Part 16

*The next morning.*
I’m woken by Jayk screaming.
Jayk: What is wrong with you?!
I go to turn over but Drew’s laying next to me. I’m so surprised I roll out of bed and fall on the floor.
Me: What are you doing in our bed?
Jayk: I was wondering the same thing!
Drew: Well, I had a nightmare last night, so I crawled into bed with you guys.
He turns to Jayk and points at me.
Drew: She’s very warm at night, no wonder you sleep curled up next to her.
I blush.
Me: Thanks Drew.
Jayk: Its true.
Me: Well, do you want to talk about your dream?
Jayk looks at me like I’m insane.
Me: What?!
Drew: Not really. It was too scary. I just need a hug to make me feel better.
Jayk pushed Drew toward me. I stood up and hugged him. Drew looked over my shoulder and saw Missy walking up the front steps. He pushed me into the wall and ran towards her.
Drew: MISSY!!!!!
Missy: Drew.
Drew squeezed Missy until her face turned red.
Jayk: She can’t breath!
Drew: Sorry. Come Missy, let’s watch cartoons!
Missy and Drew sat on the on the couch. Drew turned on Tom and Jerry.
Drew: MANDA! JAYK! COME! CARTOONS!!!
Jayk and I walked towards the couch.
Me: Tom.
Jayk: And Jerry.
Me: No…
I pointed outside.
Me: Tom…
Jayk: And AMBER!!
I run out the door and run into Thomas. He hugs me.
Thomas: Its nice to be hugged, but it hurts to be rammed into.
Me: I’m sorry.
Thomas: Its okay.
He smiles.
I hug Amber. We head inside. Thomas goes to his room and Amber sits on the couch.
Drew: AMBER!!!!
He hugs her.
Me: She can’t breath!
Drew lets go.
Drew: Sorry.
Amber: Its cool.
Me: Amber, why are you so sad?
Thomas comes out of his room. Amber looks at him.
Amber: Should you tell them or should I?
I jump up and start yelling at Thomas.
Me: I told you to use protection! Great! Now she’s pregnant!
Thomas: No! Its not that! I swear!
Jayk: Then what is it?
Thomas: I don’t think this is working for me.
Me: What are you talking about?
Thomas: Varsity.
Drew: Your quitting?
Thomas: For personal reasons. I’m going back to San Diego. I just came back to get the rest of my stuff and to drop off Amber.
I’m still in stunned shock.
Me: Thomas, are you sure this is what you want?
Thomas: I’m sure.
With that, he leaves out the front door. I look at Amber and she looks like she’s about to burst into tears.
Me: What else did he do?
Amber: Starts to cry.
Amber: He broke up with me! He thinks we should see other people!
She starts crying harder and Drew gets up and both me and him sit on each side of her.
Me: It’s gonna be okay Amber. You’ve got the rest of us.
Drew: Don’t be sad! I still love you!
Jayk comes over and hands her some cheese and a bar of chocolate. I give him a confused look.
Me: What’s this for?
Jayk: Don’t you eat cheese and chocolate when you’re upset?
Me: No… I eat ice cream.
Jayk: Oh… What’s the cheese and chocolate for then?
Me: That’s when I have my period.
Drew: T.M.I. No wonder I never have cheese for like a week!
I roll my eyes and Jayk goes back and gets a carton of ice cream and a spoon and gives it to Amber. She takes it.
Amber: Thanks.
The rest of the night was a blur. It finally hit everyone that Varsity Fanclub was now down to four members. Amber was too upset to finish her ice cream, and Jayk was so upset that he did finish Amber’s ice cream. We all stayed up all night talking. It was like we had lost a family member. Before we knew it, it was 7:30 in the morning and David and Bobby came home. They were both upset too.
Bobby: I can tell this was a bad week for everyone.
David and Bobby sat on the couch.
David: Aly broke up with me.
Missy: Why?
David: She wants to become her own singer. She said she’s tired of supporting VFC.
Jayk: Tom broke up with Amber.
Drew: And left the group.
Bobby: Oh, Amber…
Bobby hugged Amber.
Me: I’m sorry David.
I hugged David.
David: I’ll be alright.
Me: I would offer you ice cream, but Jayk ate it all.
Jayk: I’m sorry. I’m not only worrying about Amber and David, but who’s going to take Thomas’ place in the group.
