THEA
Jae stared wide-eyed at me, Sam looked like a deer in headlights, Jackson frowned at me, even Mark seemed to give me a questionable look. My hands went to my mouth as if covering my mouth was going to force the words back in before Charlie heard them. I quickly dropped my hands before Charlie noticed because that would just cement the fact I was talking about Sam.
Sam hesitantly folded his last finger, I don't think Charlie requested that it was about her because rather than the surprise I thought she would show she looked pissed off. Jackson was the next to fold a finger, which I'm not ashamed to admit send a wave of jealousy through me.
"My turn," Charlie stated through clenched teeth.
"Wait," I shot out before she could ask her question.
"What?" she sighed.
"I think we should reset, you two are just targeting each other and us three will have to take sides, I think it would be better if we just start again and ask broad questions rather than directed ones,"
"Where is the fun in that?" Mark asked.
"I don't know, maybe not being at each other's throats might be more fun than getting mad at each other,"
"Sounds lame, but okay," Charlie shrugged.
JACKSON
Thea's plan only worked for two rounds, then Mark and Charlie decided to turn on Thea and I. I'm not sure if it was because they were mad at us or because they wanted us out of the way so they could just attack each other. The four of us were sitting around the coffee table while Sam and Jae sat on the couch so that no one got confused about who was out.
"I've never, had an obsession with Jesse McCartney," Charlie stated.
"Dude, I was 12," Thea frowned.
"And yet you still need to fold a finger," she shrugged.
"Asshole," The mumbled but folded a finger anyway.
"I've never, introduced myself with an embarrassing name," Mark stated.
"Embarrassing to whom?" I challenged.
"JFlawless, Wild and Sexy,"
"Okay, I get it," I sighed and folded a finger.
"So much for not attacking each other," Jae commented.
"I've never had a sister," I was a little petty and was trying to get back at Mark, but Charlie also put a finger down. So now Thea, Mark and I were one finger away from losing, somehow Charlie had two.
"I've never competed in a dance competition," Thea huffed, I think she had also had enough fo being targeted.
"Lightning round," Jae cheered.
"Thank god the game is almost over," Sam sighed.
CHARLIE
"I've never slept with someone I reget,"
"Wow," Thea shook her head at me but folded her last finger and sat up on the couch.
"What? It's not my fault you regret it," I shrugged.
"Competetive you is an asshole," she retorted.
"Oh well,"
"I've never, sprayed myself in the eye with my own perfume," Mark stated, Jackson sighed and sat up on the couch next to Thea.
"Good thing you're already out," Jae shot his comment towards Thea.
"I'll spray you in the eye with your perfume,"
"I don't wear perfume," he retorted.
"That explains why you reak," she shot back.
"Are you ready to lose?" I baited. It was my question and as long as I said something I was sure he had done, I would win.
"I don't need to prepare for something that won't happen,"
"Want to bet on it," Jae took the opportunity.
"I don't gamble,"
"Are you scared you'll lose?" Mark baited.
"You realise I ask the question next and then game over?"
"Then what are you worried about?" he challenged.
"Fine, let's bet on it,"
"Sweet, okay so the loser has to give the winner a wish," Jae stated.
"Can I wish for him to jump off a cliff?" I asked.
"I mean I guess, but you should probably be more specific because he can just bungee jump or cliff jump and I'm assuming you mean to die,"
"Can you just shut up and ask your question," Thea sighed.
"I've never had to have my parents bail me out," I stated smugly, my smirk quickly faded when he didn't move and instead he looked at me triumphantly. Shit.
"Seriously?" I sighed.
"Seriously, I told you, I earnt my money, I don't need my parents to bail me out of anything, you should probably listen to other people better instead of assuming you're always right," he stated.
MARK
If looks could kill I was sure that I would have burst into flames, or maybe have just combusted but fortunately for me, looks couldn't kill so instead of dying I felt a huge sense of smug victory. For s split seconds I considered letting her win, but then I decided it was more fun to have her lose. I liked the idea of her owing me a favour.
