Devils Roses 01 - Cursed

drive."
    She walked away.
    “ Thanks, Alise.” Blake beamed after her. I frowned at him and watched as he looked into the glass she had given him and took a drink. I waited a few seconds for the foam to start pouring out of his lip. He sipped from the glass and remained standing. I drank when I was sure I would live. I was surprised by the flavor. It was a great glass of lemonade. I was shocked Alise was holding up her end of the bargain, shocked and suspicious.
    “ It’s loud in here; want to go to a quieter room?” I asked Blake who nodded.
    People who saw us took a second look, when it registered nerds had crashed the party. They maintained a steady glare in our direction, as they conversed.
    “ Not in the least bit obvious are they?” Blake asked sipping his drink and looking around the room. His grumpy face was back. I wondered if, deep down, he had hoped to be accepted by them. I had never seen Blake care about what the popular kids thought or did, until that moment.
    We walked past the kitchen where Shane stood in a group of the popular kids. He looked over at me and smiled. I loved how his face lit up when he saw me. I wanted to talk to him, but Alise put a hand on his arm and laughed with the group of football players and girls that looked like my sister. Shane looked embarrassed and dropped his gaze, blushing as they all continued to talk.
    I glanced up at Blake and decided it was time to start making some of my dreams come true. Blake was the answer to the question of who would make me happy. We were the same in every way. We could play World of Warcraft in a room and not even need to speak. There was a cozy comfort between us, that I would never find in anyone else.
    We found a sunroom off the back of the house, where there were couches and a few couples making out in the muted light. The lights were dimmed and the music seemed a lot quieter. To me, it would be the place to pass a few hours till we got to go home.
    I sat on the older floral couch and admired the pictures of Shane and his sister that lined the walls of the sunroom, above where a large fireplace sat. Only on the Northwest Coast, would there be a wood stove in a sunroom.
    Blake sat down beside me. He seemed to be uncomfortable and nervous in the make-out room. I decided to go with the flow of the room and take my sister's advice.
    I turned and looked him in the eyes and I took a deep breath. “Blake, I need to tell you something. I like you.” It shot from my lips like a bullet from a gun.
    He smiled. “I like you too, Aimes, you’re my best friend—pink shirt or no pink shirt. At least it isn’t black or one of the variations. I've never seen anyone find as many different ways to depress their wardrobe as you have.”
    I shook my head and started to feel a little breathless. “No, I mean I really like you, like how they like each other.” I pointed to the couples making out that, clearly were, fond of one another. I took another deep breath. “I’ve thought about this long and hard, and we make sense for each other. We’re both smart, we both want to go to university, and we both love intellectually challenging and advancing experiences. I've thought about it and if we sit down, I believe we can come up with a reasonable, five-year plan.” My spiel didn't sound as good as I had hoped it would.
    He frowned. “Like them—you like me like them?” He pointed and seemed to look panicked, if not flabbergasted.
    I nodded, gulping as he looked around at each of them and then back to me.
    “ Aimee, you are the most incredible girl I have ever met. You’re my favorite person in the whole world. You are graduating with advanced placement in literature, but at the same time, rock at trig and advanced chemistry. You’re funny and really pretty--” he started to fret.
    I interrupted. “But…” My heart dropped into my stomach.
    Embarrassment flushed across his face, as he grasped at straws. “I think the world of you. You must know that.”
    I crossed my arms. “Blake, I told you how I feel—just say what you need to say.” I felt myself getting angry, as he flailed in front of me. My stomach weakened, waiting for the final crushing blow.
    He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I wish you had never said those words. I need you in my life, the way things are. I don’t feel the same way. You are the sister, I always wanted. I love you, but it's not the same.”
    I knew it was coming, but it hurt more than I thought it