Page 59 of Of Pranks and Passion

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

GARY

I wasa little worried I made my crush too obvious, but I didn't like the way he was talking about himself. I thought Easton would make a great boyfriend, even without all the romance stuff. He picked up on when I was upset and needed touch to feel better. He went out of his way to protect me, probably because it sounded like fun at the time, and still protected me now, even though our relationship was fake and he wasn’t obligated. He helped me make new friends, and supported me connecting more with my roommate. He even studied with me, now that the material was getting more specific and he couldn’t just bullshit his way through tests. Sure, he didn't buy me flowers or take me on dates, but he was still the best boyfriend I could have ever asked for, and our relationship wasn’t even real.

Having such a heavy conversation after that experience in the kitchen left me reeling a little, and we both stayed silent for the rest of the shower. Not distant, he still hovered, but we were both in our heads and quiet. It wasn’t until we were out and getting dressed that I remembered that our friends were waiting for us.

“You don’t think they came in while we were in the shower, do you?”

We hadn’t cleaned up the kitchen and, knowing Coach, he’d go straight there to poke around to make food. None of us ate much at the restaurant. The food wasn’t very good. I honestly think Coach would’ve been an amazing chef if he wasn’t a teacher. When I heard someone laugh and Easton raised an eyebrow, my whole body burned with a blush so deep, I felt like I had a fever. Easton barked out a laugh, smacking a kiss on my mouth.

“It’s their damn faults for coming over unannounced. Come on. They’re going to grill us about the new plan, and I’ve got a fight tonight.”

“Can I come?” He hadn’t allowed it so far, but I’d seen him fight now, and I really wanted to see it from start to finish.

His frown said he wasn’t into the idea, and I couldn’t help but pout. He rolled his eyes with a smirk.

“The places I fight are dangerous, Gary. I don’t want you there until you can defend yourself. Your puny muscles won’t be enough in a place like that.” He squeezed my bicep with a mocking raise of his eyebrow. I don’t know what came over me, but I kicked him in the shin in retribution, pinning him with a scowl.

“I’m not puny!”

He laughed, eyes wide like he was just as stunned at my reaction as I was. I was coming out of my shell around my friends and around Easton. I didn’t duck my head and capitulate to whatever everyone else had to say. Easton helped me feel confident enough to express myself. Apparently confident enough to kick him.

“You’re gonna get it for that,” he growled, but there was no venom to it. He was playing with me and didn’t scare me for a second. That didn’t mean I was going to stick around to see howhe’d react. I was getting braver, but I wasn’t stupid. At least I’d had time to get dressed first.

Throwing my towel at him, I tore out of the closet and his room, racing for the living room. He was right behind me, and I couldn’t stop laughing as I ducked behind Coach. Angel was sitting on the couch, watching with a grin, and waved me over when Easton tried to duck around the massive giant. With a yelp, I threw myself over the back of the couch, tumbling straight off and onto the floor.

“P, don’t–”

I watched in slow motion as Easton came flying over the couch. If he landed on top of me with that much momentum, he’d probably break something. I winced and waited for the pain, but he managed to catch himself with half his body still on the couch to slow himself down before slithering off the couch and landing on top of me with a lot less force. I still grunted out anoomphwith the weight of him, but it didn't hurt.

“Dude, that scared the shit out of me. I thought we’d have a Gary pancake on our hands,” Smiley said from somewhere above me. I didn’t have a chance to take a good look around at where they were all sitting while I was getting chased by Easton.

“Same,” Chuckles said with a laugh. “P, you’re too damn big to be throwing yourself at him like that. Don’t squish the innocent.”

Easton nipped at my neck playfully before lifting his head to smirk at his friends. “You assholes walked in on us less than thirty minutes ago. You know damn well he’s not innocent.”

“Easton!” I whined. Was it wrong that I’d hoped our unusual arrival would’ve distracted them from talking about that?

Angel’s face appeared above me, grinning like an idiot. “No pretending that didn’t happen, bestie. Coach refuses to go into the kitchen until one of you sanitizes every surface.”

Slapping my hands over my face, I groaned while they all laughed. Easton was completely unrepentant, laughing right along with them, and didn’t get up to go deal with the problem until I poked him hard in the ribs. He was still laughing when he walked away.

Angel offered me a hand once I was finally brave enough to peek through my fingers. He pulled me off the ground and onto the couch next to him, wiggling his fingers in a gimme motion.“Lemme see.”

It took me a second to figure out what he was asking for. Oh, right. I got engaged a few hours ago. It wasn’t real, but I still blushed when I gave him my hand. The others crowded closer, and a few whistled low when they saw just how ostentatious the ring was.

“Damn, Phantom. I know you wanted to piss the bitch off, but getting engaged at her party wasn’t enough? Hilarious plan, by the way,” Chuckles said when Easton came back, lifting his hand for a high five before rethinking it and grimacing. Easton rolled his eyes, rubbing his hand all over Chuckles’s face.

“I washed my hands, idiot. And I needed to make sure she knew it was real. She recognized me. If I would’ve given him something small, she would’ve seen through the ruse.”

“Is that why you gave her a diamond bracelet?” Angel asked with a scowl. I winced when I remembered that. I got something way better, but it still stung that he gave such a nice gift to the bitch who bullied me my whole life.

“That was fake,” he said blandly, sitting on the arm of the couch next to me. “Got it at one of those knock off vendors at the mall. The real jeweler looked fucking confused when I asked for a spare box to put it in.”

Relief flooded through me, making me sag into the couch. Easton made an irritated sound.

“I wasn’t going to give that bitch anything real, Gary. She’s lucky I didn’t dip the thing in acid first.”

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