[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Kih2aGp.png[/img] [img] http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LjY1ZWM1NS5RV3hpWVNCRlpNT3BiaUJUWVc1MGFXRm5idywsLjAAAAAAAAA,/the-heart-of-everything-demo.regular.png[/img] [img]http://www.aurumbride.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/divider-gold.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Zz4Nklj.gif[/img] [img]http://31.media.tumblr.com/1ccbf3247eb221c73d4c51fae1db9d20/tumblr_nbt310ZKQz1rxf3uso3_250.gif[/img] [color=lightgreen][b]Location:[/b][/color] Their houses respectively → BHHS → Chemistry Lab → Dance Booth at Fair [color=tan][b]Interacting with:[/b][/color] Their families respectively → Niles' briefly Eve (will be in her intro) → Each other [sub][@lovely complex] [@Dirty Pretty Lies][/sub] → Analise [sub][@Aewin][/sub], Audrey, Eve, Summer [color=lightgreen][b]Time:[/b][/color] [url=http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/d/de/Still2-634484953.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110202203149][color=tan]Niles’ Outfit[/color][/url] | [url=http://www.polyvore.com/alba_santiago_style/set?id=203230894][color=lightgreen]Alba's Outfit[/color][/url] [img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G_JTBgs42r0/VPEOSeUxLCI/AAAAAAAAMmw/ULIdoGY8xVw/s1600/vine.png[/img] [img]http://ithatech.com/images/vine_divider_right.png[/img] [/center][indent] “[color=tan]Analise…[/color]” A male with messy, dark brown hair, hugged his navy blue pillow tightly, as drool trailed down his cheeks. His face was adorned with a beard, while a subtle, not so subtle, snore escaped his lips. He hadn’t heard his alarm go off for the past 20 minutes. The scrawny boy, with some muscle mass, was stuck in dreamland and it was great. There was no need to leave now! [i]The geeky boy, now wearing his large, black rimmed glasses, and his dear friend, who had the most soft, golden locks, were slow dancing at homecoming. He wore the most swanky suit (it was white, and he had a blue bow tie), but it was rather plain in comparison to her shimmering [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5e/95/e4/5e95e40d658c79949f42a11fb1bf76c8.jpg]blue gown[/url]. She looked like a sex goddess! Bow chika wow wow. The real Anna would never be caught wearing this kind of dress, she was the type of girl that was too good for this world. The outfit itself was far too daring. Since this was his dream, he could get away with making her completely and utterly sexy - why not? Not like it would [i]actually[/i] be a thing. Analise didn’t say anything, all she did was smile at her dear friend (who was stuck in the friend zone forever), as he held her close - possessively, not wanting to lose this moment. The boy caught in a dream state told his beloved, “[color=tan]Anna, I just wanted to say...[/color]” “[color=0076a3]Oh hey Rhett![/color]” Niles’ dark void gaze deeply stared at the woman he loved who pulled away from him. He reached to stop her but it was too late. Soon she ran to that punkass Aspen. [color=tan]Fuck, I hate that guy.[/color] Rhett with all his swagger grabbed onto her and like the suave man he thought he was he brought her into a sensual dip, giving Niles a smirk when she looked up at him [b]madly in love[/b]. His dream Rhett looked ten times more manlier than he was in real life and planted a nice, long kiss right in front of Anna’s close friend. Anger boiled in the geek, who was now wearing a Deadpool shirt, black sweats, green sneaks (he could care less if he were matching or not), as he marched to the bigger guy, forcibly pulling him away from [b]his[/b] friend. The reality of the situation was both Rhett and he were on the same boat. They both were friendzoned, but in Niles’ dream, it painted the handsome 16 year old as the enemy. He [b]was[/b] the enemy, who only wanted to take advantage of his sweet Anna! Uh… not his, but you know. Before he could go in for a punch, Niles heard someone yell his name. The voice sounded like... Alba? His other lady friend? The geek didn’t have many lady friends. Anna and Alba were like his main squeezes, outside of his Squad (just a bunch of geeks and nerds). Before he could turn his head to see who it was, the sudden splash of freezing cold water was thrown on his face.