Prompt: A submission from @smother-me-in-lippy
“You sure this is okay?,” Jane asked nervously, “it's such short notice i would have told you sooner i just-“ i cut her off by grabbing her shoulders and shook her.
“Jane, it's completely fine. Don't even sweat it,” i said, reassuring her. She sighed and nodded.
“Okay, cool. They'll be here soon. Just got a text saying they were off the plane.”
We were standing in the kitchen when she ran in, franticly yelling, saying her friends from back home we're coming to visit. We’d only been roomates for a few months but id known jane since freshman year of college. I knew if her friends were good by her standards they were sure to be good company. I didn't know much about her hometown friends other than she'd been secretly in love with one of them throughout the years. I couldn't lie, i wasn't quite ready to let her live that down.
“Oh, also, were going out to that bar, you know the one from andy's birthday last year?,” she paused and waited for me to nod, “just to catch up and all that so be ready!” she spoke so quickly i wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited. Maybe both.
It only took about twenty minutes before the front door was bombarded with knocks. I stayed in my room finishing getting changed while i listened jane yell out “im coming!” After slipping on my shoes i went out to join her.
She reached for the handle but turned around first. “Behave,” her eyes went stern. I faked a shocked look.
“Who me?,” she only rolled her eyes and cracked a smile.
Almost as soon as the door opened jane was thrown over someone's shoulder. Screaming filled the room followed by laughter. I watched her get carried and thrown on our couch.
“Mate, let us hug her first,” one of the boys said.
Janes head popped up from the other side of the couch and she glared at me.
“Told you they were insufferable,” she blew a piece of hair from her face. Everyone's eyes shifted to me. Clearly no one has noticed me yet.
“Actually from what i remember that's not what you were sayi-,” i began. Her eyes went wide.
“Nope! I said i hated them all!” she got up and shoved the boy who picked her up. The rest of the group made their way other and hugged her with hellos.
“Janey, i missed you,” one said. I knew their names but not whos face went with which one. After quick greetings jane came over to where i now sat on our kitchen counter.
“Okay, okay. My roommate,” she gestured towards me, “You've all heard plenty about.” I cocked a brow at her but she only smiled mischievously. “And this is Benji, Bob,” she pointed at each one as she named them, “Bondy, and Van.” I smiled politely and each of them nodded or waved my direction. “You can all get to know each other later. For now you can keep your bags in my room but youre all sleeping in here,” she said, referring to the living room. The boys made their way into her room with bags in hand.
“I'm gonna need to hear what you really said about us if we're being forced to pile in a tiny living room for you, janey,” Van, the tallest of the group, said. He looked from jane to me as if to say “you up for it?”
“Oh it would be my pleasure,” i nodded. Jane slapped my arm when he’d turned back around. “So which one is it?” i clapped my hands like a giddy child. “Is it him? Van right? Hes cute. Actually they all are,” i looked back at them. “Seriously jane what the hell was in the water over there?” i attempted to excitedly yell while still whispering.
“Keep it down,” her eyes told me if i didn't shed kill me right then and there. “And no, its not van. Im not sure i should tell you! Knowing you id be outed in half a damn second!”
“Please, please!,” i begged,”There's only four of them you know. Process of elimination, jane.” I attempted to persuade her but was cut short when i heard them entering the living room again. She gave me look to keep my mouth shut. I mimed a lock and key against my lips and we turned to face the group.
“We goin out now? I could go for drinks and some food about now.” This one i knew as bob. Jane had told me his parents were friends with hers, that they'd grown up together.
“After you,” she motioned for the group to exit our apartment.
The car ride was stuffy but we managed. The one nicknamed bondy was squished between van and benji in the backseat and was very vocal about not enjoying it.
“C'mon, you're actin like we haven't lived on a bus together and been this close before,” van nuzzled into him to further annoy him.
“Exactly, and i don't need to be in close quarters with you when were not on tour,” he moved vans head with his hand and laughed.
“Quit your complaining, we’re here,” jane announced. The car filled with cheers and sighs of relief as we all climbed out.
Our group was much larger than the usual groups that walked into the bar leading us to be sat at a booth a ways away from the actual bar area. We slid in with jane, me, and van on one side. Bondy sat across from jane while bob and benji faced me and van. The space was limited but we made due. Before the waitress could hand out all of the menus we all decided on drinks. Once everyone had a drink in hand they catching up commenced.