"I've never posted inspirational quotes on my Instagram," I voice my final question and her final blow. I was sure she was going to flip the table at me but I was also positive that she couldn't lift it so I wasn't too worried.
"You stalked my Instagram?" I frowned.
"I looked through your Instagram when Jackson mentioned the double date," I nodded.
"Why?"
"To see if you were attractive, why else? Did you not look through mine?"
"Okay, one, I didn't know about the double date, two I didn't know you had Instagram, and three, why would I waste my time looking through your Instagram when just the sight of your face pisses me off?" she snapped. LosingClearly losing wasn't something she was good at.
There was a slight stab to my ego when she said she hadn't looked at my Instagram and the fact that she didn't even know I had one was another small blow. I mean, okay so she didn't know that she was being set up with me but wouldn't you at least go and look me up afterwards, wasn't she the least bit curious?
"You weren't the least bit curious?" Jackson voiced my inner question.
"Not in the slightest," Charlie retorted.
"It doesn't matter, now you owe me a favour,"
"The bane of my existence," she shot before getting up and leaving the room.
THEA
"Okay, so tonight didn't go as planned," I rubbed the back of my neck as I walked Jackson and MArk out to Jackson's car. Or at least I assumed it was Jackson's car, he was the one driving. The black Nissan Navara looked more like a Jackson car, seeing as he was in the construction business, I didn't see Mark driving such a big car for Marketing, then again the Navara was strangely clean for what you would expect from a car that was around paint and concrete dust all day.
"No, but it is probably what we should have expected with those two being in the same room," Jackson nodded towards Mark who was getting into the passenger seat.
"They do seem to create a bad vibe together," I agreed.
"Only because they don't get along, imaging the chemistry they could have if they would just stop attacking each other," Jackson's eyes lit up with excitement.
"If they don't destroy the planet in the process," I laughed.
"That's a bit dramatic,"
"That's me, a bit dramatic," I shrugged.
"I think you're underestimating yourself," he joked, or at least I think he was joking.
"Thanks for coming over tonight," I started feeling the butterflies stirring in my stomach from the way he was looking down at me.
"Anytime, you should go get off of your foot,"
"It's not as bad as everyone thinks," I shrugged.
"Even the doctor?" he countered.
"The doctor was probably a quack,"
"I don't think he would be a doctor if he wasn't qualified," he smiled.
"You'd be surprised,"
"Go on, go get off your foot, I'll text you when I get home," He pulled me in for a quick hug. He smelt amazing, and the hug was soft and warm, I swear if he hadn't of pulled away I would have melted into the hug and stayed there all night. I had to clear my throat and take a step back as he got into his car.
"Bye," I waved shyly.
I watch as he reversed out of the driveway, he beeped and drove away. It was like the further he drove away the more of my senses came back to me. My eyes widened as I turned around.
"What is wrong with you," I mumbled to myself.
"That was worse than watching a trainwreck," Jae shivered as I walked into the lounge room.
"Why were you watching?"
"I was hoping to see heartbreak as he told you that you were to short and crazy to see again. I was not expecting kissy faces and you falling over your own words," he retorted.
"Oh my god, did I make kissy faces?" I asked feeling mortified.
"That's not how you're supposed to respond," he frowned.
"Whatever, did I?"
"Yes, it was disgusting," he shivered again.
"Oh god, how embarrassing,"
"What's wrong with her?" Jae turned to Sam.
"I think she just likes him, are you ready to go?" Sam shrugged.
"Go where?" I frowned.
"Home," Sam looked at me like I was stupid.
"You can't drive, and he's been drinking so he can't drive either," I shook my head. I had already taken the keys and hidden them away.
"Then can't you take us home?" Sam asked.
"Seriously?" I raised an eyebrow looking down at my foot.
"Right,"
"Just stay here tonight,"
"I'll take you home, let's go," Charlie came into the room, she had been in her room since the scene with Mark.
"On a scale of one to ten how pissed at me are you?" I asked awkwardly.
