Welcome to New Haven

by Dawn Doyle

  “Yes…thanks.” She replied.

  “What’s going on here?” asked Ben as he walked over.

  “Looks cozy.” Said Kyle. The guys had come to see what was going on. Plus, the gym coach didn’t like students hanging about, so they intervened before anybody was told off.

  “I gave Holly a fright.” Said Alex.

  “I fell.”

  “We saw.” Ben said with a smirk.

  Alex could hear a double meaning in Ben’s tone, but he wasn’t about to bring it up in front of Holly, or the others.

  “I best get back to it then.” Holly said as she stepped back up onto the cross trainer.

  Alex wouldn’t be able to see her, from where they were training, but he wouldn’t be able to workout if he could. He could still feel her on his hands, and he wanted to hold her again. He felt himself make a move towards Holly when Ben steered him away.

  “Us too.” He said to Holly as he was physically pushing Alex in the direction of the weights area. Kyle was chuckling under his breath when they met up with Ryan who was already warming up.

  “I see things are going well.” Said Ben when they were out of earshot of Holly.

  “So far.” Alex smiled.

  “So you’re getting along?” asked Ryan.

  “Yeah. By text anyway.”

  “Ah yes. ‘Verbally challenged.” Ben said and Alex just smirked.

  “Only with Alex.” Kyle said, batting his eyes, which made Ryan and Ben laugh.

  “Let’s just train.” Alex said as he shook his head.

  Things were looking up. All he needed to do now was to keep their communication up so she would feel more comfortable with him. She hadn’t lost her words when he frightened her. Probably because he had.

  Alex smiled as he thought of Holly in his arms, again.

  Ryan approached Holly outside the changing area after Phys.Ed.

  “Hey, Holly. Got a minute?” He asked.

  Alex stopped and wondered what was happening and what Ryan wanted. He was going to try to walk with Holly as they left school, but now Ryan was messing that up.

  “Sure,” Holly said. “Dev, I’ll see you later ok?”

  “Yep. Four o’clock” Dev replied. “Come on Alex, let’s go.” Alex started to walk away.

  “What do you think he wants?” He asked Dev.

  “Oh probably to see whether she was still Ok after Saturday.” Dev suggested.

  “Oh yeah, probably.” Maybe Dev was right and he just wanted to make sure she was ok and she still forgave him.

  Alex was slowly coming around, but the image of Holly under the water wouldn’t leave his mind.

  Holly walked with Ryan until they were out of the way of the mass of bodies trying to exit the building.

  “What’s up?” She asked.

  “I wanted to ask you for your help. I know it’s a bit stupid considering I almost drowned you.”

  “Ryan, stop” she interrupted. “That wouldn’t have happened. Forgotten. Now, what do you need help with?”

  “There’s a girl I like.” He said.

  “Yeah?”

  “I want to ask her out, but I don’t want to be just ‘hey, wanna go on a date?’ I want to make it memorable.”

  “Do I know her?” Holly asked, trying to keep a straight face.

  “You know you do.” He snorted.

  “Ok. So what do you have in mind?”

  “I want to show her that I’m not afraid to make an ass of myself.”

  “That’s good because you have no problems any other time.”

  “That hurts Hol.” He said with a hand on his chest.

  “Whatever, divvie” she laughed. They chatted for a little longer before Holly had to leave. They arranged to meet up again on Friday, for free period, to finalise some details and to set everything in motion.

  Chapter 14

  H: Outside. Ready?

  D: Yep. Just grabbing my bag.

  Holly had pulled up outside Dev’s house to pick her up. They were studying, and they were staying away from their houses. Holly’s because the workmen were finishing up and removing their tools and her parents had guests, Dev’s because Alex was there and Holly’s nerves couldn’t take any more of his insane gorgeousness.

  Dev came out of the house with Alex and Ben behind her.

  As Holly looked towards the door, Alex stood leaning on the door frame to his right and Ben had his back leaning against the door frame to the left. It was like looking at a pair of male fitness models waiting for their next shoot.

  Alex shot her his sinful smile, dripping with his own personal brand of sexiness that hit her right where it mattered and Holly was dumbstruck again.

  “Hi Hol, let’s go.” Dev said as she closed her door.

  The girls waved to the boys, and they returned the gesture.

  Dev beamed at Holly.

  “So.” Dev began as she turned in her seat. “Things have gotten ‘chatty’ between you and Alex.”

  “Only by text.” Holly replied. “My spoken responses are still awkward.”

  “That’ll come, I’m sure.” Said Dev. “Now, why didn’t you want to study at your place? Alex could’ve dropped me.”

  “My parents are having some work friends over. Those things annoy me. All of the ‘This is Holly, Holly this is blah blah. It’s not like I’m going to sit there and start chatting to them.”

  “I totally understand.” Dev nodded her head and she started to tell Holly about the last ‘dinner’ they had with guests.

  “Seriously, my Mom introduced a woman called Charlotte and she spent almost the entire time drooling over Alex.”

  Holly frowned.