[/i][/indent] “[color=tan]JESUS CHRIST![/color]” He saw all the women in his life looking down at him. Some with wrathful anger in their eyes (Mae and Lucy), some with naivety written all over their face (just his mother), and some with grins that had various, different meanings behind them (Bailey and June). Dad was probably already gone. That’s usually how things went, since he had to take care of his own Brady Bunch. Niles’ mother wore a red ruffle polka dot [url=https://assets.wornon.tv/uploads/2012/09/emma-pillsburys-red-ruffle-polka-dot-top-389x580.jpg]top[/url] with khaki pants. Meanwhile, his sisters were as ready as ever to walk out the door. [url=http://michiganavemag.com/get/files/image/migration/8202_content_Christina-Hendricks-Magnificent-Mile-Festival.jpg]Mae[/url] would drop off [url=http://cdn01.cdn.justjaredjr.com/wp-content/uploads/pictures/2013/03/king-nycco/joey-king-nyc-hotel-check-out-03.jpg]Bailey[/url] and [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/eb/e7/23/ebe72392b0fd5deda6f9514bdf635261.jpg]Theo[/url] at grade school, [url=http://cosmouk.cdnds.net/cm/14/30/53d3250536ead_-_151111-bonnie-wright-91869350.jpg]Lucy-Pearl[/url] at Lobelia Academy for All Girls (who luckily didn’t have to wear her [url=http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd398/hercampusbc/IMG016.jpg]uniform[/url] today), and then, finally, when all was said and done, she would take herself and [url=https://8583b52b4a309671f69d-b436b898353c7dc300b5887446a26466.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/8853679_inside-the-life-of-lindsey-stirling-the_tf9522ca2.jpg]June[/url] to the nearby university. It was rather convenient that everything was on the way to his older sister's’ university. The next five minutes were a complete blur since he rushed out of bed, kicked everyone out, while giving his younger siblings (minus Lucy who didn’t want to be touched) a kiss on the forehead goodbye. He hadn’t realized that devious Bailey slipped a broken pen in his used jean’s pocket on the floor (that he wore yesterday). Somehow she knew those were the exact pants he would throw on. Typical Niles. While walking out the door with his mother, having already stuffed his face with bacon, cut oranges, and milk, he glanced at his phone and noticed he received two texts from someone he cared about beyond belief. [center][quote=Niles][b]To: [color=0076a3]Waifu[/color] [color=tan]Uhhhh… I had a wet morning.[/color] [/b][/quote][/center] After he sent the text, he realized how bad that sounded. Goddammit, Niles. [center][quote=Niles][b]To: [color=0076a3]Waifu[/color] [color=tan]By wet I mean I was drenched in water… I’ll see you soon.[/color] [/b][/quote][/center] Getting in the car, Niles banged his knee on the dashboard, while sitting down (which made him not realize the bleeding ink pen in his ass pocket), “[color=tan]Fucking-A![/color]” He growled in pain. “[color=f6989d]Such a potty mouth.[/color]” His adorable mother entered the car and shook her head in disappointment, “[color=f6989d]You’re the reason why Bailey will end up just like you.[/color]” “[color=tan]And that’s a bad thing because? Guys won’t touch her with a vocabulary like mine.[/color]” He watched his relatively, oblivious and too-sweet-for-this-world mother start the engine up and slowly back up. Within these short seconds of her concentrating on driving, Suzanne felt inclined to change the subject to… “[color=f6989d]When are you going to bring a girl home?[/color]” She gleefully asked. Not realizing how much this question brought an arrow straight to his heart. His mother always had a way of damaging his self esteem even if she didn’t intend to. Blinking dumbly at his mother, Niles opened his mouth to retort but decided against it, gingerly closing it. He thought to himself for a moment before sighing in defeat at how bad he was with girls, “[color=tan]Maybe in college I’ll have better luck…[/color]” His mother drove off, with a lovely smile on her face, at the speed limit. She had no idea how much he was internally suffering right now. Her and dad had it easy! They just fell in love. Why can’t his love life be that easy?! “[color=f6989d]You better at least find a date for [b]all[/b] your dances. I don’t care if it’s a different girl for each one! I WANT TO TAKE PICTURES.[/color]” His mother held the steering wheel tightly. He had an odd feeling her expression of determination was hinting at her uncontainable desire to find her boy a lady at Beverly Hills High. By the gods, a text message saved him as his mother went on a tangent on how it was every mother’s dream to see their sons find wonderful ladies that make them happy. He should give dating a chance to at least find out what his type was. His mother had no idea that his type was Analise, who was not only out of his league, but also… she would just never see him in the same light. He knew that already... Peering down at his phone, he saw a text from Alba and a gentle smile fell on his face. Replying back, he let his mother’s voice become background noise. [center][quote=Niles][b]To: [color=lightgreen]Mamacita[/color] [color=tan]Izual the Dragonslayer will save you from the terror of the gerblinsss![/color] [/b][/quote][/center] He nodded at himself with how [i]cool[/i] he was and sent one more text out before bringing his attention back to his mother. Alba was probably the one person he felt like he could be an absolute dork with and she would be fine with just the way he was. With Anna, he couldn’t help but get nervous and stumble on his words or trip over absolutely nothing. Granted, he wasn’t the only guy looking at her. SHE HAS SO MANY FRIENDS. He was sure a fair amount of them wanted to date her. As long as he was in her life, even if it was just a friend, the geek would be happy. Friendship was more than enough for him. [center][quote=Niles][b]To: [color=lightgreen]Mamacita[/color] [color=tan]Chem lab in ten-ish?