Crossroads

bonus chapter 0.2 "toddlers in their twenties"

"Here you go. One Moscow Mule, two Mai Tai's and a Bloody Mary." Aaron balances a tray filled with cocktails perfectly on his hand, bending, he places our drinks beside us.

Stealing a sip from his wife's MaiTai, Aaron settles beside her on the beach chair, Jasmines head immediately resting on his chest as his arms go around her.

The sight makes me smile, they deserve this.

A sigh of contentment leaves my lips, the Bloody Mary leaving tingles down my throat in its wake, "We should do this more often."

All of us deserved it.

After moving to LA none of us were prepared for the workload that would flood us, each of us had gotten so wrapped up in our careers that sometimes we'd gone months without meeting each other.

After Aaron and Jasmines wedding things had settled down for some time but even that hadn't lasted long so we'd come to the decision to take a much needed holiday and the perfect opportunity came after Caleb proposed.

There were precisely two weeks till our wedding-till we headed to Paris to say our vows. The gang had come to the unanimous decision of paying Everdale a visit before heading to Paris, thus the ten of us reunited yet again under the same roof years later.

And to think, in a sense, this very house started it all.

"On any other day, I'd be the first one to agree but as of now that I have a cleaning rag in my hand, I hold other opinions." My fiancé struts out through the open glass doors, utterly shirtless with shorts hanging low, that defined V making me gulp another sip of my drink.

The smirk he gives me tells me that he knows exactly what course my thoughts have taken, Caleb comes to sit beside me, sighing as his legs meet the cool water of the pool.

I meet those striking whorls of chocolate just as he leans in to whisper in my ear "Stop looking at me like that or else we'll have to excuse ourselves very soon Starlight." I hold in the shiver that his tone and that name entices.

Loud stomps make me pull away from him, both of us now watching as Daniel marches out, a dirty rag tucked in the loop of his trunks "Stupid fucking punishment, stuid fucking table and my poor pinkie." he pouts down at his red toe.

Tris follows behind him, grinning before he eyes the boy infront of him "No wonder you're single." Danny glares at the blond even as he gulps down the shot of tequila he poured for himself.

"I'm happy with my lifestyle." He tugs the rag out of the loop and throws it aside "The girls I sleep with have a mutual understanding with me, they know that a girl to me is like a dress is to them, I wouldn't want to be caught with the same one twice."

Candice scrunches her nose, discreetly looking at Jasmine who shakes her head at him, worry apparent in her eyes.

Danny dismisses the concerned looks aimed at him and without any other seconds to spare he dives in the pool, consequently earning complains and curses from most of us due to being splashed with the water.

He breaks to the surface with a grin, I watch Tris go to what-questionably-used to be his favourite part of the gang house, the outdoor dj system and soon enough music makes the atmosphere alive.

He lets out a laugh "Oh baby, did I miss playing with you." hands flying from one button to the other, he bounces on his feet-a wild Tristan Hawthorn in his element.

"And you wonder why you're single." Daniel aims at him from the water but at this point Tris is completely engrossed in his music.

Mase is the last one to run out, whooping at the music as he exclaims "Now that our 'punishment' is over and everything's cleaned up and back in place let's get this party started!"

Another string of curses goes around at Mase's cannonball.

"Can someone now help me with this massive bbq you slackers demanded?" Noah complains "I've been asking for a damned hour now." He crosses his arms over his apron, the tan skin beneath shining with sweat.

"Oh we've been listening, we just chose not to pay any attention." Caleb blows my cousin a kiss as a reply to the glare he throws him, rolling my eyes I rest my head on Calebs shoulder, his arm instinctively wraping around my bare torso at the action.

Ash gets up from the lounging chair and walks over to Noah, taking the spatula from his hands she gestures at the burger buns "You can start preparing them, I'll finish these off." Noah stares at Ash for a few moments before he places a kiss on her cheek.

The couple exchanges a few whispered words with each other which leave them grinning as both of them start their tasks.

My smile only widens.

Tris's music continues to blast through the speakers, Ash giggles as Noah wraps her in his arms and both of them flip burger buns together. Danny and Mase swimming laps as Candice watches the boys fight every now and then with fondness. Jasmines head remains on Aarons chest, his eyes closed and lips pulled into soft smile as Aaron finishes her untouched drink.

And then to my fiancé who watches everyone with a certain look on his beautiful face-the look that tells me that, he too, can't fathom how lucky we are to have everything we've ever wished for.

My family.

I raise my head to face him, meeting those eyes I whisper "je t'aime, mon beau (i love you, handsome)"

The smile he gives me makes his eyes crinkle and my heart swell with adoration, he leans in, lips brushing mine in a soft sweet kiss "Et je t'aime magnifique (and I love you gorgeous)"

We'd be married in two weeks, memories of the past year flash in my mind and when my thoat becomes too tight with emotion I return my head to his shoulder, closing my eyes against the warm rays of the sun.

I can't belp but let out another sigh of contentment at the tranquil atmosphere an-"We're pregnant."

Bloody motherfucking shit.

My eyes snap open at that, finding Aaron and Jasmine grinning sheepishly at all of us. It's as though everything freezes in the following moments-even the music comes to a screeching halt as Tris stares at the couple with a too widely parted mouth.

I'm going to be an Aunt?

"Guys, I think Daniel just fainted."

And then everyone lost their shit

☼ 𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍'𝙎 𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀  ☼

Firstly, thank you thank you and so many more thank yous for making CR reach 500k
That's half a million reads! And that's Insane!!
As promised, here is the milestone bonus chapter. It took some time (thank you online classes) but it's here.
It's been too long since I've written about these (now 10) troublemakers and I hadn't realised how much I'd missed it.
I was conflicted on what to write and I'm sorry this is not as juicy as you wanted it to be but never say never we have a lot of milestones to hit and I guarantee a chapter with all the babies is in th future!
And as another thank you to you amazing people I'll be writing a chapter in the character of your choosings point of view, all you have to do is comment a name.
I assure you you won't regret the new scene you'll be getting, that too in a person other than Caleb or Adelin's pov.
So comment away!
I have so much to talk about but this is getting too long :(
I love all of you. Mwah!
I hope you liked the chapter
Until next time
Xoxo
💙