A/N: Hello, it's been a while wattpad. Almost 5 years in fact. I'm 23 now, that's crazy.
So I've been getting a few messages over the years, over various social media platforms that the chapter has finally been deleted and killed by wattpad admin in my long absence. When I tell you I've tried to bury this story as much as I could out of cringe and embarrassment of younger me. But you know what? Fuck it.
Writing GC was some of the best years of my life. I wasn't depressed (or wasn't aware of it), I was motivated, I was still in high school surrounded by friends each day and I would come home and interact with you all for hours and gobbled up that praise like the starving artist I was. So what I want to say mostly is: thank you. Thank you so much for giving me those creative years, even if I think this is a cringey piece of shit with a lottttt of toxic messages, slut-shaming, and just bad writing no matter how brilliant and woke I thought I was at 16-18. I still love my baby emo characters, thanks for keeping them alive and safe.
So I'm attempting to republish this infamous chapter. Very ironic that it's the least sexy chapter in the book, but more wholesome. wattpad just isn't a fan of safe s*x and ho*ny jokes I guess. 2014-2015 was a cursed time where we ran rampant.
Eh, it might have a slightly different tone than the other chapters - mostly because I haven't written properly in years, the fact I'm 23 trying to remember what it was like to be 16 and because although I can barely get through most of this book, obviously there are some parts in this that need to be edited to publish with Overlord Wattpad's ridiculous guidelines in place and I very well can't do that without editing the whole damn chapter and not completely taking over the voice of 17 year old me.
I can't promise I'll be back after this. I still have an urge to write all the time but haven't done it in a good while, and I barely make art nowadays even though it's what I'm most passionate about. But if you want to keep in touch you can get me on my insta: megn.guthre.art or on tiktok pandagutsss.
Also I got given a piece of fanart a while back by cofidea on tumblr (yes I still haunt that dying platform and I will continue till we both fall together) and cofideaa on twitter, and I was brought to tears at how well she captured them all and I thought I'd share it with you all, so check out the banner!!. Preal, if you're still on this hellsite and see this thank you very much, I think about it all the damn time and I printed it off to go on my wall at uni. Give her a follow if you aren't already, her work is stunning! and if anyone has any fanart or whatever you've done relating to my stories feel free to tag me on insta <33333 I love to see it!
I love and thank you all again <3
Chapter Twenty-Six
"SURPRISE!"
Casper froze once again, taking in the scene in front of him. Joining the group he had spent most of the day with were James and Hedgehog, grinning wildly. There were balloons everywhere, mostly all in blue and a large banner hung from the archway reading: "Happy 16th Birthday, Casper!".
They all popped a bunch of party poppers and Logan blew on a whistle obnoxiously in his ear before moving away to close the door behind him.
Casper choked on air. "You bastards!" he cried, "You complete and utter bastards!"
He ran towards them, laughing breathlessly, his chest full, grabbing whoever was closest and pulled them into a hug. Everyone else laughed and joined in until he was surrounded and squeezed in a hysterical many-limbed dance around the room.
"You should have seen your face!" He heard Darla cackle from behind him."Oh God, I'll be laughing for weeks."
"But how?" Casper asked as they dispersed, red-faced, and giggling. He spun to look at them all, those brilliant bastards he called friends."You were all behind me a moment ago."
"Remember the first night you ended in the bath after my party?"Logan said, still laughing."Well, you actually barred yourself in the bathroom after the street had a small power cut and you kept screaming about how the house was alive and was going to kill us all."
Casper did remember that night, all too clearly. More than he would like to. Alcohol never did like to repress memories from him. He didn't know whether to feel flattered or cursed.
"Hey, that was only because you insisted on watching Monster House the day before."
"It was a friggin' animation, you pussy!"
"You get scared way too easily, Cas." Daisy beamed, her eyes glinting as they all started moving out the hall. "You end up so overwhelmed by your fear that you didn't even notice we had made a run for it around the back."
Casper did notice four of them were breathing a bit harder than usual. Daisy more than others.
