Happy Endings

27. spiraling

Warning: very long chapter (but it's worth it) and mentions of alcohol and drinking.

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"Try to play it cool. There's nothing I can do now. I'm all fucked up on you."

☼

"You guys are late."

Hayley didn't sound angry, but Kellin Quinn knew that tone. He knew each of his friends so well that at that moment he figured they were in for a scolding, and Hayley could definitely chew them off even through the speakers of his car.

Kellin didn't know what was worse. Being late, or the fact that they were currently waiting for Vic outside of his apartment building, or that both of his friends Jenna and Jack were there with him, not really caring about an irritated Hayley but more focused on the moment Vic would walk out the front door. Or maybe the anxiety of hanging out with all his friends plus Vic at the same time. 

Yeah, that was probably the worst part.

It didn't take much to convince Victor to go to dinner with him and his friends. It had been only a day after getting the promotion and Kellin decided to get it over with and ask while he dropped Penny off in the morning. It was like Vic suddenly got hundreds of stars in his eyes.

He was free for the weekend and Kellin was happy to hear that, maybe a little too much since he offered a ride on the spot too. In his defense, he remembered Vic's bike problems so he assumed it would be useful. Plus he was driving Jack and Jenna too. It wasn't a big deal, not really. He was being helpful.

"Hayls, it's on me," Jack was quick to say into the air, he was riding shotgun and playing some game on his phone. At least he was aware.

"It took him 15 minutes to get down to the car. Can you believe him?" Jenna said from the backseat, leaning in between the seats so she could speak into Kellin's phone on the dashboard.

"Why?!" Hayley asked sharply.

"Can't a guy take his time getting ready sometimes? Jeez..." Jack said with a laugh.

Kellin knew he had probably forgotten and started getting ready the second he and Jenna arrived at his place.

"Where are you now?" Hayley ignored him and Kellin held back a sigh.

"Waiting for Vic," Jenna said and Kellin looked at her from the rearview mirror, her grin made him want to roll his eyes. He didn't.

"He's coming down, I just got a text from him," Kellin said, shrugging off Jenna's looks.

"I'll tell you if he looks cute," her lips curved even more, making Kellin frown.

"Oh, here he comes," Jack said with a grin once he looked up from his screen.

Just then, the door to the building opened. It was to his left so Kellin was the first to see Vic walking out, waving to the doorman and then waving to the car.

He had his hair down and maybe it had gotten longer since they met, but his curls flew with the slight breeze of the night, it made Vic laugh as he put his locks in place. His grin looked as bright as ever.

He'd dressed accordingly for the dinner too, with a loose, satin black, long-sleeved shirt and burnt orange, almost brown but no quite, flared pants that tied at his waist, and Kellin knew that would've looked terrible on anyone else but somehow Vic made it work. His ankle boots were a good match too. It was making Kellin feel a little underdressed in his plain creamy white button-up and navy pants, but he chose to not overthink it.