chapter six

s h e b i t e s h a r d

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Picture: Nova and Tyler (I made it in like five minutes I'm such a lazy ass xD)

dedicated to an amazing writer, you should go check out her books if you haven't already!

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(not edited)

In the ten years I've known and lived next to Nate, I have grown to love his quirks and weird tendencies. Don't get me wrong, some of them are still a little bit of a surprise to me – not much surprises me either – but Nate's latest fetish...I don't know how to put this.

I've lived beside Nate for ten years when my family and I moved here from New York. I was the quiet little girl-next door, and at seven years old, Nate took me under his wing. You see, Nate used to be much different than to how he is now. Sure, ten years does a person a lot of difference – I would know – but Nate's was a miracle.

I like to call his transformation the butterfly effect. One small, but drastic change, transformed Nate from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. Probably not beautiful, he would kill me for calling him that (he likes to think he's extremely masculine – which he is, but I like to tease him about it). Nate was your awkward nerd. At seven years old, Nate was destined to go to Harvard, maybe even graduate early, until everything changed.

He lost the lanky legs and arms (he didn't need glasses, don't be so stereotypical gosh) and at fifteen, he became a ladies man. Of course, I never thought of him like that, and never will. Once you know Nate's fetishes, it's kind of hard to see yourself in a relationship to him. He's practically a brother.

I guess that's how I got the name as one of the boys. I hung around all Nate's friends, mingled with very few girls, and never went shopping to spontaneously try on dresses or anything. I was just Nova, the girl-next-door who could belch the alphabet backwards and wasn't scared of bugs. I played football with the guys (and trust me, they didn't back off one bit) and I became accustomed to the way guys lived their lives. I wore Nate's shirts (platonic, again) and never dated.

Well, I did date once, but let's not even go there.

The point of this little internal monologue? Well, I knew there was something fishy when I turned up to my house at approximately three pm in the afternoon with Tyler and Austin by my side, to hear a certain person upstairs...screaming. As much as I love Nate (as a friend), I won't hold myself back from making fun of his scream. It's so girly and cute.

Don't tell him I said that. I would be dead.

You know how I said he had weird fetishes? Yeah, well I think I just discovered another one. Tyler, Austin and I crept up the stairs as silently as possible. Thankfully our stairs don't squeak, so we were good to go. Up until monkey face, aka Tyler, tripped on a rug in the hallway and nearly knocked a vase off from a table. The idiot, surprisingly, didn't alarm Nate. I don't know how he did it, but if he ruins this he is dead.

I grabbed out my phone and swiped upwards for the camera. Austin looked at me with confusion and I showed him that I was videoing. He nodded his head in understanding and we kept tiptoeing to my room, which Nate is in.

I couldn't miss the chance to video what could be the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. I held my phone out in front of me, Nate's screaming was all that could be heard.

"God damnit Whitney," he roared. I had to hold back the giggles that were ready to explode. "Jump it! Jump it you ass! Whitney, oh my fucking god!"

Austin and Tyler had the same thoughts as me. They had their hands cupped over their mouths to stop the laughter that was about to explode. Austin's face is bright red from holding the laughter in, while Tyler is breathing like a walrus. I pointed the camera into the room so that Austin, Tyler and I could all watch what Nate was doing without having to stick our heads through the door.

The video camera made the screen slightly blurry, but I could just make out a figure in the shape of a horse covered in pink.

Oh god.

My best friend is playing on my Xbox. The worst part? He's playing Barbies. I freaking love that game, he better not get rid of my high score! I guess we are both children at heart, but at least I don't scream at my horse like a banshee.

Tyler crouched down on the floor into foetal position and Austin was banging his head repetitively on my shoulder. I was biting my lip so hard that I was nearly drawing blood.

Oh this is just too good. The best part is that I have this all on video. Every single thing. From him screaming at Whitney to him throwing his arm around in frustration when he couldn't get his horse over the jump, not to mention the sounds of pleasure as it jumped. Wow, I picked a pretty sane best friend hey?

"Whitney, you're the best pony ever," he commented when Whitney finally went over the cross country jump. That set Tyler and Austin off, I was soon to follow. I couldn't help it, we were laughing so hard we sounded like hyenas. Austin and I were both snorting – must be some inherited trait – because no noise was coming out of our mouths.

I was still videoing when Nate noticed us both. He blushed bright red, the brightest blush I've ever seen. Well, maybe second. The first has got to be me when yours truly, Tyler the ass, pulled my pants down in gym.

"NOVA!" He screamed, charging at me. He looked pissed off. My eyes widened and I started sprinting down the hallway, not before pushing Tyler over to face Nate's wrath first. I'm a lovely friend. "I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you all," he growled.

"YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE," I sprinted down the long carpeted hallway with an evil grin on my face.