[/color] [/b][/quote][/center] [center][img]http://www.aurumbride.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/divider-gold.png[/img][/center] [indent][color=lightgreen][i]‘Dear Diary: Today is my first day of Senior year at Beverly Hills High. I have mixed feelings about this whole thing. I’m really excited about what this new year brings for me. I’m closer to my dream of being the first Santiago to go to college, and make a better future for myself and my family. Then again, I’m really sad that Dad can’t be here to see me off on my first day of my last year of my school years. We talked yesterday, and I know he’s really proud of me, but I’d give everything to have him here. Here’s to hoping we can bring him here in time for my graduation. On the other hand, I’m very frustrated. All these years I’ve spent trying my hardest to go through school as invisible as one can be, and my success at that makes me proud. But it has also been one of my downfalls as well. I have been here for three years now, and I have yet to even get a first kiss. No guy has considered me worthy enough to have a crush on. Can I blame them, though? I am nothing like the type of girl guys like her. I don’t say this because I’m a Latina or anything, but more because I’m nothing but a fat cow. To be noticed here, you need to have a spectacular body, which means that all these pounds of fat I carry in my abdomen have to be inexistent. Nobody here cares about how you are, only about what you look like. Take Nilescito for example. He’s my best friend in all the world, and we’ve been tight ever since he helped me with English class back in freshman year. God only knows how crazy I’ve been about that man, yet not [u]once[/u] has he even considered the possibility of giving me a chance? Why, you may ask? He’s got his eyes set on Analise Arnette, a skinny, blonde, rich, popular and beautiful girl in our grade. I honestly don’t know what kind of spell women like that do to men. Oh, wait, I do know! She’s got plenty of admirers, friend-zones all of them but then continues to be excessively nice and sweet to all of them so they think that even though she rejected them they stand a chance. Ugh, I hate that woman. Anyway, it’s women like that who take the chances away from girls like me. But why am I even bothering to complain, though? It’s not like I can compete with her, anyway. What’s a fat, ugly chick who works as a hairdresser and can barely speak English next to a rich, petite, elegant all-American girl? I don’t stand a chance.[/i][/color][/indent] [i]"Alba! Vámonos!”[/i] Her aunt’s shout brought Alba Santiago back to the present. The young woman, already dressed and ready for school, had spent her free minutes before leaving emptying her thoughts on a piece of paper. Her head often got too cluttered if she didn’t, and the writing always helped to keep her feelings in check. Closing the cursive-filled pages, Alba slipped her diary inside her backpack, threw it over her shoulder and walked downstairs, where her mother Lourdes was waiting to see her off. Lourdes gave a hug and a kiss to Alba and gave her the customary ‘blessing’ before her daughter was out the door and inside the passenger’s seat of her sister’s car, who would be the one to drive her to school. After a 20 minute drive on full karaoke mode to their beloved bachata music, Lucía dropped off her niece, making sure to wish her good luck before leaving back to the salon. With her stomach in nervous knots (she’d been so nervous that she hadn’t had breakfast), Alba made her way to the inside of the school building. At once, she felt the eyes of her classmates on her, and she knew exactly what they were looking at... Two weeks before school was scheduled to start, an excited Lucía basically begged her niece to let her use her as a ‘model’ to try out what she had temptingly described as ‘the newest and hottest trend in the hair industry’ at the moment. Alba, lured in by the possibility of rocking amazing hair when she got to school, cheerfully agreed to be her aunt’s guinea pig without really knowing what would happen to her hair. A few hours later, a high-pitched scream erupted from the salon as Alba’s eyes fell on what her aunt had done to her. The hair trend that Lucía had convinced her niece to let her do was the grey hair, but it didn’t stop there. Alba’s long, shiny locks were not only silvered-colored, but her aunt