Trying to Live With the Dead (The Veil Diaries #1)

by B.L. Brunnemer

So basically, you all freaked out,” I stated knowingly. I couldn’t stop smiling: they were all acting so evasive and well, cute. “We’ll never tell,” Zeke said before smirking at me. Oh yeah, it had to be all of them. “Aw, you all do care,” I said, only half-teasing. I guess it was really starting to sink in that they really did care. Isaac threw a bead at me. “Knock it off, Red. You’re messing with the guy rule,” he chided me.

“She can’t get comfortable,” Asher mumbled from across the circle. “Can’t lie on her back.” “She doesn’t like her stomach,” Zeke chimed in. “And girls got those pointy hips,” Isaac added, his voice muffled.

Miles unfolded then refolded a thick, fluffy blanket and put it in my spot. “This is a king sized down feather comforter. Folded to your size, it should give you some cushion from the floor,” he explained as he took my sleeping bag and put it on the blanket. When he got to his feet, I hugged him. It was so sweet and considerate that I couldn’t help it. “Thank you,” I said. He tensed, but after a heartbeat, relaxed and then squeezed me back.

I was half-asleep when I remembered all the damage in the living room. “Sorry about the mess, Miles.” “I’m rich, I have a maid,” he called back, half-asleep. I smiled sleepily, and then I was out.

I didn’t remember any of that; I must have been out cold. I smiled into my pillow as my twisted side came out to play. “That’s his story, but I don’t buy it,” I told the boys, sounding doubtful. “I think he just wanted to lie on my blanket. Get him, Zeke.” I hid my smile into my pillow as I heard footsteps over the wood floor. Isaac’s arm was pulled off me. “That’s cold, Red, real cold,” Isaac told me as Zeke pulled him away from me, dragging him along the floor.

“Red! Don’t tell them that,” Isaac groaned as he came into the kitchen. “How am I supposed to sneak in cuddles if you're in a different room?” I chuckled as he sulked. “Sorry, Cookie Monster. I can’t make the guys sleep on the floor just for snuggles,” I told him before taking another drink of coffee.

“Isaac warned me that if Bitch Ghost shows up tonight, he’s sleeping with me.” I shrugged. “Well, you are the only one who can see her,” Ethan said thoughtfully. He gestured at me with his coffee mug. “If shit starts flying around, I’m running to your room too.” I burst out laughing at how serious he sounded. “Huh, that’s a good point,” Asher admitted. I looked up at him, seeing where this was going. “If I smell even a hint of patchouli, I’m hiding behind you,” he explained.

“Then I hung out with…” I trailed off on purpose and continued in a deadpan voice. “Oh god, the pain. There’s a tunnel, a light.” I changed to my childlike voice. “Auntie Em? Uncle Henry? Toto? What are you doing here?” Asher burst out laughing next to me while there was silence on the phone. I couldn’t stop myself; I started laughing too. “That’s not fucking funny, Lexie!” Zeke shouted at me. “Oh, it is from my end.” I was still laughing as he cursed at me again. “We’re fine, Zeke, we’re at the classroom.”

“Aw, poor tortured Zeke,” I cooed at him. His eyes narrowed at me. “Stop it,” he warned. I smiled wickedly. “Are you scared of the small, sweet girl?” I continued in that ‘I’m talking to a little kid’ voice. “Did she say hi to you? Did she try to hug you?” He glared down at me, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitch. “You want to hide behind me? I’ll protect you from the nice girl.” That did it. He started chuckling.

“Yeah, it’s his nickname for me. So far, I haven’t picked his, but Nosey Brat is starting to sound good.” Dylan and Ethan laughed at me. “I do have to get working, though,” I said, “if you want to see me Saturday night and all.”

Zeke came in next, his hair wet but combed. He had actually shaved this morning. It made him look more “the scary guy next door” rather than his usual “menace to society” look.

He smirked. “Mild glaring,” he admitted to them before turning to me. “If that scared him away, you're better off. Because any guy that comes around, we’re going to be asking him questions.” “What are your intentions?” Asher offered. “Where are you going?” Ethan added. “When will you be back?” Isaac supplied. I looked around the table at them to see if they were serious. They were all nodding, including Miles.

Isaac told me about the girl he had his eye on for a while now. I asked him all the questions they had asked me earlier. He promised never to do that again. Revenge is sweet.

