Everyone was finally inside. One body after another. I greeted everyone as they came inside. I was the first to arrive, along with Josh. We were the party planners, as you would say but I felt more like an unwanted guest than a planner. I stayed inside the main cabin while Josh went to greet Chris and bring everyone inside. I put on my fake smile and endured whatever batshit crazy bullshit was about to start once we had Mike, Jess, Matt, and Emily in the cabin....
I opened the door to let Chris, Sam, Ashley, and Josh inside, though I didn't see Josh right away. Something scurried past my legs, screeching at us as it disappeared into the night. Chris and I squealed in surprise.
"Jesus!" that was Chris.
"Quite a way to greet you into the lodge huh?" I grinned, laughing gently.
Sam had fun teasing Chris as Josh appeared, conveniently, of course. I opened the door wider, "come on in, you guys," I made way for Chris, Ashley, and Sam, smiling at them as they came inside. Josh placed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me away, leaving the door wide open.
Emily and Matt were following close behind, the latter carrying all of their bags because the former was too lazy to do it herself. I smiled at them both nonetheless and welcomed them inside warmly, trying to be as neutral as possible.
"Welcome, Matt, Emily," I said warmly.
"Thanks," Matt threw over his shoulder while Emily ignored.
"Home sweet home!" That was Josh; I'd moved away from his grasp when he said this to a chair and sat down upon the arm of the chair with my hands in my lap.
"Eh, sweet is not exactly the word I would choose," Matt replied to Josh.
Ashley commented on how good it was to be inside, "although it's still freezing in here too."
"Well, I'll get a fire going, then," Josh smiled at her, moving toward the fireplace.
"Man, this place barely looks any different since last year," Matt commented.
"That's because nobody's been up here,��� I explained, Josh agreed with me.
"Huh, even with all of the police coming in and out?" Ashley asked.
I shook my head, "nope," I fake-smiled some more.
"Not a lot of action goes on up here, especially lately," Chris explained.
"Nope," Josh agreed.
That's when Mike entered the scene. I would have silently swooned if it wasn't for the fact he was acting like a party animal, and I hated that. Then, Jess had to add to that aroma of party animal craziness. It made my stomach churn.
"WHAT'S UP PARTY PEOPLE!" That was Mike.
"Heeeeey!" That was Jess.
"Hey, you guys made it," and that was Josh.
"Welcome," I said politely, putting on my most fake smile for the two who promptly ignored me and I could look away, dropping my fake smile.
"Make yourself at home, bro," Josh told Mike, who accepted that offer wholeheartedly.
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. He was such an asshole when he was with Emily, and now with Jess. God, it made my skin crawl. Why did I have a huge undying crush on him again? Oh, right, he saved me from the disgusting principal and the freaky science teacher in our senior year. Right. That's what did it.
"Yeah, come on in, take a load off, have whatever you want," that was Matt, and he didn't sound too positive, "you just take whatever you want anyway, right, Mike?"
My eyes widened, my mouth dropping slightly, there was about to be a fight and I did not want any part of it. Though I didn't move from the arm of the chair I was sitting upon.
"Whoa, easy there, cowboy," Mike replied.
"Smooth, Mike, very smooth," I said to myself, smirking. I just couldn't help myself!
"What the hell were you doing with Em out on the trail, huh?" Matt demanded.
Mike was confused.
"I saw you and Em, through the damn telescope, Mike. Don't play stupid," Matt was not in the mood.
"Oh before? We just ran into each other. It's been a while. So we hugged, I said hello. Is that against the law or something?" That was Mike.
Oh, brother, I was going to puke. I needed to go lay down. I was tired from the trip up here, and I hadn't slept the night before because of nightmares or for the past week, so like, I was in desperate need of sleep but I was not going to get to do that just yet.
"Yeah, right. Right, I'm sure that's all it was, Mike," Matt was none too trusting.
"Yeah, well, you can think what you want. It's a free country," Mike replied.
"Watch yourself, Mike," was all Matt said in return to that as he walked away from the scene.
Mike walked past the chair I was sitting upon, his back had been turned toward me the entire time. It was amazing how well I kept from staring at his ass, because Jess was across the room from me, lounging on the couch. I was proud of myself for not staring like an idiot, I let myself smile in victory.
Jess shifted to allow Mike to sit down next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and her arm shifted to her lap. I refrained from looking in their direction, I shifted to lay lazily across the chair, my legs dangling over the arm closest to Josh and the fireplace, my neck resting upon the other arm.
