"I literally cannot walk anymore," Jane groaned and walked towards the tap to fill a glass with water.
Marcus smirked, and he leaned against the kitchen island across from her. "Another round?"
"Oh, absolutely not. I felt like I cycled around this island. How much did we cycle?"
Marcus and Jane decided to go on a cycle tour today. This was the perfect opportunity to show Jane around; they stopped at the karting track, his old school and Marcus showed around the nature of New Zealand.
"70 kilometres."
Her eyes widened, and she dramatically looked at him. "I thought it would be less."
He walked around the island and cupped her face in his hands. "Did you enjoy it?" He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.
She nodded. "Yes, absolutely," she smiled. "I get why you said Iceland looked like New Zealand. Nature looks the same, landscapes, a home in the middle of nowhere, green nature... Just different temperatures and language."
"Hmm-hmm, I told you." Marcus gave her a kiss. "The temperature is better here, though."
"Oh, please," Jane said and rolled her eyes.
He snorted and kissed her again. "I love you," he whispered. "Do you enjoy it here as well?"
"I love you," she smiled. "And yes, I do. It's amazing here." She looked at her phone; people were texting her. "I think we need to tune in..."
Marcus looked at her phone. "What we do for these people," he breathed. "Shall we put it on TV?" He let go of Jane. "And do you need coffee?"
"You do the TV, I do the coffee," Jane mentioned and yawned.
"Perfect."
And as said, Marcus made sure his laptop was connected to the TV, and Jane made two cups of coffee - of course with the coffee beans from Italy. A few minutes later, Jane walked to the couch and sat down next to Marcus, handing over his espresso.
"Alright, let's go," Marcus said and entered the Zoom call.
Multiple people popped up on the TV screen.
"Ah. Good afternoon Europe," Luna widely smiled. "Привет Россия," she added, saying hi Russia. "And good evening, New Zealand!" She opened this Zoom call like it was Eurovision.
"See, it isn't that hard to pronounce it," Robert said proudly. He loved teaching her the basics of his mother language while Luna was teaching him some more advanced things in Italian.
"I know!" Luna excitedly said.
"Good evening," Jane smiled and yawned. "Afternoon, whatever it is."
"Do we have everyone?" Mick asked and scanned the attendees.
Callum nodded. "We were waiting for the down under to join. You're late."
"It's one in the morning, clowns. I need my coffee. Calm down," Marcus said, annoyed.
This day was pub quiz day, but from everyone's home. The friend group joined the Zoom call from their homes or holiday addresses. The con for Marcus and Jane, who were part of the organisation, they lived ahead of the others. And since most of them preferred to have this pub quiz in the afternoon, Marcus and Jane offered to join them in the night so they still could do this pub quiz.
"I didn't know you would get angry," Callum said.
Giggled filled the call.
"Look how the kiwis are laying on that couch," Cate smirked.
Jane raised her arm and put her thumb up. She took a sip from her coffee.
"Mick, where even are you?" Robert curiously asked when he saw an unfamiliar background behind Mick.
Mick looked behind him, he sat at the dining table that gave him a clear view of the woods as background. "I'm in Lapland."
"Okay, let's do a round and say where you are," Luna said and smiled. "Just curious."
"Did you know this is the first time I don't mind having my camera on in an online call?" Jane suddenly said.
Waves of laughter were shared.
"Same," Cate smirked. "Anyway, my room in Italy. Enjoy."
"Living room in England," Callum said and showed a neutral smile.
Robert looked around behind him. "Living room in Russia."
"Study room in Italy," Luna said and put up her thumbs sarcastically.
"Living room in Lapland."
Marcus looked around. "Couch in New Zealand."
For some reason, it sounded sarcastic to Jane. She almost choked in her coffee and began to laugh. "Sorry," she laughed and sat up. "Oh, god."
"What?" He looked at her.
"Nothing," she said and grinned. "It's sounded funny."
"Alright, anyway, who wants to control the Kahoot?" Robert asked curiously.
