41|| You Bring out the Best in me

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Chapter 41: You Bring out the Best in me


Sometimes, it's not about being the main character. The one with the most lines or the most showy personality. It's about taking that character and making it count. 


~Starlight24


I was lying back on my bed, my hair sprayed across my pillow like a fan as I binged on a tub of cookies and cream ice cream and my Pretty Little Liars book was spread out across me. I was in my I'm sad, go away mood, so a bunch of depressing breakup songs were blaring through my iPod across the room.


My eyes were red streaked because of the amount of screen time and my leg was in a worse condition now thanks to Cady chucking me out of her house.


It'd been a week since that fated incident, and Cady had practically disappeared from the face of planet Earth. I'm guessing she'd left to France, because instead of her hate notes in my locker, I found a little snippet of the French flag. So much for an apology.


I placed my phone on my lap and rested my head against the headboard of my bed.


Starlight24: Morning, weirdo x


Popcorned: Is that a kiss you sent me?


Starlight24: Why, what will you do if it is?


Popcorned: Be the happiest guy alive :P


Starlight24: Then yep, that was a kiss.


Popcorned: I want to meet you someday. I have a feeling I will sometime very soon.


Starlight24: How can you say that?


Popcorned: A guy's intuition?


Starlight24: You have that? xD


Popcorned: Please, I'm like Sherlock when it comes to my epic deduction skills!


Starlight24: Sure, keep telling yourself that.


"Day!" came a voice, and my Mom peeked in through the door.


Starlight24: BRB


I turned to Mom with a smile on my face. "Hey!" I said with a grin. "What's up?"


My expression melted when I saw what was in Mom's hand. It was a candy hamper... again. I'd been receiving these for the past one week, and I didn't know why. Mom wouldn't tell me. I, personally, thought it was rather bizarre that my mother insisted on fattening me up. Maybe she was like the witch from Hansel and Gretel and wanted to eat me up.


"Here," she said, placing it by my bedside table.


"Okay, why do you feel so guilty?" I asked, eyeing the chocolates apprehensively. I had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I loved candy a lot, and I could see a packet of Skittles poking out and I was practically salivating. On the other hand, I didn't want Mom to keep buying me stuff because she felt bad about whatever I'd been through.


Mom raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. "I don't feel guilty about anything, thank you very much," she sniffed, looking confused out of her mind.


"It's okay," I chided, reluctantly pushing the hamper away. "You don't need to keep getting me these. I'm not worth all the trouble," I said with a laugh.


Mom was now looking at me like I'd sprouted a third head. "Um, I'm pretty sure I can get you the hamper from the kitchen table," she said, slowly.


"Yeah!" I said, now kind of exasperated. "But please don't buy it in the first place!"


Now Mom just stared at me like I was crazy, before she sighed loudly. "I thought you knew," she said, looking like the world around suddenly made sense.


I raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to elaborate. "And?"


"I'm not the one who keeps buying you stuff," she confirmed.


"Then tell Daddy to stop getting me stuff," I clarified. I didn't need my parents to try and buy me candy because they felt bad that I kept landing up in the hospital and had the worst luck in the universe.


"Derek doesn't buy you candy either..." she said, shaking her head slowly. "Dylan drops this off every morning."


I waited a good five minutes to digest this. Surely, Mom was joking about this. I waited for her booming laughter to resound against my walls, setting me off as well and we'd both collapse into peals of giggles.


She was serious.


"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," I said, holding my hands out as if stopping her from continuing. "Hold up. Dylan picks these up from the store for you?"


Mom shook her head and said, very slowly in a way that sounded like a teacher trying to explain that one plus one was two, "Dylan buys the candy and drops it off."


Wait, what?


"What!?" I yelled, not getting it. "Why would he do that? Is he borderline insane?"


Mom glared at me. "Day, that's not a very nice thing to say," she scolded.


I threw my hands in the air. "Well, that's not my problem! I just found out that the guy I'm kind of having a fight with is buying me candy every day! How else am I supposed to react? I think I'm reacting pretty appropriately, to be very honest!" I all but shrieked. 


Mom shook her head at me in disbelief. "The least you could do would be to thank that boy. Honestly, he was probably the most concerned when you fell off the sill. I don't think he slept a wink."


