It was recess, and as soon as we walked into the third section backyard Larry came over to me.
“Do you, have it?” he asked me, referring to the new gossip book, but yesterday I had lots of homework, I got uninvited visits and I couldn't finish it...
“Nope”
I answered him with sad eyes hoping he forgives me for missing to comply with my promise.
We kept walking to the courtyard entrance, our usual gossip spot.
“Why nooooot? You promised!” he asked with his funny loud voice.
“I had lots of homework yesterday and -“
“He came by your house, right?” he interrupted me, apparently these guys gossip a lot.
“Did Andrew mention that to you?” I asked him while looking straight to his eyes, he avoided my eyes and when he figured I will not let it pass he answered.
“Not him, but Ralph”
“Ralph? What? How? Why?”
“He was annoyed, apparently” he said and then corrected himself “well not was, he is annoyed”
“Why is he annoyed? actually he was a bit harsh last night, to be honest they almost got into an argument, and I made them stop and went inside my house, I don't want them fighting, over nothing”
“It is not over nothing” his comment made me guess what is behind that specific answer.
“What do you mean? and explain it fully please, avoid me asking you for extra information, every time you answer me something” he smirked and then proceeded.
“Ralph doesn’t want Andrew to be with you, or even try to be with you, and yes Ralph told me” he answered before I could even start formulating that as my next question.
“Why? like, why does he care?” I showed an annoyance grin and Larry noticed it.
“Not sure why, maybe because is your cousin and maybe he thinks Andrew is a dog” he smiled sarcastically.
“A dog?”
“You know, as he is handsome, he has lots of girlfriends, or if not girlfriends at least opportunities, like the one you saw he had with Claire”
“Wow that is what you call it? opportunity???”
Shocking, but I know what he is talking about and yes, I actually thought about this before, that is why I am not even sure if I want to be with him, I am afraid of been betrayed, cheated, apparently everybody knows, and he is a dog ha!
“Not exactly, but as she is not official or not official girlfriend material, but she was after Andy, she chased him a lot, well he started visiting her, until you found him in there” my mouth dropped, not exaggerating, to the floor.
“Why do you all say that about her? how is she not girlfriend material but an opportunity to -, what?”
“You know, you must know, she has a bad reputation, so guys only saw her for an opportunity to get to first, maybe second base with her, not sure if third but, who will say not to that?”
“Oh, my gooooosh, are you seriously saying this to me???? Are you out of your mind Larry!!!!????”
He laughed and then answered me while having a funny smirk on “Hey you asked, and we are friends, so why not telling you the truth, you asked this before and I played the dumb avoiding answering you, but whatever, she is not important to me at all, like literally nada”
“I am in shock, I did not see that coming, I swear Lawrence!”
He laughed again and just kept looking at me.
“I love how you say my name, Lawrence, that sounds right when you say it with that serious tone of you”
“Larry be serious about this, Ok? Whatever, that's my fault for asking you, now I know, damn” I say it, more to myself than to Larry.
“Ok, but getting back to Ralph, why? or Andrew, what is going on?” I asked him again.
“Ralph didn't say anything about his motive, I just guess that he is willing to protect you, but honestly, he is not happy, not even a bit tad, that Andrew has that intention”
“Not going around the bushes, wait, what is Andrew’s intention? Are you talking about me?” I asked him, looking serious, and waiting for an honest answer.
“He will kill me, I swear, but -“
“Hey Vanessa, how are you?” Andrew interrupted Larry as he was walking toward us, damn it, for f uck sakes!
Why this always happens, I never get an actual answer to that freaking question.
Larry’s face twitched, he then made a fear face, and he did a zipper gesture over his lips, I nodded him yes to reassure him this is something only between us two.
“Hey Andrew, I am great, and you?” I answered Andrew with an honest smile, I like how he looks today, gosh, I am not sure why every time I see him, I think he looks better than the last time.
Oh, shut up! Focus, back to the conversation.
“You are always great, that is one of the things I like about you” he said, Larry opened his eyes and said
“I am out of here, see you tomorrow, bring the notebook, see ya my friend” I nodded yes at Larry and waved goodbye to him.
“Which notebook?” Andrew asked me and we stayed there as Larry left, coward...
“I promised Larry to bring my gossip book today, for him to answer it, but I couldn't finish it last night”
“Oh, am I guilty of that?” he smirked, and I smiled while nodding yes to him.