Chapter 13

Within the banter and chatter clouding Lily's Lounge in the early noon of Saturday, four had settled in their usual booth.

Loess went tippity-tapping on his laptop, putting the available free wifi to good use, Jerry, on his left was playing with the straw in his smoothie and his eyes frequently landing on a certain passed out someone across the table.

Taurus was sitting on Loess' right, on a video call with Yuna, absentmindedly twirling a lock of his blond hair round his finger; a habit that had begun somewhere in sixth grade and hadn't parted with him since.

Yuna's voice insisted on the other line, "... the one you asked out last week, Treya? She says you forgot her and went bowling with your friends..."

"Mhm, yeah, mhm..."

"I know she's a bit of a spoiled brat, but you just stood her up with the lame excuse that you forgot. And not only that, you did it halfway through the date. What do you have to say for yourself..?"

He pursed his lips and faked his signature pitiful look at his sister. "I didn't realize my actions were so adversely impactful on others, I deserve any punishment you give me."

"Oh, come on. You might be able to fool everyone else with that pathetic kitty-face of yours, but not me-"

He smirked and put her on hold as a waiter stepped up to their table, inquiring.

Taurus nudged Tom, on his right, in the side, "Tommy-boy, you gonna eat anything?"

"Nah, not hungry." He waved him off, his head still laid on the table and his arm hiding his face.

"Okay, moody." Taurus said, rolling his eyes, he turned back to the waiter. "We'd like two Espressos, and a donut for the little kid, thanks. "

"Who're you calling a kid-"

"Shush, little one."

Jerry gave him a death glare, like lasers drilling through the blond head.

When the waiter turned around and left, he put Yuna back on and listened to her rambling. "Now I'm in the fùcking middle of it, and it's all your fault. Do you have any idea how irritating it is to be solving practice questions while some bítch is yanking on your hair and trashtalking loudly behind you, because your damn brother left her for a bowling game?? "

"Why's Yuna talking so much? " Jerry asked.

He whispered back, huffing. "I don't even know. Women, am I right? "

He was already tired of this game of 'nod and smile', and his mind was way off his chattering sister.

Scooting near Loess slightly, he quietly asked, "Hey, don't you think there's something up with those two?"

"You fùcking pest, pay attention! "

Loess looked up from his laptop, "Huh?"

"They haven't dissed each other since... such a long time!"

And by such a long time he meant yesterday afternoon; almost a full 24 hours and no back-and-forth insults!

"You're right. That's so weird,"

"Should we ask about it?"

"Hey! Yuki, are you even fùcking listening?! And don't even think of bothering Jerry, or Tom. They have their own problems to deal with. Do not ask anything! Don't ask anything, or I will-" beep.

He hung up on her, saying aloud, "Tom and Jerry. Not hating on each other? Something's up. "

Jerry's eyes widened, darting to the antique, wooden wall clock, admiring it like it was pure gold. "Yuna's going to kill you for hanging up on her,"

Taurus snorted, "Actually, decapitate me at most. My parents couldn't bare to lose their favorite. She might not love me, but she loves th - hey, hey, hey, I see what you're trying to do. Spit it out, what's wrong with you two?"

"Nothing, seriously." He shrugged, not meeting either friend's eyes. But they both didn't miss the way his already red cheeks turned redder, and that confirmed it.

"Oh, really? Nothing?" Loess teased, poking the brunette in the cheek. "Is that how I thought you to lie, Jerry?"

"Piss off. " He slapped the finger away, nervously sucking harder on his drink and blushing even more.

The waiter came back with their orders. And while Taurus was distracted, flirting with her, Loess sneaked closer to Jerry with his laptop, not taking his focus off the computer as he quietly talked.

"Jesse called me last night, you know, said you weren't home, he thought you were at mine."

Jerry sucked harder, slurping as it was getting emptier.

"Lucky for you, I didn't snitch. But you'll have to pay me back. With a story."

"... What... story?" He asked, knowing very well what story he was talking about.

"The story of you and Tom, every little detail."

"There's no story to tell." He argued defensively. "And what are you looking for on Google anyway? You've been there since you turned on the laptop."

Loess was a lot more susceptible to a swift change in topic.

"Information. But not even one damned thing is accurate on this shitty computer-" He raised his fist to give it a whack, but Jerry grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Whoa, hold it there. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the computer if you can't find accurate info. Let me see. "

Jerry pulls the computer to face himself and refreshes the page. "So, what're you searching for?"

"A way to get someone to tell me all their secrets."

"Ookay? Why?"

"Well..." he tapped his fingers together. "I'm investigating someone for... a project, yeah, that's it. And I need every bit of info I can squeeze out of them to pass."

"Mhm..." Jerry hums, clearly not buying it. But who could refuse the Loess charm, huh?

"Please, help me?" He begged like a starving puppy begging to be fed.

"I guess I could." Jerry shrugged. "If the person's a mutant, I can log into the database and find some basic-" He was encased in a bear hug.

"Thanks. So. Much,"

"Not a problem," Jerry pushed him away, cheeks slightly red from the suffocation. "It might take a while though, "

"Take as long as you want-"

"You're going to Ace's tonight?" Taurus butted in, his eyebrows furrowed.

Oh shìt, I'm busted. "Yeah, uh, I forgot to tell you about that..." He scratched his nape.

"I should come with-"

"Nah, you don't need to do that. If I recall correctly, it's movie night tonight, why don't you stay at home? Spend quality time with the fam and all that cràp?"

"No one else is going with you, so I have to. Remember what happened last time?" Taurus said sternly, a stone-cold look on his face.

Okay, so quick flashback, the last time I went to a party, I may or may not have encountered a drunk pedo who tried to have his way with me... but just before I could punch him to a pulp, which I could totally do, Taurus did it for me. And as unnecessary as it was, because I could've handled it myself, they became wary of me going out at night.

Which is stupid, I mean, it was just that one time. What are the chances that it could happen again, anyway? (Shit, I shouldn't have thought that...) Let's just hope it isn't jinxed.

Besides, I have a title as the school's party animal to uphold, one that I earned after defeating the former one at a dance off. She couldn't handle my secret weapon, no one can.

"Last time is in the past, this is the present. The two aren't the same. I can't stay cooped up in that house all night with the excitement bubbling up in me like boiling noodle soup!"

At this point Loess was grasping the blond's collar, forcing his attention onto him, their noses inches apart.

Then, he sighed in defeat." Fine, go. "

"Yes! " He let go and punched the air in victory.

"But I'm coming too. It's either I come with, or you don't go at all."

"Ugh. Fine, whatever, mom." Taking the cup, he blew air over his hot espresso.

Strands of inky black hair tickled his cheeks and threatened to enter his mouth, and Taurus brushed them back, tucking them behind his ear. "You need to get a haircut,"

"... Later," he sipped.

"Seriously Loess, it's like it's grown five inches since yesterday."

True, he could feel it was getting longer everyday, but he shrugged it off. "It's nothing, no fuss. "