lily speaks or acts. This is the same as asking Ash to stop being melodramatic. It's only fair that you treat them with the same courtesy." he paused, glancing at me again, "Dear, Lily is Maddox's sister, she is a carbon copy---."

"Hey!" Lily and Ash yelled in union, but Kirsan didn't even blink, "of Ash. Her only fault is the attitude she possesses. Don't take anything Bonnie and Clyde say or do to the heart."

He shot a looked past me, somewhere in the direction of Lily. "And you. I understand that you like to get on Mateo's nerves, and this is just another approach to do just that but let's not use this pretty girl for your games. She is not, nor will be a pawn in your ways to gain an advantage over him."

Discomfort sat at heavy on my chest as I glanced over at Mateo, but he was already looking at me. A calm expression on his face, and somehow that took off just a tad of discomfort. If he was fine, then why wasn't I? It's not like a lot of people were looking at me, just everyone at this table, and them I knew. Excluding the two new girls, and Aster I didn't mind so much.

I took in a deep breath, telling myself to calm down and somehow with that, plus the expression on Mateo's face, it worked. I dared a glance back at Lily who waved her manicured finger at me. "I am not using her as some puppet. Nor am I trying to get on Mateo's nerves. But, I do not appreciate being told that who I am need's to be toned down for anyone. So, I ask, all of this hostility for her?" she asked, narrowing her glare at me again. She really knew how to sharpen that looked. I don't even really know what I did to be on the receiving end of it, but I have a feeling I wouldn't be even looking in her direction much now.

Mateo's attention whipped in her direction. "You want hostility? Because this is not it. If I have to ask you one more time to play fucken nice, you won't be a fan of the methods I use to fucken get what I want. You want to play your games with me? Fine. But you will not make her uncomfortable all for some fucken joke. Do it, Lily, and watch how quickly I'll give you hostility." he replied, the drop of his tone freezing over and stopping any future comebacks. The whole Mateo's word is law, did that extend to Lily too or just the guys? From the no response that came from Lily, I think I got my answer. It extended to all of them. Mateo's word was law to all of them. The million-dollar question was why?

Kirsan sighed. "I thought I said no family feuds?"

Maddox winced, shutting his laptop as he looked between his sister and best friend. "Can you two ever not fight for a minute? That's my sister man, can you not speak to her like that?"

Mateo continued to glare at Lily, who held his stare like a professional. To Maddox he replied, "Then teach you sister to have some goddamn respect."

Ash dropped his head onto the table, and then groaned from the pain of hitting his head so hard. Which caused Lily to finally look away and at him. She put her hand on his back before looking back up at Mateo. Her gaze softened just a little, and she nodded. Both of them coming to some unspoken agreement to end the fight. With his head still stuck to the table, Ash spoke, "Are you two done? Because I'm leaving if you two keep fighting. I will not suffer another minute of this child abuse."

Lily cleared her throat, looking up at me. She even softened her iced tone when she spoke to me, "I'm sorry. No, me and Ash aren't anything but friends. Family basically. Kind of gross actually." she wrinkled her nose.

And just like that, whatever tension was holding the table hostage dissolved. Ash lifted his head, rubbing his forehead with his palm. "I shall stay among you people a little longer then." he sighed and from across the table, Aster pushed her bowl of carrot in my direction. "She's nice when you get to know her. I promise." she whispered, and I nodding, doubting that really bad. So far that's like someone saying that the sky is red in the middle of a clear day.

Grabbing another carrot and deciding to move on from this great (hint the sarcasm) conversation, I said, "So all of you are family pretty much?"

Mateo nodded. "We grew up together. Our family is close."

I smiled. "That's so cool." I said, chewing on the carrot. I didn't have cousins. Both of my parents were the only children. I had Emma, and that was it. Aster bit on a carrot, the dimples on her cheeks fading just a little but you could still see them. To me, she nodded, "Yep. Maddox and Lily's parents are pretty much our second parents. Their parents are really nice."