Drew: He’s right. We have five-part harmonies.
Bobby: We also need someone who can dance.
Me: And someone blonde.
Missy: BLONDIE!!!!!!!!
Amber, David, and Bobby: Who?
Me: T.C.!
Jayk: Why do you remember his name?
I kissed Jayk.
Me: He’s a cool kid and I love you!
Jayk: Uh huh… You have your boyfriends phone number in order to get him to join us?
Me: He’s not my boyfriend, but I know where he lives.
Bobby: That’s like creepy stalker person.
Me: You know where he lives too!
Bobby just gives me a confused look.
Me: He’s your neighbor…
Bobby: Oohhh…
I roll my eyes.
Me: I think we should become friends with him first though.
Missy: But your past friends with him.
Jayk glares at her.
Me: Not helping Melissa.
She just shrugs her shoulders.
Missy: But the monkey behind you agrees with me.
I jump and land in Jayk’s lap.
Jayk: Missy…
Missy: Works every time…
Me: Jerk.
Drew: So how’s this going to go?
David: We can’t all go over there and be like, let’s be friends!
Bobby: No…
Me: But we can ask him if he’d like to borrow our dance studio.
Amber: I like we’re she’s going with this.
Bobby: Where’s she going?
Amber: Slowly he’s going to be comfortable with us, then we can ask him to hang out with us, then BAM! He’s part of Varsity!
Bobby: Ahwwww…Sneaky…
Me: Exactly.
Drew: Can he sing though?
Me: I don’t know, we’ll find out.
Jayk: How?
Me: We’ll figure it out when we get there.
Jayk: Okay then.
The rest of the day we chill out and watch T.V. on the couch. I fell asleep around 9 and woke up again at 6. I look around and everyone else is fast asleep. I’m laying in Jayk and Drew’s laps. Missy is curled up against Drew. Bobby’s on the other end of the couch and Amber’s curled up next to him. David’s on the floor with a pillow and a pile of blankets, Winstone’s laying right beside him. I smile and unwrap myself from Jayk’s arms. I get off of the both of them and look out the window. I see T.C. walking by. I grab my phone and head out the door being as quiet as possible. I run and catch up with T.C. just as he’s turning out of our block.
Me: Hey T.C.!
T.C.: Hi Manda.
He smiles at me. I blush.
Me: Ummm me and the guys I live with, uh my friends and my boyfriend wanted to let you know that your welcome to use our dance studio. Well it’s our garage but it’s set up like a dance studio.
T.C.: Thanks. But would they mind?
Me: Of course not! Your welcome anytime. You know if you can’t get to the studio and have the urge to dance your welcome there or our practices, your welcome to that too.
T.C.: Thanks a lot! That would be great.
Me: Yeah it’s not a problem. I’ll let you get back to your walk then.
T.C. You want to join me? Unless your boyfriend will get mad then I understand.
Me: No it’s okay, he should be okay with it. And sorry, he gets a little jealous.
T.C.: I see, it’s okay. I understand.
We go on the walk and I learn a lot about him. He tells me he’s 17, he just moved here from Georgia and he’s looking for a job where he can dance all the time. After about 2 hours we make it back home. We say our good-byes and I head inside the house. Everyone’s asleep except Drew. He’s watching T.V.
Drew: Where have you been?
I take a seat next to him and Jayk.
Me: I went for a walk, why?
Drew: How’s T.C.?
Me: How do you know everything?
Drew: I’m your brother I’m not stupid.
I roll my eyes.
Me: Uh huh.
Drew: Jayk’s going to be mad when he finds out.
Me: He shouldn’t be. He knows I love him much more then he thinks.
I start to play with his fingers.
Drew: Okay…If you say so.
Me: Keep your mouth shut and we won’t have any problems, will we?
Drew: No…
Me: That’s what I thought.
I take Jayk’s hat and put it on my head. I start to play with his hair and before I know it, there’s clips, ponytails, barrettes, and hairties in Jayk’s hair. Drew looks over.
Drew: He’s. Going. To. Kill. You.
I smile.
Me: No he wont.
Drew: Uh huh. That’s what you think.
Drew goes back to watching T.V.
Me: Just don’t wake him up and tell him it’s me.
Drew gets this evil look.
Me: Drew…
Drew: JAYK!!!!!!!!!!
