CHARLIE
I heard the car pull up and the engine turns off, there was a knock at the door as I was sliding my shoes on which was weird because Thea didn't need to knock unless she forgot her keys but Shawn had taken them from her last night so she definitely had them or at least he did. Maybe it was Shawn knocking? I opened the door, and neither Shawn or Thea stood on the other side, instead, it was a pervy looking Doobin, of course, he might just look pervy to me.
"Um, hi," I frowned as another car pulled up next to his, Sam's car.
"Hey, are you ready to go?" he asked casually.
Jae and Sam got out of Sam's van, Sam still couldn't drive so Jae complained about having to drive him around even though the rest of us normally chauffeur him.
"Go where?"
"Thea is still asleep, so Shawn sent me," he finally filled me in on why he was here.
"What's with the kid?" Jae frowned.
"He is here to take me to get some things for the party tonight,"
"What's wrong with your car?" Sam asked.
"I have no idea, it doesn't want to start so the mechanic has to come out and look at it,"
"Does it have fuel?" Jae questioned.
"Do I look like an idiot?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want me to answer that?" he countered.
"What are you two even doing here?"
"We are here to start setting everything up,"
"You're going to do something?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Not exactly, I'm Sam's hands. Why did Thea send a kid instead of calling one of us?"
"Thea didn't, Shawn did,"
"Not a kid," Doobin rolled his eyes.
"My bad, Teenager," Jae replied sarcastically.
"Okay, well don't break anything, let's go," I ushered Doobin towards Shawn's car.
Not that I wasn't enjoying the reminder that I had, in fact, slept with a teenager, not only once, but twice, I didn't actually need Jae to figure that out. If we stayed much longer he would somehow smell the fact we've had sex and blurt it out.
BM
"Hey bro," Drew nervously walked through the bar doors.
I didn't respond, I didn't even acknowledge his existence. I was beyond mad, not just at Thea but at Drew as well. I didn't understand how or why they would sleep together, or even when and how didn't anyone know about it? I debated asking him but that meant I had to talk to him and I didn't want to do that.
"Can you just hear me out?" I glanced at him for a second before looking back down at the order list.
"Okay well if you're not going to talk to me then I will just tell you anyway," he waited for a response but got none.
"Look, bro, it happened a long time ago. Back in high school," he started.
That made me madder, they had kept it a secret from everyone, including me, for almost 10 years? Since then they have joked and argued as if nothing had happened.
I bit down on my tongue, worried that if I said something I would lash out and I couldn't afford to go breaking bar stock. Not with the amount of money that had gone missing lately.
"I'll take your silence as I can continue, it was the summer I helped he lose all the weight, we had spent a lot of time together and I can't speak for her but honestly I liked her before she started losing weight. It was the weekend before we started back, she was nervous and having another breakdown and wouldn't let me call you, I was trying to comfort her and it just kind of happened. But if you want to be mad at someone be mad at me, I initiated it,"
"If you were trying to piss me off more, you succeeded," I commented without looking up.
I might be mad at both of them but for him to take advantage of her like that, my internal ramblings stoped as a question crossed my mind. I knew Thea, and if Drew really was the first person she slept with.
"Did it happen more than once?" I looked up slightly. He froze.
"How long were you sleeping together?" I frowned.
"All through the first semester," he sighed.
"Get out," I rolled my eyes.
"I know I shouldn't have done it, but I didn't know how else to make her feel less insecure. She wanted to tell you back when it first happened but I didn't want you to hate me so I convinced her it would be better to not tell you," he sighed turning to leave.
"So that rumour that went around the school, about you two, wasn't actually a rumour?"
"No, but if I remember your reaction correctly, that's was cemented the choice not to tell you in Thea's head," he stated before he left.
THEA
"Morning," Shawn smirked when I stretched out opening my eyes.
He was sitting next to me in his bed, no shirt, a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Morning," I yawned.
"How are you feeling?"
"Just tired," I stretched a little more.
"You really don't get hungover do you?"
"Not even a little bit,"
"Do you want some coffee?"
"Mm," I sat up, he handed me a cup from next to his bed.
"What time do you need to get home?"
"Soonish, I need to get everything set up, and cook some food," I shrugged taking a sip of coffee.
"Do you want some help?" He offered casually.
"Probably, Jae isn't exactly helpful and Sam can't do anything. Plus I doubt BM will be there after last night,"
"Mm," Shawn pulled a face.
"What?"
"Nothing," He shook his bed but held his expression.
"You're not a fan of BM?"