My winter coat covered my belly that I knew was showing because my tank was not tucked inside my jeans and my soft-knit sweater was quite short. My jeans were tight against my legs, showing off their curves. Josh wanted to comment but he didn't do so, knowing I wouldn't appreciate it at the moment, though I could feel both him and Mike staring. Still, the latter didn't stare for as long as the former had.
I moved an arm over my closed eyes, holding my forearm against my eyelids, and tried to block out everything but I wasn't going to be able to do so because the queen bitch of the universe was about to enter the room, and shit was gonna get heated.
Again.
"Oh my God, that is so gross," that was Emily, as soon as she entered the room, negativity galore.
I groaned in frustration. God, I needed to leave the room but I hadn't gotten an okay from Josh yet so I was screwed.
"Are you trying to swallow his face whole or somethin'?" Again that was Emily.
"Em...." Standing, Matt tried to reign the non-existent leash on his girlfriend but it wasn't going to work.
"I mean, seriously, can she be even more obvious?" Emily asked.
God, I wanted to kill myself. I cringed, my eyes closed tightly.
"You know, no one wants in on your territory, honey," she had to keep it going.
Why did she have to keep it going? She had said enough!
"Excuse me, did you say something?" Jess replied to that statement.
Oh great. Here we go.
"Oh, did you not hear me?" Emily asked, "was your sluttiness too loud?"
Could Emily be any more childish?
"Sounds as if someone is bitter that she didn't make the cut," Jess was instigating a verbal catfight.
"Oh, yeah, sure. It's all a big cattle call with that damn dreamboat. Congratulations, you're the top cow, Jessica," that was Emily.
"Oh, that cuts real deep calling Miss Homecoming a cow," Jess had to continue.
I was about to scream, "God, will up two shut the fuck up," I murmured to myself, shifting to sit back on the arm of the chair and lean forward, trying to get Josh's attention.
"Uh, Jess, you're making everyone uncomfortable," Matt tried to defuse the situation but ended up making it worse.
"It's both Emily and Jessica that are making it fucking uncomfortable in here," I retorted, standing and crossing my arms over my chest.
"Jealous much, Matt? Emily too frigid for you too?" That was Jess to Matt, then she turned to me, "oh please, you're the one everyone hates."
"Hey, that's uncalled for," that was Matt, "to me and Vanessa."
I silently thanked Matt as I stared at Jess, "oh sure I am Jess! At least I don't have to flaunt my shit to everyone because I feel the need to," my stare became a glare, "unlike you and Emily who need to argue over stupid little shit and drive others around you insane!"
"Excuse me?" Emily snapped at me.
"Hey, at least we have lives," Jess replied to me, smirking like a fucking bitch.
I smirked and rolled my eyes, "at least I have a job," I retorted, "I don't live off other people," I frowned at them, "I earn my own money, and earn respect. I don't demand it as you two do," I looked away toward Josh.
"Whatever, I don't give a shit what you all think," that was Jess, I hit a nerve with the money comment.
"At least I can think," Emily chimed in, "4.0 bitch, honor roll," she flashed her arms in the air, "suck on that when you try to sleep your way into a job."
"Who needs fucking grades when you have all the natural talent you can handle," Jess retorted back, "you couldn't buy a moldy loaf of bread with your skanky ass."
"Are you serious?" Emily asked, "do you think that's insulting?"
"Alright, Jess, you need to shut your mouth, okay?" Matt was provoking. Not good.
"No," Jess pointed at him to emphasize her next words, "you are the one who needs to keep your nose out of other people's business."
"I'm about to get right up into your business, you bitch!" And there goes Emily with the instigating of a physical catfight.
"Oh, are we about to get real?" Jess asked, tauntingly, "'cause I am down to get real."
"You two are acting like children!" I screamed at them, "God, do you even hear yourselves?" I looked at Mike, "what the fuck are you doing just sitting on your stupid ass? Grow the fuck up and defuse a fucking situation when you are fucking needed! Jesus fucking Christ! Does this have to happen every time we are all in a fucking room together?" I was very tired of the bullshit, I truly was tired of it.
"Okay, look, Vanessa, I know you're tired of the bullshit but can you do me one favor," Mike looked directly at me, "don't fucking tell me what to do!" He pointed a finger at me for emphasis, "I don't appreciate you bossing me around nor do I appreciate it when Emily or Jess try to do it."
