Insufficient

Chapter Thirteen - Makeovers

"I was joking. Also, that was literally thirteen years ago, how do you remember that but not what time our meetings start?" Massimo said, and Elliot shrugged.

"We should do makeovers for everyone." Justin suggested and I saw Elliot cringe.

"Don't like the idea so much now, do you fratellino?" Massimo teased.

"We don't even have enough makeup for that," Elliot said, ignoring Massimo. "Do we mom? Please say no."

"Wel-"

"Actually," Elijah spoke before anyone could object. "I planned ahead, and while we were playing the game, I had a few of the night guards go to the store and get some hair and makeup products." Elijah swept his arm to the side, bringing the dozens of plastic bags that sat in the corner of the room closest to the front door to our attention.

I smiled ruefully while turning back to look at Massimo. "Now you can't say no."

"Oh yes I can."

"No you can't."

"Yes I can."

"No you can't"

"Yes I can." He enunciated, like I hadn't been hearing him clearly the other times and I got up, walked over to where he sat, squeezed between him and the arm of the couch. I pouted at him, giving him my best puppy dog eyes that I haven't used in forever and said:

"No you can't." In a sad voice. I probably looked ridiculous, but I saw the millimetre smile that cracked through his facade before he groaned and agreed.

I grinned in victory, shrieking when he reached over and yanked me across his lap, face up, and started tickling me.

"But I get to do your hair." He said as I squirmed around, shrieking with laughter as I fought a middle ground between pain and being ticklish.

"Okay, fine." I blurted between laughs.

"And you have to say, 'Massimo, you're the best cousin ever, and I love you the most.'" He said in a high pitched girly voice.

"I do not sound like that." I squealed, wincing from the pain when I jerked wrong, but I think Massimo thought it was from him tickling me because he simply continued to attack that spot.

Tears gathered in my eyes from the pain, even though I continued to laugh and squirm out of reflex.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to lie?" I squeaked out, and Massimo gasped.

"You mean to tell me that I'm not the best?" He asked, and I should have heard it in his voice.

"No." I shook my head, giggling. Relieved at the momentary break. Massimo got a rueful look in his eye right before he stood up, catching me and swinging me over his shoulder before he gently "slammed" (more like let me fall) me back onto the couch.

Even though I could tell he was being gentle, it still hurt like hell, sending pain through my ribs, arms, back, and even chest. But I didn't have any time to process much more before Massimo was tickling me again.

This time he had me pinned to the couch, so I really couldn't go anywhere. Or so he thought.

Putting me in this position actually gave me a bit of an upper hand, because I could use the space between him and the couch to my advantage.

I was able to grab his wrists and use the pole like things to push me at an angle where I was on my side up against the couch, my legs still pinned down. I used the momentary confusion I had just caused him to use all my weight, and the leverage of the couch, to knock him off the edge, completely freeing myself.