"I do not!"
"Oh you do and it's bloody hilarious to see!" Logan laughed brightly, patting his back roughly. Casper flinched and glared half-heartedly, both moving towards the couch.
"I hate everyone one of you!"Casper announced loudly so Daisy could hear. He exhaled and gave out another laugh, "oh god, I don't know how I didn't see this coming! There was never a party just you lot scaring the fucking shit out of me."
"The most surprising thing about this is that Daisy didn't ruin it with her case of mouth diarrhea," Logan said, ruffling Daisy's hair.
Daisy punched him in the arm with a gasp."First of all: ew. Second of all: Casper didn't suspect a thing!"
"I don't see how not, it was totally obvious," Darla drawled, going in the direction of the kitchen. "Though it's James we should be congratulating for his resolve and not giving into Casper's puppy eyes and great oral technique."
"Shut it!" James growled at her, blushing hard but started making his way to Casper anyway. Darla only cackled in response before disappearing out the hall.
"I don't want to hear what my best mate and his boyfriend are doing thank you very much!" Logan shouted, dramatically slapping his hands on his ears and running into the living room.
"We aren't even doing anything!"Casper called after him defensively as Darla voice came clear from the kitchen: "No you just want to see it!"
"Now that's a thing I didn't need to know or want to think about," James laughed, now in front of Casper, hand rubbing the side of his face nervously. Casper looked up at him as James looked down, a soppy smile on both their faces."Hi," he breathed warmly, eyes shining like a forest in the heat of summer.
"You didn't text me back," Casper responded despite the hammering in his chest just from looking at him, trying to fight the smile down so he didn't look and feel so pathetic. Get a grip, man.
"Oh shit, I left my phone upstairs in my jacket in Logan's room!" He ran his hand through his hair nervously," sorry, I just run up and-"
"Don't be daft," Casper cut him off, understanding now that he was here surrounded by his friends and an alarming amount of balloons and banners. He was more annoyed at how much it had bothered him, how easily hurt he felt like some sad, desperate boyfriend waiting around for a text message after a few hours of no response.
Slowly he wrapped his fingers around the fabric at James' chest, pulling him close. James came easily, a lazy smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around Casper's waist. From this close, Casper caught a stripe of blue paint at James' cheek, matching the colour of the handmade banners that lined the room. Casper grinned, his heart ready to burst, trying to hide it as he ducked his head and hit it lightly on James' chest. God, he could almost cry. His whole body felt light and happy.
"God you are freezing." James took both Casper hands and wrapped them in his own.
"Well, what do you expect? I've been out all day."
"Hmm, I think you need a little warming up." James gave a sly smirk, moving in close, knocking their foreheads together.
"Oh?" Casper feigned ignorance as he looked at James through his lashes, a similar smirk growing and thumb tracing James' right bicep knowingly.
"Yeah, " James's lips ghosted over Casper's and Casper shuddered with anticipation.
"Oi, lovebirds!" Logan's voice broke them out of their own momentarily little world," Cut that lovey-dovey crap and grab a seat like the rest of us."
Casper internally flipped him the bird, sighed, and slowly pulled his face away as James chuckled, chasing him with one last, find peck on the lips, and unwrapping his arms slightly. Casper blinked around the hall in surprise, no one was left in the hall with them and they hadn't even noticed.
"Happy Birthday," James murmured sweetly, as his hands started to rub Casper's arms chasing away the cold. Casper shivered, moving in again to kiss his jaw gratefully, catching a slight prick of stubble on his lips.
Logan interrupted again, head popping out at the door, hands covering his eyes."I swear to God guys if both of you are half-naked, or even showing just a little bit more skin than when I left you in then this Super-Surprise Birthday-Movie-Night-SLASH!-" Logan shouted that last bit into the living room, almost whacking his head on the doorframe"-Sleepover will be literally over."
Casper gave out another laugh, leaning into James again knowing Daisy had somehow forced that stupid name on all of them.