"I'll do it," Cate said and started to share her screen, looking up a Kahoot. "For real, when you stop using Kahoot because you're a grown-up now, you realise how golden it actually is. I'm so excited to do this again."
"Yes, oh my god," Luna smiled and nodded. "By the way, Jane, how are you?"
A yawn escaped Jane's lips. "Besides being stiff, absolutely fine," she mentioned. Eyebrows raised. "Cycled 70 kilometres today. No, but I'm fine. I was sick for three more days, and I'm better now. I don't have a jet lag at all, because I slept the whole night - day in Europe - because of the flu."
"You had the flu?" Mick worriedly asked.
"And woman still flew all the way to New Zealand," Marcus smirked.
"Adorbs," Luna said.
Cate picked out a Kahoot. "Music quiz? Okay, everyone grab your phone. No partnering, do this on your own," she mentioned.
"By the way, I'm probably not at my best. I'm tired, so is my mind," Marcus shared and yawned.
Callum nodded. "Another way of saying you're dumb."
"Bad excuse, Marcus," Robert teased.
Jane sat down next to Marcus and laid his head on her shoulder.
"Alright, let's begin," Cate said and started the Kahoot. "So we get to hear a small clip and then pick the right answer. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy," she explained.
The quiz began. Everyone was a music freak, so there was quite some battle between the friend group. It was like they had to prove they were the best. Everyone was vibing along with the clips, secretly even sang along.
"Oh, this is that ad from Armani!" Cate yelled when the song of an Armani ad played. "Way down we go, right?"
Jane was the first to press on the answer. She whistled and moved along with the song.
"From that perfume?" Robert asked.
"Is this not from Riverdale?" Marcus asked.
Jane turned around and looked slightly offended at her boyfriend. "You watch Riverdale?"
Marcus parted his lips; that was not the reaction he expected. "No. I mean, I watched the first season because it was a hype, and I've had nothing else to do when travelling around."
A laugh rolled over Luna's lips. "Poor man."
"No, but for real, Riverdale is cringe. So I agree with Jane," Cate shared.
"Am I the only one who knows the song but has no idea who it sings?" Mick asked, he was lost.
Robert shook his head. "I've no idea either, but I got it right either way," he smiled.
"Me too!"
Jane's face straightened when she saw the massive red cross on her phone. "Dude, what the fuck," she said and looked at the screen. "This is not The Rasmus, what the fuck. You're wrong." It was silence. "It's Kaleo, but ok."
"That Icelandic band?" Callum asked and raised his eyebrows.
Mick raised his eyebrows. "Do you know them?"
"Oh, yes! Do you know them?" Cate continued asking.
"Mate, because she's from an island, it doesn't mean she knows everyone," Marcus smirked and sat up. The one question he hated, was when he said he came from New Zealand and people started to ask: 'oh, I've this friend from New Zealand, do you know him?' People acted like New Zealand was small and that everybody knew each other. And Iceland had the same, just like more countries.
"Yeah, true. But still, do you know them?" Callum asked and widely smiled.
"I saw them at a festival here, amazing band," Robert randomly said.
Jane nodded. "I know them," she mentioned.
"I do too," Luna proudly added.
"Me too," Marcus mentioned.
"Explain," Mick said, confused.
"Family, my dudes," Jane explained. "This is Kaleo, it's wrong," Jane defended herself. "I'm suing this quiz thing," she said. "I get the points."
"Fine," Cate sighed. "You have a cool family then. Alright, next!"
The next song was easy: Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams. Everyone was jamming along. Jane and Marcus were lying on the couch again, they were switching positions every time they felt tired and almost fell asleep.
"Yo, listen. Let's go. Okay, listen, yo," Jane and Marcus blurted simultaneously. They sat up again and looked at each other. "Back in the day, me and you baby. We used to have fun. Until, you delivered my baby. Look... That's not my son." There was silence, the silence before the storm. Peals of laughter began to fill the living room, it became hysterical, and they gave each other a high-five.
Mick looked at the two. "How do we stay awake 101."
"They're fucking annoying," Luna smirked. "How in the name did they live without each other for a month?"
"Drama suckers," Callum smirked.