Chapter 34

“Alright guys.” Riley said seriously, standing in front of the TV. She was wearing an ugly, over crowded deep red Christmas sweater. Mind you, it was not Christmas.  And she’d forced her boyfriend to wear the same one.

It was winter and it was extremely cold and snowing outside. Although collected here with friends under blankets it felt very cozy.

“It is time for our first annual movie night.” Riley smirked.

“Woo!”

“Ay ay ay!”

We all cheered.

Mica, Dax and I were all scattered on the couch in my living room. Mica, of course, right under my arm. He was wearing that fantastic chartreuse sweater he’d worn when he asked me to date him. I smirked happily.

“First, I would like to say that I am glad that we’re all together here. And I’m happy we’re doing so well and still making time for each other.” She smiled.

“Of course. And we’ll keep doing that.” I nodded.

Everyone agreed.

It had been months since Mica and I got back together. Now we were a couple. Not just to the two of us but to everyone. Mica was doing great at his ballet company and I was starting to make some real money as a photographer.

Riley and Dax were in college and for a while we were scared the four of us might drift apart but that wasn’t the case at all.

I smirked.

“Aww, Riley you’re so swee-”

“And I would also like to take full credit for bringing Jay and Mica together.” She grinned.

“Huh? How was that your doing?” I asked.

“Um, obviously, I’m the one that introduced you guys in the first place and then you guys made up at MY party.” Riley smirked proudly.

“Yeah, but we only got back together AFTER your party. Like way after.” I said.

“Pumpkin, I hate to say it but Jay is right.” Dax chimed in. He sighed with a heavy heart.

“Thanks?” I said.

“In the end it was I who brought them back together.” Dax nodded.

“Huh?! How!” Riley screeched.

“Well, I locked them in that basement and forced them to make up. I planted the seed.” Dax sighed as if he was accepting an award and felt bad for the losers.

“The only thing you planted was stupidity,” I said. “Sure, we might’ve made up at Riley’s party while you locked us up but I think in the end we would’ve found our way back together anyway.” I said.

“Not with Mica’s stubbornness.” Dax countered.

“I’m not that stubborn.” Mica said.

“Yes, you are.” All three of us said in unison.

Mica sank in his seat. I kissed his forehead.

“Riley you’re not getting credit for this.” I said.

“Oh really? Who told you to confront the beast huh?”

“Riley..” Mica warned.

“Okay, sorry. The guy who was once a beast but is now part man.”

Mica sighed and shook his head.

“That was great but it’s not what brought us together.”

“I brought you together.” Dax smiled.

“You did not! You know what? If anything Mica brought us back together. He made all those butterfly dishes..” I said.

“Butterfly dishes?” Riley asked.

“Long story. Not the point, the point is: Mica did it. Neither of you get credit.”

Mica smiled at me and kissed my cheek. I held my hand against my face and smirked.

“That’s sweet, James but I don’t think I should get full credit.”

“Who then?”

“Me!” My brother appeared absolutely out of nowhere.

“What the hell are you doing here?! What part about LEAVE ME ALONE do you not understand?!”

“Oh, come on. You and I both know that is just an invitation in brother language.” Kyle shook his head.

“Did another one of your dates stand you up?”

“Shut up- I am the one who brought you guys together.” Kyle stood in front of the TV as if he was presenting an award. Idiot.

“How? Last time I checked all you did was threaten Mica.”

“No, no. Let’s go back to a time before all this. When I was a child..”

“What?!”

“I asked mom for a baby brother. If it hadn’t been for that, you wouldn’t be here, bro.”

The fact that he said all this with a straight face. He wasn’t even kidding. Riley, Dax and Mica laughed while I was just annoyed.

“Get out of here Kyle!”

“And as if that wasn’t enough, I was also the one to advise your dear lover Mica about the way to your heart. I was the one that made sure the house was empty. I was the one.” Kyle stared up at the ceiling with his hand on his heart. Was this some weird acceptance speech?

“You disgust me.”

“It’s kind of true.” Mica said quietly.

“No, don’t feed his ego. It’ll eat us all.”

“This is so unfair. I should get full credit.” Riley crossed her arms and pouted. “What did you guys bond over? Me! Whose party did you make up at? Mine! Who told you to slay the be-” Riley stopped herself and merely continued sulking.

“It’s okay, pumpkin.” Dax got up and wrapped his arm around Riley. “You did good.” He nodded.

“I can’t believe we’re fighting over this.” I mumbled.

“Can’t you just say they all did it?” Mica whispered in my ear. My heart thumped.