I glared at Mike in defeat, cursed them all in Egyptian, and stomped my foot. I was very tired of everything. I was tired of the bullshit, I was tired of the heartbreak, I was tired of the world I lived in, I was tired of the depression. I just wanted to die but thankfully, Josh caught on to the fight between us all and stepped in to defuse the situation once and for all.
He stood up from the fireplace and turned to face everyone, "alright, stop it!" I was glad he stepped up, "this is not why we all came back up here, this is- this is not helping. It's not what I wanted," he stepped closer as he spoke, "I guess if we can't get along for ten fucking minutes, then we need a little bit of a break, right?"
"I guess we do," I agreed, hoping I could go lock myself in a bedroom and call it a night, knowing shit was only gonna get worse from here on out.
"Mike- why don't you take Jess and check out the guest cabin? The one I told you about," Josh said to Mike, taking care of him and Jessica first.
I looked away from Mike as he stood up. "Yeah, yeah, alright, then," he said knowing that Jess and Emily needed to be separated.
I felt bad for yelling at Mike but like he was just sitting there, letting Jess and Emily fight. At least Matt tried to help, even though he failed but at least he fucking tried to help. Mike didn't do anything but sit there and listen. That got to me but my yelling at him got to me even more. Why oh why did I have to be in this stupid fucking position?
Mike glanced at me, I glanced back; we seemed to silently apologize to one another for yelling at each other before he turned toward Jess, holding a hand out to her, "wanna go do that?"
"Anywhere without that whore and the angel of death," Jess agreed negatively, turning away and taking his hand.
I died a little when she took his hand, wishing I could be the one holding Mike's hand but I kept my thoughts to myself. I didn't need anyone else knowing how I felt about Mike, no I did not. Then her comment got to me and I gasped, I looked to Mike, who seemed to not know where that had come from and I just shook my head, looking away.
"It's right up the trail," Josh told them, seeming to ignore Jess's comment for now.
The two left and I sighed a breath of relief that Matt and Mike didn't have to pull Emily and Jessica apart. Matt made an explosion sound as he imitated his head exploding, "glad that's over," he commented, Josh and I agreed with him.
"So Josh, should we get this fire going or what?" Matt tried to start a civil conversation with Josh but Emily had to interrupt him.
"Where's my bag, Matt?" She demanded.
"Huh?" He didn't quite understand.
"My bag, you know the little one with the pink pattern, the one I got on Rodeo?" She asked but Matt was still confused, "Matt are you listening? Oh my God, don't you remember, next to the Italian shoe place where I got the stilettos and you knocked over the rack while you were drooling over that girl at the counter?"
Wow. Emily was a fucking bitch. To everyone. No wonder Mike left her. I was surprised Matt even said yes to dating her.
"She was asking about my letter jacket, Emily," Matt tried to explain.
"Right because she gave a shit about your 'designer' letter jacket," she scoffed.
"Why do you even hate my jacket so much?" Matt asked of her but of course, she couldn't answer because of her missing bag.
"Matt, I need my bag!" She said with emphasis.
"Oh my God, Em, maybe you just forgot the damn thing," Matt suggested.
"Do you seriously think I would leave my bag?" She questioned him like a bitch.
"Well, I-" Matt again but he was cut off.
"Do you?" Emily.
"Guess not." Matt, frustrated.
"You must have left it down by the cable car station," Emily, accusing Matt of leaving it when it was probably her not keeping track of it because she made him do all of the work. After all, she was too lazy to help him.
Matt groaned but Emily insisted that they would be back soon, "then we can get warm?" He asked and she smirked at him.
"We can get very warm," she seemed to promise and Matt reluctantly agreed.
God, did promising sex truly work on guys to get them to do your every wish? I didn't believe it but with Matt and Mike, it seemed to work. It disgusted me.
"Well then," Sam's perky voice interrupted the sour mood, "I'm gonna go take a bath," she informed us and shifted to climb the stairs.
"Have fun," I called after her, playfully. She was my best friend, after all, the best of all of my friends, mostly because she kept my secrets. Especially, the secret that I had a huge crush on Mike, and I couldn't get rid of it. Chris was a good friend too, he hadn't told anyone either. We hadn't told Josh, though. I knew he would probably tell the rest of our friends and I would never be able to come back to Beachcastle City again. I'd have to stay in Krimson City with my dad.
"Will do, Ness," Sam called over her shoulder. She was the only one who called me Ness. Most called me Nessa or by my birth name. Then there was my dad who called me Nessie and Nessiebear, which I allowed because he's my dad. Josh also called me Nessie at times but he was not allowed to call me Nessiebear.