If You Can't Sing It, Scream It

Chapter 23: Baking Day

Oli's P.O.V.:

Brendon busied himself with getting out basic ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, butter, before he started pulling down some of Mrs. Fuentes' cookbooks and handing them to us. 

"Here, pick a baked good and we'll make some." he opened the refrigerator and meddled in there for a minute. 

"Hey, Phil, Tobias, and Tino want to come over." Mike tapped away at his phone. "I don't think they know about the whole- uh..thing. So I told them to come on over." Vic nodded, popping a few chocolate chips in his mouth from his perch on the counter, Kellin between his legs. "Hmm." He tapped Kellins neck from behind, some sort of wordless communication between them. Kellin leaned his head back to look at Vic and opened his mouth as Vic dropped a few of the chips into his mouth, smiling affectionately at Kellin. 

"Oli? Earth to Oli?" Brendon waved his hand in front of my face. "Got your dessert picked out?" He flipped my book upside down to look at it. "This looks good." he chuckled. "Did you write something on your arm?"

"What? Why?" I was immediately defensive. 

"Because you have writing on your forehead. Don't worry, it's not super noticeable. Your bangs cover it pretty well, but I'd still try to wash it off." 

I started thinking a moment. "Hey, do you mind if I invite someone over?" I called to Vic from my perch on the opposite counter from him. 

"Not at all." he said and continued trying to balance chocolate chips on the end of Kellin's nose. 

"Thanks man." I hopped down and went to stand on the back porch pulling my phone from my pocket to dial Batman. 

After a few rings his deep voice rumbled through my ear. 

"H'lo?" his voice was thick with sleep. 

"Hey, it's Oli." I looked at my toes in embarrassment. I called him the next day. I think I just violated a very serious number-giving rule. Wait- we're just friends. This is a friends thing. Friends call friends the next day, right? "I just wanted to see if you were busy today? My friends and I were hanging out at that house you dropped me off at last night." 

"Oh-uh." He seemed to fumble around for a moment before a whispering, "sh.t."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I just-I wanted to extend the invitation. I figured it would-I don't know. Sorry-"

"Oli, hey, no I'd love to go. I was just asleep. I'll be over in twenty minutes. Okay?" I could hear water running and I smiled to myself.

"Great. See ya then." And with that I hung up the phone and went back inside to see my friends all arguing over what to bake first.

"Brendon, mine will be quicker I-"

"No, its about what's easiest. Mines only-"

"No, mine's low-fat-"

"Hey!" Brendon, took a breath as everyone got quiet. "We're making Kellin and Vic's first. Because they're not being f.ckers. 'Kay?" He flicked his hair out of his eyes and started running water.

I was sitting at the table with Tony when Phil and Tobias joined us looking tired.

"Late night?" I asked to a Tobias that was currently rubbing her eyes and looking cranky.

"Yeah. Tino loves baking. When he heard about it he dragged both of us over even though we just wanted to sleep."

"What she said." Phil yawned.

"Want some coffee?" Tony got up to get some for the two drowsy teens.

At this point, Brendon was handing out directions to all those involved in baking. I watched quietly while Tobias, Phil, and Tony drank coffee. There was a knock at the door. I was quick to rush over to it.