and we hated

Fact no.23: Lover

"I'm in", he says.

Alec frowns: "You're obviously in."

"Don't you think it would be a bit unfair?", Noah continues. "Given the fact Jacob leads the volleyball team."

"Scared of the competition, Coin?", I ask him smirking. Jacob smiles at me. Noah only glares.

"Yeah. I know when I'm in advantage and when not. Now, clearly not."

"But you will only play for fun", I continue.

"You're not playing with us?", he asks me.

"I'd rather stare the first round, thank you", I answer, smirking at him. He chuckles.

"Then, does anyone of you want to play?", Noah asks the rest of my besties. They make no move to standing up, all more than okay with staring.

"Fab Five game?", he asks the other guys. They all agree.

"What's the prize?", I ask.

"What do you mean?", Noah counters. "You literally said it's just for fun."

"The winner chooses a punishment for the losing team", Nini suggests. Everybody nods.

"Then, let's make some teams", Jacob says.

~

Fifteen minutes later, the two teams each stand on their part of the field. Team one: Noah, Caden, Alec and Adam. Team two: Jacob, Kai, Darrel and Leo. The Fab Five game got into a guys game when they realize they were five and needed eight people.

I know they made the teams this way to balance Jacob's knowledge in this game, but the blonde doesn't seem the least bit worried.

My besties, Cami and I are sitting on the margin of the field, ready to cheer for them. We decided to play another game afterwards with us playing too. But this game will happen in these teams. It is going to be too epic. Especially with the prize that's at stake.

Nini, Soph and I decided to be the ones who start the game. We're all standing next to each other, the ball in Nini's hands. The team without Jacob will begin. Guess why. Soph begins, a smile already on. As she looks at Alec, her face lights up even more.

"So, everybody ready?", she asks. As they all nod, we share a look and decide to start this.

"On your marks", Soph says.

"Get set", I continue.

"Go", Nini ends, throwing the ball to the starting team, and particularly to Caden.

Let the games begin.

~

Jacob is grinning above both ears as he leads the way to the living room. We've all been taking dinner outside after the day on the beach. Which left us all tired. After the Fab Five game, which Jacob won, obviously, we played beach volleyball in other teams. I knew that Jacob was good at volleyball before, since the guy clearly got named captain of the team for a reason, but seeing him now. He managed to win over Alec, Caden, Noah and Adam together. Of course, Kai and Darrel helped too, but it was mostly Jacob's win. He took the bumps, then either Kai or Darrel did the set and then came Jacob's killer spikes. Leo just stood there and watched for the most part of the game. And even though it was mostly a one-man show, they won. With ten points advantage.

After the guys' game, we remade the teams. Soph, Alec, Nini and Caden on one team, Noah, Adam, Jacob and me on the other. Nessie didn't want to play, neither did Dia. Leo was too "tired" from the first game and Dia stayed with him. Kai and Cami also decided to watch. The game between us didn't have any prize and we actually played for fun. I could also see how Jacob backed down on his killer spikes. We ended up having a tie with them, and I am sure that if he would have given everything, we would have won. With many points difference. I don't care though. It was fun.

I guess Jacob had fun too, since his smirk now says enough. Alec, Caden, Noah and Adam left earlier from the table to prepare their punishment. It only made me more curious.

The curiosity grows as Jacob makes us a sign to take a sit on the couch and we see the four in front of the TV, all looking like they are about to go to war.

"What did you make them do?", I ask, a bit worried as I see how pale Noah is.

"Nothing much", Jacob replies grinning.

"Asshole", Noah hisses at him while Caden shows him the middle finger. Alec is one step away from killing him.

"I recommend filming this, it will be the experience of a lifetime", the blonde continues. The death stares he gets from his friends only get more intense.

Smirk still on, Jacob takes the remote and opens the TV, which was already stopped on a karaoke video. From Lover. Taylor Swift. A smirk escapes from me too.

"You are for sure my favorite member of the Fab Five", I tell Jacob, to which he does a little curtsy. Noah glares at me. I smirk at him.

I then take out my phone and promise to send the video of the group. Because someone made a new group chat. With all of us ten. Called The Core Ten. I know, very inspired

Jacob starts the video and my besties and I all turn our whole attention to the guys. Who don't sing. The music keeps going and going and not a peeps. They start discussing a strategy, but not singing.

"You do realize you have to sing?", I ask, earning myself a proud look from Jacob and a round of nods from my besties.

"Shut up, precious", Noah lets out.

I show him the middle finger. He does a vulgar gesture back that makes me smirk and leaves the others chuckling.

As soon as they are ready talky-talking, they go back in position and begin.

Alec is the one who begins. He doesn't change his death glare or deadpanned tone as he says: "Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand". I have to laugh at that. The guy seemed to be at a funeral rather than a party. And his expression pointed towards violence. It didn't match the song at all. The other seemed to think that too, since they all join the laughter. Only Soph glows with happiness and shouts: "Well done, babe!" Alec smiles at her, then returns to the cold state.

Caden comes up next, the complete opposite from Alec. The guy sings as if he were at America's Got Talent. The "With every guitar string scar on my hand" never was so dramatic. With hand gestures and all, he went full-in. I laugh again, Nini starts applauding and cheering for him, saying: "That's my boyfriend, y'all." Caden smiles at her and traces a heart in the air. Nini blushes.

Adam is next, and the way he sings even shows he's a CEO. He doesn't sing. It's like we would be having a meeting and he would explain to us the latest contract. The "I take this magnetic force of a man" almost became his latest pitch.

Noah comes last, with "To be my". He seemed so done with the world saying those three words, especially as Jacob jumps from the couch and yells: "Lover". The blonde has never been more excited. I throw Noah a glance and he smirks.

The music keeps playing but we already ditched the karaoke and went to talk to each other.

We spend the rest of the night talking and playing card games.

But at least one thing is for sure. Jacob will get to choose the punishments from now on.