Bad Boy Chemistry

25. How Many Croissants Can You Eat?

"What is it?" I asked concernedly.

"How many croissants can you eat?" Ella raised an eyebrow, giving Clayton and I a look.

"Yes! Let's do it!" Clayton beamed.

"What's happening?" Tom wondered.

"A croissant eating contest!" Ella jumped up and down in excitement.

"A what?" Ace appeared beside me, his signature scent of cigarettes and coffee lingering, along with Jenna.

"It's part of our Paris pact." I told Ace.

"Paris pact?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Clayton, Charlie and I made a pact of things we would do if we ever came to Paris." Ella explained.

"A croissant eating contest is on the list." Clayton added.

"What else is on the list?" Ace wondered, slightly nudging me in the shoulder, as if wanting the answer to come from me.

"Why don't you read it." Ella pulled the list from her pocket and gave it to Ace to read.

"How many croissants can you eat: A croissant eating contest. A photoshoot in front of the Eiffel Tower. Louvre Race?" Ace laughed. "This list is crazy."

"What else is on there?" Ryan wondered.

"A bunch more crazy stuff." Ace handed the list to Ryan, who silently read the list and laughed.

I wonder why Ace didn't tell me about Ryan's visit.

"Ryan, can you be the judge?" Ella asked.

"I kinda wanted to do it too."

"Jenna, can you judge?" Ella stared into Jenna's very soul.

"Those jeans make your legs look fat." Jenna responded. That was very rude.

"At least I don't have a mustache." Ella retorted, causing Ace to laugh.

Jenna huffed and stormed off, turning around after taking a few steps.

"Ace? Are you coming?"

"Nah, I'll catch you later."

"You're so pathetic." Jenna walked angrily the way that we had all come from.

She's probably going back to the hotel.

"Ace, you can be the judge." Ella ordered.

"Uh, what are my duties as a Croissant Judge?"

"You do a countdown for when we have to start, then you determine the winner. Whoever eats the most croissants in eight minutes is the winner." Ella explained.

"Okay."

"Awesome, find a table, Tom and I will go and get the croissants." Her eyes widened with excitement.

We found a table long enough to seat our group and I eagerly took a seat, setting my crutches against the brick wall behind me. Clayton took the seat next to me while Ryan sat the opposite side of me, Ace decided to stay standing up.

"This is going to be so fun." Ryan said.

The old me would've been jumping with excitement, but the new me kind of just wants to go back to the hotel and sleep.

"Soooo, Ryan," Clayton started, giving Ryan an interrogative look.

"Yeah?"

"What made you a bully?"

I gave Clayton a nudge, which was my way of telling him to shut up.

"Excuse me?"

"Last year when you bullied Charlie, what made you do it?"

Ace turned to Ryan, wanting to hear the answer just as much as Clayton did.

This was utterly awkward.

"I didn't want to do it. Joey made us."

"So if Joey jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?" Clayton pressed, causing me to shift uncomfortably in my seat.

"Look, i get that Joey is a dick. That's why I'm no longer friends with him. I regret bullying anyone."

"Oh look, the croissants are here!" I spoke up, hoping that they're conversation would end.

"That was awkward." Ace whispered.

Yes, it was.

Ella and Tom took a seat, placing a basket of croissants in front of each of us. It was a lot of croissants.

"Ready?" Ace asked the group.

"Hell fucking yeah!" Clayton said, licking his lips.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One! Begin."

I reached for a croissant and furiously chewed on it. I doubt I would win this contest, but it doesn't mean that I can't at least try to.

After finishing the first croissant, I shoved another one into my mouth. Then another one, and another one, followed by another one.

And that's when I heard a click.

I looked up at Ace who had his phone pointed at me, trying to hide his dumb and annoying smile. "Did you just take a photo of me?" I spoke with my mouth full.

"Yes, now keep eating! You're almost winning."

I rolled my eyes and tried to finish the croissant that was in my mouth. Suddenly, my entire mood had changed, and I had zero desire to attempt to win this eating contest.

"Times almost up." Ace announced as i attempted to eat another croissant. I couldn't even enjoy the fluffiness of the thick pastry, or the nice quality of the butter.

"And the winner is..... Ella!"

"Suck it, losers!" Ella did a victory dance.

I dropped a half-eaten croissant down on the table and forced myself to swallow what I had been chewing. My forehead was warmer than usual. I closed my mouth shut, hoping that the sudden urge to puke would pass.

But it didn't.

I leaned over the left side of the table and threw up, causing a few customers to groan with displeasure.

Fudging croissants!

"Dude!" Ace seethed.

I sat back up, coming to the realisation that some of my puke had gotten onto Ace's black boots.

"I'm sorry." I don't know why but I was starting to cry. Maybe it was because I was embarrassed and upset? Or maybe it was because I just puked my guts up and my entire body somehow seemed to hurt. Or maybe it was because I was weak willed and outright pathetic.

I stood on one leg and reached for my crutches, eager to just crutch away, only to fall unconscious.