"Yeah, cause you'll be DEAD after I'm done with you," he shouted but his voice was in the distance. He must be going for the other guys first, leaving the best until last. I feel privileged, I really do. Just to be on the safe side, I hid in the spare bedrooms walk in wardrobe. It's a decent size with plenty of room for one or two more people. There aren't any clothes in there and my head is just skimming the metal pole where the clothes are hung up in. Thankfully the clothes hangers are shifted to one side so it doesn't make any noise and I don't bump it all the time.

All was going good, I heard Austin scream but he so deserved it. The brotherly sisterly love is real. My breath hitched when I heard the creaking of the spare bedroom's door opening. It was a faint sound, but with my super awesome ninja hearing I could tell what it was. Then came small footsteps, the person must be walking on their tippy toes.

I braced myself for the sight of Nate's fuming face. Preferably with a huge vein sticking out on his forehead and a scowl so huge that his whole face droops. I could tell Nate was walking towards the wardrobe so I hid in the furthest corner of it, away from any light. I feel like a vampire – being scared of the light and all. I mean, I could be in the mornings. The light is a bastard.

Get your head together Nova, the voice in my head scorned me. Oh, right. Yeah, my best friend is just about to murder me, better stop talking about my turning into a sparkly vampire.

I always thought that Nate would be one of the 'come out come out wherever you are' type of person but he proved me wrong by staying incredibly silent. Dang, after all these years of trying to make him shut up, all I had to do was make him potentially murder me. Great, another point to add to his weird quirks.

I braced myself again when the door started to squeak open, then in a matter of seconds the person – Nate, I think – was in there with me. He sighed a sigh of relief when he realised he was safe. But not for long.

Well, he hasn't noticed me yet, and I love a good revenge tactic, so I may as well make this time worth it. I learned forward ever so slightly, just enough so that I could smell him. Yeah, cause that's not creepy at all. Well, boys with good hygiene and who smell nice deserve to be sniffed. It's just girl code protocol. If he's not nice to the sniffer, shove him in the trash.

Stinky boys – no no.

Nate smells good. Same as Tyler. I shook them thoughts out of my head. I have to be subtle. Subtle like a bird. Wait, birds aren't subtle. Subtle like a wolf hunting its prey. Then, I moved my face ever so slowly closer to him, opened my mouth and took a huge chunk out of his bicep.

Okay, his bicep is freaking toned. I heard a scream. It wasn't Nate's.

"What the fuck!" Tyler cried out and nursed his bicep. "What is wrong with you, bitch?" He then went on to mutter a tonne of Spanish insults under his breath. It was quick and quiet but I managed to make out 'stupid bitch', 'poor arm' and 'fat bastard'. What a charmer.

I quickly shoved my hand over his mouth which effectively shut him up. "Shh," I whispered. But, I just so happen to suck at whispering and it came out like a toned down shout. Gosh, no wonder why I spent most of my time in the naughty chair at kindergarten. I can't whisper for shit. "He's gonna find us now, retard."

The tables had turned and Tyler bit my palm, I flicked his forehead really hard in return. "Oh my god," he whisper-shouts, pinning me up against the back of the wardrobe with his arms either side of my head. "You're such a violent bitch."

His swearing didn't affect me because he had said that to many times before. Just when I thought that we were going to start acting civil to each other, he does this.

"Oh, you're such a pussy," I tried to whisper again but it failed. Why can't I whisper? "Today is not the day that I want to die, okay? Just because we interrupted his jumping session with Whitney doesn't mean it is Nova's time to die. I still want to buy a goat because Meownce needs a friend. I still have to get a boyfriend that will let me dress him up in my clothes. I can't die yet!"

Okay, maybe I'm overreacting. But who knows! Maybe Nate is a serial killer who came here to kill me when I interrupted Barbie time. Speaking about Barbie. That game is my favorite. You can jump and do dressage with your pony that you pick out. You have to brush it, feed it and pick its feet out.

I'll just finish that off with the fact that I'm obsessed with horses also. Mom refuses to let me keep a miniature in the spare room though, saying that it would crap all over the carpet and how it wouldn't come out. I suggested we put tarps down on the floor, but boy did I get a glare for that. Obviously, I'll have to find another tactic for me to get a miniature pony.

Tyler lets out a breathy chuckle as I spaced off. I now notice how close we are. Our chests are touching and his arms are either side of my face. His intoxicating green eyes are staring straight into my dull blue ones. I couldn't help but let out an awkward cough. Yeah, I don't do well in these situations.

Tyler seems to notice this as well, peeling his body from mine and shaking his head. He obviously was scolding himself for getting so close to me. Cause I'm just one of the boys. Eurgh, it's not all shaken up to what people say it is.

Then, the wardrobe door flew open and Nate stared at us with a wicked grin. I gasp. He looks possessed.