“Haven't seen you take shots since that party,” bondy said while cheersing shot glasses with jane, “You know, the one where you almost jumped of that roof.” I nearly choked and bob burst into a fit of laughter.
“You did what?” i leaned over the table to see her without van restricting her from my view. She rolled her eyes and shot daggers at bondy.
“She's never going to shut up about that now, thanks,” jane said to no one in particular.
“Im not even going to protest that.” I hit the bottom of my shot glass to the table and let it slide down my throat. Van laughed at my wincing expression.
“Cheers then, yeah?” He did the same to his glass and drank it. The others followed suit. We kept up with the drinks and telling embarrassing stories, mostly about jane. Eventually we left the booth and moved our way over to the bar.
“You want anythin?” Van asked, turning to me as the bartender waited for him to finish ordering. I wiggled my glass in the air for him to see.
“No, thanks though.” The others were talking to jane a few stools down. Somehow we’d wound up slightly separated from the group. Van leaned on the counter and gazed at me.
“So how’d you and jane meet?” he questioned.
“Four years ago. We got put in the same dorm hall. The only two with single dorms and no way to make friends i guess. I saw her knocked out on someone's couch at a party and couldn't bring myself to leave her there.
“What about you guys? What's the story?” i took a drink from my glass and looked at him.
“Bob introduced us. We’d known of her, they were friends for a while an all, but,” he lowered his voice and leaned in, “i'm pretty sure bondys had a thing for her since they first met.”
“Its him!” i said a little to loud. Jane peeked her head over to us. I smiled and van innocently waved at her. She looked suspicious but leaned back towards the bar anyway.
“She's been talking about how in love with one of you she is but i wasn't sure which of you it was.” His eyes grew and he smiled.
“I thought it was you but she said no,” i shrugged.
“Woah, what's wrong with me?” he asked pretending to be offended. I laughed and shook my head. “This is class, we know and neither of them will admit it to each other.” He turned his body to face them and we watched them laughing at something bondy had said.
“We should tell them right?” i asked as we faced each other again.
“No way, i want to see how long they avoid it.” He shook his head.
“Come on, id wanna know if it were me!” i protested. He stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out a coin.
“Right then, heads i win tails you lose.” He smirked. I rolled my eyes at him and snatched the coin from his hand as he laughed.
“How about this, twenty says jane admits it first,” i challenged.
“No way, hes in too deep to keep it in any longer.” I stuck out my hand. He hesitated but shook it. “Deal,” he smiled. We moved down the bar closer to the rest of them after deciding that being within ear shot would be beneficial to our bet. Nothing came of jane and bondy while we were in the bar, unfortunately. Our secrecy only lasted about an hour before bob and benji had added to the pot.
“I say they wait, at least until we've got a longer break in tour,” benji chimed in. Bob shook his head, “i say they've already admitted we just don't know about it.” Me and Van argued with his guess.
“No way bondy didn't tell me!” he countered.
“I would be able to tell if jane had spilled it to him already.” Bob simply shrugged and added his twenty to the pile.
Somehow we managed to get benji to drive us home. I hadn’t drank much but i wasn’t confident enough to risk driving us. Since benji drank minimally to avoid a hangover tomorrow morning he elected himself as DD. The car felt a lot smaller this time around, although that was probably because i was now in the backseat. Van and bondy sat in between me and jane, all squished in the back. Bob had the brains to call shotgun before the rest of us. I was deliriously staring out the window when i felt Van smacking my arm to get my attention.
“I have to tell you something,” Bondy began, looking at jane. I felt my eyes grow and Van put a hand over his mouth.
“I’m the one that kept watering down your drinks to piss you off that one time we celebrated your birthday in london,” he admitted. Without thinking Van cursed out loud. Jane erupted into laughter due to this newfound knowledge and i did the same as van slumped into the seats realizing he hadn’t won the bet. Bondy looked at him, confused by Vans defeat.
“I knew it!,” bob turned around in his seat, “She blamed me for that! I cant believe you let her stay mad at me for weeks after that!”Now bondy was laughing at bob along with jane. Amongst the commotion Van turned to me.
