Snakes and Splinters [PUBLISHED]

3

The front door was opened and then closed loudly and we turned to see Phoenix walking up the stairs with an angry expression. He was muttering about something under his breath and we heard him slam his door shut upstairs.

Hayley had round eyes, "Maybe I should leave."

"It's not you," Walter told her. "He didn't even see you."

"Phoenix is cool with you now anyways," I assured her.

"Cool?" Hayley squeaked. "He doesn't really speak to me."

"He could be a lot worse," I told her, remembering how terrifying and mean he used to be to me.

"He doesn't mind you being here," Eli said to Hayley, giving her a gentle smile. "I actually think he likes that you're helping me with school and stuff. Walter was the first one of us so far to actually finish and graduate, but let's be real...his grades were shit – "

"I passed," Walter said defensively.

"Yeah, only just," Eli said back. "Phoenix would like it if I were able to do better."

"Either way," I said before Walter got too frustrated at his brother. "The both of you doing well could encourage the triplets to take school more seriously too. That would be good for them as well."

They murmured in agreement and miraculously the voices of the triplets themselves were heard from outside.

"Oh great," Eli sighed. "That's the end of the peace and quiet."

"I swear as soon as you mention them, they appear," Walter muttered to himself.

Hayley and I laughed at their lack of enthusiasm and the triplets let themselves into the house, just arriving back from school. Eli must have had a half day.

"Shit Giovanni," Hayley widened her eyes. "Your face."

Giovanni only attempted a cocky smile, "I got him worse, don't worry."

"Got who?" she asked, still staring at Gio's badly swollen right eye.

"Miguel," he replied. "Or Manuel, it was dark. I couldn't really tell."

"Are you in pain?" I asked him in concern.

"Nah, it doesn't hurt much," he only shrugged.

"Look at you, getting all the attention from the girls," Gomez rolled his blue eyes. "It was the same at school the whole day, all the girls asking Gio if he was okay. It was annoying."

"You sound jealous, more than anything," Severn said with a smirk.

"Jealous of what? His looks? Because we look the same," Gomez replied sarcastically.

"Jealous of the attention he got," Severn said. "Clearly your French crush Clementine hasn't been showing you much interest."

"Her boyfriend has," Gomez said with a smirk playing on his lips.

"What do you mean?" I widened my eyes. "Is this some sort of crazy love triangle?"

"No it wasn't like that," Gomez explained. "He told me to stay away from his girlfriend. He's noticed that she's caught my eye."

"And Gomez must always have whatever catches his eye," Severn raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. "You're so greedy man."

"Yeah and you're so lazy," Gomez muttered back.

"Well I'm rooting for you Gomez," Gio said as he started to stuff his face with the sandwich he'd been making himself on the counter. "I wanna see if you can pull it off."