*2 hours later*

"Enlighten me why you decide to play Barbies on my Xbox again?" I smirked at a scowling Nate.

Yeah, I'm alive. He didn't kill me or Tyler, but he let us off with a deadly warning. Show anyone the video, and I will pull all of your eyelashes off and hot glue them back on, he had told us. I think it worked, I nearly peed myself with fear.

Austin was in the shit with Nate also. Austin is horrible at hide and go seek, so he was the first one found obviously. Nate had found him trying to hide under the rug in the living room. Idiot was all I thought. He thinks that a huge lump in the form of a body under the rug is inconspicuous. We all voted that he needs some help. He will never get away with murder if he can't even do well in a game of hide and seek, just saying. Not that we are planning on murdering anyone or anything.

Nate, Tyler, Austin and I are all sitting at the kitchen table. I had made a tonne of tacos (yeah I can cook, shock horror. I do work at a diner; I kind of need to have basic skills). Of course, Austin and I – being the taco lovers we are – hogged the whole plate meaning Nate and Tyler had to battle for the last one. Tyler one, Nate gave in because he threatened to tell everyone about Whitney.

This is the perfect blackmail. I'll have him wrapped around my little finger in no time, not that he isn't already though.

I finished off my fifth taco, licking my fingers and rubbing my huge bloated taco stomach. I have no shame when it comes down to tacos. Anything other than tacos can have a leeway.

"So," Tyler started conversation with me while a huge chunk of taco was in his mouth. Feral. He finished what was in his mouth and started again, "I thought about phase one for our agreement."

I perked up. So he's been thinking of ways to help me?

I nodded for him to go on. "And I think you need to start dating someone," he shrugs nonchalantly. "How do you prove to them that you're not one of the boys if you haven't dated one?"

He has a point. In order for me to get rid of the stereotype, I need to find someone who can show me off to be more than just a tomboy.

Austin and Nate listen in to our conversation. "I've got it!" Nate shouted.

I winced, god he's gotta be so damned loud. "Zip it Easton," he glares at Nate. I roll my eyes, boys and their testosterone. It's almost suffocating. "Anyway. We need someone for you to date."

"No shit Sherlock, you've only said it three times," Nate mocks a pissed off Tyler.

"Twice, actually," Austin corrects him.

"Shut up noob," Nate and Tyler both say at the same time. Goes to show how much they think alike.

"If you would just listen to me," Tyler goes to interrupt Nate again put I put my hand over his mouth and jab him in the ribs really hard. "Thanks Nova. Taking one for the team." That's right I am, I'm blackmailing you bro. "Rumours are already going around about you two dating, right?" He looks at us to confirm him.

I nod reluctantly. It's not like I wanted the rumours to start up. I'd prefer if he didn't say anything about our study date – which hasn't even happened – but Tyler is spontaneous and also a dick. Plus, he said he planned it. Why would he plan it?

"It's right in front of you idiots," he clapped his hands in front of our faces. "You need to confirm the rumours. That'll get it started, trust me," he winks and my hold tightens on Tyler's chiselled jaw.

Oh, and did I say that his jaw and lips are so freaking soft and angled. I'm dying right here. It's so hot in here. It's not every day that you get to be in the same room with the two hottest guys in your school, one being your best friend and the other being your soon-to-be fake boyfriend.

"This is just perfect," Austin snorts at us. "Enemies turned lovers. You'll probably be the most unlikely couple at Octavia High. What makes it better is that Tyler doesn't date. If everyone sees the guy who only has flings dating a girl, it's gotta be special, hey?"

I mulled it over. My brother is absolutely correct. Tyler doesn't date; he's only ever had flings. He's pull the rug out from under their feet once he's gotten what he wants, so seeing him dating me would for sure get rid of my stereotype.

I turned my attention to Tyler. It was his decision, really. Did he want to ruin his population by dating (fake, I just have to add because no way in hell would Tyler date me – neither would I date him for that matter) me?

Then, the weirdest thing happens.

Tyler nods and stares at me, "Game on. Fake girlfriend."

"Exactly, fake boyfriend."

I have a feeling that this is either going to be awkward as hell, bring up unwanted feelings or crack a whole can of shit at Octavia. I guess you don't know until you try. People would believe us when we say that opposites attract – right?

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I hope you liked this chapter and don't forget to vote, comment and fan! Thanks so much for your support guys! We hit #309 in Teen Fiction today and now have 7.7k reads and 200+ votes!! I'm over the bloody moon!

Oh, and quick question. Which cover did you prefer? The red kissy one or the the bright blue and orange one? Comment which, because I'm in an internal debate.

I've been procrastinating a lot lately. Like today, I was supposed to write but I ended up brushing my horses tail for half an hour and giving myself a bright ombre. Yeah, now that's procrastination at its finest.

Anywho, love y'all muchachos xoxoxo thanks for sticking with me I cannnot thank you enough