"Oh please, Logan," came Daniel from the room, "as if you wouldn't bust a nut at the very sight of James and Casper's activities."
"I second that!" Darla called from the kitchen over the beeping of the microwave.
"Do you know what?" Logan said, hands flying off of his face as he pointed at both James and Casper."I give up. Fuck you guys. Have fucking sex on my hallway floor, whatever. I don't give a fuck. But you'll both be scrubbing the carpet!" He held up his hands and walked back into the living room.
James snorted. They both looked at each other before grinning at their lovey-dovey state that even they found sort of ridiculous and embarrassing before James leaned over, putting his free hand at the back of Casper's head and pushing him forward before one last kiss on his forehead, leading Casper by taking his hand into the living room.
Logan was setting up the large flat-screen TV manually at the side with a lot of grunts and annoyed mumbling directed at the remote having mysteriously disappeared again. Whereas Daisy, Daniel, and Hedgehog were sitting on the large sofa getting comfortable. Casper cast an eye over the room, more banners and balloons littering the walls and floor, James caught his eye and shrugged sheepishly. Casper squeezed his hand.
Casper and James went to the far corner, James' getting the armrest and lifting his arm so that Casper could easily lean onto his side.
Darla came in with a giant bowl of popcorn, leaving a trail of it in her wake.
"Did you bring in anything else Darla?" James asked
"Get your own shit," she responded, mouth full, and plopping down on the sofa next to Daniel where she offered him the bowl to stick his hand in.
"You know I had my mindset for a party tonight and I have been graced with bitter disappointment. This movie-night better be the best fucking thing since the birth and rebirth of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ"
"Alright there, Father Ted." Hedgehog drawled, giving him a side look.
"Shut up."He quipped then turned to Logan "Please tell me you at least got alcohol."
"You know I've only got your best interests at heart, little man," Logan grinned, pulling out a whole box of Kopparberg cans from his side of the sofa. Everyone ran over to grab one and back again.
"I also brought this!" Darla declared, holding up a ziplocked bag with her taloned red fingers. Inside was a large quantity of a certain plant.
"Oh, you fucking Angel!" Daniel gave a large smack on her cheek just as Logan called over," you are not smoking that in my fucking house Darla."
"Say more, baby, "Darla whined."You know I love it when you get all authoritative." She leaned over Daniel, who leaned back easily, a easy smile aimed at Logan as her voice fell to a seductive whisper.
Logan gulped, looking everywhere but the boobs in front of him. "Seriously Darla, my dad almost blew a gasket last time." It sounded as if it took everything in him to get that out, Casper and James were sniggering into each other as they watched on.
"Okay, okay," Darla sighed."No hot box, no blazing it up. We'll go outside. Just drink, a great buzz, and hangovers in the morning! Yay."
"Did you just say blazing?" Casper questioned through giggles, while James strokes the inside of his thigh with his thumb.
"Shut up," Darla waves at him dismissively, already getting her kit out her bag.
James sighed, shifting Casper off him so that he flops onto his back with an annoyed grunt as James moves off the sofa. "I'm going to the kitchen to get sweets," He said loudly, walking slowly while giving Casper a significant look with his eyebrows.
"What?" Casper asked, and then he caught on as James' raised his eyebrows significantly higher and a slight jerk of his head." Oh- oh. Yeah, I will help you!" Scrambling off the sofa suddenly, jumping to his feet and practically racing James out of the room.
"Disgusting." Daisy sniffed at them, nuzzling into her girlfriend who wrapped one arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
As soon as he reached the kitchen, the door swinging closed behind James, he all but jamp into James' arms that lift him with ease, lips slamming together. They had found out James could take his weight, for a short while, to have hot hoisting make out sessions but they always ended up on the floor in the end when James' legs gave out from Casper's amazing kissing skills - and not because Casper was full-grown healthily weighted teenager.
James moved across the kitchen, hoistign Casper's ass onto one of the counters, his tongue slipping into Casper's mouth. Casper hummed happily meeting him halfway and groaned as James' handheld his ass tighter as he leaned in more, deepening the kiss. Casper's hands went to his hair and had every intention to just rake his hands through when he came across a knot and ended up yanking it.
