Best Thing In Town

Much to my dismay, after Alex had finally decided the image of me being in a relationship with my brother was absolutely disgusting, and after Tony had decided to stop phoning, I had attempted to eat the finger food. However, after many attempts of me picking up a piece of food, looking at it in disgust and then placing it back where I'd found it, Alex brought me a fork to use. I hadn't expected it, nor was I going to ask for one. Instead, I smiled and took it so I was then able to enjoy the food whilst silently thanking Alex. I wasn't going to verbally thank him again, not after he had just sat there and watched me helplessly try to eat for half an hour.

Once we were full and there was almost nothing left on the plates, Alex decided we should find out more about each other - as that was a customary thing to do on a date. I found out that Alex could apparently sing (but he wouldn't sing for me), that he had an older brother - although he lived back at home with his mother and that he shared his rather dapper house with a friend called Jack. He hadn't gone into much detail about Jack, he'd just described his friend as "loud" and "always horny".

Returning the favour, I told Alex a few things about myself. He'd learnt that I had an older Brother whom was an idiot and a big one at that, I told him about how I loved to sleep and how that just being a sleep made me a better person, to which he replied with "well you are asleep so" and I told him about the one time I'd read a book and fell in love with a fictional character and how this love then possessed my roommate to despise me for months. He laughed.

Being the gentlemen I was coming to learn he was, Alex then politely and offered me a lift home. I accepted because I don't know my way around Towson and probably would have gotten myself lost. All the way back he thanked me for giving him a chance, explaining that he had never though someone like ‘me', and by that I was sure he meant horrible, weird and annoying, would even go within ten yards of him. Each time he spoke, his cheeks got darker and darker as he blushed and to be fair his constant rambling were extremely cute.

I then thanked him for a fun and interesting day, he then pulled up outside my apartment and that's when he dropped the ‘we should try it again sometime' bomb. My heart literally sank. He looked so hopeful and I was sure that after today I would never, ever have to see him again; he had his one date - what more would he want with me? Not wanting to upset him I just awkwardly nodded my head and avoided eye-contact until he turned the engine off and parked his car properly.

"Alex, I honestly have had a lovely time and I don't mean for this to go the wrong way but, I was serious when I said I don't date." I mumbled looking down at my hands.

"I know." Alex replied, his voice still buzzed and happy.

I looked up and over at him, shock etched on my face. He was grinning. Wide like a Cheshire Cat.

"If I recall correctly, you said it would take at least thirty dates for me to change that though." He continued to grin, staring straight ahead, like he was watching an amusing TV program; but in reality it was just road and people walking across it "And that's exactly what I intend to do. All you have to do is give me a chance."

"Thirty dates?" I spluttered.

"That's what you said Sweetheart." The famous smirk returned as his grin faded and finally turned to face me.

Honestly, if I hadn't had just spent almost the whole day with him I'd be sure he was about to kidnap me because that smirk was creepy as hell.

"Now go inside, before Robin murders your brother or before you have a chance to change your mind and break my heart." He poked his tongue out and leaned across me, opening the passenger door.

Stumbling out of the car I was in a state of shock, completely stumped by the fact he had already decided he wanted to see me at least thirty more times. Thirty! I had never in my life ever gotten past the first date. With my ex-boyfriends they'd just asked me out once and bobs your uncle we were dating and doing all the other nasty things a relationship included, until we were bored. But dates, oh they were a weak spot. My little weak spot and thirty would make me cave.

Before I closed the door, I bent my knees and looked inside at Alex. He looked happy and was bouncing up and down in his seat, if he had not have had his belt on I was sure he was going to be bouncing off the interior walls. I shot Alex a puzzled stare and he just shrugged reached over the seat again and closed the door. Jolting back upwards at the sudden slam, I could hear his chuckle through the metal as he honked his horn and drove over; down the road and then around the corner.

Still in a state shock, I shook my head and ran off inside. A part of me hoped that Tony had decided I was taking to long and had left and that Robin had hibernated to her room to continue reading one of her abused books so that I could mull over the idea of whether or not I wanted to spend more time with Alex. I needed to think, because as a human being I had the choice on whether or not I wanted to and being one half of the people attending these dates; I had to agree, surely?

Luck was not on my side. Obviously. I was an unlucky person and of course my God-damn Brother was still going to be here and Robin was going to be sat having a conversation with him. I grunted as neither of them noticed me enter the apartment. Instead of making a noise, I removed my shoes at the door and tried to tip-toe towards my bedroom without them noticing-

"Oh, hey Jade." Robin called and smiled as she caught me half way there. "Your brother is here."

