[30] Simplympics

The bus rattled on, carrying the crew away from Morgan's farm as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Chloe was lounging in her seat, a smug smile plastered on her face as Evan and Blake continued their awkward attempts to massage her shoulders, each one desperate to out-simp the other. The whole scene was enough to make everyone else on the bus roll their eyes or look away, pretending they weren't watching the circus in the middle rows.

Brittney sat a few seats over, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Chloe. She shifted in her seat, clearly irritated by the attention Chloe was soaking up. With a flick of her dyed pink hair, Brittney leaned over, raising her voice just enough to cut through the quiet hum of the bus.

"Oh my God, Chloe," Brittney sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "you're really enjoying that simp fest, aren't you? Didn't know you'd turn a zombie apocalypse into a damn thirst trap audition."

Chloe's eyes flicked open, and she shot Brittney a look, arching an eyebrow. "Jealous much, Britt?" she drawled, twisting just enough to shoot Brittney a haughty smirk. "Just because, like, I know how to get a little attention without begging for it."

Brittney scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Girl, please. I don't need to have a simp army. Maybe if you weren't so desperate, you'd be focusing on, I don't know, staying alive instead of farming followers."

Chloe let out a little laugh, shrugging as Evan's hands continued to knead her shoulders. "Honey, I multitask. Surviving and thriving—something you wouldn't get. But, like, keep hating from the sidelines. It's a good look on you."

Just then, Tyler leaned over from his seat, his eyes glinting with interest as he turned to Brittney. "Hey, Brittney," he said, his tone oozing with what he probably thought was charm, "if you're feeling left out, I could, you know... give you a massage too." He waggled his eyebrows, giving her a grin that was a little too wide.

Brittney turned to him with a look of pure revulsion. "Uh, no thanks, Ty," she said flatly, pulling away as if he'd suggested something genuinely repulsive. "I'm, like, good on massages from guys who don't know what 'boundaries' are. Keep your creepy hands to yourself, thanks."

Tyler's grin faltered, but he shrugged it off, muttering, "Your loss," as he leaned back, trying to play it cool. The rest of the guys glanced at each other, each one visibly cringing at the exchange.

"Bro, take the L and sit down," Luca muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

"Facts," Jordan added with a shudder. "That was, like, a whole new level of 'nope.'"

Brittney crossed her arms, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she shot Chloe one last icy glare before settling back into her seat. The bus went quiet again, save for the soft hum of the engine and the occasional grumble from one of the guys as they adjusted their seats.

Meanwhile, Jean had been quietly observing the whole interaction from a seat near the back, watching the exchange with an awkward smile. He looked away, focusing on the window, hoping to avoid getting pulled into whatever weird tension was buzzing around the bus.

But his hope was short-lived.

Akira slid into the seat next to him, her gaze focused entirely on him, her eyes bright and a little too intense. She leaned closer, just enough that he could feel her presence hovering right beside him.

"Jean," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper. "You must be so tired from all that practice... I could, you know, give you a massage if you want." Her eyes softened, an almost dreamy look flickering across her face. "I'd be, like, really gentle. Just for you."

Jean felt his face go hot, and he rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a nervous laugh. "Uh... Akira, I'm, like, totally fine," he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. "I don't really need a massage right now, but, uh, thanks?"

Akira's face fell for a split second, but she quickly plastered on a sweet smile, nodding. "Of course. Just thought...you know...you might need a little break," she murmured, her tone lingering on each word. She stayed close to him, her gaze never leaving his face, as if she could will him to change his mind.

Blake, who had been watching the scene out of the corner of his eye, leaned over from his seat across the aisle, clearing his throat. "Uh, Jean," he said, giving him an encouraging smile, "it's okay to, like, accept support when you need it. No need to be all tough."

Jean scratched his head, feeling the collective gaze of the group settling on him. He let out a nervous chuckle, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Nah, I'm good, man. Really."

Akira finally leaned back, still looking slightly disappointed but nodding all the same. "Okay, Jean. But, like, if you ever need it...I'll be here."

Jean forced a smile, trying not to show the discomfort prickling under his skin. "Yeah...I'll keep that in mind."

Just then, Jordan leaned over from his seat, grinning widely. "Hey, I mean, if Jean's not up for it, I'm totally willing to, like, take his place." He waggled his eyebrows, shooting Akira a playful look.

Akira's head whipped around, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous gleam. Her gaze could have sliced through steel as she stared him down, and Jordan instantly threw up his hands, backtracking with a nervous laugh. "Joking! I'm joking!" he said, scooting back in his seat, looking around for support. "Damn, no need to go full Yandere on me."

The bus erupted in stifled snickers, the tension breaking just a bit. Even Jean managed a small, relieved chuckle as Akira returned to her seat, still giving Jordan the occasional side-eye. Jordan leaned back with a sigh, muttering, "Y'all gotta stop trying to kill me with your looks."

"Just keep that simp energy low-key," Luca muttered, smirking.

The group settled back into their seats, the awkward tension dissipating into quiet laughter and a few eye-rolls as the bus continued its rattling journey into the unknown, leaving the strange antics of the day behind them… at least for now.

Q: Was this too much cringe for you to handle?