A Rose as Black as your Heart

(9) Maybe this place isn't as bad as I thought...

Chapter 9

“Hey, Lexis,” Matt called as I opened the door. “How was your day?”

“Great!” I said brightly, stepping into the kitchen. Matt turned to stare at me in surprise.

“Seriously?”

I laughed. “God, you don’t have to sound so surprised. It’s kinda insulting.” I picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and munched on it.

“Sorry. It’s just- I thought you hated this place.”

I shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s better now that I’ve finally made some friends.”

“Really?” Matt grinned. “That’s great! You sure took your time.”

“Hey, shut up.” I mimed throwing my apple at him, and he pretended to duck. “You know I’m the antisocial chick.”

“I know.” He turned back to his cooking. “So what’s your friend’s name?”

“That’s friends plural,” I told him happily. “Travis and Rose.” And Daniel, I added in my head. For some reason, I didn’t say it out loud.

“Travis Blue, right?”

“I guess. I forgot to ask his surname.” I should’ve done, really. After Math with Rose, I’d had English with him, which was a hell of a lot more fun now I had someone to mess around with. Then he’d abandoned his own group of friends at lunch and came to sit with me. So did Rose, and the three of us got on like a house on fire. I grinned as I recalled the memory.

“He’s a nice kid.” Something popped on the stove, and Matt cussed before turning down the heat. “So who’s the other friend?”

“Rose Black.”

Matt’s fingers must’ve slipped on the dial for the heat, because suddenly the flames on the gas cooker went up with a roar. He hastily turned it down.

“You’re friends with Rose Black?” He asked incredulously. I nodded cautiously.

“Sure. Is that a bad thing?”

“I guess not,” he admitted grudgingly. “But be careful with her, and her brother. Their family run this town.”

“Considering this town is about the size of my bedroom, that’s not saying much.”

“I’m serious, Alexis.” Matt’s eyes caught mine.

“So what’re you saying? That I shouldn’t be friends with her?”

“No. Just that you should be careful.”