  “Sorry, Hol. She was thirty-five too. My Mom mentioned that we were in high school and only just turned seventeen. I think she hoped it would deter her, but it didn’t.” Dev had her lips pursed in distaste as she told Holly the story.

  “What happened then?” asked Holly with irritation in her voice. She didn’t care that she sounded territorial over Alex. Dev knew how she felt and didn’t need to hide it.

  “Alex and I excused ourselves. Later on, we heard our Mom telling her that her behaviour towards her son was inappropriate. She told her to leave and by the sounds of it, she wanted to beat the crap out of her.”

  “Good” Holly almost growled. If anybody tried it with Alex, she’d want to beat the crap out of them too.

  “Yeah, I know! We knew she was angry because she started to shout and curse in Spanish. She was a scaaary woman!”

  Holly liked Evie. She was so sweet and was always nice to her, always having a warm smile and a glint in her eye.

  She so knows. At least she wasn’t chasing me away with a bat.

  “The workmen are removing their equipment today.” Holly told Dev.

  “So your room’s going to be finished?”

  “It is, and we didn’t pay a penny for that room to be fitted.” Holly smiled.

  “Did you show them?” Dev asked.

  The workmen who had been talking and elbowing each other every time they saw Holly, had gotten into trouble. Holly had shown the site manager footage of their behaviour, on her tablet, whilst the guys were still there. They didn’t know that there was CCTV footage of them leering at Holly and, with her being seventeen, they would get into serious trouble for it.

  Holly and her parents had been apologised to, before Holly left to get Dev, and the construction and fitting of the room were done free of charge.

  “So what’s going to happen to them now?” asked Dev.

  “I don’t know, but from the look of horror on their managers’ face, I don’t think they’ll be given any work for a while.”

  “Good”

  Holly’s phone beeped as they pulled into the library parking lot. It was Alex and Holly smiled.

  A: Asegurarse de que mi hermana te enseña algo utilizable.

  Holly showed it to Dev for a translation.

  “It says ‘make sure my sister teaches you some
thing usable’” Holly laughed as Dev scowled.

  “Tell him some of the words I taught you. Put them in a sentence. That’ll shut him up.”

  Holly opened the translator app and then showed it to Dev.

  “Has that translated correctly?”

  Dev laughed as she nodded her head ‘yes’

  H: Dev me ha enseñado algunas palabras de colores. Los encuentro muy útil.

  A: Like what?

  “He wants to know what.” Holly said as she smiled to Dev.

  “Let’s see what we can say then.” Dev said as she thought for a moment. “I’ve thought of something…” She said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “…Send this. ‘Me gustaría lamer su estómago'."

  “What does it mean?” Holly asked. She wasn’t about to send Alex a message if she had no idea what it meant. It could be anything, and knowing Dev, it would be.

  “Um…it means ‘I want to punch you in the stomach.” Dev pulled her bottom lip into her mouth to stop herself laughing.

  “I can’t say that, Dev. He might take it personally.”

  “He won’t” Dev assured her. “It’s what I’ve taught you.”

  “What does it mean, Dev?” Holly asked, raising an eyebrow and warning in her tone.

  “He’ll like it. I promise.”

  Holly did not trust Dev as she was almost bursting with trying to hold back her laugh.

  “I’ll just use my app.”

  “You’re no fun.” Dev said, pouting.

  “I would like to lick your stomach? Really Dev?” Said Holly as she translated and Dev burst out laughing.

  “Oh, Hol. Just imagine his face if you sent that! It would be awesome!” Dev continued to giggle as Holly shook her head at her friend.

  “I wouldn’t be able to show my face again!”

  “Well, I’ve taught you that sentence, haven’t I? Say it out loud to prove it. Then, you can safely say ‘Dev taught me…’”

  “I don’t think he’ll buy that Dev.”

  “Oh just say it. Let me hear you.” Dev just stared and waited for Holly to repeat the sentence.

  “Fine.” Holly repeated and Dev giggled again.

  “That was great! Just send it Holly. Please?”

  Holly thought for a moment. Could she do it? Could she make a comment like that?

  He must know by know that I like him.

  “I don’t know.” Holly said after a few seconds thought. “I think I’ll just say what you taught me.”

  “Boooooo!”

  Holly replied to Alex.

  H: Dev taught me - Vete a la mierda, perra, puta,

  gilipollas.

  A: Well well! At least they can be useful at times. :D

  What the hell! Holly thought, and she typed out ‘Me gustaría lamer su estómago’.

  Then instantly changed her mind.

  “Oh shit!"

  “What?” Asked Dev.

  “I just sent it.” Holly said with a hand over her mouth. Dev threw her head back and laughed…hard.

  “I was going to press ‘cancel’, but I pressed ‘send’ by mistake."

  Holly’s heart felt as though it was going to jump in her throat as Dev tried to stop her laughter as she started to get some annoyed looks from other people there. Holly’s phone beeped again, and she was afraid to look.

  A: ?!! I just spat water everywhere!

  “What did he say?” asked Dev as she looked over at Holly’s phone. She chuckled. “Just tell him I told you, which I did.” She said.

  Alex was busy clearing the water up that he’d spat all over the table.

