POV: Jay
I was lying on my bed upside down.
Yes.
Upside down.
My legs were resting against the wall, my head hanging slightly off the edge, and Hex was sitting on the floor, leaning against my bed.
We were doing what we do best.
Talking nonsense.
"If you had to fight a goose," Hex said seriously, "how confident are you?"
"I'd win."
He turned to look at me. "Geese are violent."
"So am I."
"Geese hold grudges."
"I hold records."
He snorted.
I rolled off the bed and landed beside him.
We started laughing about the Kaizer situation.
"Did you see Keifer's face when you lay on his lap?" Hex asked.
I grinned. "He froze."
"He looked like someone unplugged his soul."
"That's because I shot near his leg."
"That too."
We both laughed again.
Then Hex's phone rang.
He checked it.
His expression changed slightly.
"Mila."
Ohhh.
I slowly turned my head toward him.
"Mila?" I repeated dramatically.
He stood up quickly. "I'll take this in my room."
I gasped. "Wow. You're leaving me?"
"It's just a call."
"Ahhh. 'Just a call.' That's how it starts."
He rolled his eyes. "Stop."
I sat up and narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Are you smiling?"
"I am not smiling."
"You are smiling."
He turned away.
That confirmed it.
"Hex," I said sweetly, "is your voice softer when you talk to her?"
He pointed at me. "Sleep."
"Ohhh, its 1pm!"
He walked out.
Traitor.
I flopped back on my bed dramatically.
"Left alone. Abandoned. Replaced by love."
Silence filled the room.
I stared at the ceiling.
Five minutes later, I was bored.
Very bored.
I grabbed my pillow and hugged it.
"Keifer is annoying."
I flipped the pillow.
"But also kind of…"
No.
Focus.
Suddenly—
Knock knock.
"It's open," I said lazily.
The door opened.
Jeana.
I sat up immediately.
"What are you doing here?"
She smiled too brightly.
"Oh, Andy and I are going shopping. We want to bring you and Aries along."
Shopping.
My worst enemy.
"I'm busy," I said instantly.
"With?" she asked.
"With…" my brain froze.
"…Project work."
Jeana folded her arms.
"Oh really? Who's your partner?"
Before I could invent a human being—
Aries walked in.
Great.
Aries came to my side and whispered, "You better come."
I whispered back, "I don't want to."
"I didn't want to either," she whispered. "But Angelo forced me."
I blinked. "Why is Angelo involved in this?"
"I don't know. But you're coming with me."
"What are we even shopping for?"
"I don't know."
"That's not comforting."
Aries grabbed my hand dramatically.
"She's coming," he announced to Jeana.
Excuse me.
I looked at Aries.
"You betrayed me."
He whispered back, "Solidarity."
"This is not solidarity."
"It is survival."
Jeana clapped happily.
"Great! Go change!"
I sighed heavily and walked to my closet.
I stared at my clothes.
"What outfit says 'I didn't want to come but I still look good'?"
I changed into something simple but stylish.
When I came out, Aries inspected me.
"Acceptable."
"Thank you, fashion police."
We headed outside.
As we walked, I glanced at Aries.
"If this turns into trying on twenty dresses, I'm leaving."
"If this turns into holding ten shopping bags, I'm also leaving."
We made eye contact.
A silent agreement formed.
If things go wrong, we escape.
Together.
As we reached the car, I looked up at the sky.
"Hex better not still be smiling at his phone."
Because if he is…
I will never let him hear the end of it.