Welcome to New Haven

by Dawn Doyle

  Two weeks. It’s been two weeks and I’ve already staked my claim on her.

  He snorted a laugh at himself. My Holly.

  “I said she was mine for fuck’s sake!” He whispered out loud as he paced his bedroom. He was done waiting so he picked up his phone…

  A: What’s happening?

  D: Nothing. Just hanging out. Riss and Kay have gone.

  A: What are you two talking about?

  D: Oh you know, school, shopping, boys. The usual.

  A: Boys? Anyone I know?

  D: Nope.

  A: Seriously? You’re talking about boys? Who is he?

  D: Ooh jealous much?

  A: Damn it, Dev, just tell me.

  Instead of feeling jealous, Alex felt…upset. If Holly were interested in someone else then that meant he couldn’t be with her. But, why would Dev say that when she knew how he felt about her? It didn’t make sense. Dev wasn’t the kind of person to rub that into someone’s face, especially his.

  D: Honestly, there’s nothing to tell. I was just kidding so don’t get your panties in a bunch.

  A: Not funny Dev.

  D: It is from here.

  It wasn’t funny…even a little bit.

  A: How’s Holly?

  D: She’s fine, why?

  A: After Friday.

  D: Yep. She’s ok. I’m going to be her new tutor, so hopefully she’ll get further than asking where the local swimming pool is. LOL.

  A: Yeah that’s pretty lame.

  It was completely lame. That was one place Holly would never be asking for. After what he had overheard on Friday made him sure of that. Alex had been coming out of the locker room, towards the coach’s office when he heard his coach and the swim coach talking about Holly, and why she was running track. He guessed it wasn’t something she wanted broadcasted around the school, and he made sure he didn’t even tell Ben what he had heard.

  D: Well we’re going to start some learning now. Adios.x

  A: Adios. X

  Holly walked back into her bedroom and Dev was texting in her phone.

  “That was just Alex” she said as she looked up and smiled.

  “Yeah?” She said trying to sound as if she weren't bursting inside with wanting to know what he’d said.

  “Yeah, he was just checking up on me…and he asked about you too.” Dev was grinning and had a glint in her eye as Holly blushed.

  He didn’t even have to be there to affect her!

  “After what happened on Friday.”

  “Oh…That was nice of him.” Holly’s stomach had a thousand butterflies banging into each other trying to escape, her veins throbbing as her heart beat faster.

  “Yeah it is” Dev said as she reached for the bag of crisps ‘chips’.

  “He’s a great guy.” Dev crunched a chip in her mouth as she winked at Holly.

  “Well let’s get started and off the subject of Alex”

  Actually, I’d like to get on Alex….Wait…What the hell?! Holly felt herself flush again, and she tried to hide it.

  “What?” Dev asked as she saw Holly stop suddenly.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  Dev folded her lips in her mouth to stop a grin.

  “Mhmm” she mumbled, raising her eyebrows as Holly rubbed her forehead.

  “Spanish...now”

  They got up the next morning and headed to breakfast when Dev got out her phone to text Alex.

  “Just seeing how he is.” Dev explained and Holly just nodded.

  She wanted to know how he was too, but she didn’t want to seem to eager. Dev knew that Holly liked Alex but what she didn’t know, was that Holly’s feelings deepened every day. Dev chuckled as she tapped the screen.

  “He asked how I was and I told him ‘sound’”

  Holly had taught Dev a few scouse slang words and she couldn’t wait to try them out. Dev had even tried to say them with a scouse accent, which was hilarious.

  “He’s going out for a run and I said I’d see him later after we’ve picked Emily up from the airport.”

  Emily, Holly’s older sister, was flying in that day and Holly had asked Dev if she wanted to go with her.

  “Mmmm.” Holly said between bites of her toast.

  I’d love to see him run. Watch his muscles moving under his T-shirt…

  “What was that?” Dev asked, wide eyed.

  “What was what?”

  “That noise you made. It sounded like your toast was packing some hidden deliciousness or something.”