had gone the extra step to dye the ends a light lavender color in the form of the ‘ombre’ technique. Horrified, Alba had cried her eyes out, but there was not much she could do besides that. As a hair stylist, Alba knew that in order to keep her hair from frying off her scalp she had to wait at least a month before doing any sort of chemical procedure on her locks. So, much to her luck, she would be rocking the silver and lavender hair for a while. Feeling even more self-conscious than she’d ever been and completely anxious to get the hell away from people, Alba sent a plea for help to her knight in shining armor in the form of a text message: [center][quote=Alba]To: [color=tan]The Red-Hot Dragon Slayer[/color] [color=lightgreen]SOS. Just got to school and I feel all these eyes on my hair. [i]Rescátame![/i][/color][/quote][/center] She hit the send button on her screen and locked her phone screen while finding a place to hide behind. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait long for Niles’ reply. She let out a laugh at his geeky reference, and when he asked if she wanted to meet him at their spot, her fingers flew across the screen to send back a quick yes. [center][img]http://www.aurumbride.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/divider-gold.png[/img][/center] Clutching onto the manga, Niles walked down the hall wondering WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED. Eve was so goddamn nice to him. She – a major player at Beverly Hills High – complimented him. As he walked, kids chuckled at him and his eyes narrowed. [i][color=tan]Not sure if they’re happy or if they think I look funny.[/color][/i] He tried to drown out the noise of all the stupid teens that surrounded him. God, highschool fucking sucked. Absentmindedly, he tapped the book on his leg thinking about the words Eve had graced him earlier. [i][color=#8B6969]You're a handsome boy, I'm sure there's someone waiting for you right now who wouldn't mind going on a date.[/color][/i] Evelyn Harding, an aspiring symphonic singer, thought he was [i]handsome[/i]. That must hold some value, right? The poor guy had no idea there was a large ink spot on his right ass cheek (well the pants). As decided in their text message conversation earlier, Alba sat on the teacher’s desk of the chemistry lab, patiently waiting for Niles while she read the pages of the latest gossip her TV y Novelas magazine had to offer.. All throughout her (thankfully) short walk to the lab, Alba felt the eyes of her classmates on her hair, even though she’d managed to find a hat in her locker to cover some of it. It came as a great relief to finally be able to escape the prying eyes of everyone and find solace in hers and Niles’ ‘secret spot’. If she was honest with herself, there were nights in which this exact location was used by her and her best friend to have some [i]anatomy[/i] lessons instead of Chemistry (actually, when you thought about it, chemistry was also involved in what happened, but whatever), but of course no one needed to know [i]that[/i]. Her random dreams with Niles were probably the product of her crazy, needy hormones, and probably the fact that he was her only male best friend… But [i]damn[/i] he was hot! . And speaking of the devil… [color=lightgreen]“Heeeeyyyyyy, papi!”[/color] Alba happily greeted Niles from the desk as he walked inside the room, putting away the magazine in her backpack and waving at him with one hand. [color=lightgreen]“Coming to see my grandma hair, I suppose?”[/color] she asked him good-naturedly, taking off the hat so that Niles could fully appreciate the damage done. The perplexed expression was still stuck on Niles’ face when he strolled into the lab. When he finally saw his best friend, a cheesy smirk fell on his pale face, “[color=tan]I know why people are staring at you, you’re fucking hot, Alba. Like damnnnnnn girl. Can I have yo numba? Oh wait. I already do.[/color]” Sure, the geek liked to tease his friend, but he wasn’t lying. She could pull off any look without really trying. Not many girls were capable of doing that. Alba gave him a skeptical look as if saying “really, bitch?”, but the half-smile in her lips was enough to let Niles know she was just joking, as was the small giggle that came out. [color=lightgreen]“Good one, [i]Nilescito[/i]. Me? Hot? I think ‘chu hit ‘chur head against somethin’ hard, ‘cuz if you think these fat rolls are hot then you have a serious problem,”[/color] she declared, her thick accent now showing in her sentences. Typical Alba: reply to a compliment with a self-shaming comment. When would she ever learn to just say “thank you”? “[color=tan]Who cares about all that? You’re a beautiful person and that’s all that matters.