johnson starts the conversation while we're all gathered, but sprawled out around the living room.
"i was evaluating lyrics the other day-"
"why am i not surprised?" sam cuts him off his with irritated tone.
can that boy ever shut up and just let someone talk. he always has to interrupt a person's sentence and it's beginning to irk me. his ego is the size of space and he's just a walking stick of nuisance.
the door bell rings and derek is the first one to spring up from the couch. a fearful and panicked look is displayed on his face. his eyes flickers to all of us.
"they're here."
"relax." sam tells him. "i'll get the door."
i cross my legs on the floor and patiently wait for sam to return with the guests. of course, the others don't care and continue to converse with each other. i'm a little nervous to meet them though.
they could be super pretty and nice. a deadly combination because who wouldn't swoon or be jealous over that?
"um," i hear sam loudly question. "i thought chanel was just coming."
wait, does that mean it's more than one person? or is it a different person at the door?
an unfamiliar female voice replies, "no girl is independent, honey."
derek's eyebrows raise and that's the first expression i notice. johnson perks up immediately after that. soon enough, i hear footsteps approach the living room, and following sam are three girls.
one i instantly recognize off the bat. jack's girlfriend.
"there's already a girl in here?" one of the girls asks, stopping her movements.
"yes," liam speaks up. "naomi, that's chanel, ciara, and evelyn."
he points at each girl and they're all stunning. my self confidence is falling off a cliff at the moment as i absorb their names. even their names sound classy. i just keep falling lower and lower.
"hi, baby." ciara says, walking toward jack.
i can't help but watch the scene unfold before me. that definitely caught my attention and i want to see what he does since he claimed that they're not together anymore. whatever that means.
not together, but probably hits her up every time he wants to have a 'good time'. to my surprise, he's frozen in his spot, most likely having no clue on what to do. she voluntarily sits on his lap and he doesn't oppose and protest.
i press my lips together, growing awfully confused. maybe they aren't broken up and he just lied to us all. he's been overprotective of me lately and that's why i'm puzzled. does he not realize i'm still here?
"derek." evelyn scowls, narrowing her eyes at him.
"me?" he points to his chest.
"no, i'm talking to the fucking wall!" she curses.
i'd hate to see her extremely mad. she looks like she'd throw a vase or two. he looks team aback, looking at johnson for help, but he just shrugs in response.
"hello, j." she greets johnson and he smiles at her.
it appears that johnson gets along with everyone. that's not even shocking. he's the most humble and kind out of all of them. i haven't seen him threaten anyone with his gun once.
he's like the glue that holds everybody together. without him, there'd be a world war III. not with just the guys, but the girls included.
"you okay?" liam asks into my ear. "you're tense." he squeezes my arm.
"yeah, i'm fine." i lie, shrugging my shoulders.
i'm not fine. i'm confused and uncomfortable with the situation. jack's girlfriend's here for god's sake and making herself comfy on him. i try to relax, but right now, i have no idea what to do or say.
i just watch as everyone gets along like they've known each other their whole lives. this is totally awkward for me.
"why don't you say we ditch-"
"and bake cookies and box?" i grin at liam, finishing his sentence.
"bassi, you never told me you had a girlfriend." chanel approaches us with sam staring at her like a lovesick puppy.
i suggest he closes his mouth before he realizes what he's doing and gets embarrassed. that may be a little too late now though because i already saw him stare at her as if she's the only girl in the world.
but didn't he say he just wanted to have sex with her? why does he look like a man who's been in a relationship for five years and isn't sick of his girlfriend?
liam's eyes widen, panicking and answering her abrupt question, "she's-"
"we've been keeping it on the down low." i blurt, saving him.
this is going to bite me back in the ass sooner or later. i quickly clasp our hands together and lift his hand up to my lips, pecking it. she smiles at us, genuinely happy.
"i'm happy for you, liam." she softly tells us. "i'm glad that you're not still hung up on-"
"chanel, stop." he cuts her off and i look at him.
he clenches his jaw and a pained expression takes over his face. i tilt my head because i'm curious, but i keep my mouth shut not wanting to probe and upset him.
"i'm sorry." she apologizes.
chanel swiftly turns on her feet and takes a seat next to sam. the air is definitely getting thick in here. with the affairs and liam's- now odd- behavior. i don't want to think much of it and stress myself.
he'll share it when he's comfortable and ready.