Jayk doesn’t move.
Me: Thank heavens he’s a heavy sleeper.
Drew: Not for long.
Me: What are you-?
Drew: Manda’s hurt! Help!
Jayk jumps up and he’s wide awake.
Jayk: Where is she?!
He sees me on the couch and I wave.
Jayk: Okay, good your okay.
He looks at his hat.
Jayk: Why are you wearing my hat?
I shrug my shoulders. Drew is trying so hard not to burst into laughter. I hit him in the side with my elbow.
Jayk: What is he…?
He runs to the bathroom.
Drew: I wonder-
Jayk: MANDA!
I run out the door with Jayk’s hat still on my head. Jayk follows. I climb up a tree as fast as I can. I look down and Jayk’s standing underneath it. I noticed he fixed his hair so there were no clips or ponytails.
Me: I take it, you didn’t like my hair style?
Jayk: Not really.
Me: Are you mad?
Jayk sighs.
Jayk: No. your lucky I love you, ya know that? Anyone else who does the same stuff you do, they’d be dead.
I smile.
Me: That makes me feel special.
Jayk: You should. Now will you come down please?
I shake my head.
Jayk: Do I have to come get you?
I nod. He smiles and starts climbing up the tree. When he reaches to where I am, he sits next to me.
Me: I like the view from up here, it’s beautiful.
Jayk: I agree.
I look over at him and he’s watching me. I blush. We sit up there for awhile looking at the stars. It starts to get dark and late. My phone goes off. It’s a text. I answer it. It’s from David.
Text: Where are you guys?
I reply.
Text: In a tree.
I get another text and it’s from Drew.
Text: Jayk and Manda sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love then comes marriage then comes their baby in a baby carriage! I love you guys!
I reply back.
Text: Uh huh…I’m sure you do. Your dead when we get home!
I look at Jayk and he’s bright red.
Me: What’s wrong?
Jayk: That’s embarrassing.
Me: But it’s Drew.
Jayk: But still.
Me: We just have to ignore them.
Jayk: Like always?
Me: Like always.
He brushes the hair out of my face and kisses me.
Jayk: I love you.
Me: I love you more.
Jayk: Nu uh. I do.
Me: Nop-
Jayk kisses me in mid-sentence. It seems like forever until we get a light shined in our faces. I look down. David’s holding a flash light and everyone else is behind him. Drew is doing his happy dance.
Bobby: What are you doing?
Drew: My happy dance.
Bobby: Why?
Drew: My song was right. They were kissing!
Bobby: Very uh…interesting.
Jayk and I climb down from the tree.
Me: Thanks.
Missy: Oh it’s no problem. I hope we didn’t interupt anything.
I give her this evil look. She runs behind Drew.
Me: Yeah, you better hide.
Bobby: Well I’m still sleepy, so I’m gunna head home. Amber, Missy, you guys want to walk home too?
Amber nods. I know she wants to go home and straighten herself out after what happened.
Missy: Yeah, I’m tired too.
We say our good-byes and David, Drew, Jayk and I walk home. David goes straighten to bed without saying anything. I whisper to Jayk.
Me: How long do you think?
He looks at me.
Jayk: He liked her so much. Probably never.
Me: Great…
Drew comes out of the bathroom. He looks at Jayk and me.
Drew: I need a hug.
He sounds like he’s about ready to cry. I hug Drew and he silently cries. Jayk joins in. Jayk and I join Drew in the crying. We know nothing can cheer us up unless things went back to the way they were. We all break away from each other and I look at both of them, tears still running down our faces.
Me: Everything will fix it’s self, promise.
Jayk nods.
Drew: Okay.
He smiles and hugs me. He whispers in my ear.
Drew: Thank you.
All I can do is smile. He pulls away.
Me: I’m ready for bed.
Jayk: Me too.
I pick up Winstone and he lays at the foot of the bed. Jayk goes and climbs into bed. I pull back the covers and notice Drew still standing there. I look at Jayk.
Jayk: Drew, you need something?
Drew digs his foot into the hardwood floors.
Drew: Can I sleep with you guys?
I look at Jayk, giving him my ‘it’s one night it won’t kill us’ look.
Jayk: Alright.
Drew smiles. I get into bed and so does Drew. I fall asleep between the two of them and Winstone at my feet.