[/color]” He genuinely complimented. Niles knew Alba wasn’t the most positive woman in the book, granted, how many kids their age were (himself included)? She reminded him of his eldest sister, Mae, who spent most of her high school years staring into a mirror and wishing she wasn’t a thicker girl. Her major problem was she constantly compared herself with other women. Women were complicated as hell and Niles was surrounded by the lot of them. Within time, Mae finally grew into her powerful, confident ‘knows what she wants’ self. Ever since she made major leaps in college (and ultimately her career success), gaining respect not only from teachers but also her colleagues, she’s been happier. He doesn’t know who exactly helped her crawl out of her pit of despair, but someone did, and for that, Niles would be eternally grateful. Deciding to change the subject, the geek crossed his arms and made his way to the teacher’s desk, “[color=tan]Can I ask you something?[/color]” There was a brief moment that silence filled the room. Meeting her gaze, he added, “[color=tan]Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. I’m just curious about what you’d think.[/color]” Alba snorted, shaking her head disapprovingly. [color=lightgreen]“Yeah, because being a ‘good person’-”[/color] Alba did air quotes with her index and middle fingers. [color=lightgreen] “Is what gets ‘chu noticed here in Beverly Hills High. Good try, though.”[/color] Leave it to Niles to try to cheer her up with empty words. She appreciated his efforts, of course (not like there were any other guys trying), but in the end she knew that she just wasn’t what the guys in this school -let alone this area- were looking for. When Niles crossed his arms and walked to where she was with a serious look on her face, Alba was brought back to the present. [color=lightgreen]“[i]Qué?[/i]”[/color] the young woman asked her best friend, a concerned look in her eyes. The feeling intensified when he asked if he could ask her something, and instead of replying Alba was silent for a moment. For some reason, a familiar uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Call it sixth sense, or woman’s intuition, but something told her the question Niles would ask her would have something she wouldn’t particularly like. [color=lightgreen]“Ummm, [i]dale[/i], okay. What is it?”[/color] Of course, Alba would brush off his compliment, which in return he simply sighed. One day, he hoped she could see her worth. She IS a beautiful person, inside and out (whether she liked it or not). At last, that wasn’t a battle he could fight for her, but he could be there when she needed a shoulder to cry on or a warm embrace. Absentmindedly, Niles tapped his right foot while he tried to word his question properly, keeping a tempo with his foot. The words of Eve were coursing through his mind. He should just spit it out and say it. [color=tan][i]Okay, Niles. On the count of three, just ask.[/i][/color] The internal flames within him to bring out a question that had a lot to do with him made his palms sweaty and his throat dry. He let the silence drag on a little too long, as he mentally counted: [color=tan][i]1….2….[/i][/color] Taking a deep breath in, he clumsily blurted out, “[color=tan]Do you think I’m fuckable?[/color]” NO- THAT’S NOT WHAT HE MEANT. “[color=tan]I mean, fuck—datable. Do you think I’m dateable!?[/color]” Uncrossing his arms, he rubbed his sweaty hands on his palms, “[color=tan]I’ve had a weird morning…[/color]” The question caught Alba completely off guard. Eyes wide as saucers, Alba had to hold the desk firmly to avoid falling backwards. Where the hell had [i]this[/i] come from? Was Niles a mind-reader, and had somehow been an invisible spectator to the R-rated movie her imagination had come up with while she waited for him? Had he possibly figured out that she had [i]always[/i] thought of him as fuckable? No, there was no way… Or was it? Alba didn’t know. Hopefully her hot face wasn’t an indication of her cheeks blazing under her caramel skin, and if it was, she prayed that Niles brushed her reaction off as embarrassment instead of what it truly was. [color=lightgreen]“Honestly? Um…”[/color] Alba hesitated, worried about making this whole thing more awkward than it already was. [color=lightgreen]“Sí. I’d say ‘chu’re not just dateable, but [i]fuckable[/i] as ‘chu very well said. Not that I’ve ever stopped to think about it, of course!”[/color] she added with a nervous laugh and averting her eyes, trying but failing spectacularly to seem innocent. [i]Good job, Alba.[/i] His void brown orbs stared at her taking in every subtlety, every movement, action, and infliction. He wanted to know if he was worth any woman’s time. What better way than to ask one of his main squeezes? Red leaked into her cheeks, it was kind of adorable. He knew this was one hell of an awkward question, so yeah, her embarrassment was understandable. His heart fluttered when she said he was both dateable and fuckable. A cheesy ass grin graced his face, as if this was the best thing he’s heard ever. She avoided looking into his eyes but why? Was his question that humiliating? Well, yeah, he just made his friend look at him sexually when she’s probably never felt the need to. [i][color=tan]Way to go, Niles.