"I'm not a fan of the way he yelled at you last night,"
"He was just mad,"
"I understand he was mad, but that doesn't justify him getting in your face and yelling at you. I'm sure if he saw some other guys do it to you he would have done exactly what I did,"
He wasn't wrong. I mean I wasn't not still mad at him, and he said some pretty hurtful things last night but he had a reason to this time, and I did feel guilty. But if the roles were reversed, BM would have stood between me and the other guy removing him from the area.
"Drink your coffee and get dressed, then we will go," he said getting up.
"Okay, where are you going?"
"To shower, you know you have a habit of tipping you drinks on people when your drunk?"
"And you waited until now to shower?"
"Not exactly, you got a little bit too drunk after BM left, it was either lay down with you or you would have raided my alcohol supply here,"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better I have a habit of spilling things on people when I'm sober,"
"You're hopeless," he smiled at me.
"Thank you," I called as he closed the bathroom door.
SAM
"No, to the left," I sighed.
"My left or your left?"
"My left is your left,"
"Why didn't you just say that?"Jae complained.
"I did, several times," I frowned.
"No, you didn't,"
"Whatever, would you just put the lights up properly?"
"Do you need some help?" BM smiled turning the corner, he had come through the side gate.
"No, we're good," Jae shrugged dropping the lights.
"Dude, seriously?" I frowned.
"What? Buff Monkey distracted me," he defended himself.
"What do you need me to do?" BM ignored Jae.
"Not be here when Thea gets back," I gave him a sympathetic smile.
"You're taking sides?" He gave me a shocked expression.
"I don't take sides,"
"Unless it's Charlie's," Jae smirked over his shoulder.
"Shut up, I don't take sides but we are at her house, for her party, that I'm not even sure you're invited to anymore," I pointed out.
"Like she has the right to be mad at me, she slept with Drew and lied about it,"
"Technically she didn't lie," Jae pointed out. BM frowned at him.
"I know, I'm as grossed out as you are, but she didn't lie, she just didn't tell you. Besides I can't be the only one who noticed the fact Drew has had a thing for her since she was the real-life embodiment of Shrek,"
"You have a weird ability to pick on everyone else's sex vibes," I frowned.
"You really didn't notice? Did you think he dealt with her drama and let all the crap she pulls at the club go just because she's your bro?"
"You could have pointed that out earlier,"
"You could have not been so dumb," Jae retorted.
"I really think it would be better if you weren't here when she got home, I'll text you and let you know if she rescinded your invite,"
"She can't be that petty,"
"She can if you got all up in her face like an abusive ex," Jae stated
"I didn't get all up in her face,"
"You kind of did, why else would Shawn and Austin escort you out?"
"Because they've both slept with her?"
"Dude," Jae pulled a face.
"What?"
"You really need to sort your shit out, because me defending Thea doesn't sit right with anyone,"
THEA
"What's with the bag?" I frowned at Shawn who I had been waiting for, for about half an hour.
"Change of clothes, I don't want to get dressed now then help set up and get dirty, so, I'll just get ready at your house,"
"You're so clingy," I teased.
"Do you trust your friends to get everything done on their own? Because I can just drop you home then come back here," He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Hey, Sam is a design genius, BM, probably won't be there, and Jae, well he is useless. Okay, I'll be nice," I raised my hands surrendering.
"That's what I thought," he smirked patting the pockets of his pants.
"Have you seen my keys?" He frowned.
"Have you checked your bra?" I asked casually.
"I thought you were going to be nice?"
"I haven't seen your keys,"
He let out a sigh, dropping his bag next to the front door he diverted towards Doobin's bedroom. He knocked a few times then opened the door when there was no answer.
"Seriously?" He sighed again.
"What?"
"He took my car," he shook his head pulling his phone from his pocket.
"Maybe he needed to go out?"
"So he snuck into my bedroom and pulled my keys out of my pants?"
"It was an emergency? I shrugged.
"Right, I might believe that if he didn't have a habit of stealing my keys and taking my car," he lifted his phone to his ear.
CHARLIE
His phone started to ring from the front seat, he smirked down at me and pulled out to retrieve his phone.
"Seriously?" I frowned. We were in the middle of having sex in the back seat of the car, not exactly my finest moment.
"Hello?" He answered thrusting himself back in without warning. A moan escaped my lips which only caused him to smirk down at me. I went to smack his chest but his free hand caught my wrist and pinned it above my head.
"Hey Shawn," he answered spoke casually, as if he wasn't currently in the middle of having sex with me.
"Yeah I have your car," he spoke speeding up.
"Are you insane?" I whispered or tried, The words came out as more of a moan than an actual sentence.