“Well, I’m going to go soak in the tub, then get ready.” I got to my feet and handed the controller to Miles. “Miles, avenge my honor.” Zeke cursed. “As my lady wills it,” Miles said in a gallant puffed up voice.

Dylan: Zeke going? I looked at my phone suspiciously. Why did he want to know about Zeke? Alexis: Yeah, why? Dylan: Just suddenly very grateful you have guy friends. My heart melted as I texted him back. But I was also a little irked he thought I needed protecting, it was a weird feeling. Alexis: You're sweet, but I can handle a party. Dylan: I bet you can, but you’re small, honey. There’s only so much you can do against a guy bigger than you.

She asked me what it was like to have so many guy friends. I told her it was a hoot, in a deadpan voice.

“If you see someone messing with her, you kick their ass.” I elbowed him in the side and glared up at him. He grunted then looked down at me. Then back to the group. “Okay, fine, if you see someone messing with her, watch for a minute to see if she kicks his ass. If she’s trying and can’t, then you kick their ass.”

“My girl always forgets her hair ties.” He pulled out a tie and reached across the group to hand it to me. “I’m always carrying extras for her.” He shrugged. The other guys laughed at him. His cheeks turned pink. “You, sir, are the world's best boyfriend,” I exclaimed, putting my hair into a ponytail. I looked at the other guys. “That man.” I pointed to the guy with the pink face. “Knows how to keep a woman happy,” I declared, finishing with my hair. “And probably in more ways than one.”

“Wait, you’d rather have your car fixed than shoes?” The guy, Ian, asked, not quite believing it. I nodded. He looked at Zeke as if he was in pain. “What the fuck, man? Where have you been hiding her all my life?” “As far from you as possible,” Zeke shot back, completely serious. Everyone laughed. I just rolled my eyes again.

“How do you get him to listen to you?” He was genuinely curious. “Boobs,” I told him plainly. I took my eyes off Isaac and looked at Asher. “And big eyes, a soft voice, and a good pout if he resists.” Asher chuckled. “So basically, being a girl?”

“You piss off Zeke on a daily basis,” he reminded me. “And we all love watching it.” He held out the phone to me, smiling. “Your future boyfriend is still on the phone.” I snorted and took the phone. “He’s met me once and talked to me a few times. He might not like me after tomorrow,” I reminded him and myself. Asher gave me a shit-eating grin. “I don’t know, when I picked up the phone he said, ‘where’s my girl?’” My stomach fluttered again, and I fought off a smile.

“Lexie, I love that you can kick a guy in the balls, yank a guy out of a fight by the ear, and still sound cute on the phone.” I smiled a big smile as my heart melted. Okay, I might be in trouble here. “Really? What’s wrong with you?” I said half joking, not knowing what else to say. “You should be running in the other direction.” He laughed. “I like a challenge.” His voice had gone soft, making me bite my lip.

“How’s the future boyfriend?” “A little crazy considering he’s still interested,” I admitted, smirking. Asher chuckled. My phone vibrated. I checked it.

Isaac went at Miles. Miles grabbed Isaac, twisted, and slipped his leg around the inside of Isaac's. Miles threw Isaac over his hip, using his leg to flip Isaac completely off the ground. Isaac landed hard on his back, Miles lying across his chest pinning him to the grass.

“I hate it when Miles makes that move, it makes the world spin.” He groaned sitting up next to me, his knees spread. I fought off a laugh because it looked pretty cool from my point of view.

“Cookie Monster, if you're going to keep coming to these parties then you need some rules.” He just looked at me. “Asher knew you were getting close to a fight before he went to the bathroom. You got quiet, stopped talking to people.”

“You’re right,” he admitted, resigned. “I could really hurt someone or kill them.” “So, if one of us says take a walk?” “I’ll take a walk,” he agreed. “Thank you, Cookie Monster.”

Isaac snorted. “Get Red. She’ll get me outside,” he admitted. “There might be more sparring involved then.” Ethan snorted. “Good, because you are rusty as fuck,” Ethan said emphatically. “Mom’s never going to let you back into the ring like that.” Isaac snorted in response.

Lexie breaking down had bothered everyone. She had such a big personality that you never really noticed how small she was. Not until she starts crying. Then you remember that she’s breakable.