Piece of Cake | Ashton Irwin [au]

Sixteen

“Because you would have pulled exactly what you’re doing right now the moment I would have told you.”

“Nuh uh,” I scoff, not even believing myself.

Michael rolls his eyes. “Yeah, you tell yourself that,” he says. “It shouldn’t matter anymore. Yesterday is done and over with, you got to come to dinner with us, and now you can get back to your little game with Ruth.”

I frown when he calls what I’m doing with Ruth a “game.” Yes, that’s how it started, but I don’t want it to stay a “game.” I’m all for proving Ruth wrong about myself, but I don’t want what potential friendship is developing to be forever known as a “game.” It honestly makes me feel like I’m using her when I’m not.

“Don’t call it that,” I say, fumbling with his spare key in my hand.

“That’s what it is though,” he counters.

I have a feeling that no matter how much I deny it, there’s no changing his mind about it being a game. “Whatever,” I say and get up off the couch.

I walk over to the kitchen and stare at it in disgust. Red sauce is splattered everywhere, coating the counters and half of the tile flooring. I think what’s most disturbing though is the open oven with the pan of chicken that is powdered in white from the fire extinguisher that is lying uselessly on the floor.

“I see why you didn’t want us coming in here,” I shout from across the room. “Why haven’t you cleaned this up?”

The couch squeaks from the loss of Michael’s weight as he ambles over to the kitchen. “If you’ve forgotten, I was a little intoxicated last night and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want me to clean my kitchen unless you want me to potentially kill myself.”

“I guess.”

“You guess?” he says with a chuckle. “Look, I’m sorry about last night. Now can you please stop talking so loud and let me go back to sleep? I don’t know why you had to come here so early in the morning. Is the sun even out?”

“No, I like talking loud,” I say with a smirk. “It’s payback for lying and not telling me about the dinner beforehand and also for getting to sit next to Ruth all last night.”

He groans. “Whatever. You can stand here and yell as much as you want, but I’m going back to bed because some ass decided to rudely wake me up,” he says and drags himself over to his bedroom. He slams the door shut and then curses loudly at himself for not being quieter.

Not really wanting to stay in his messy apartment, I leave and head up to my own. It’s still pretty early out and the sun is barely rising as I make my way upstairs. I guess I didn’t have to wake up this early, but at least I got to get some of my revenge on Michael.

As I walk down the hallway to my apartment, I stop in front of Ruth’s door. I wonder if she’s having as rough of a morning as Michael.   

Answering my silent thought, her door swings open and she bumps into me as she tries to rush out of her apartment. “Sorry!” she says, brushing the hair that has fallen in her face away. “Oh, it’s just you.”

“Hello, to you too. It’s a bit early for you to be bumping into me, don’t you think?” I tease.

“I wouldn’t have bumped into you if you weren’t standing in front of my door,” she sasses. “What were you doing just standing here anyway?”

“I was just coming back to my place after visiting Michael and his hung over self,” I explain. “I was going to check on you and see if you were having as bad of a morning as he is, but judging by your appearance you seem to be perfectly fine.”