"so, what do you say about my offer on making cookies?" i question, wanting to lighten up his spirit.
"i say, why the hell not?" he responds and that million dollar smile is on his face once again.
before we are able to leave, chanel pulls me aside and i grow scared. i just hope she doesn't turn bitchy and threaten me.
"when i say that i'm really happy for liam, i mean it." she emphasizes and i tilt my head.
"where is this going..."
"his previous girlfriend, she died in a shooting."
my eyes widen, "but he seems so-"
"forthcoming to women? i know. he thinks that getting in between girls' legs will help ease the pain but i just think it makes things worse."
"i would agree."
"i know that we just met, but i can tell you make him happy." she gives me a brief smile.
"how long has it been since, you know." i quietly ask, not wanting to hit a nerve and sound nosy.
"about close to two years now. last time i saw him, he was devastated. that was only a few months ago, too."
i nod my head, taking in her words. liam comes up to be someone who's not hurt and is completely fine. he could just be masking it all.
"and before you ask, no. i've never slept with liam." she laughs incredulous.
i wasn't going to ask. being polite, i nod my head and return to where liam is.
"what'd she want to talk about?" he questions right away.
i shrug, "us."
"us?" his eyebrows raise. "must've been quite the conversation."
"shut up, lover boy."
easily disappearing from the group, liam and i head into the kitchen. i'm surprised, but thankful that jack didn't watch me like a hawk. he usually does, but he didn't stop me.
"you promised that you'd teach me how to make them from scratch." liam reminds me.
"we need to gather the ingredients." i say.
"and what are those ingredients?"
liam pulls me closer to him, circling his arms around my waist. he bites his bottom lip, waiting for an answer.
"don't get distracted." i whisper.
mainly convincing myself not to get distracted. i would have kissed him then and there.
"you're the one talking." he comments, going to the fridge.
after a short while, liam and i have managed to cream the butter and sugar, mix in the dry ingredients, the chocolate chips, and get flour all over us. we're hysterically laughing and no one has come to complain.
"stop eating the cookie dough!" i scold, slapping his hand away from his mouth.
he frowns, "it tastes good." he whines.
"i know it does, but you're going to get sick." i inform him as he continues to pout.
i nudge his aside with my head and his expressions turns into an amused one. i use the wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. liam dusts some flour from my hair, looking over my shoulder.
"want you make the cookie balls?"
he nods, "yes, please." he stifles his laugh.
my eyebrows knit together, "what's so funny?"
"you said balls."
i roll my eyes and shake my head, trying to ignore his childish comment. i hop up onto the counter as liam portions the batter. my little baker. i smile at him and he looks at me questionably.
"why are you staring at me?"
"you look adorable." i compliment.
i feel as if i'm the one blushing more than he is.
"tell me something i don't know." he replies.
i narrow my eyes at him and he laughs. liam grabs my hips, trying to pull me closer to him, but along the way, he knocks the glass bowl off of the counter. it takes a maximum of two seconds before jack runs into the kitchen.
the bowl has shattered all over the floor and my eyes widen. this is where i die.
"step away from her." jack demands, pointing his gum toward liam.
"i didn't even hurt her." he holds his hands up in surrender.
"i said, step away." jack repeats, nudging his gun over.
then, in a little matter of time, everyone else is gaping at the scene. i'm not hurt, liam's not hurt. nothing happened beside just an accident.
"jack!" chanel screeches, coming to my rescue. "what are you doing to liam's girlfriend?!"
her and i could become very good friends. she doesn't seem snobby.
"girlfriend?" jack mutters, lowering his gun in confusion.
"yes." she sighs, exasperated. "sammy, take away his gun."
for someone so small, she has an authoritative voice and sam does exactly what he's told to. before he can snatch the gun, jack shakes his head.
"i want this shit cleaned up." he says, mainly to liam.
everyone is dead silent as jack walks toward the stairs, clearly not in the mood anymore. his little girlfriend waltz after him, but i'm quick to jump over the shattered bowl and go after them.
i ignore everyone's concerned objections and i follow after ciara. jack is really quick on his feet and it's hard for me to catch up. ciara doesn't notice me following behind her and she enters jack's room before he can shut the door.
the last thing i see and hear is jack pinning her up against the wall. i silently gasp, wondering if he's going to hurt her, but he doesn't.
"i want you." he growls, burying his head into her neck.
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