"I had some things to do," he winked at me. I could feel the build in my stomach, judging by the look on his face as he braced himself properly and sped up more, I wasn't the only one aware of the fact I was edging rapidly towards my climax.
"Sure, I'll bring it back now, I'm pretty much done anyway," he was quick to cover my mouth with his hand as the sounds of ecstasy escaped.
"Later," he hung up quickly as he reached his own climax.
"Are you trying to get us caught?" I frowned after we'd ridden out our highs.
"No," he shrugged.
"Why would you answer a phone call to your brother while we were boning?"
"He called," he slipped back into his pants.
"So? And I thought he sent you to help me,"
"Not exactly," he climbed back through the car to get into the driver's seat.
"Not exactly?"
"I seen your message on Thea's phone, they were both sleeping,"
SAM
Charlie walked through the door ignoring our presents completely, she was completely empty-handed.
"I thought you were getting stuff for the party?" I frowned, calling after her.
"I thought you two were setting up?" she retorted coming back down the hallway.
"I needed a snack break," Jae shrugged.
"The cake isn't ready and if I don't wait for Thea and I get the wrong decorations she'll have a fit," she shrugged.
"Want some food?"
"No, I have a headache, I'm going to shower," she stated as she left the room.
"How is a shower going to help with a headache?" Jae raised an eyebrow, I just shrugged.
We had managed to hang one set of lights before Jae had decided that he was exhausted and needed a snack break, and by snack break, I meant a full meal, for three people. Honestly, I wasn't sure we were even going to get everything set up before people got here, Thea's party might just turn into a decoration committee.
THEA
I could hear Sam bickering with Jae when I got out of Shawn's car. Clearly, that was going well, shook my head and Shawn smirked at me as if to say 'I told you so'. I opened my mouth to say something but he just held his hand up to silence me and made his way through the back gate where he was greeted by Volk.
"I've got this," he called closing the gate behind him.
I made my way inside where Charlie was buzzing around the kitchen baking things for tonight. She looked a little stressed out which made me feel a little bad about staying at Shawn's last night.
"What do you need help with?" I asked.
"Nothing in here," she shook her head, was she mad at me?
"Sorry, I would have been back earlier but Doobin kind of had Shawn's car,"
"I know,"
"What do you mean you know?" I frowned.
"Uh, we need stuff for tonight," she turned off the oven which was odd for her considering the cupcakes were still cooking in there.
"What are you doing?" I frowned.
"What? I can't leave the oven on while we go out,"
"You can wait for them to finish," I stated. She pulled a face.
"Shawn could have also waited," she mumbled.
"Shawn is outside helping Sam so I would be careful with the incriminating evidence," I cautioned.
"Shawn's outside?" she frowned.
"Yeah,"
"No, Shawn and Jae can't be together," she shook her head.
"What? Why?"
"I'll explain it later, Jae is coming shopping with us,"
"Argh," I rolled my eyes.
CHARLIE
There was no way I could let Jae and Shawn have a conversation together, Jae would likely ask Shawn why he had sent Doobin this morning. Then the conversation would end with Jae figuring out that I was currently sleeping with him and likely tell Shawn and that is a whole level of drama I don't need to be dealing with.
"Yo, you're coming shopping with us," I stated, walking out the back door, Thea sighing behind me.
"Ew, why?" Jae pulled a face.
"Because I'm being a good wing bro, I'm getting you some face time with your crush," I stated.
"Who else is going?"
"Just us," I shrugged
"No Coco," Thea commented.
"Jealous?" he retorted.
"Just get in the car," I rolled my eyes.
"I have work,"
"We'll drop you off,"
"You're weird today, but whatever,"
"Why? Why are we taking him to work?" Thea complained.
"I can take him," Shawn offered.
"No," I stated too quickly.
"I mean, we're already going that way,"
"No we're not, we're literally going the opposite way," Thea huffed.
"Shut up, there are shops in Perth,"
"Whatever, are you okay here?" she raised an eyebrow at Shawn who just shrugged.
"Kay, I'm going to go wait in the car, hurry up or I'm leaving without both of you," she shook her head walking off.
THEA
We drove in mostly in silence, except for the music playing in the background. Jae had tried to interrogate Charlie as to why she was acting strange, she managed to turn it around on him and brought up the fact that he and I almost slept together, to which he shut up. I just didn't talk, I wasn't sure I would remember Jae in the back with him being silent, and if I started talking and forgot about him I was likely to question Charlie about her morning with Doobin. Which is half the reason I didn't want to have to drive Jae to work.
"Okay, spill," I stated the second Jae had closed the door behind him.
"What?"
"Doobin came to the house this morning? To take you to get stuff for the party? Which you didn't get, so please enlighten me on what exactly it is you did do?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Doobin," she mumbled.