"I'm not pissed at you," she shrugged.
"Really?"
"Unless your name is Mark,"
JACKSON
Neither of us spoke on the way home but Mark seemed pretty pleased with himself. If his goal was to piss Charlie off and upset her in her own house then he succeeded, not that I think that bothered him one bit.
I pulled into the underground parking and park my baby in my parking spot.
"We should order pizza," Mark nodded more to himself than to me.
"I'm good," I shrugged locking my car and following him to the elevator.
"Are you mad?" he raised an eyebrow.
"No, I'm just not hungry, Thea made a lot of food and I had a lot of time to eat while you and Charlie attacked each other," I pressed the button for our floor.
"So, you are mad," he rolled his eyes.
"I'm not mad, it's not like you were an asshat by yourself, Charlie wasn't all that nice to you either,"
"She started it the second I walked in the door, I was going to try and be civil with her but then she decided that she wanted nothing to do with that plan,"
"Probably because the last few times she's seen you, you've made assumptions about her sex life," I muttered.
"And she's made assumptions about me,"
"So, your plan is an eye for an eye?"
"I don't have a plan," he shrugged.
CHARLIE
"Do you want to come in for a bit?" Sam offered.
"I guess," I shrugged.
"I mean, you don't have too, I just thought after tonight you might want a breather," he shrugged.
"You mean after you brought a random girl over and then joked with her nemesis all night when you're supposed to be her best friend?" Jae stated.
"I thought you were her best friend?" he countered.
"No, I'm her bro, it's different,"
"How?"
"I'm better,"
"Would you both shut up, let's go," I sighed.
The two of them continued to bicker the whole way through the bar, which was surprisingly busy, but BM was nowhere to be seen which was a little odd. They continued to bicker up the stairs and then at the top landing they both shut up and froze.
"What?" I frowned.
"Shhhh!" They both snapped, then I heard the moans.
"What the hell?" I muttered walking up behind them.
BM and Olivia were naked and entangled with each other, on Jae's bed. It was disgusting but it was also like watching a train wreck, horrible but you can't look away. My disgust turned to irritation, he was being an absolute asshole to Thea for sleeping with his friend, now here he was boning a girl that was supposed to be with his friend on his other friends' bed. That is breaking so many bro codes.
"What the hell," I stated loud enough for them to hear me, Jae's hand covered my mouth and the two of them pulled me back down the stairs before BM had time to look over, not that I even think he heard.
THEA
"Why are you back? I thought you weren't staying here tonight?" I frowned.
"Jae can't sleep in his own bed," Charlie commented.
"Why?"
"Because BM was boning Olivia on it," Jae stated.
"Sam's Olivia?" I raised an eyebrow.
"She's not Sam's anything," Charlie shot.
"Okay," I held my hands up defensively.
"Yeah, that Olivia," Sam nodded.
"Seriously?" I frowned; I felt a surge of anger rush through me. After all the crap he has been giving me the past week.
"Seriously, I am never going to be able to sleep in the bed again," Jae shivered.
"Whatever, they're staying here because BM is a shitty person," Charlie stated.
"You're so moody today," Jae commented.
"I'm tired," She sighed.
"Too much sex?" Jae joked.
"What? No," Charlie frowned, Jae looked at her funny, probably because she answered too quickly.
"She's tired of your face," I interjected to distract him.
"Are you sure she's not tired of having to live with you?" he retorted. Charlie visibly relaxed.
"I'm going to shower, then go to bed,"
"Seriously, who did you sleep with?" Jae raised an eyebrow at her.
"Whoever it was, they clearly know how to wear her out," I smirked. Charlie gave me a look that basically screamed shut up.
CHARLIE
"Do you want to go out somewhere?" I asked sipping on my tea.
"Where?" Thea slightly turned her head to look at me.
"I don't know, I'm just bored,"
"Probably because you've had your hands, and other parts, full lately," she chuckled turning her attention to her coffee cup, which, knowing her was probably empty.
"Fine, stay here and sit by yourself with your crappy leg," I shrugged.
