by Blue Saffire
I got up from my desk and put my paper on Victor’s desk in the row behind me. I went right back to my desk without saying a word. I sat in my seat, still feeling proud of myself.
Victor cleared his throat, causing me to I looked behind me to find him frowning at me. I had checked for grammar twice and I’d gone through two drafts to make sure it was good. I was confused as to what his problem was.
“You forgot to write your name,” he hissed at me.
I frowned at him and got up to go write my name. I leaned over his desk as I quickly wrote across the top of my page. As I looked up from the page, I caught him staring down my shirt with a grin playing at the corners of his lips.
I frowned at him and turned quickly to return to my desk. When I was at my seat, I turned to look at him and he was chuckling to himself and shaking his head. He was getting on my nerves.
I went to lunch after chemistry and I felt like an alien. I had skipped lunch the day before for a workshop with the guidance counselor. Today, I was thrown in the middle of a packed lunchroom without a sign of Alexis or Aliyah.
I was hoping I would at least have lunch with them. As I walked with my tray trying to find someplace that looked safe to sit when I felt an arm around my waist.
“Stop looking so lost,” Alex laughed. “Come on.”
He turned me around and led me to the table he and his friends were sitting at. I noticed Victor sitting there right away. I instantly wanted to turn and take my chance with the other kids in the cafeteria.
Alex pulled me over to sit right next to him. Victor was talking to a Spanish girl with a long curly ponytail. Once again, he was giving her that bright smile I had only gotten the first night I arrived at his family’s front door. The girl laughed and smiled at him while she looked in his eyes.
I reached to touch my new hair cut as I looked at her curly ponytail. Then I looked at her light brown skin. I thought about the girl from chemistry and then I started to think that maybe he didn’t like his girls mixed.
Maybe if I was just African American or just Spanish he would like me. I shrugged the thought off as he looked over at me and frowned. It was just me, Victor just hated me.
“What’s up, Meliyah?” Alex asked interrupting my thoughts with his happy go lucky attitude.
“Nothing,” I murmured.
“How is your second day going?” Alex had a big smile on his face. He tries so much more to be nice to me.
“It’s fine, I guess. I’m just tired, I can’t wait to go home,” I replied.
“Good luck with that,” Victor muttered then chuckled at me.
I narrowed my eyes at him, sure he was implying I didn’t have a home or that he wanted me out of his. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I hissed at him.
“We have basketball practice and Alexis and Aliyah have gymnastics practice. The car won’t be here until after practice so you are sort of stuck here until we’re all done,” Alex explained.
“Oh,” I sighed and bit my lip as I looked apologetically at Victor. Victor laughed slightly to himself and turned back to the curly ponytailed girl.
“The season will be over quick, but you could always join something after school,” Alex offered.
I just sighed and finished the juice on my tray. Alex introduced me to all his friends at the table to help me relax. The girls weren’t that interested in meeting me.
I figured they were all in line to be with one of the gorgeous twins I now live with. I couldn’t blame them. They were both beautiful boys to look at. Even the one that always wears a frown when I’m around, even while he is frowning.
The rest of the day seemed to drag. I took advantage of the time I had to wait for everyone by doing my homework in the school library. I finished before they did, so I went to the basketball gym to wait.
Alex had asked me to come watch them practice. When I walked in the gym Victor and Alex were running up and down the court with the rest of their team. My breathing hitched at the sight of them. Well, Victor mostly.
Victor was extra sweaty and his curls were pasted to his forehead. I gnawed at the side of my jaw as I watched him on the court. I could see his muscles flex and the sweat dripped from them as he hustled for the ball.
I snapped out of the trance as I heard the whistle blow. Victor stopped to bend and catch his breath. I rushed to take a seat in the bleachers and put my books down.
Victor stood up straight to stretch and he looked in my direction. He stopped for a minute, looking at me. He then rolled his eyes and turned away.
I felt so stupid for watching him and getting caught. I dropped my head as my forehead crease in confusion and shame. Suddenly, my bag started to buzz.
I reached inside to pull out the phone Raul had given me. He’d sent me a text. I hadn’t called him since I got here. I read the text and it brought a smile to my face.
Thinking of you.
There was someone that was interested in me. I had forgotten all about Raul. I quickly texted him back to say hi.
Raul started to send message after message. I hadn’t realized when the practice was over because I was too busy answering his messages. I was startled when Victor walked over to the bleachers.
“Stop texting your boyfriend and let’s go,” he grumbled.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I said defensively.
“I don’t care. Let’s go,” he replied and turned to leave.
I shoved the phone in my bag. Getting up I ran after Victor and Alex, who were making their way out of the gym. When we got outside Alexis and Aliyah were waiting by the truck.
Victor shoved Alexis in the back row as he whispered something in her ear. Aliyah got in with her while she looked at Victor curiously. Alex climbed in front with the driver with no problem. He likes to tease Dustin, the driver. Victor climbed inside and I took the seat next to him.
I didn’t pay him any attention as my phone started buzzing again. I reached for the phone and open the message. Biting back a smile, I continued to read the messages.