"Ow! James flinched, breaking their mouths and scowling at Casper who looked anything but sorry as he muttered a whoops.
Casper looked at his hair then, as he had made it a bit of a mess and saw an even bigger streak of paint that matched the one on his face and he burst out laughing, pinching it between his thumb and index finger where it was solid beneath them."There's paint in your hair."
"Fucking Hedgehog," he breathed, head flying to his hair self-consciously."She attacked me with a paintbrush.I thought I got it all off."
Casper hummed thoughtfully and stroked the side of his face where the paint was and kissed it.
James frowned at him."There's paint there too isn't there."
Casper laughed as it flaked off at his touch a bit."Yes."
James groaned.
"I really liked the signs and stuff by the way," and Casper really had. He liked everything his friends had went through all the trouble of doing for him. He freaking loved every one of them. He couldn't believe that they had all kept it from him this whole time too, they weren't the most inconspicuous group of people."Really," he pressed, smile radiant.
He moved in to kiss James again when Logan came thumping in with Daniel behind him yelling, "no sex in the kitchen!" He proceeded to clamber over to a cupboard, producing various teeth-rotting goodies and flinging them into Daniel's arms and gathering the rest in himself and running back out while yelling," I told you all we couldn't trust them to go out alone and actually bring stuff in!"
"Proceed." Daniel winked at them and disappeared out the door, using his foot to hook around the door to close it.
"As if I could continue after seeing Logan disappear with a packet of Skittles calling my name."
"Wow, cockblocked by a bag of artificial flavorings and sugar. Nice."
"It's like you don't know me at all," Casper teased and made way back into the living room, going over to the table where the packets of munchies were scattered, some even spilling onto the floor, and snatched up the red packet and jumped back onto the corner of the sofa which nobody had taken in their absence. They wouldn't dare, or they would feel his wrath. James soon joined him as he ripped the packet open.
"What the fuck is this?" James indicated to the screen with his hand.
"Oh it's great," Daniel said, smiling excitedly."It's an old French film and it's shot in all black and white despite-"
"Shit, that's what it is," Logan answered, spraying out bits of popcorn from his ful mouth to which Daisy kicked him with her leg to stop talking with his mouth full.
"Gathered as much," James sighed and leaned into Casper. Casper smiled at him as he looked up and then back to the screen, popping a few Skittles into his mouth and sitting them so James could reach them easily which he did a second later.
Casper had no idea where the movie was or where it was going and sometimes he couldn't keep up with the subtitles, he's never been a reader. Still, the French girl was pretty.
"Oi James!" Darla called suddenly, throwing popcorn over the few heads between her and James, hitting them all in the process as well as James and Casper."You better be making it up to Cas for letting him mope all day about you ignoring him."
"Darla!" Casper exclaimed, embarrassed. He could feel James smiling down at him as he struggled to hide his face.
"You were upset?" Daisy asked, perplexed and a concerned frown at her brow,
"Yeah, he was. Couldn't shut his moaning up all day."Darla answered then turning at her with a sneer."Some friend you are."
Daisy didn't even retort back, she just looked at Casper guiltily and sad.
"It's alright Dais," Hedgehog spoke up, "I'm sure you were just worrying over not ruining the surprise for Casper, Darla is used to lying."
She gasped."Why you so mean to me baby! Besides, it's not the fact I lie, I can just move around the truth."
"Sorry, being a manipulative bitch then," Hedgehog corrected herself with a smirk, tipping her bottle of Kopparberg back for a swig. Daisy had a pleased smile on her face as she lay her head on her girlfriend's shoulder and curled up more against her.
Casper snorted loudly, making everyone start laughing until their stomachs hurt.
"Guys," Daniel complained, "can we actually try to watch this? It's one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces ever!"
"Oh god, he's such a hipster." Darla cried. Everyone gasped in shock horror.
