Page 20 of The Boy I Once Loved

“Only about fifteen minutes of it as somebody moaned that much that we turned it over.”

“Excellent.” She grins as she presses play and tucks her legs up beside her, getting comfy. “Dylan stayed at your place last night?” I can hear the curiosity in her voice.

“Yeah, my mum was working, and I was stuck with this thing.” I tap my boot.

“That’s nice, the two of you spending time together again. No wonder he looks so happy today.”

I don’t reply and I keep my eyes trained on the tv. I feel like she is trying to imply something, but what I’m not sure.

“Do you like Bughead or are you a Barchie girl?”

“Bughead of course, they are endgame.”

She grins. “Yeah, they are cute together, but then Betty and Archie have grown up together. I love the whole childhood sweetheart thing, it’s so romantic.”

“I think the childhood sweetheart thing is overrated. Give me Jughead any day over Archie.”

She laughs and we joke about how hot both the actors are. Caleb comes and flops down on the sofa beside me and puts his arm over the back of the sofa behind me. "Tell me then, Ella, what is your type? I'm thinking Blonde, athletic-looking, good at football?" He winks.

“Oh, really?” I grin. “Funny that description sounds a lot like you.”

He grins and feigns surprised. “Oh yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” He nudges me. “Did Aria here tell you I am currently single and available?”

“No, she didn’t,” I chuckle. “Funnily enough, we weren’t talking about you at all.”

He touches his heart and looks hurt. “Dylan, help me out here.” He shouts over to Dylan, who is leaning on his cue. “I’m trying to convince Ella here that I am her type.”

Dylan shakes his head. “You’re not good enough for Ella.”

“Oh yeah, and who is?” Caleb’s brow arches in interest. There is a teasing challenge in his eyes as he watches Dylan.

Dylan glares at him, and then his eyes fall on me. “No one here is good enough for her.”

For a second we both stare at each other before Connor breaks the silence by clearing his throat. “I need food. Anyone else?”

"Hell yes," Caleb shouts. "Bring crisps and cookies."

Aria tuts. “That won’t be good for your athletic waistline, Caleb.”

He laughs and he lifts his top, revealing his taut stomach. “There’s no fat on these perfect abs, I promise you.” He smirks over at me. “Want a feel?”

“Mills!” Dylan warns, which just makes him grin even wider.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, no hitting on Ella.” He gives Dylan a salute and then shouts after Connor following him to the kitchen.

“See what I mean?” Aria grins. “This lot together are a handful.”

We spend the rest of the afternoon in the den, and Aria really begins to grow on me. She is genuinely lovely if a little too curious about my friendship with Dylan, but I like her. It is obvious that she dotes on Connor and that just makes me like her even more. She gushes as she tells me how they got together after working on a college project six months ago and they have a little flirty bicker over who made the first move.

Dylan's mum arrives home, and the boys all leave just leaving Connor, Aria, Dylan and me. She invites them both to stay for an early tea but Aria declines saying she is already going to her grandparents for a roast dinner this evening. Connor looks like he is about to say yes, but then shares a look with Dylan and he suddenly remembers he has homework that he needs to get done tonight. Aria gets me to swap numbers with her before she goes, and she insists we have a girly weekend soon. Stacey takes Charlie for an early bath whilst dinner is in the oven, leaving Dylan and me alone in the den.

He sits all relaxed beside me on the sofa as we watch the voice on catch- up. He stretches out with his arms behind his head and his feet on the footstool beside mine. His t-shirt rides up, giving me a small peek of his abs. I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers up his chest, and suddenly I feel like the room is thick with tension. Luckily there have been no more embarrassing toilet visits as when Stacey got home, she helped me instead of Dylan.

“It was good today, hanging out with the guys?” I’m not sure whether he is making an observation or asking me a question.

I nod. “Yeah, they all seem great. You know Dyl, I don’t want you to feel obliged to include me. I can make my own friends.”

He frowns, looking really pissed, and turns on his side to face me. “Will you stop that and just accept that I want to hang out with you. You’re the only girl I feel I can relax around Ella. You’re not one of those girls who are trying to get in my pants just so they can say they have been with me to boost their own popularity.”

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