Page 20 of House of Bass

“Brothers?” I ask, knowing it can’t be anything but as Arden hinted as much the other day.

“Brothers. I told you how they showed up in the middle of the night at Arden’s place, suitcases and bags in tow, demanding to be let in. Except now, they haven’t left all week.”

I laugh at the thought of it. Those three did everything possible to make Arden’s life miserable and I know this is grinding his gears right this second.

“This isn’t funny, it’s awful terrible news. They’re holed up at the house like leeches pretending they can’t afford a place of their own to stay. You have to help me, they’re trying to ruin my life.”

“You have the best brothers ever. Stop complaining.”

“Don’t act like that’s coming from the goodness of your heart. You only say this because you want to fuck Gabe, which let me tell you, can’t happen. Not just because if there was anyone I’d rather you be with it’d be Bash but because he’s seeing someone.”

Personally, I never saw it with Sebastian (or Bash, as he is known). I always tell her I think he is gay and repressing because of how stern and serious he is. The only time he is ever playful is when it comes to his brothers (Also, I can swear I have seen him check out a guy’s arse before).

I sit up straight from my slouch and gasp at the news of Gabe being off the market. “No fucking way. Who is it? I bet it’s that brunette he was pictured with last spring.”

“He won’t admit to it. I don’t think they’re officially anything yet but he’s been non-stop disappearing at odd hours and Nate says he’s been in London this whole time. So sketch.”

Shaking my head in disbelief, I say, “Fuck. I should’ve taken the chance when I had it.”

MJ glares at me and I give her my most dazzling grin and her glare fades into a grin off her own. But mine starts to wane when I remember why I have been hiding from her in the first place. To avoid her eyes, I rest my head on her shoulders.

“Not to say I don’t appreciate a change in scenery but why are we here? You hate animals, ducks especially,” MJ questions me as I feel her head looking around in confusion.

She is yet to know about Harley because I can’t bring myself to tell the rest of my friends. Not even her.

“I don’t hate animals. I just don’t want them around me,” I dispute.

Barking out a melodic laugh, she comments, “There’s a trip to the zoo in year ten that tells us quite the opposite.”

I shiver at the reminder of the cursed trip where I got chased by a family of ducks, it was single-handedly the most terrifying and defining experience of my life. I refused to see the rest of the animals after that and was left on my own with the zoo staff who were initially annoyed to have to babysit until I charmed them.

“I had a really nice time with the bunnies, thank you very much,” I rebut . Then I answer her question. “I just wanted to clear my head, sit with nature.”

“You could’ve sat with nature where you live. Holland Park is a ten minute distance from your home and Hyde park is twenty minutes, you’re quite literally an hour away in the wrong direction and I don’t see your car anywhere…did you walk here?” she asks as she looks around, a frown on her face.

I shrug, “Maybe.”

“Does this have something to do with your dad? He’s the only reason for you to be acting this way.”

“I’m not acting in any way,” I argue. She stares at me like she doesn’t believe a single word that has left my mouth. I think up a partial truth, “Showcase results will be announced in a few days, I’m just worried.”

Her frown clears up but just about, “I know this might be hard for your mind to process but the world won’t end if you don’t get the lead.”

That is easy for her to say but not for me to believe. She continues, “You’re retreating into your head again, Annie. I can tell.”

“Or I just took a really nice long walk. Summer only just ended,” I counter.

“Tu peux tout me dire, tu sais?” she presses, not letting it go. You can tell me anything. You know that, right?

I don’t understand why I am adamant about not letting her know about Harley just yet, maybe it’s because I have barely come to terms with it myself, maybe I merely want it to be something I share only with Arden for now.

I hold her face with my hands and tell her, “Je sais, ma chérie.” I know that, my darling. Getting up from where I sat, wanting to put an end to the conversation, I offer my hand to help her stand. “Come on, we have brothers to torment.”

9

HARLEY

There it was, the walls that held the beginning of her new life; Thorne University London. Harley had been up early, as usual, the time on her phone reading five-thirty. Waking up in her large new bed was something she was still not used to. Every time she had woken up in her new environment, it was disorienting.