"Dude, you were literally almost caught, by Shawn, less than 24 hours ago,"
"I was almost caught by Shawn this morning," she continued to mumble.
"What?"
"Shouldn't you be more careful?"
"I am being careful, I didn't have to go to the chemist on the way home,"
"That's not funny," I frowned.
"It's a little funny, besides, I'm not the one who answered my phone while having sex,"
"You were having sex while Doobin was on the phone to Shawn?"
"Kind of," she pulled a face.
"What finished first? You or the phone call?"
"Dude, you realise we're related?"
"Well, that answers my question,"
"You're the one who sent him," she defended.
"No, I didn't, he stole Shawn's keys then took his car,"
"Is it weird that it makes him more attractive,"
"You have a problem, oh god. Please tell me I didn't sit in your sex seat. No, actually, don't tell me," I shuttered.
'Relax, it was in the back seat. The kid has control issues, also makes him more attractive," she commented.
"Where is he on the Yuri scale?" I raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of me.
"The Yuri scale?"
"He's the only guy we've both slept with, he's the only scale we have,"
"11," she sighed.
"Dude,"
"Yeah, I need help," she nodded.
"Do you want me to uninvite him?"
"He'll just show up anyway, I just need to stop sleeping with him,"
"You need a palette cleanser,"
"What?"
"You need to have sex with someone else to cleanse your palette, kind of like a sorbet between meals," I explained.
"He is a meal," she nodded.
"Dude,"
"You asked," she retorted.
JACKSON
"Can you get ready?" I frowned at Mark who as sitting on the lounge on his phone.
"I am ready," he muttered, he was wearing black skinny jeans and a printed black tee shirt.
"You realise it's a themed party? It's not like you don't have enough suits," I huffed tying my tie.
"I have expensive suits that I'm not wearing to a house party with a bunch of people I don't know,"
"You could at least put something on that roughly fits the dress code,"
"Bandana," he pointed to his head giving me a side glance.
He'd had an attitude about the whole thing since he got home. He had gone to work this morning to deal with some paperwork and apparently his barista or whatever hadn't been in or hadn't wanted to make coffee. I don't know, something happened and he didn't get the coffee he liked so he was being all moody about it.
"That's not... whatever," I sighed.
"What?" he frowned.
"Nothing," I shook my head walking back to my bedroom to get my waistcoat.
I knew he didn't want to come, and I told him he didn't have to but he had just said, 'what else am I going to do?' really I think he was just coming so that I knew someone there other than Thea who was going to be busy being a host so I would probably just be on my own all night if Mark didn't come. Or I would be stuck with that guy who was supposed to be friends with Thea but just insulted her the whole time.
CHARLIE
People had begun to arrive, starting with Doobin who had come with Koosung because Shawn refused to go an get him after the stunt he pulled this morning. I had heard them speaking which is how I knew it was them, but I was yet to go out there, I had been getting ready when they got here, now I was just avoiding leaving my room because I didn't want to face Doobin with Shawn standing right there. I was a little worried Shawn would figure it out. I'm still half-convinced he will be able to smell Doobin on me.
"Are you ready yet?" Thea called from the other side of my door.
"Almost," I replied getting up from the stool in front of my vanity.
"You're not even ready yet," Shawn stated which just made sit back down and continue judging my life choices.
"I can't just change clothes and be done with it," she retorted.
I sat there for another five minutes before I decided that I should probably leave my room. I figured that I would just go sit with Sam, Sam was safe. I got up from my vanity and walked out of my room quickly before I changed my mind. I closed my door behind me to keep Sora safe, I didn't want to risk her getting out of the house with the number of people being here tonight.
As I spun around to head outside, I collided with a chest. A firm chest that I was hoping wasn't Doobin. An arm wrapped around my waist to stop me from falling and before I knew it my back was against the hallway wall looking up at Doobin's pervy smirk.
"Hey," he was looking down at me, or down my top, I wasn't sure which but I was betting on it not being my face.
"Hey," I breathed as his hand found my exposed waist.
I had flashbacks of the first time he had me pressed against this wall, the I heard Shawn's voice calling his brother with I retaliated with but pushing him away and walking into Thea's room.
"Um, hi," she frowned at me half-naked.
"I need your help,"
"With?"
"I swear I almost just had sex with Doobin in the hallway,"
"Dude, his brother is right outside,"
"That's not exactly the issue,"
"He's attractive, the fact that his brother is here and you don't want to get caught is really the only issue,"
"and he is 6 years younger than me,"
"Oh, right, so what do you want me to do about it? Get a time machine?"