Daniel groaned, turning up the volume with the remote he had prized out of Logan. "I don't know why I ever thought becoming friends with you lot was a good idea."
"You love us!"Casper, Darla and Daisy all sang at the same time.
"I think we all know why he decided to squirm his way in," James mumbled so only Casper could hear although Casper wasn't sure he meant for anyone to. He held Casper a little tighter and brushed his hair with his lips. Casper flicked him in the ear to which he grumbled at and Casper smiled.
"Be nice," he said and James just grunted, moving in closer so he was lying on Casper's chest and between his legs and Casper practically wrapped himself around him.
They fell asleep for a bit, only being awoken to Daniel's hideous crying noises. Apparently black and white French film people had killed themselves in the end. What a cheery story.
"Dude I thought you said that was supposed to be good?" Logan mumbled, stretching out of his position. Daniel whipped his head round and him spluttering angrily until Logan smacked his hand right onto his face to shut him up.
"My turn!" Darla jumped up and snatched the remote, instantly browsing through the movies.
"Y'know how did Daniel even get dibs first?"Casper asked."I'm the birthday boy. It's my surprise party. I should get to pick a movie."
"Shut up your birthday was yesterday," Darla said.
Casper sniffed and over-dramatically crossed his arms, falling back onto the sofa with a huff.
"Speaking of your birthdays!" Darla exclaimed, turning around and leaning right over the sofa with struggling breathes and then snapped back up with a large bag in her hand. "Your birthday present."
Casper instantly perked up again.
"How can that just remind you that you've still to give him your present?" Daisy said, her eyes narrowed as she watched Darla walk over to Casper. "This whole night is for his birthday."
Darla ignored Daisy and hauled the bag onto his lap when and strutted back down to her seat and continued to browse. He opened the small pink bag and peered inside. Even under the little light he was dealing with coming from the monster Logan called a TV, the thing that he landed his eyes on first was completely and utterly unmistakable.
A thick, pink rubber thing.
"What the fucking fuck?" he gasped, unable to look away. What the fuck? He noticed that it wasn't the only thing it there. There was a book, a huge box of Durex , a box, and a couple of bottles of clear goop, some flavored.
"What?" James asked, curiously at his reaction."What is it?" He moved as if to take the bag and Casper snatched the bag from his grasp, but this just made him all the more curious and he struggled. Not only that, but it also caught the attention of Daisy and Logan. Logan ran over and grabbed the bag and took a seat on the ground and crossed his legs like a kid a Christmas before diving right in and instantly brought out the thing.
"Oh my fucking God!" he stared at it in awe and total immaturity, holding high like an all mighty sword. It glittered a little in the light.
"Is it real?" Daisy reached out to poke at it and reeled back in disgust and surprise.
It wasn't that it was particularly massive but the thing was shocking in itself. Casper had never seen one before in his life and it was just there, right in his face.
"Knock it off, Logan," he slapped the thing away from him where Logan had been jiggling it about in front of him.
"Everything in there was strongly recommended. I even talked to one of the guys at the counter."
"Darla!" he said again because he was in shock, even James was silent beside him while his best friend wiggled it about chasing a squealing Daisy saying things like, "get a taste of d*ck for once you freaking lesbian!"
"There's more?" Daniel moved over and produced the book and the box that Casper wasn't sure of the contents. "What's this?" Logan had now joined him and flung it back into the bag, forgotten.
Logan ripped open the box before Casper could stop him," looks like a weird version of those droppers you use in Chem." He analyzed it, pumping the top of it experimentally. Casper gulped, catching onto what the device was. He had been browsing a few sites on what to actually do but ended up getting really scared and shut down his whole laptop and leaving the room for a while.
"It's a douche," Darla said, casually and unconcerned." Cleans ya out and leaves your insides sparkling clean."
"Ew!" Logan dropped the thing as if it had infected him."Oh God, why would you even give that as a present?"
"Excuse you," Darla sniffed defensively, but definitely enjoying the reaction of all of them."I'm making sure my very best friend is practicing safely with his boyfriend in every way possible for the ultimate experience because I love them."
