Page 103 of Twisting You

“Well, that makes more sense.”

“Why couldn’t you have chosen a 500-piece puzzle?” I pushed another two pieces together.

“How was I meant to know a 5000-piece one was hard?”

“Really?” I looked up at Alec.

Alec scoffed, “Well, I’m not educated in puzzle numbers like you.”

“I always thought you were meant to be smart.”

“I am smart!” Alec flicked my fingers. “Get away from my side.”

“I did the eagle, not you!”

“Yes, but the eagle is on my side.”

“You weren’t saying that when I finished it a few moments ago!”

“Well I’m saying it now.” Alec smirked at me.

“You’re just saying that so you can put the last piece in!”

“What are you two doing?”

Alec and I both looked up to see Dan and their parents standing in the doorway. Each of them had a blank look on their face, stunned. I didn’t remember hearing the front door.

“I was waiting for you.” I looked at Dan, “Where’s Maddison?” I noticed the bride-to-be wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Maybe she got cold feet and ran away. I cursed myself for thinking something so awful.

“Don’t change the subject.” Dan pointed a finger at me. “You two were flirting.”

“We were not!” Alec and I said together at the same time. How could Dan come to such a conclusion? Last time I checked, bickering was not flirting. Especially if the subject being bickered over was puzzle pieces.

Dan arched an eyebrow like it meant something. Rolling my eyes and ignoring his suggestive expression, I asked, “Where have you been?”

Dan looked suddenly uneasy and I had a feeling it had to do with a certain subject he hadn’t told me about. Well, it was only fair he felt a bit of guilt. Who doesn’t tell their best friend he is engaged?

“Getting Maddie’s stuff, we’re, well, we are…”

“Moving in together.” I finished the sentence for him. Clearly, he wasn’t sure how I was going to react and was trying to spare my feelings. Dan really was a great friend. Maddison better realize how lucky she got. “Congratulations on the engagement. I’m happy for you both.”

Dan smiled softly at me. He looked relieved that I was so calm about the subject. How could I not be? Sure, it was a shock for it to happen so quickly and it would take me a few days to come to terms with the fact that man that I relied so heavily on was getting married. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t happy for him.

“FINISHED!” Alec shot his hands in the air and completely ruined the nice moment Dan and I were having.

“What? You actually finished something?” Dan frowned and looked over Alec’s shoulder at the finished puzzle.

“Yep, suck on that, Danny boy.” Alec was smug, looking at his puzzle. I remained silent. I just couldn’t take his moment away from him. Finishing this puzzle was a massive thing to him, or at least he was acting like it was.

“Well, I got to go.” I pushed my chair out. Alec’s eyes were glued on his puzzle with pure pride. He was too dazed by the glory of his puzzle to be listening to me. However Dan’s amazement with the puzzle had worn off.

“Can you come by tomorrow?” Dan asked me when I walked past him. “Maddison would really like to get to know you better.” Dan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, looking guilty. “She sort of keeps asking me to invite you over.”

I smiled at Dan’s parents as they went to leave the room and looked at Dan. “Sure, I will try to come over tomorrow to see her.”

“She can just see Maddie in the morning.” Alec was now in the foyer and leaning against the doorframe, no longer lost in the glory of his puzzle. “You’re staying here tonight, aren’t you?”

“You are?” Dan frowned at me.

---