"Can you?"
"No,"
"Then just help me find a sorbet,"
"Yuri should be here soon," she stated with a shrug.
"That doesn't really help me right now,"
"I'll be dressed in a minute and then I'll just play the buffer until you can get your own buffing," she winked, I just laughed at her.
SAM
"Wow, you really outdid yourself," Thea nodded approvingly at me.
"Thanks,"
"I helped," Shawn pouted.
"I know," she nodded.
Charlie just stood there awkwardly, which was weird considering she was how Thea even met Shawn, except now she was acting as though she's never met him before. Honestly, she had been acting weird all day. I think it had something to do with the increase of attention Thea was seeking from her because she was fighting with BM.
The weirdest part about the whole thing was not that she was being awkward around people, she's never been a people person, it was the fact that she had a bag of Doritos in her hand and would be putting a new chip in her mouth before she had finished the last one. She has never been a snacking person, so watching her devour a bag of chips was just strange considering said a bag of chips on any other given day would last her almost a week.
"You okay?" I asked I'd gotten up from where I was sitting to walk over to her.
"Huh?" she turned her attention to me.
"You okay?" I repeated.
"Oh, yeah," she nodded mid-chew.
"Where did Koosung go?" she asked when I just frowned at her sceptically.
"He went to go and get Jinwoo, Eunho, and Junsun, he drew the short straw,"
THEA
"Damn girl!" I heard Austin's voice, I turned around hearing him wolf whistle and look Charlie up and down.
"Wow, home girl's looking fly!" he nodded approvingly at me.
"Perv,"
"Hard not to be when you're surrounded by beautiful women,"
"Did you have a few drinks before you drove yourself over here?" I frowned at him.
"No, I'm just hyped for tonight, it's going to be dope,"
"Calm down, it hasn't even started yet," I rolled my eyes.
"Am I early, or is everyone just late?"
"A little of both," I shrugged.
I noticed Doobin staring at Charlie with a perverted face, I also noticed her returning the same look.
"Why don't we go and finish making the food before everyone gets here?" I gave her a look before pushing her towards the kitchen.
"For someone who is trying to not get caught you're making obvious faces at him in public,"
"Dude, have you seen what he's wearing? I have a thing for a guy in a suit,"
"Why do you think you're in here with me instead of out there with him?"
"Because you're a buzzkill?"
"Because I don't think anyone wants to see you jump him in our backyard," I retorted.
"Lame,"
"Do you need any help?" Doobin walked in.
"Shoot me," Charlie muttered under her breath.
"No," I shook my head.
"Are you sure? There is a lot of food by the looks of it,"
"I'm perfectly capable, This is my domain, no one enters my kitchen. So, go away," I shooed him. He pulled a face at me looking towards Charlie who was looking at anything but him.
CHARLIE
"How many parties does one person need for their birthday?" Junsun commented walking into the kitchen where I was still hiding out with Thea.
"How many parties do you need to not be invited to before you get the message?" she retorted.
"You've hurt my feelings, do you know how much work I put into this look?"
"I'm just surprised you're wearing pants and not shorts," she shrugged.
"Damn," I commented when Koosung and Jinwoo wandered in wearing matching jumpsuits, they had decided that they weren't going to go in the suit direction and instead chose the grease monkey route.
"Hey," Koosung winked at me.
"Oh, I was talking to Jinwoo," I shrugged. Koosung pouted at me, Jinwoo smirked.
"Why are you hiding in here?" Junsun asked picking at a pile of pre-cut ingredients. Thea, without actually looking at him turned the knife around in her hand and smacked him on the back of his hand with the handle.
"I'm not hiding," I frowned.
"I thought you were getting Eunho too?" I asked ignoring the whining from Junsun.
"Get out of my kitchen," Thea warned smacking him again.
"Dude, stop, you never learn," Koosung stated.
"Eunho is outside," Jinwoo answered.
"No, I'm here," Eunho smile. His outfit was simple, black pant's, white button-down shirt. They were all attractive.
JACKSON
"This is where they live?" Mark raised an eyebrow.
"This is the address that Thea gave me," I pulled the car into the grass, there were already a few cars here and the driveway was full, I was a little worried that we were late.
"It's quaint," he commented.
"Are you going to be a jerk all night?"
"I was just saying," he shrugged getting out of the car.
"Can you try and play nice?"
"I am nice," I rolled my eyes locking the car.
"I see you don't trust the neighbourhood. Would you be nice?"
"Can you go home?" I muttered.
"Give me your keys,"
"Go inside,"
"Now you want me to go inside? Mixed messages bro," he shook his head at me.