  “What did she say?” asked Ben as he reached for Alex’s phone.

  “Hey!” Said Alex as he grabbed for it. Ben was quicker.

  “Oh my God dude!” He said in surprise. “My Spanish isn’t perfect, but does that say she would like to lick your stomach?!” Ben was laughing at that point.

  “Dev probably had something to do with it.” Said Alex.

  “What if she didn’t? Asked Ben.

  “You know how Holly gets when we talk face-to-face. I doubt she would say that.”

  His phone beeped.

  H: Sorry. Dev told me that, today, and thought it would be

  funny to send it to you. I wasn’t going to, but I pressed

  send instead of cancel.

  “Told you.” He said and showed Ben his message. Ben was holding his stomach from laughing and Alex wanted to punch him in it instead.

  “The look on your face man. You look, what’s the word Emily used…oh yeah…devo’ed!”

  As Ben was having a fit, Alex wondered what to reply. He wanted to say something like ‘I might have guessed’ or ‘figures,’ but he decided ‘to hell with it’ and to just say something about how he felt about it. He smirked, mischievously, at Ben.

  “I know that look. That means you’re up to something.”

  Alex typed out his message and clicked ‘send.

  “What did you say?” asked Ben. Alex smiled and put his phone in his pocket. “Aw, come on! I thought we were friends?!” Ben whined.

  “Friends don’t share everything, Ben”

  “You’re an ass.” Ben said with a scowl.

  “You’re a girl.”

  “Why? Because I want the details?”

  “Yep.”

  “Ass.” Ben said as he sulked.

  Alex rolled his eyes.

  “Don’t repeat this to anyone.”

  “Cool.” Said Ben as he instantly came out of his tantrum.

  Alex shook his head and showed him the message. Ben looked surprised as he read.

  “Who are you, and what have you done with Alex?” Alex grinned.

  Holly’s phone beeped. She didn’t want to read it incase she’d hurt Alex’s feelings. She would feel awful. Holly nervously checked her phone and saw that the message was in Spanish. She quickly translated it and her eyes opened wide and her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped in utter shock.

  “Holly, what’s wrong?” asked Dev, concerned. “What did he say?” Holly couldn’t speak as her face grew hotter.

  “Oh my goodness.” She whispered, and she turned the phone to Dev.

  A: Eres no serio? Eso es una vergüenza.

  “You didn’t mean it? That’s a shame!” Dev translated as she read the message out. “Oh my God!” Said Dev and she sucked her bottom lip in to stop her grin.

  Holly looked at the message again, just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She was still frozen with her hand over her mouth as she thought of actually running her tongue over Alex’s hard, tight abs.

  “Are you ok?” Dev asked as she placed her hand on Holly’s arm.

  “Um…yeah.” She said. Blinking to bring her eyes into focus. “What do I say to that?” She asked Dev, nervously.

  “How about ‘who says I didn’t?” Said Dev.

  “I’m not saying that!” Holly almost shouted.

  “Whoa. Calm down, Hol. I was just kidding. Tell you what. I’ll text Alex and tell him it was my fault, which it was.”

  “No it’s ok. I know what to say now.”

  Holly typed out her message, and hit ‘send’.

  H: I don’t know what to say to that. :/

  Holly showed Dev the message, and she nodded.

  “It’s the truth. I have no words.” Said Holly.

  “I think the ball might have been given a swift push here.” Said Dev.

  “Riss and Ryan have that to be thanked for.” Said Holly. “Riss invited us over, Alex got my number, Ryan threw me in the water and Alex came to my rescue.” Holly explained.

  “Good point.” Said Dev. “Speaking of Ryan. What did he want you for?”

  “He asked me for my help with something.” Said Holly. Dev looked at Holly to carry on. “I can’t say at the moment, sorry, but it’s good. Really good.” Smiled Holly.

  “Is this a ‘thank you’ from you?”

  “You could say it is, yeah” Said Holly.

  A couple of
minutes had passed, and Alex hadn’t texted back and Holly was getting worried that he was upset with her.

  Alex looked at his phone, Ben looking over his shoulder.

  H: I don’t know what to say to that. :/

  “What are you going to say?” asked Ben.

  “I’m not sure. I don’t know whether I’ve just scared her off.”

  Alex was worried that he’s made a mistake with his cheeky reply. Holly was nervous around him and now…had he made it worse? He could kick himself for it.

  “Ask her. Just say ‘I haven’t scared you off have I?’” Said Ben as he shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

  “That’s actually pretty good.” Alex typed out his message to Holly. His fingers were shaking with nerves.

  A: I haven’t scared you away, have I?

  Alex waited for her reply and chewed on a thumbnail. Ben snorted a laugh as he watched.

  “What does it say?” Ben asked when Alex’s phone beeped.

  “I haven’t looked at it, yet, Jeez!” Said Alex.

  H: Why would I be scared?

  “Ooooh.” Said Ben as if this was juicy news. “You have to reply to that."

  Definitely. She didn’t answer me.

  A: You answered a question with a question.

  H: So it would seem :)