I'd have never of guessed if she didn't point that out. Really. It was like she was my eyes.

"Really, er that's so cool. Hey Tony." I waved and he smirked at me, saluting in response.

My eyes shifted to Robin as I mentally questioned her what the hell she had told him for him to be looking at me like that. Her cheeks went pink and her eyes told me the word sorry in forty different languages. I withheld my anger. She probably didn't know I didn't want Tony to know, but still; I was certain in girl land it was always hoes before bros and not the other way round. No? No, okay.

"Hey Lesbi-Jay, a little bird," Robin sniggered at Tony's terrible pun. "Told me you have just had a date, huh?" His face was glowing, literally shinning and all because he knew the subject titled ‘Jade and Men' was a sore topic that was rarely ever mentioned.

Tony had never, not ever, taken any of my relationships seriously. He set out to ruin every single one; telling them I was a lesbian, or that if they touched me - he would kill them and they stupidly believed him When in fact, Tony was nothing more than a teddy bear.

"Robin I hate you. Tony you're a dick, go home." My voice held no emotion. "I'm glad you two old women enjoyed your gossip, but I am leaving the room. Goodbye."

"Jade don't be like that!" Tony called running after me.

I had almost made it to my bedroom and safely inside when he grabbed my arm and pulled him into one of his famous hugs, something I did miss about home. I won't lie. Despite our immediate reactions to each other and the way we addressed each other, secretly Tony and I were quite a close knit pair. There was only a few years between us both and he was the older Brother every teenage girl could have dreamed for most of the time. Just other times he was an idiot.

"It's nice someone's took an interest in you." He mumbled into my hair, trying to be nice but he just made me groan. "What?" Tony questioned pulling away from the hug so he could see my face.

"Am I a male repellent?"

"Well I'm a male and I'm stood here." Tony mumbled, it was almost as if he was considering if he was actual a male or not. What an absolute idiot.

"One could question that statement, brother dearest." I winked and then knocked the hat off his head.

He turned his nose up in disgust and I took this as my queue to enter my bedroom, but unfortunately he followed me in and jumped down onto my bed.

"Tony, seriously." I exasperated when he started to mess up my quilt, a pillow falling off of my bed. I didn't make it for fun. "Why are you here?"

"Just passing through, I told you that. As annoying as you are, sometimes, I love you."

I scoffed, yeah right - he was after something. Turning around, I placed my hand on my hip, staring him down whilst he lay amongst my pink duvet, looking like a complete and utter kid. We stared at each other for a good minute or so before I hardened my eyes, a growl slipping from my lips as I clenched my jaw.

"Fine, fine I'll tell you just if you stop doing that!" He wiggled his finger and gestured to my posture. Relaxing, Tony sat up and positioned himself on the edge of my bed "Sit down." Patting the place on the bed next to him, he urged me to sit. I looked at him sceptically but did as I was told and slowly sat down whilst he took in a big deep breath "I'mgettingmarried." His words jumbled into one as he mumbled them out.

I could understand everything he had just said and was grateful he'd told me to sit down, otherwise I'm sure I'd have collapsed on the floor, my knees suddenly going weak and my head feeling light.

"Did you hear me Jade? I said I'm getting married."

I heard you loud and clear. However, I'm afraid I'm unable to reply because my body has fallen into a state of shock. How, why, what? Surely he was having me on, okay so where are the Punk'd camera's and is Ashton Kutcher going to jump out of my wardrobe shouting and laughing at me? Actually I hope he isn't in my wardrobe that would be weird. Oh god no do not be in my wardrobe. There are so many hidden things I didn't want to be found in my wardrobe, imagine if they'd ended up on national TV.

Ignoring the fact Tony was waving his hand frantically in front of my face, I jumped up and ran over to my wardrobe. Without a hesitation, I yanked open the doors and winced, ready a camera to be thrust in my face. Fully opening my eyes, I frowned. There's no camera? And no Kutcher just clothes: horrible clothes that should not see daylight, or night-light for that matter.

"Jade what the hell?" Tony sighed.

"Okay dickhead, where's Ashton huh? God, there's probably a camera under here, you sick idiot." I groaned checking under my bed.

"What! Who the hell is Ashton?" Noticing Tony's voice had rose to an un-manly level, I looked up at him. Taking advantage of my paused state, Tony reached out and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back to sit on the bed. "Just calm down will you. I thought you would over react, but not to the extent where you start looking for imaginary people and assume I've hidden stuff under your bed."