[/color][/i] “[color=tan]Nah, it’s cool. Gives me hope![/color]” Giving himself a fist bump, he proclaimed, “[color=tan]It’s official! I’m going to forget about Analise. I’d never stand a chance.[/color]” Placing his hands on her shoulders, he earnestly asked, “[color=tan]I’d need your help. Can you—[/color]” The bell rang, letting them know assembly was over. Pulling away from his friend, he moonwalked to the exit like a dork, “[color=tan]Give me a makeover? Ma wants me to find a date for my homecoming![/color]” Turning around, he revealed his ink stained pants. Oh Niles, you fool. Alba suppressed the urge to let out a sigh of relief when Niles brush off her confession without looking into it too much, and couldn’t help but smile in delight when he declared he would be officially forgetting Analise.f he kept his word and tried looking at new horizons… This would be Alba’s chance to make herself noticed. Not that she would attempt to do so, of course. Jeopardizing her relationship with her only friend at school on their last year together was [i]not[/i] in her plans. If he wanted to see her as more than a friend, it would be on him. [color=lightgreen]“[i]Coño, ya era hora![/i] You deserve a lot better.”[/color] she said earnestly, sassily tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Leave it to Alba to throw shade at her best friend’s crush with no fucks given. [color=lightgreen]“Oh! And [i]mira[/i], I need a date for homecoming as well! So I’ll give you a makeover with the condition that [i]you[/i] go with me. My tía has me [i]loca[/i] with the question of if I have a boyfriend or not, so this way we can please our [i]familias[/i] and not look as idiots at the same time. [i]Que crees?[/i]”[/color] Alba proposed, raising a mischievous eyebrow up at Niles with a smirk placed on her full lips. She had thrown the idea at him absentmindedly, but if she gave it some thought it was a pretty damn good one. The young woman had never attended any social activity of this sort throughout her high school years because of not having anyone to go with, so this was the best chance to start living her senior year to the fullest, enjoy the dance and maybe [i]just maybe[/i] have Niles see someone beyond that clueless white girl he was so crazy over and who’d friendzoned him too many times to count. This was… ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Niles would look good, feel good, and his mom would totally be okay with him taking Alba to homecoming. She adored her! This not only made his life easier, since homecoming was just around the corner, but it also gave him the opportunity to look at his options for future dances to come. Together, they were an unstoppable force! “[color=tan]Great thinking! Hell yeah, I still want a makeover. I want to see what you can do with a mess like me~[/color]” He glanced back at her and gave a playful wink, which unintentionally came off as suggestive. “[color=tan]Come on, let’s check out the fair. I gotta’ make sure I sign up for tabletop club. My people need me![/color]” The suggestive wink and the way he said [i]I want to see what you can do with a mess like me~[/i] made Alba’s hormones run wild in ways she’d never experienced before. Sure, the pair had had their fair share of suggestive conversations, but it was never implied that they’d thought of each other beyond a close friendship. [i][color=lightgreen]”Ay, Nilescito… If you only knew that the pages of my diary are full of all the things I would do to a mess like you…[/color][/i] Shaking her head before her imaginative mind decided to get creative and further embarrass her by coming up with more wonderful scenarios of her and Niles, Alba rolled her eyes at her friend, slid off the desk and followed his lead. [color=lightgreen]“Okay, I’ll give you your makeover Nilescito. But for now… Lead the way, all-mighty dragon slayer!”[/color] she declared in her deepest tone of voice, followed by giggles. Honestly, Alba didn’t want to give people a chance to make fun of her and her grandma hair, but the prospect of spending more time with Niles was enough to persuade her otherwise. [center][img]http://www.aurumbride.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/divider-gold.png[/img][/center] Before they arrived at the fair, Niles and Alba had to take a detour to the Nurse’s office because eventually, as they were walking down the halls… An amused Alba caught sight of the large black spot on his ass, and she spent the whole walk there laughing until she was hoarse. [color=tan][i]Thanks Bailey.