"Don't be like that," she rolled her eyes.
"So, yes, you want to go somewhere?"
"When the alternative is sitting here alone with my crappy leg, yes I want to go somewhere,"
"Maybe we should go visit Kiwoo," I commented.
"Feeling a hair change?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm feeling anything that isn't Doobin,"
"Are you sure? He seems pretty feelable," she winked at me.
"Are you coming with me or not?"
"I'm not Doobin, but I'll join you in a hair change,"
"I think you need an attitude change but okay," I rolled my eyes at her.
BM
I stretched out, realising I was in a bed and I wasn't alone. Last night was a little foggy after Olivia and I got back to the bar and started drinking. I was assuming that it was Olivia that I slept with which was kind of like a cold bucket of water to the face. I didn't want to open my eyes and confirm it because then I would just feel guilt, not just to Sam who was supposed to be kind of dating her, let's be realistic, he was using her to piss Charlie off. But I also felt extremely guilty towards Thea, I had been attacking her for her being with Austin and Drew, and they were only my friends. Sleeping with Olivia was breaking the bro code.
I heard her softly sigh and decided to try and sneak out of the bed, except I was between her and the wall, or at least it felt like a wall. Then it occurred to me that if we were drinking at the bar then hopefully, we didn't drive, meaning that we either got a taxi back to her house or, more conveniently, we went upstairs. But I have a lounge, I don't use a bed, so if we had gone upstairs then I was in either Sam or Jae's bed, which more than broke the bro code.
Slowly, I pried my eyes open just enough to see where I was, the sudden light in my eyes made me very aware of the pounding headache my mind babble had distracted me from. Ignoring the pounding in my skull I looked around the room, I was naked and asleep next to a naked Olivia, in Sam's bed.
So, the high horse I had been acting as though I was riding lately, just threw me off, I slept with my friend's kind of girlfriend in my other friends' actual bed. Sam, I didn't see being annoyed about the whole sleeping with Olivia thing, but Jae was going to beyond pissed about my boning in his bed, and to be fair he had every right to be pissed.
"Shit," I heard her whisper.
I wasn't proud of what I did next, instead of letting her know that I was also awake I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep as she carefully crawled out of bed and re-dressed herself. I heard her search for something then I heard writing and her walking down the stairs. I sighed looking around the room, the boys weren't back, so I was guessing they stayed at the girls last night instead of coming home, or at least that's what I was hoping.
I found the note on the counter in the kitchen.
Uh, hey, so I would say last night was great, but I don't really remember it. Um, I don't usually do this and sorry if this affects you and Sam, I think he should know but if you don't want to tell him then I guess that's cool with me, it doesn't affect me in any way.
So, thanks for not letting me drive,
Olivia.
THEA
"Maybe we should take the boys some lunch?" I suggested.
"You want to go home?" she raised an eyebrow.
"What? No, I mean the 1Million guys,"
"Oh, no," she shook her head.
"Oh, you know you want to,"
"I don't want to take them lunch, but I guess if you really want to then I can drive you to take them lunch," she sighed as if it were too much work.
"Bro, you know you want to go bone Doobin," I rolled my eyes.
"Bro, shut up,"
"So, I'm right,"
"Do you want to go or not?"
"Let's go,"
It didn't take long to get to the dance studio and we stop through McDonald's on the way to get the boys something to eat fast food probably wasn't the best option but he was easier than going into subway. Everyone but Austin was in the dance studio teaching a class or preparing for one. Austin's eyes lit up this minute he saw the Brown paper bag.
"afternoon ladies, what brings you here ?"
"We thought we would bring you lunch," I smirked at him.
"And you thought McDonald's would be a good option ?"
"No one is forcing you to eat it, I'm sure one of the other boys will eat yours,"
"Hey, I never said I didn't want it,"
"Then shut up and take your food,"
It wasn't long before the others started to sniff out the food. Doobin was first, the Junsun, who just started eating, I was sure if everyone else didn't show up that he would devour it all. Koosung was next, I swear he looked like he was out of a loony toon and his nose just followed the smell, carrying him to where the food was. Shawn was still in a class so I had pulled some food out and put it aside for him.
