AllFreeNovel
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I laugh and pull another box closer to Alex and me. “Here, bro. I got us a man’s pizza. With every meat they had.”
“Yeah, I bet you two wanted every meat they had,” Jasmine comments under her breath.
I knew it. I knew after the words left my mouth that she wouldn’t be able to leave it alone. Before I can call her out, Alex bounces closer to her on the couch, holding a piece of our pizza close to her face, his other arm wrapped around her waist.
“Eat it. Eat my meat.” She laughs hysterically, along with the rest of us. “I am not letting go until you take a bite.”
“I don’t want any of your meat. Get it out of my face.” She continues to laugh, pushing at his arm, as he lays across her trying to shove pizza in her face.
I slid down next to Marisol on the couch, completely aware of her body heat, like being wrapped in with a warm blanket. “Just take a bite, Jaz. He’s not going to relent.”
“Fine! Fine!” she says. “I’ll take a bite.”
“No,” Alex growls, leaning away, but not letting go. “Say it. Say, ‘I want your meat.’”
The bite of pizza in my mouth slips at Alex’s comment, almost choking me. “I don’t know about that,” I say, glaring at Alex.
He catches my scowl and smirks. “Oh, come on, I’m joking.” He wiggles his eyebrows at her and says, “Or am I?”
The smile on my sister’s face proves that this is exactly what she needs?our friends.
“I’ll take a bite, but I’ll never say that.” She pulls his pizza to her mouth and takes a big bite, smacking her lips, and chewing obnoxiously with her mouth open.
Alex watches her intently, summoning protective instincts to the surface. But who am I to judge? Every part of me tingles with awareness as Marisol presses against my side. The impulse to shield Jasmine against my best friend is foreign. I’ve never given much thought to how close they are… until now.
Once Jaz finishes the bite in her mouth, Alex leans away, calming my internal ramblings and shoves the rest of the pizza in his mouth, finishing it off.
Subconsciously, I sink into the couch, leaning into Marisol without thinking. Jaz hits play on the movie and the girls squeal, while Alex and I groan as the sounds of singing fill the room. As the show plays, my gaze continues to travel back to the genuine smile stretching across my twins’ lips. The company and love of our friends is the perfect remedy for the day she’s experienced.
The credits roll, marking the close of their musical film.
“Finally!” Alex slips from the couch, grabbing a drink for himself, and handing Jaz a Dr. Pepper.
“Where’s mine?” Mare pouts.
“You know where the kitchen is.” Alex laughs and plops back down next to Jasmine, reaching over her lap, and grabbing the remote.
Marisol huffs her protest, so I use the opportunity for a breather, getting up, and offering a drink. “I’ll get it. I’m up anyway.” After snagging the soda and shaking out the nerves in my limbs, I hand her the pop and stand behind the couch.
“What should we torture them with now?” Alex splays his arms on the back of the couch, looking at me over his shoulder. An evil smirk lifting the corner of his lips.
“Let’s keep it light tonight and watch Baywatch. Always gives me a good laugh.” I tilt my drink toward Jaz, while her a Mare are busy gossiping, signaling Alex to go along with the easygoing night.
As the night goes on, we laugh, toss popcorn, and enjoy being normal teens for once. Not worrying about whether our drunk mom was going to walk through the door—because I locked it.
Outside of me, Alex and Mare are Jasmine’s only genuine friends. Sure, she talks to other kids at school, but they’re only acquittances or friends of mine. There’s no one closer to Jasmine than Mare.
That thought slams my lusting to an immediate stop. What happens if I pursue Marisol and fuck it up? What would that do to their relationship? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my sister and it looks like I’m going to have to give up the sudden attraction Marisol’s eliciting before I have the chance to see where it’ll go. From this point, entertaining ideas of my lips dragging down her neck, her soft pants brushing my ear, and fingers trailing a path on naked skin hit a brick wall.
The night flies by, regardless of my epiphany. By the time the movie ends, both girls are passed out, lying all over us on the couch. Marisol is curled up next to Jasmine, her feet in my lap, and Jasmine is leaning on Alex’s shoulder, drooling.
Alex glances over at me. “How the hell are we going to get out of here?” He asks, even though he doesn’t look like he’s in any hurry to move.
I chuckle. “I think I’m good.” I lean back and get comfortable. “Thanks for coming over tonight. You guys made her night.”
His head is leaning back against the couch, eyes closed. He looks like he’s already half asleep. “De nada.”
He says you’re welcome without moving a muscle. It appears movie night turned into a slumber party. Good thing I have a giant velour couch in my room. Grabbing the blankets draped over the back, I unfold one and lay it across me, and stretch it over as far as it’ll go, covering Marisol.
“Here,” I toss the other blanket to Alex, “cover my sister, will you?”
His eyes slowly open and he unfolds the blanket. He covers Jasmine’s feet, making sure he doesn’t miss a toe, and then drapes the rest of it across her shoulders. He slumps down, turning, so Jasmine slides closer to his chest. I shut the TV off and close my eyes.
“Night,” I tell Alex.
“Buenas noches,” he murmurs, drifting to sleep.