  “I did that out loud?”

  “Yep, and I’m guessing it wasn’t your toast and maybe a certain guy in his running shorts?” Dev said as she waggled her eyebrows.

  “Oh my God!” squeaked Holly, her face reddening more than before. She put her hands either sides of her cheeks in embarrassment. Dev laughed.

  “Don’t be ashamed, I won’t tell. But, you may want to be careful who’s around you when you’re daydreaming though.” Dev chuckled again.

  “That’d be awful!” Holly groaned, still horrified that she’d vocalised her fantasy.

  “Nah, you could say it was something else of course, unless you start saying ‘Oh Alex’!” Dev burst out laughing, holding her sides as she did.

  “Are you messin’? That’s not even funny.”

  “It is a little” Dev said as her laughter subsided to a giggle.

  “To you maybe, but defo not to me. My head would be chocker if that happened.”

  “What does chocker mean?”

  “Oh, it means ‘messed up’…kind of. It also means busy or packed. Like, the shop was ‘chocker’ when it was really busy.”

  Holly would revert back to her slang, and her accent would thicken whenever she was annoyed or worked up. Her accent had softened over the years, partly due to her lack of interaction with people and Oli, her Step-Dad was American. Holly had slowed her speech and used less slang when talking to him so he could understand what she was saying. Emily, on the other hand, hadn’t.

  “Oh cool, I get it. Like my homework schedule is ‘chocker’ because I have a lot?”

  “Yeah that’s it.”

  “Awesome. I like picking up your slang. It’s so cool.”

  “Thanks.” Said Holly as she chuckled at Dev’s excitement over her new vocabulary.

  “Be prepared. My sister is quite lively.” Holly said as they waited for Emily at the airport.

  “Oh that’s great! More fun.”

  Dev said happily. Holly waved as she spotted Emily coming through the gate.

  Emily was five years older than Holly and was studying her degree in Business. Once she graduated, in three months time, Emily would be coming over to Seattle to live. Holly was excited. She hated being so far away from Emily and, due to the eight hours time difference, it was hard to call or face time each other because of their studies. They’d emailed and texted, but it wasn’t the same.

  “Wow, you’re so different. I mean, I can tell you’re sisters but you’re really different.”

  It was true. Holly had green eyes and dark brown hair, whereas Emily had blue eyes and light brown hair. They had the same heart shaped face and similar noses, but Emily was taller by about three inches. Emily looked like their Mum, but tall like her Dad, and Holly looked like her Dad, but shorter like her Mum. Even though her Mum was still two inches taller.

  “Aw come ‘ere tatty ‘ed. Giz a love.” Emily said as she grabbed Holly into a vice grip and kissed her head. “I’ve missed ye loads baby girl” Emily looked at Dev.

  “Who’s this then, ay?”

  “This is Dev. My friend from school.”

  “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.” Said Dev with a huge smile.

  “Hiya. Are you arright?” Emily replied.

  “Um…yeah. I’m fine.” Dev turned to Holly, with a confused expression.

  “She doesn’t mean ‘are you alright? It’s a greeting, like ‘how are you?’” Holly explained.

  “Ohhh I get it.” Said Dev.

/>   “Ave you been speaking’ all proper ‘ave yerray girl? Emily asked as they walked towards the exits.

  “When have I not?” asked Holly with mock hurt, then grinning at Emily.

  “Well, when you’ve gorra nark on for a start.” Laughed Emily. “Nah I’m just messin.’” She said. “Has our Hols been keeping’ outta trouble ay Dev?”

  “Uh…yeah…she has” Dev said as she glanced to Holly. “Holly’s been great.”

  Emily didn’t miss the look that passed between the two girls.

  “Wharrav ye done?” Emily said in her best Mum voice that Holly knew well.

  “Erm…well” Holly began. Dev looked down, biting her lip to stop a laugh from escaping.

  “Well?”

  “I may have…” then Holly reluctantly told Emily what had happened over the past few days with Stacey and the Spanish teacher. Emily exploded with laughter as they sat in Holly’s car.