Everyone was having a laugh and everything seemed fine, then there was a sudden drop in the atmosphere, everyone fell silent, except for the few 'oh no's' and the chain of mumbled cuss words that fell from Doobin's mouth.
They were all staring at the reception desk at a girl who looked rather dishevelled and fidgety.
"Why is she here?" Koosung frowned.
"I don't know, but she needs to leave before he sees her," Doobin took a quick glance to the classroom Shawn was teaching in.
"Who is she?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Mackenzie," the boys said in unison with a tone that was like they were trying to get a bad taste out of their mouth.
"That's her?!"
I had never seen her before but I had heard a lot about Mackenzie, she was Shawn's on again off again, toxic, ex-girlfriend. From the stories that I had heard, she comes into his life because she's blown up her own and he is so in love with her that he fixes everything for her, and then just as suddenly, she leaves again. Her leaving makes most of them happy, but it breaks Shawn every time.
"What are we going to do? Ask her to leave?" Austin frowned.
"Because that worked so well last time?" Koosung commented.
"She screamed the place down until Shawn knew she was here," Junsun added.
"He's just gotten back to a good place," Doobin sighed.
I shook my head letting out a sigh, I felt a strange rage knowing that she was so quick to manipulate Shawn into doing her bidding, and it seemed like she didn't care about what it did to him, she just didn't want to deal with her own problems. I pulled all of my rings off my fingers, picked the one that would work the best and slid it onto my finger, slipping the rest into my bag before heading towards her.
"What are you doing?" Austin hissed.
"Being Thea," I shrugged.
"Oh Jesus, this isn't going to end well," Junsun sighed.
"Ye of little faith," I retorted walking up to the hoe-bag. She turned to stare at me with bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils. I'd had my fair share of experience with high people, she definitely wasn't sober.
"Can I help you?" I asked sweetly, the young girl behind the reception desk frowned at me, then looked over at the others and kept quiet.
"I'm looking for Shawn," she said slightly defensively.
"Oh, I'll just go get him for you, how should I say is looking for him?"
"Mackenzie, I'm" she began to explain, but I held my hand up to cut her off.
"Oh, I know who you are," I dropped my cheerful tone along with my hand and used one that lacked all emotion except disdain.
"I see you've heard of me from Doobin," she shook her head.
"No, from Shawn,"
"That doesn't seem right considering he wouldn't say anything bad about me,"
"That was before he met me," I shrugged.
"And you are?" she raised an eyebrow crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm his fiancé, and he thought that it would be good to be completely honest with me. So, I know all about your past, I know all about you're inability to control your own life, and I know that every time your world falls apart you come running to him to fix it. But he won't be doing that anymore, he told us that if you ever showed up again to tell you to leave, and to not come back because he is finally happy and he doesn't want to fall down into you deep dark miserable hole that you seem to live your life in,"
"I don't believe you, do you really think that he would choose you over me? Because prettier, smarter girls have tried to test that theory,"
"I mean we can bring him out here and see if you like, I think the rejection will hurt more coming from him, but that's up to you. Just know I have one more card up my sleeve," I smiled sweetly.
"Oh?"
"I found out this morning that we're expecting, and I'm not sure how well you know my Shawnie, but I know how much family means to him, I mean he did choose his brother over you. Do you really think he will want some deadbeat junky in his child's life?" I asked in a tone like we were having a conversation about the weather.
"You're lying,"
"So we will see who Shawn believes, we can call him out here and cause a whole scene, or you can walk right back out that door and I'll pretend I never saw you," I shrugged.
She thought about it for a minute, glared at me and turned around.
"How did you do that?" Doobin smiled at the sight of her leaving.
"Told her we were getting married and that I had just found out I was pregnant," I shrugged.
"Is that McDonald's I smell?" Shawn asked walking out of his classroom just as the entrance doors closed.
"It is," I smiled.