My heart kind of melted a bit at that. Can you blame me?


"Um, okay," I said, blushing profusely and awkwardly.


"Why are the two of you fighting?" she asked, her voice softer. "Trust me, the two of you are going to have to get along."


I raised my eyebrows at her challengingly. "And why is that?"


Mom shook her head like she'd said too much. "Just... please, be nice to the boy. It looks like he really likes you."


I scoffed. Dylan and I had too much of a history to ignore... but we had too much of a history to acknowledge, too.


"Um, thanks anyway," I said, shrugging. "I'll thank him later I guess."


I guess was the key word in the sentence.


Mom looked relieved. "Good," she said, before leaving the room.


Starlight24: Sorry about that. Back now though.


Popcorned: What happened?


Starlight24: Well, I'm practically handicapped and my mom just dropped off this gift my neighbor got me that I didn't even know about.


Popcorned: Aw, that's sweet. Is she a friend of yours?


I smirked at this. I remembered how he'd gotten me jealous with his female friend. Two could play at that game, I guess.


Starlight24: Oh, of course not. It's a guy.


Popcorned: Oh, cool.


Starlight24: Yep. He's been leaving gifts the whole week.


Popcorned: Oh. Are you guys close? Not that I'd care or anything. Just asking. Like, I'm just curious. It doesn't affect me or anything.


Starlight24: Is it just me, or is someone jealous? *smirks*


Popcorned: Psht, you wish.


Starlight24: Whatever you say, Mr. Jealous.


Suddenly, I spotted Dylan in his room, sitting on his bed and doing something with his phone. A rock- sized lump formed in my throat.


"Hey, Dylan," I said, feeling guilt bubble inside me. Why did he have to buy me candy? I was perfectly fine thinking he was a heartless and unreasonable human being. Now this just made me feel like an awful person overall.


He snapped his head up, shot me an icy glare and then sneered. "Turn down your music. It's making my ears bleed."


I felt my face flush. "Stop getting me candy. It's making my stomach swell up."


His eyes widened as if he hadn't realized I'd known, and a look of vulnerability crossed his features. I winced, realizing how heartless I'd just sounded. It's just that I didn't want to get into any more trouble with Dylan. He and I were just too complicated. It would never work. Plus, I had Popcorned now.


"Um... your mom told you?" he asked, whispering slightly.


"Today," I said in a clipped voice. It physically pained me to be so mean to him, but I couldn't carry this on much longer. "Please stop. You and I both know this isn't working out."


His face hardened. "Don't give yourself that much importance. I didn't do this because you mean anything to me, but because I feel really bad about what's happened to you. I like someone new now. You mean nothing more to me than a neighbor."


I felt my stomach clench up into a gigantic ball. This was good... right? Dylan was over me. I was over him. We could just part ways and be unlikely friends.


Yeah... that would be great.


"That's cool. You mean nothing to me, too," I said, trying to maintain a stiff posture, but my voice kind of cracked at the end of my sentence.


"Yeah," he echoed, his gaze lingering on mine for a second too long. I felt my heart kind of shatter into a million pieces. He then snapped his gaze from me to his phone, and then glared at me. "Stop creeping into my window, Snowflake," he said, but his term of endearment now sounded like a mockery. It was like a stab in the gut. He then proceeded to actually close the curtains. 


Popcorned: Sorry about that. Someone decided to be an idiot.


Starlight24: Ugh! Tell me about it. I have the worst luck when it comes to the neighborhood department.


Popcorned: Are you serious? Jeez, I'm facing the same scenario and it's so annoying. I've got the most pissing off people living around me.


Starlight24: Um, this may seem forward, but... I kinda wish you lived around me.


Ugh, now I was blushing like a freaking beetroot and I buried my head in my hands even though I knew he couldn't see me. This was embarrassing as hell.


Popcorned: You're so cute. I wish so, too.


Starlight24: Great, now you think I'm a creep or something...


Popcorned: Trust me, I was thinking the same thing =)


Starlight24: No, the thing is, I'm not really the kind who goes all mushy and stuff. I'm more of the cut-and-dry, totally not cute kind of girl.


Popcorned: Then I'm glad I bring out your corny side xD


Starlight24: You bring out the best in me *cue the awkward blush*


Popcorned: You know what I want to do right now?