"Oh dear lord, stop." Logan pleaded, grabbing Daniel so they could return back to the other side of the couch, far away from the gifts."How did you even manage to get that stuff."
"How does one get anything these days?"
"Uh, a good dr*g dealer? Wait, do they have illegal d*ldo dealers?"
"Shut the fuck up Logan, my ears are bleeding from your stupidity," Hedgehog told him.
"I got it from Anne Summer, you eegit," Darla cackled, smacking him. "Like every normal person."
"Normal is pushing it," James said, eyes bugged.
"Eh, so thanks Darla." Casper uttered, staring at the bag with wide eyes. Again he was being reminded of that stage he and James hadn't come to yet or were avoiding. It's not like they were in a rush or anything, Casper was enjoying there time but there was always that looming thought that in the future one of them was going to get it up the ass and some people wanted it sooner rather than later. And neither of them seemed to be Casper or James.
"You're welcome!" Darla answered, eyes on the screen, remote in front of her as she flicked through the movie choices. "Oh yes!" she grinned as she came across one and clicked on it to play. When Casper saw what she had picked he instantly perked up in his seat.
The Avengers.
"Fuck yes, now we're talking!"
"Now this is what you call a cinematic masterpiece, Daniel!"
"Give me some of those cables!"
"Darla that is not a packet of cables! That's my dick."
"Oh, my bad." She did not sound sorry.
"Bring me on some Black Window. She can tie me up and eat me any time."
"I thought spiders sucked your blood?"
"Oh my God. Shut up! It's starting."
Darla's thoughtful gift was instantly forgotten as the group of teenagers became immersed in the Marvel Universe and continued to be purposely ignored for the rest of the night. They watched a number of movies, each one of them causing the teens into a different state, although the amount of sugar and alcohol consumed did not help.
They had gotten through Avengers, The World's End, Project X, Love Actually (Daisy's choice. Casper did not cry... much.) and now they were in the middle of Frozen and Casper was falling asleep.
He was impressed they had even got through so many movies despite stopping halfway through Love Actually to play a drunken game of hide 'n' seek and Casper and James hide in Logan's closet and made out again until Hedgehog found them and yanked them out by their ears telling them everyone else had given up a long time ago and all three of them stumbled back down to watch the rest of it.
Most of the sweets were gone, as were all the cans and Darla's zip lock bag never made another appearance.
He was drifting off, his eyes turning Elsa into a blurry mess as his drowsiness took over. He was lying down, sprawled on top of James with their hands linked. Most fo the teens were the same asleep except for Daisy who was singing sleepily along to the film and James who was laughing at something Logan had said, the deep rumbles slightly shaking Casper while brushing the side of Casper's hand with his thumb. Casper smiled in his sleepy state and snuggled closer to his chest and was now completely trapped between James and the back of the sofa. He felt James pause and shift and then a soft touch of his fingers brushing the hair off of his face and caress down to his cheekbone and back.
"You are so whipped it's hard to look at you, man," Casper heard Logan say, teasing.
James snorted, jolting Casper a little, but his face not leaving Casper's face. He then yawned, "then you should start calling me cream."
Logan moaned low as if he was in pain. "That was weak. I can't even laugh, not even at the innuendo. Ugh God. Look what you are turning me into, man! Sexless. You are not my best friend anymore."
James shifted again, shimming and unlatching their hands until Casper would fall unto the crook of James' arm. Casper groaned in protest, swinging his leg over James', but stopped when a hand threaded through his hair. It was then he truly fell asleep. Both boys lay there, encased in each other, and sometime during the night, their hands found each other once again.
They were safe and content and both completely unaware or uncaring of the trouble that lay ahead.
A/N: wishing you all the best for the rest of the hellscape that is 2020!
Also #ACAB and #defundthepolice. If I have any Tories, Trump supports or Nazis following this story (god I can't see how), then fuck you, you are not welcome :)
spread love and tolerance in any way you can, babies <3