“Who gets the money if no one wins.” I was stumped for a moment. The car stopped and benji turned off the ignition.
“We save it for their wedding gift.” I caught him smile at me before i climbed out of the car.
As we each downed glasses of water bondy collected extra blankets and pillows from our hall closet. Him and jane set them up on the living room floor while me and Van sat, feet dangling, on the kitchen counter.
“Is that what you meant earlier then?” he asked suddenly.
“Earlier…?” i questioned.
“Yeah, about what you’d heard about us.”
“Among other things. Mostly just telling me to shut up about her little crush though.” I smiled and watched as bondy pushed jane onto the couch. She laughed and hit him with a pillow.
“What about me, any juicy gossip heard through the grapevine?” i said, wiggling my eyebrows. He cracked a smile.
“All good things,” he reassured me. A silence followed, i cleared my throat and looked away. He jumped off the countertop and stood in front of me, both hands on either side of where i sat. I hadn't realized how tall he was until he remained eye level with me even as he stood. His hand moved from where i sat to my sleeve.
“I like this,” he said referring to my shirt.
“Stop you're making me blush,” i said sarcastically. He shook his head.
“I mean i like you, you're different,” it seemed normal but he said it as if he'd never met anyone he thought was actually different before. I laughed hesitantly.
“I don't know if i should say thank you or be offended.” I hadn't realized how close he was to me until my voice came out as a whisper.
“I meant it as a complime-,” he started.
“Were going to watch a movie, come on!” Jane yelled from across the room. He kept his eyes locked on mine.
“Can i change our bet?” he asked. I gave him a questioning look and he continued. “You win, you get your money i win… we go out. Just us,” he proposed.
“I'll think about it.” I smiled at him before sliding off the counter and ducking under his arm.
The night went on with the five of us spread out on the floor in front of the tv. I offered up my room to benji so he didn't have to hear the rest of us while he was the most sober. Bob fell asleep in an instant and i checked out almost right after. The tv was on low enough for the rest of them to watch while i drifted off. I wasn't sure how much time had passed when i felt someone shaking my arm. I groaned and rolled over to face them, keeping my eyes closed.
“What?” i mumbled. I heard quiet laughter.
“Come on,” someone whispered. I opened my eyes to see van standing over me shaking his hand for me to grab.
“What the hell i was sleeping,” i whisper yelled.
“Just come on,” he said urgently. Against my better judgment i wiped my face with both hands and reached up to him.
“Where are we goin-,” he shushed me and led me over towards janes room.
“Look.” He pointed and kept a childish grin on his face. I followed where he was pointing and looked into the room. Jane stood near her closet, it took me a few seconds to realize what i was seeing but when she spoke it all became clearer.
“We should tell them,” she whispered a little too loud.
“What if it's weird? Ive never been in this situation before.” The voice registered almost instantly as Bondys.
“I know but, i want to tell them. You and i both know if we dont tell them soon one of us will slip up.” My eyes grew and i turned quickly on my heels and ran straight into Van. He stepped back a little too quick while still grabbing my arm to keep balance and we both went tumbling to the ground. We froze as we both realized the amount of noise that was made from the crash. I scrambled up and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the nearest room. We ended up in the bathroom with Vans back against the door and my head on his arm. I was trying my hardest not to audibly laugh. He began slipping down the wall with me following to the floor. I looked up at him to see one hand over his mouth and the other still on my arm. His eyes were filled with tears and his body was shaking with silent laughter. The sight if him losing it only made it worse for me to keep it in. Suddenly, we heard the door creak open outside and someone stepped out.
“What was that?” i heard jane whisper.
“Probably came from outside,” bondy said. Me and Van exchanged cautious glances and stayed silent until we heard the door close again. I let out a sigh of relief and rested my back against the cabinets under the sink. I smiled, mostly to myself, for a moment. I felt like a kid again, mischievously laughing and hiding from adults.
“I guess this means bob wins,” he sighed, defeated. I thought for a moment.
“Double or nothing says they wait until you all leave to tell us about them,” i said, sticking out my hand.
He smiled, “Same odds?” He and i both knew jane wouldn't be able to keep it in for that long. I wouldn't be surprised if we woke up tomorrow to her yelling it from the balcony.
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