I looked up at them. Riley, Dax and Kyle were all arguing. They couldn’t even see us.

“I wanna kiss you.” I whispered.

Mica smiled and leaned in.

“Wait,” I grabbed Mica’s hand and led him out of the room. Everyone was too busy arguing to notice.

We made it to the dark hallway. Alone at last.

I pulled Mica close to me and leaned down. We kissed each other. The warmth of his lips was enough to warm up this cold, cold winter day.

“You’ve been so busy lately. With all the texts it’s hard to believe you’ve finally materialized in front of me.” I chuckled.

“I saw you last week!” Mica chuckled between kisses.

“We have to bump it up to twice a week minimum.”

Mica laughed. “Okay. Deal.” He leaned in again and tangled his hand in my hair. His fingers hungrily stroked the back of my head.

And now that my body was warmed. Blood began to rush and… well.. Stuff.

Mica peeked at the living room. We could still hear them arguing.

“How long are they going to keep fighting?”

“Do you think it’ll be long enough for uh..” I nodded upstairs.

Mica chuckled. “I don’t know..”

“Please? We can lock the door.” I kissed Mica again and while making out I pushed him against the wall and lifted his legs up so they wrapped around me.

“What if they hear us?”

“I don’t care.” I said honestly. Light as a feather, I traced my lips over Mica’s cheek all the way to his jaw. I bit his neck playfully.

“James.. Not fair.” He whispered. He sighed gently.

I looked into his lustful eyes. They twinkled like the stars outside.

Mica grabbed my chin and pulled me in. And we kissed slowly and intimately as if we were alone in the house.

My hand made it’s way to Mica’s hair and I pulled out his bun. Mica’s hair cascaded over his shoulders.

I licked his lip. “Please?”

Mica nodded eagerly. “We have to be quiet, though.”

“Yes!” I exclaimed without thinking.

That was so loud there was no way they didn’t hear us!

We both froze and stared at the door.

We still heard them arguing back and forth.

Mica and I laughed and I carried him up the stairs, both of us disappearing into my dark bedroom.

• o 🦋 o •

“Well, well, well.” Riley said when we came back into the living room, hand in hand.

I instantly felt ashamed. Mica blushed nervously.

“If it isn’t the love birds themselves.” Dax accused.

“Hope you two had a good time.” Kyle chimed in.

“I- I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I stammered. “D-do you?” I asked Mica.

He shook his head.

“We all know what you two were doing.” Riley said. “You can drop the act.”

Mica turned a shade deeper.

“So. Who is it?” Kyle asked.

“Huh?”

“Come on, we all know you were deliberating and deciding who is the one that brought Jica or as I prefer it, Mames back together.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your ship-name- Whatever, who is it? Who’s the winner?” Kyle asked.

Wait… that’s what they thought we were doing? I glanced at Mica and tried not to show my relief.

“Well.” I gulped. “We’ve decided that…”

Think!! Think!!

“You all played a part in it! And if it wasn’t for all of you we wouldn’t even be speaking. So thank you.”

“Yeah. Thanks guys.” Mica nodded.

“That’s it? We all win?”

“Yes.” Mica nodded.

“Lame.” Kyle complained and plopped down on the couch.

Dax sighed and joined him. They went to pick out a movie.

Riley gawked at us. “Really?” She whispered.

I shook my head. “You won.” I mouthed.

Riley smiled from ear to ear. Mica nodded in agreement.

She did a quiet victory dance.

Mica and I chuckled and joined everyone on the couch.

I really mean it. If it wasn’t for Riley Mica and I wouldn’t even know each other. And everything that has happened since our meeting has been because of her. Directly or not.

I bumped her arm. “Thanks, Riley.” I whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled and bumped against me.

“Alright, what movie are we watching?” I asked.

“Blood guts 2.” Kyle and Dax said in unison.

“Wait, that’s an action movie!”

“It’s action/ horror/ slasher, actually.” Kyle said. “Can’t believe it’s finally on NewFlicks.”

“Guys you can’t do this to me!” I complained. “I’ll throw up.”

“Suck it up, bro.” Kyle laughed evilly. He dimmed the lights and Dax turned the movie on.

Riley was instantly on the tip of her seat. Dax and Kyle were both making notes about the special effects and I was shaking in my boots.

Mica leaned in to me. “Don’t worry.” He whispered. “I can hold your hand this time.”

I looked at my boyfriend and he smiled the softest, most radiant smile ever.

I gladly took his hand.

And suddenly, just like that, I loved action movies.