  “Did the girl piss ‘er kecks?”

  “No!” Holly said defensively.

  “Kecks?” Dev asked from the back seat.

  “Pants, trousers that sort of thing.” Holly translated.

  “I wasn’t there the second time” Dev added “but in the locker room, Stacey went as white as a sheet. It was awesome.”

  “Well, I’m telling’ ye. It could’ve gone worse than tha’.” Said Emily. “You know the expression, ‘the quiet ones are the worst?’…”

  “Yeah?” Said Dev as Emily pointed at Holly and raised her eyebrows. “Really?!” squealed Dev.

  “Em! I am not like that!” Holly almost shouted.

  “Yeah yerrar. Not all the time though…” Emily turned to Dev as she continued “…but I tell ye…if you push her far enough, it’s like the exorcist…”

  Emily laughed again and Dev joined in.

  “When is your flight back again?” Said Holly with a scowl.

  “Aww, I’m just messin’ babes. Our Hol’s a good girl really. Dead kind, does any’in for ye. Just don’t take the piss and you’ll be fine.”

  “Noted” said Dev, grinning. “This weekend has turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.”

  “What do you want to do today?” Holly asked as they got back to the house. “I’m gonna ‘ave a lie down for a bit ‘cos I’m done in. Is that arright? I’m still running’ on UK time and I was up dead early this mornin’.” Emily said as she yawned.

  “Yeah sound. Mum will be back about four anyway and I think she wants to go out for dinner about five or six.

  “Nice one.” Said Emily as she picked up her suitcase. “I’ll get me ‘ed down for a bit then. Nice to meet ye again Dev.”

  “You too” Dev replied. “You’re sister is crazy!” Dev whispered when Emily had gone upstairs. “God, she is such a character.”

  “Yeah. She’s reeeaaally something.” Holly said as she blew out a long breath. Holly knew that her sister was playing with them, and exaggerating the way she spoke. She’d liked to confuse Oli, and thought it hilarious when she’d shorten her words right down and add slang, watching him become more confused the longer their conversation went. For all of the time he’d been in Liverpool, Emily could still confuse him.

  “Should we do something before you go out?” Dev asked.

  “Yeah, it’s only two thirty. We could see what the girls are doing?”

  “Defo!” said Dev, pleased for using her slang.

  Holly shook her head and chuckled.

  Alex had just finished in the shower after his run. He’d checked his phone for the fifth time and there were still no messages from Dev.

  I need to get Holly’s number. Maybe we could talk more.

  Alex blew out a frustrated breath.

  Two weeks, for goodness sakes’ he reminded himself.

  He growled and decided to attempt to finish his algebra homework to take his mind off Holly.

  “What is happening to me?” He whispered as he sat at his desk. He’d never had these feelings for anybody and to happen in such a short time, Christ, he hardly knew her either. He was beginning to freak out.

  She’d freak out more if she knew.

  He just stared at his homework.

  “No, This is so not going to happen.” He said out loud. Maybe he should go for another run, try to clear his head. No. He didn’t want to risk running into Stacey again.

  Alex had gone to the park to run and then through the area close to his house. Stacey had appeared and had tried to jog alongside him.

  “Hi Alex.” She’d purred, trying to push her chest out in her running outfit. “Do you have any plans for today? I was thinking we could both go out somewhere.”

  Alex had tried to ignore her when she grabbed his arm, digging her nails in.

  “Did you hear me?” she spat, causing Alex to stop, shocked at her tone and the force her nails were pressing into him.

  “Go away. I’m not going anywhere with you, and I never will. Give it up Stacey.”

  She smiled and licked her lips.

  “I’d give it up in a heartbeat, for you.” She said in a breathy tone, changing the meaning of his words.

  “You’re disgusting.” Alex said as he started running again, Stacey going after him.

  “You know it makes sense Alex. I want you…you want me.” “I don’t!” He yelled, stopping again. “Get it into your head, right now, I don’t want you. Not even in the slightest. Leave. Me. Alone.!” He growled and ran off, faster this time, and Stacey couldn’t keep up.