I peeked up to see Victor staring at the side of my face. No frown, but no smile either. He just stared at me with those intense eyes that seemed to look past everything to find what he wanted to see.
It made me nervous. I returned Raul’s message and told him I would text him later. Shoving the phone back in my bag, I started to fidget with my fingers.
Victor leaned forward and placed his lips to my ear. “It sure does look like he’s your boyfriend.”
My heart leapt from him being so close. His lips brush my ear as he spoke sending a shiver down my spine. I wanted to turn and kiss him.
I turned to look at him as he backed away. I was stunned. What did he care? I frowned at him this time. I turned to look out the window. I couldn’t wait to get home and get away from him.
chapter eleven
Holiday
Aunt Tali has been super busy planning Victor and Alex’s birthday party. She also started planning one for me. I’ve been so excited about that. Uncle Alex thought a birthday party would be a nice welcome to the family and a reward for pulling my grades out of the toilet. I’ve been living with them for two months now and I made my way on the dean’s list already.
Aunt Tali used the dean’s list as an excuse to take me on another shopping spree. I now have more pocketbooks than one girl can use. Aunt Tali never lets anyone out the house looking a mess.
All the boys go for haircuts once a week. The messiest I have seen anyone is Victor and Alex after basketball practice. Though they still clean up nicely before leaving school.
I’ve gotten used to staying after school with everyone for their practices. I go to all their games and meets too. Aunt Tali wanted me to join something, but I didn’t think I would be good at anything. Cheerleading and the dance team looked fun, but each of them were sort of cliques.
Victor still treated me like the plague. I wasn’t looking forward to spending Christmas vacation with him. We were all going to a resort for vacati
on.
I was excited about that. I’d never been away on a real vacation. We were staying in two villas. Uncle Alex and Aunt Tali would be in one and the Girls and boys were splitting the other one.
There was an indoor pool and everything. Us girls spent hours in the mall shopping for the vacation. I bought a few cute bathing suits to hang out around the pool. Something I didn’t get to do too much when I was living with my mom.
Alexis had dragged us out of the bed this morning to go to the pool. I spent thirty minutes trying to figure out which bathing suit to wear. I was so frustrated with myself.
Victor pays me no attention, yet he was the real reason I was having trouble deciding on a suit. Raul was still text messaging me, so it wasn’t like I wasn’t distracted from my thoughts of Victor. It was just, I had more thoughts than distractions.
I finally decided on a yellow bikini. Yellow is Victor’s favorite color or at least it seems to be. It was a cute bikini that haltered around the neck and had a low-rise pair of boy shorts.
I wasn’t sure how Aunt Tali would feel about it, but I was planning to get to the pool before she saw me. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and wrapped a towel around me. Then my new best friends and I were off to the pool.
When we got to the pool the boys were already there. Alex and Victor were throwing TJ and Jose all over the place as they laughed, excited to have their big brothers playing with them. Victor had a big smile on his face as TJ jumped on his back.
I unwrapped my towel and laid it out right by the side of the pool. Victor turned in my direction as I stepped onto the towel and his laughter stopped. He patted TJ’s arm so he would stop jumping on him as he looked at me.
I sat on the towel and propped myself on my hands and put my head back like I was sunbathing. I knew it was overboard. There was no sun in sight.
Alexis and Aliyah made their way into the water, but stayed close enough to still talk to me. Victor swam over to where I was and leaned on the side of the pool. He reached out and touched my hand to get my attention. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He lifted himself halfway out of the pool to be face to face with me.
“Can you swim?” he breathed in my face as he smiled at me.
I was purely stunned. His eyes were locked on mine and I forgot my own name for a second. “Yes,” I replied finally.
“Good,” he said and smiled a little more. He leaned forward, bringing his face close enough to mine to kiss me. Then he reached to wrap his arm around me. Before I could react, he had his arm around me, pulling me face first into the water.
I was so embarrassed as I floated under the water. I quickly surfaced and wiped the water and tears from my face. I could hear Victor laughing hysterically at me.
I just wanted to get out of there. I moved as fast as I could to get out of the water, as the laughter of all the boys taunted me. I ran for my towel to wipe and hide my face.
“That was mean Victor,” Aliyah hissed.
“Aw, is she crying?” Victor groaned.
I turned to run from the pool area. As I did I felt arms wrap around my waist and lips press to my ear. “I’m sorry, Meliyah,” Victor crooned in my ear. “Don’t leave.”
I tried to keep going, but he held onto me and walked with me, pulling me to his chest. The way he held me, made me feel like he didn’t hate me as much as I thought.
He held me like he really meant to, like he wanted to. I tingled all over. I liked being in his arms and I loved the way his lips brushed my ear as he whispered to me, like he meant them to.
“Come on, don’t be like that,” he whispered in my ear as he slid his hands over my skin and hugged me tighter. “Will you stay?”
I nodded my head and he held me for a few moments longer, not moving his lips from my ear. He sighed deeply, releasing me to back away. When I turned to look at him, he winked and back flipped into the pool. I wasn’t sure if I had just imagined it all or not. I walked back over to the pool and slipped into the water.