Starlight24: Well, I'm not a mind reader or anything, so no. I have no idea.


Popcorned: I kind of just want to see you and hug you and... yeah, I don't really want to write it all out but I've kind of imagined the scenario where we both finally meet.


My whole face flushed a deep red. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about it, too. As if on cue, Stay with me by Sam Smith lulled through the speakers, and I buried my face into a pillow at how much of an emotional mush-ball I'd become. Jeez, where was Day Winters and what had this alien creature in my body done to her?


I cranked the volume a bit harder and a light, girly giggle escaped my lips.


Starlight24: Um, I think I'm ready.


Popcorned: Ready for what?


Starlight24: I'm ready to tell you who I am.


My heart was beating loud in my chest, kind of like a drum set in my heart and I could just hear the blood rushing up to my ears. This was such a crazy moment, and I couldn't even do anything to stop the quickening of my pulse.


Popcorned: For some reason, I'm super nervous right now.


I sighed, relieved. At least I hadn't gone crazy by hyperventilating so much. My palms started to get clammy and my fingers shook so much that I couldn't even type a response properly.


I turned up the music to the loudest I could to drown out the rapid beating of my heart.


Oh won't you, stay with me?
'Cause you're, all I need.
They say love, it's clear to see.
Oh darling, stay with me.


Starlight24: So am I.


What would Popcorned be like, I wondered? Would he be super good looking or will he look bad? Will he have a bright smile or a dull one? Whatever he was like, I knew I'd like him anyway. It was him. The boy who'd supported me at my worst and backed me up at my best.


He was, undoubtedly, my number one fan.


I'd fallen for my fan. This whole situation was unbearably cute.


Popcorned: Hey, I hate to break the moment but... I'll be right back. There's something I need to do.


I crinkled my brows in confusion. Had I been too forward with my opinions? Was he weirded out by me? He'd probably tried to escape me or something. He'd probably tried to—


"OH MY GOD, DAY!" yelled Dylan, and I jumped, startled. My phone dropped from my hand and fell onto my bed, and my heart skipped a beat at how furious he looked.


"Yeah?" I asked, clutching my racing heart. Gods, he'd scared me out of my skin.


"Will you turn off the goddamn music!? You're not the only one on this planet, and other people tend to get disturbed when whiny songs waft through their rooms!" he said, his face red with rage.


My face flushed an equally bright shade, but mine was because of utter and complete embarrassment. "Um, okay," I whispered, meekly, feeling tears spring up to my eyes. Things between us were utterly, completely ruined and there was nothing I could do about it.


I turned off the volume for good measure.


Popcorned: I'm back. Sorry about that.


Starlight24: Um, no problemo. What happened?


Popcorned: Nothing much. It's just that the bitch next door was listening to Sam Smith on full volume.


It took me a minute to read and reread the sentence ten times, and then I dropped the phone on the ground, my mind clouding with shock.


A/N:


Hey all! I've updated! Hurrah for that xD



It's Dylan, getting mad at Day but loving Starlight24 haha I'm so glad I finished writing that bit YAS.


Before I start off with the questions, I'd just like to say something. As much as I love how much you guys anticipate an update from me and stuff, it's really demotivating to see half of my comments full of "UPDATE!" or something to that effect. 


I've honestly got a life outside Wattpad, too, and I've got High School tests right now, so obviously my updates will be a bit slower. I'd appreciate it if you guys could understand that. Actually, I update a lot quicker than 75% of the other Wattpad authors, which is huge because I've actually been really busy. I don't mean to sound mean (haha, see what I did there?) but it's kind of getting annoying. Thanks a ton x


ANYWAYYYY!


How was this chapter? I really hoped you liked it. Aaaaand... Popcorned is revealed at last! I'm pretty sure more than half of you predicted this outcome, but how did you think she was going to find out? Did you like this?


Please comment and vote, your opinions mean the world to me. Thank you so much for your innumerable amounts of support.


Teaser: How's Day supposed to talk to someone who is "a lot more than just a friend"?


Dedicated to  because she's been a super awesome fan. TY x


PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS KAY ILY GUYS.


Also, I'm thinking of adding a bonus chapter with Dylan's POV... yay or nay?


Song of the Day: Stay with me by Sam Smith (Well, duh)


Love you all,


~Lexi

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