  “You will eventually!!” she shouted from far behind him. The interaction had made him feel nauseated; he hadn’t even seen Stacey come out from wherever she was. It was as if she’d been lying in wait for him. How could she have known where he was? It was uncanny how she managed to be in the same places as he, as though she was getting a head's up before he even got there.

  Alex had heard that a friend of hers had told her he was at the park one day, with his friends, and she’d turned up a few minutes later. They’d only made their plans to go there an hour before, at his house, so there was no way she would’ve known where he’d be.

  Stacey had ruined things for him, in the past. Well, this was something she wasn’t ruining. Alex enjoyed going for his runs so he’d just have to change his route.

  Running his hands through his hair and taking a calming breath, Alex picked up his art pad, and loose papers. The special paper he liked to draw his best pictures on, was running low. He’d have to go to the art supply store to get more.

  He went downstairs and sat at the dining table instead, because he’d have more room on the table to spread out. He put his earbuds in, switched on his music and opened his pad. He took out the loose paper, and continued with his new drawing. It was coming along well, drawing from memory.

  After about an hour, he’d turned off his music and gone up to his room, just as he heard Dev coming home. As she was walking up the stairs, he opened his bedroom door wide.

  “Hi Dev. Have a good day?”

  “Hi Alex! I’ve had a great day. We’ve been out to the park with Kay and Riss. It was good.” Dev turned to go into her room, before quickly turning back. “Oh, and I met Holly’s sister, Emily, today.” She said and grinned at him.

  “What’s she like?”

  “Insane” Dev shook her head as she went into her room and shut the door, chuckling.

  Alex was confused.

  Insane as in ‘funny’ or as in actually insane?

  At dinner, Dev told their parents about Holly’s older sister, Emily, and that she was quite the character.

  “She’s fun. When I can understand her that is. Holly had to translate for me.”

  “Translate? Why?” Asked their Mom, Evie.

  “Her slang and her accent.” Dev told them about the words ‘chocker’ and ‘kecks’. “She’s insane!” Dev laughed.

  “She does sound like a character, their Dad, Rami, said.

  “Even funnier together though, I swear my stomach has had a workout from laughing so
hard!”

  Once dinner was over, Dev told Alex what Emily had said about Holly’s personality.

  “Holly’s sweet and caring, but from what Emily was saying, I’d hate to see her bad side. I think we saw some of it with Stacey.”

  “According to Ben…” Alex added “…Holly was pretty scary and we all saw what happened with Delaney.” He smiled. Pissing off Holly was not a good idea.

  “She sure showed her.”

  “She really did” Alex said proudly.

  He remembered back to the incident on Friday and how Holly looked as she stood in the Hallway. His chest began to hurt.

  “Alex are you ok?” Dev asked.

  “Wha? Oh yeah, I’m fine. I'm just going to finish my algebra homework.” He said, trying to cover up his daydream.

  “Do you mind if we do it together? Holly’s helped a lot but I need to get this last piece finished.”

  Alex wanted to be alone, with his thoughts, but he also didn’t want to brush off his twin sister.

  “Yeah sure. I’ll get my books and I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Dev had texted Holly a few times, during their studying, for help.

  “Maybe I should ask her to tutor us both.” Dev snorted.

  “Like that would do me any good.”

  “What do you mean? Holly’s a great tutor.” Dev asked with a frown.

  “I mean, how would I do my homework with Holly teaching me? I can barely concentrate in class as it is.”

  “Aww, Alex, you little romantic, you.” Dev batted her eyes.

  “Shut up.” He grumbled.

  “I think it’s sweet. You gotta let me say something to her.”

  “No!” He snapped. “Don’t tell her.”

  “But why?” Dev whined.

  “You know why. You said it yourself…she’s new here, she’s shy, and I’ve only known her for two weeks. If she finds out that I like her then she may avoid me again and possibly altogether. I’m not risking it, Dev, so can you please drop it?”