Victor watched me for a few minutes and as if it were on a timer, his frown slipped right into place. Whatever I thought I had felt between us was gone. He went back to playing with his little brothers and ignoring me. Every once and a while he would swim by and brush against me, but his face would show no indications that he meant to.
I spent the rest of the vacation watching Victor and wanting him to hold me again. I got my wish for Christmas. Everyone had given each other something. Victor even gave me something.
We were all sitting around the fire opening our gifts one person at a time. I had asked to go last and it seemed like Victor was holding his gift for me until my last present. I had just finished opening the scarf and glove set Liz gave me, when Victor stood from the floor and walked over with what looked like a small box wrapped in Christmas paper.
He handed me the box nervously, leaning to hug me and kiss me on the cheek. I was speechless. I didn’t need to open the gift. His hug and kiss were enough to make me happy.
He stood there waiting for me to open it, so I tore the paper off and popped open the little jewelry box inside. Inside was a beautiful pair of earrings, they looked like they were about three carats. I smiled at the box and looked up at him.
“Thanks Victor, their beautiful. They look so real,” I chimed.
“My son doesn’t give fake jewelry,” Aunt Tali snorted.
I looked at her with my mouth hanging open. Then I looked at Victor, who was smiling shyly. I jumped up from my seat and threw my arms around his neck.
“I’ve never had real diamonds. Thank you so much,” I said as I squeezed him.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered in my ear in his way as he squeezed me back.
“I told you she would like them,” Aunt Tali chimed. “That boy has been driving me crazy for weeks about what you would like. I told you he would be your friend.”
“Mom,” Victor growled and pulled away from me.
I was as embarrassed as he was. I was also embarrassed that I had only given him a jersey. Al had a big smile on his face. He gave Victor five when they thought no one was looking.
I pulled the earrings from the box and pushed them in my ears. Aliyah and Alexis pushed my hair aside to look at them. Liz turned to Victor to pout.
“You didn’t get me earrings,” Liz whined.
“You told me you wanted clothes,” Victor chuckled.
“Well, next year I want earrings,” Liz pouted and folded her arms across her chest.
“You got it, sis,” Victor crooned.
“What do you want next year, Meliyah?” Liz chimed.
“Oh, I don’t think I can get what I really want,” I said sadly.
“What’s that mama?” Uncle Alex asked.
“I love your family. I mean you guys are a real family. A mom and dad, sisters, and brothers. I would love to have that,” I said softly.
“What are you talking about, you do?” Victor grumbled. I looked up at him and he was frowning big time.
“I guess,” I replied.
Victor got up and came to sit by me. He wrapped his arms around me and reached to mess up my hair. “She wants a family guys, lets show her what having a family is like,” he laughed in my ear.
Everyone got up and charged me for a big group hug. As they did Victor whispered in my ear. “Happy now?” I nodded. I was very happy.
I started to feel like a member of the family by the end of the vacation. I thought what we opened at the villa on Christmas day was all we were getting. That had already been a lot, but when we got home there were more gifts waiting.
I had so much fun with my new family. I forgot all about Raul and his texts. I hadn’t checked the phone until we got back home. Uncle Alex and Aunt Tali made sure we all had fun on vacation, especially me.
chapter twelve
Twin Birthday
When school started up again, I felt so at home. Time was flying past as I got more focused on school and my grades. I had less time to text Raul as I start
ed to make friends.
I wasn’t sure if the girls wanted to be my friend because they liked me or because they knew the twins’ birthday party was coming up. January and February seemed to fly by as Aunt Tali got everything ready. The party was all Victor and Alex talked about.
They were sure they were getting their cars for the party. I had a feeling they were right. Aunt Tali and Uncle Alex spoil all the kids, but Vic and Al seemed to be the most spoiled.
Girls were lining up to get invited to the party. Each one of them had a crush on the twins. I was just happy Victor stopped being so mean to me. He still didn’t talk to me a lot, but he doesn’t frown at me all the time either.
I hardly ever took the earrings he gave me off. He would smile at them every time he’d see them. He’d flick my ear with his finger anytime he was close. I tried to keep my hair tucked behind my ears so he sees them all the time.
Alexis and Aliyah wanted to dress alike for the party, so we made a special shopping trip. We all bought the same fitted strapless dress. Alexis got it in white, Aliyah in pink, and mine was in black.
We all bought these pee toe suede high heel shoes to match our dresses. I definitely looked a lot older in the dress than Alexis and Aliyah. The fact that my hair grew past my shoulders since I’d been living here added a few years as well.
Downstairs, kids were piling into our house as we all got ready. Alexis and Aliyah were in my room trying to convince me that my dress looked okay on me. I pulled and tugged at it as Aliyah fixed my makeup.
I was so nervous. I wanted to look nice and I was hoping Victor would like my dress. I sighed at the thought because he never pays my clothes much attention.
“Okay, Meliyah, you look great,” Alexis sang. “Let’s get downstairs before the boys make their entrance.”
I sighed and shook my hands out nervously. I marched for the door before I chickened out and changed. We made our way downstairs to the grand room where all the kids from school were crowding around, waiting for Victor and Alex.