As I laughed at his cheesy joke, we both fell back into a familiar and comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's company.
Not long after that, Tommy and I headed inside and I fell fast asleep, smiling.
The next morning, I woke to both Niki and my brother hovering above me like they had the morning before. This time, they both had huge smiles plastered on their face.
"Jesus Christ-" I say, almost yelling in shock, covering my face partially with the blanket. "You both look like the joker with those smiles, what the hell-"
Both of them laugh and Niki gently places her hand on mine.
"It's your big day Annie! You need to get up and get ready for it!"
I groan, feeling a pit in my stomach as I remember what I had committed myself to doing. "I'm not ready to get upppp." However I suddenly shoot up, making both Niki and Jordan jump back, as I remember that I forgot one important thing. "I don't even have a face cam. Or a filming camera of any kind. "
The pair exchange a glance, their smiles growing wider.
"Well," Jordan begins, leaning down to grab something, "you could just use Tommy's camera, buuut we didn't want you to have to do that. SO, Niki and I went to the Best Buy and got you one that you can use for now."
He pulls out the box and sets it down on my bed and I quickly pick it up, turning it around in my hands. "Holy crap! That's so sick! Thank you guys!" I tell them, looking up at them with a smile.
"We figured you would like it!" Niki exclaims, resting a hand on mine and her smile remaining soft.
I smile down at the camera in my hands, beginning to take it out of the box. "Tommy, Tubbo and I will probably set everything up later. Tommy and I talked last night and decided that we're gonna do a cooking stream."
After a few moments, I realized my mistake in what I said and my eyes grow wide and I turn bright red as I resist the urge to cover my mouth.
Niki and Jordan however, caught on far quicker than I did, as one of Jordan's eyebrows raise and Niki's eyes fill with confusion.
"Annie," Jordan begins, "you and Tommy didn't really talk at all last night."
Suddenly, Niki's eyes fill with realization and she quickly places her arm on my brother's shoulder as he seems to be going into protective brother mode. "She means at the beach I think. It's an easy mistake to make seeing as these past two days have flown by." I watch as she shoots me a glance, telling me to go along with it.
"Yeah. Tommy, Tubbo and I all talked about it at the beach is what I meant," I tell him, attempting to get him off my trail.
"Uh huh...."
"Jordan! How about you go help Wilbur with breakfast? I think I can hear Tommy and Tubbo waking up now so he'll probably need help," Niki tells him, giving him a warm smile.
I see my brother hesitate for a second, before he simply nods and walks out of the room.
I release a breath I didn't even realize I was holding. "Thank you Niki, I owe you one-"
"No no, you're going to spill. THAT'S why I've heard you get up and walk out of the room every night?" She whisper yells at me, her eyes genuinely curious.
"Well- I mean- in my defense, it's generally just because I can't sleep and the view outside at night is just really pretty-"
"And Tommy just so happens to go outside with you is what you're saying?"
I sigh, "Yes Niki, precisely that. He says that he hears me when I get up and go outside so he says he comes to check on me."
I see her expression shift slightly to one that looks as if she just saw a cute animal "That's so sweet oh my god," she almost squeals.
I give her a weird look, my face turning pink again. "He's literally just checking up on me. I don't see how that's weird or anything like that. I though it was just normal Tommy."
"Well," Niki starts, thinking about her next words for a second, "it is like Tommy. He does check to make sure people are okay a lot. It's just- I've mainly only ever seen him take it to the extent he's doing it with you with Tubbo and Wilbur. So it's kind of odd."
I shake my head, "I'm sure it's nothing."
Suddenly, Niki's eyes shine for a second, "Annie!" She exclaims quietly, grabbing my shoulders gently, "What if he likes you?"
My face turns bright red at the mention of this and I back up out of her grasp, "Wh-What? No no, Niki you're thinking too much about all of this."
She suddenly covers her mouth, hiding her smile.
"What?! Niki what are you all excited about now."
Her eyes almost shimmer, "You SO like him. There is NO way you don't."
My face turns an even deeper shade of red, "Wha- Niki! I do not! Don't make assumptions like that!"
"It's not an assumption! I can tell based off of your body language and your face!"
"Niki I don't like Tommy like that!" I exclaim, a little too loudly, covering my mouth afterwards, lowering my tone. "I don't like Tommy like that." I pause for a moment. "At least I think."
She laughs, "Oh you are hopeless. You don't even know your own emotions."
As I walked past Annie and Niki's closed bedroom door, I heard quiet arguing inside and I couldn't help but be worried.
Tubbo had already went downstairs saying that he was starving but I lagged behind so I could scroll through some social media and do my daily tweet about how much I love women.
God, I'm so great.
But now that I was walking downstairs and I heard arguing from their room, my curiosity got the best of me and I couldn't help but listen from near the door, now being able to clearly hear Niki and Annie arguing with each other over something.
Was Annie being bollocked for going outside when everyone else was asleep to talk to me? God, I hope not.
"What?! Niki what are you all excited about now." I hear Annie question.
Okay, maybe she wasn't being bollocked because of me. I can walk away without worrying now.
However, something Niki says makes me stop in my tracks. "You SO like him. There is NO way you don't."
'Huh? Who's she talking about?'
"Wha- Niki! I do not! Don't make assumptions like that!" Annie replies, sounding flustered.
Part of me felt a weight lifted off my chest. 'Hey, at least I know she doesn't actually like them. That's a relief.'
After I realize this thought, I pause. 'Why was this even a thought for me? Do I like Annie?'
'I mean... she is very pretty... and sweet... and funny... and fun to talk to... and a great friend...'
"It's not an assumption! I can tell based off of your body language and your face!" Niki exclaims from the other side of the door.
'Holy shit. I do like Annie... I've liked her for a while.. I'm only just now realizing it...' I think, feeling happiness at the thought of her, bubbling up in my chest, not really hearing what Niki had just said.
"Niki I don't like Tommy like that!"
Hearing her say my name, I snap back into reality, whipping around to face the door in shock of what she just said and I take a sharp inhale.
"Oh..." I whisper, finding myself stumbling back to Tubbo and I's room so I can take a moment to collect myself.
As I walk into the bathroom in our room, I close the door and lock it, turning around, and firmly gripping the bathroom counter, looking down into the sink.
I take a few deep breaths before looking up at myself in the mirror. My eyes are a more vibrant blue, giving away my overwhelming sense of...
....I don't know.... I don't know what this emotion is.....
All I know....
Is that this hurts...
Word count - 1398 words
A/N~ Helloooo loves! It's been a hot minute since I've updated... I'm sorry🥺👉👈 pls forgive meeeeee 😣 ANYWAYS! I was in an angsty-ish mood and have been for a bit so........... SORRY NOT SORRY BUT I LOVE YOU GUYSSSS
ALSO! Thanks for almost 150k reads! That's absolutely MENTAL. <3