Getting Closer

Chapter Twenty Seven - Juliet

"I for one don't want to have gross sex in a closet or something," I announce. "So getting fucked is in my cards."

Golden eyes slide to me easily. "Come on Jules. You and I can share a closet together." With the gleam in his eye, I catch the other tidbit he wouldn't dare say out loud: or the laundry room would do.

Snorting before Charlie and Seth can scold him, I say calmly, "I'd be pretty desperate for that, Torres."

He winks at me and fetches us a bottle of tequila. "Well," he says as he turns back to us, "if you all won't fuck around, then let's find a quieter place to get fucked."

Seth quickly follows the lead of Max, still hellbent on trying to live life to the fullest, so Charlie and I have to reluctantly follow the two. Walking side by side, I nudge Charlie. "Are you alright?" I ask him. Ever since we've arrived, it has only seemed like he just wants to be home or at least far, far from here.

He locks his jaw and stares at his friends' backs. Eventually, he nods. "I don't like doing things out of my comfort zone."

I pat him on the shoulder. "Good. Sometimes a little fear is good."

Charlie smiles faintly. "Thanks for that, Jules." Though he doesn't really like touch, I still wrap my arms around him and squeeze him. Thanks to him, I've never been happier and his friendship has rejuvenated something in me that has long been broken. He pulls away slightly, but just as I get sad that he still doesn't want a hug, he only does this so he can wrap his arm around me as well.

Seth and Max head downstairs, which vaguely resembles the basement from That '70s Show but instead of being in Wisconsin, we're in Minnesota. Like the show, the basement is filled with a cooler, a shaggy rug that actually might be from the '70s, worn but loved furniture, and a ton of different items gathered throughout the years. And also like the show, it is completely filled with smoke from cigarettes and blunts. Despite the haze, there aren't many people down here so the noise is incredibly more quiet than it is upstairs.

Sitting in a circle on the shaggiest of rugs, the boys and I settle down. Max immediately pours us shots again and I motion to Charlie. "One more shot for you and then we'll stop pestering you."

While seated across from me, he gives me a look but does nod. Grabbing the shot, Charlie raises it and says to us all, "Here's to us."

We all clink glasses and don the liquid, still as shitty as the last. I lean back onto the couch and motion to the bottle, "How much should we drink before things get interesting?"

Max says as he pours Seth and I more shots, "I could have Howard bring us something down to fasten the pace a little..."

Seth's eyes open wide. "I don't trust anything that guy will give us."

Max snorts and then takes a shot. "I have yet to encounter anything but fun."

I roll my eyes. "Do you have fun quite often then?" Though I know we're not an item and knowing full well of what kind of guy Max is, I still can't stop myself from questioning him.

Knowing why I'm asking, Max shrugs. "Little less than before."

"He's also getting less ass than before," Seth adds as he takes a third shot.

Max shoots him a glare, "Still getting more than your virgin ass."

I don't like the fact that Seth knows that Max has been seeing less girls than before and I try not to glance at him to see how he's gauging the situation. Instead I pour another shot for myself and say fuck it. I'm not driving tonight and I really don't want to be sober right now. As I do this, Seth leans in and whispers to Max, "So... how can we also get high?"