I scoffed. Imaginary people my ass I can tell you that Ashton Kutcher is 100% real.

"You're getting married?" I shouted. My hand slapped across my mouth as my voice finally returned to me. Breathing in slowly, I let my hand drop away from my lips and continued. "You don't even have a girlfriend, you're like fifteen." I thought I was calm, but wasn't when I started waving my arms around in front of me like a maniac. To stop that, I had to sit on them.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I've had a girlfriend since I was eighteen. I do believe you've met her four or five times now Jade. Also, drop the fifteen thing. I think it's time you accepted that you big Brother is actually twenty six, idiot." He then clipped the back of my head with his hand and my mouth fell open into a ‘o' shape because he'd hit me - in a brotherly way of course - and because he had, had a girlfriend for a long time and I had met her more than once but forgot.

"Wow." I breathed out, finally calm. "So, what you're saying is that you've asked someone to marry you, and they said yes? Was she sober... if so, poor girl."

Tony hit the back of my head again. This was getting ridiculous; if I wasn't sat on my hands I'd punch him in his stupid jaw.

"I asked Erin to marry me and she said yes, lucky girl!" He winked.

I rolled my eyes and poked my tongue out at his sarcasm.

"So yeah, that's why I came. I came here to tell you that and also that we don't have a set wedding date yet, but you're invited of course." He smiled politely and I knew there was something more because Tony and I never exchanged polite smiles or glances. Never. "I was speaking to Mom and Dad," This was the more I was waiting for. "They were saying how nice it would be if you brought someone with you. You know, like as a date or your other half or whatever. I kind of said you had agreed. You know, she is still convinced you bat for the girls team. I guess, what I'm saying is that I had also came to set you up with one of my friends."

Lifting my butt off of my hands, I reached up and slapped the back of his head.

"I deserved that." He muttered.

And he did. He did deserve it. It was disgusting that for a brief moment he had considered trusting one of his friends enough to let them near me. We both knew they were all idiots - not one decent friend - and I couldn't stand them.

"But then I realised how ridiculous that would be. They would all destroy you in a matter of seconds and the image of one of my friends with my baby sister grossed me out, so I considered a dating website."

I hit him again, he yelped and ducked his head. Now, his words were leaving his mouth in rushed and panicked sentences.

"However your lovely friend Robin told me you'd already gone out on a date. Which makes my job easier because you can invite him to the wedding as your other half and impress Mom and Dad, yay!" He fake cheered, but I glared at him.

See Tony was the eldest, and dumbest, child in my family. Yet, our parents loved everything he did and Tony did everything to impress our parents. I however was the rebellious child. I left home at sixteen, moved to Towson, got a job and forgot everything you were supposed to do in-between. Doing so royally pissed my parents off because they apparently ‘had the money' to fund for whatever my needs are. They wanted me to go to university, or try an apprenticeship. I didn't want to have to depend on them and would much rather do things for myself. I guess when I say I pissed my parents off I more or less meant my Mother, see my Father was quite proud of me - he'd however never openly admit that to anyone, especially with Mom in the room.

"Please, please do this for me, please Jade." He pleaded and reached out to grab my hands, I moved them away from him and placed them back under my butt. He sighed.

"You want me to bring a date to your wedding so you can impress our dearest Mother and Father?" I scoffed, snarling almost. "Would me being there not be enough for any of you?"

"Jesus Jade, I didn't mean it like that." He rolled his dull brown eyes. "I mean it as in it would just be nice for them to see you with someone on your arm. They would think you're coping well here - I'm doing this for you. You know all through the planning for this Mom will be on your back, but if you can make out or even have a date then she'll lay off you. I want the best for you, I don't want you resenting me over Mom pissing you off about my wedding." He seemed to be telling the truth and I was in awe at how cute he was being.

My brother, for once in his life was looking out for me. Sighing, I closed my eyes. A moment passed before I replied.

"I'm sure I can arrange something." I replied monotonously, so much for never having to see Alex again: but if seeing him got my Mother Dearest to leave me alone then fine. Would I be using him though? Who cared. Not me.

"You're a star Jade." He smiled and ruffled up my hair, adoration in his eyes.

I grunted. "So tell me what made you want to marry?" I poked my tongue out, the words ‘you' and ‘marry' directed at my brother tasting foreign on my tongue.

I was eager to push thoughts of Alex to the back of my mind for the time being as I still wasn't quite aware of what the hell it was with him.

Notes