Method Acting || Joe Keery

F O U R T Y

"You settled something with Natalia then?" I ask him with a knowing smile. She was probably calling him everyday until he made up his mind.

He laughs.

"Yeah, we just decided to go with bowling. Does that work for you guys?" He asks.

"It's your party, man. As long as you're happy with it, we're happy. We just want to spend time with you before you go," Joe tells him.

Dacre smiles at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiles at his friend. I'm so glad that they were able to still be good friends through everything.

"Well, we won't be doing teams this time. So, you won't have to deal with Charlee bringing you down this time," He laughs.

"Hey!" I exclaim, offended.

Jesus christ, you suck at one game of laser tag, and suddenly you're useless at all games.

Dacres eyes grow wide as a realisation must hit him.

"Shit. I owe Gaten $200!" He exclaims.

Well... That was random. Confused, I ask him, "What?"

Dacre looks at the table, avoiding my eyes.

"He won the bet," He mutters.

"WHAT?" I ask again, louder and more sternly. Hoping he's not saying what I think he is.

"Well, I thought it would take a bit longer for you guys to get back together. I know how stubborn you can be, Charlee," He says, looking at me now, but avoiding my eyes.

I drop Joe's hand, and grip the table as I process this.

"You... Bet on my love life?" I ask him slowly.

"Just you and Joe, specifically," Dacre says, his voice gradually getting quieter and higher pitched.

As I think about this, I hear laughter across the table and look up to see Joe hanging his head and shaking with laughter. The sound makes my shoulders relax, and I let out a breath.

"So Gaten had faith in us then?" Joe manages to ask Dacre through the laughter.

"He believes in love," Dacre states, his demeanour beginning to relax with Joe's laughter too.

I can't help but smile, as I watch Joe, and I begin to laugh too. Maybe I was overreacting.

As Dacre said, the whole ordeal had been pretty excruciating for everyone else to watch too. Pretty soon all three of us are laughing like maniacs, and I'm sure the other cafe patrons are beginning to grow concerned.

"Wait! $200? That's mad!" I tell Dacre.

"Well, we all knew you'd get back together either way. Had to make it more interesting somehow," He responds.

I smile to myself. Our love has been messy; full of tears, and fights, and longing. But, it is strong and beautiful enough that people believed in us, even when we weren't so sure.

I glance over at Joe, and he's flashing his beautiful, wide grin. Well, maybe I wasn't so sure. He seemed to be waiting patiently the whole time.

*****

When I get home, I relax onto my couch and let out a sigh of relief.

The last 24 or so hours have been very eventful, and while I feel a little empty without Joe by my side right now, it feels good to have a moment to breathe, and process.

I smile as I run through all the events in my mind.

A shiver runs through me, as I think about Joe running in the rain, because I wouldn't pick up the phone. The sound of his voice as he told me he was in love with me, the look in his eyes as he kissed me after I told him I felt the same. The relief in both of our sighs as we touched again.

I chuckle, as I think about how Maya and Robert will react when they find out, then realise I better give them the information sooner than later if I want to keep my head.

I pick up my phone, and dial Robert.

"Hey, I was going to call you! Are you okay after yesterday?" Roberts voice sounds concerned as he picks up the phone.

For a moment, I wonder how he already knows, but then remember Joe's issue with his lines yesterday, and him rushing away, and realise that's what Robert is talking about.

"Yeah... Actually, he came over yesterday," I begin.

"Wait, what?" He asks me. I imagine him sitting up straight and focusing all his attention on me, making sure he doesn't miss any details.

I run through the whole thing, from when I went looking for him after he ran off set, to me ringing him and hanging up, right up to when we both said we loved each other. I leave out some of the more spicy details, but knowing Robert, he is already assuming.

"Maya! You owe me $50!" Robert yells out to her.

"What!? When!? Where!? How!?" I hear Maya's voice call out.

"Wait, you guys were in on the bet too?" I ask.

"Too? What? Was there another bet?" Robert asks.

I tell him about Gaten and Dacre's $200 bet, and Robert whistles.

"Damn, I should have gotten in on that one," He says.

I shake my head. How many bets were made on this?

Suddenly, I hear strange sounds over the phone, and a muffled, "Hey!" and then I think I hear a "I will bite you," But, I'm not sure.

"Tell me EVERYTHING," Maya says breathlessly over the phone. There must have been a tousle in her trying to get to the gossip.

Once, I relay everything that I told Robert, Maya hums happily until realisation dawns on her.

"I can't believe I lost the bet!" She suddenly exclaims.

"Told you I know her better! She was my best friend first," Robert tells her.

I chuckle over my friends fighting over me, knowing that each other is still their number one. I never want to lose them. They've helped me so much this year.

I ask them about going to Dacres bowling going away party, and Robert informs me he's already planning his shopping trip to buy special bowling shoes for it, despite them supplying them there.

After we've caught each other up on everything, I hang up the phone and place it on the table, smiling to myself.