[/i][/color] His mother usually always had an extra pair of clothes for him since this wouldn’t be the first time he’s gotten in a messy accident. He was even able to tell her that Alba would be his date to homecoming and her cheeks became a rose color of pure motherly merriment, just as Alba’s would a minute later with his actions. While his mother went to talk to the secretary, outside her office, Niles, without a care in the world, changed his black jeans into blue, right in front of his friend. He gave no fucks and was wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle boxers. Yepp. Geek pride. Though Alba tried her hardest to keep her cool and appear as if she wasn’t paying attention to what was going on in front of her, there was no way she could keep her greedy brown eyes off Niles. While most girls would be completely turned off by the TMNT boxers, in Alba’s eyes it only added to the appeal. She adored that Niles was a geek, a true child at heart, unlike the majority of the uptight, metrosexual guys in this school. In her eyes, being who he was made Niles way cooler than any of the six-pack-bearing, expensive-car-owning, filthy-rich male population of Beverly Hills High. The boxers weren’t the [i]only[/i] thing she noticed, though... If her assumptions were right, whoever got the privilege of being with Niles would have a hell of a time, and the sight of what was underneath the geeky boxers only fed the fantasies that would surely come to Alba late that night. When all was said and done, the two friends made their way to the Clubs and Activities fair where Niles promptly caught sight of Analise - like he had a radar for his crush, much to Alba’s chagrin. The most intense thing about where she was were the people she currently mingled with. Eve, not so much, anymore, but Audrey… Now [i]that[/i] was a woman that Alba admired to a fault. When she had finished taking the hair styling courses and started working on the salon, Audrey had been one of her first clients, and she’d been so impressed with Alba’s work that she became one of her most faithful clients. Since Audrey visited the salon twice a week, the girls had spent many hours together talking about their lives, and enough for what everyone considered the “ice queen” of Beverly Hills High to consider Alba a friend (as said so herself).Though they didn’t hang out at school, Audrey always made sure to greet Alba whenever they saw each other at the halls, and made sure to text her once a week to see what she was up to. For that, Alba was thankful. But if Alba was honest with herself, she had to admit that she envied Audrey’s life to a certain degree: beautiful, smart, rich, talented, THIN, and had never gone through a rough patch in all her life. It wasn’t the bad kind of envy, though, but more like a longing feeling of ‘I wish I could be her’. Oh, well. Who said life was fair, anyway? Taking a deep gulp in, he shuffled his way to his best friend he’s had since Freshmen year. Something was telling him to be careful with his words, as he googly-eyed some of the most dominant/popular/hot women all in one place. Alright, breathe. Sluggishly lifting his right hand up, he conscientiously greeted, “[color=tan]So… sorry for interrupting anything. Just came here to say you guys have nice butts.[/color] FUCKING SHIT, NILES. “[color=tan]But you already knew that eh-heh! I mean, everyone probably tells you that. Amiright?![/color]” Digging your own damn grave. Niles hadn’t realized the gorgeous, smaller blonde beside Anna until he turned his head and internally jumped, “[color=tan]Shit-tits. Your legs.[/color]” Meanwhile, Alba’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the bubbly blonde. She’d never really liked her, even before meeting Niles. There was just something about how she was -or wanted to be- friends with everyone that rubbed Alba the wrong way, as if she was needy for approval or something. She also seemed like a pushover, and the kind of girl who would burst into tears if anyone so much as gave her a dirty look. Alba didn’t like those girls: those weak, delicate flowers who seemed to blossom from getting on everyone’s good spirits. In Alba’s mind, it was best to surround yourself with powerful women like Audrey, who Anna was hugging. So when Niles walked up to them and completely made a fool of himself, Alba had no choice than to run to his aid. [color=lightgreen]“[i]Ay Dios mío![/i]”[/color] Alba exclaimed, pushing Niles behind her and away from Audrey, who looked like she was ready to rip his head off. [color=lightgreen] “I’m so sorry, Audrey! Please excuse my friend here. He tends to completely make a fool of himself most of the time when talking to women.”[/color] And just in case Audrey was already plotting his death, she quickly added. [color=lightgreen] “I’ll give you 30% off your next salon appointment if you don’t hurt him.”[/color] The gods have saved him - hopefully.