Just Friends

*26*

"Easy on the M&M's!" Hermione scolds as FP dumps nearly the entire bag into the large bowl of popcorn. "You need an even popcorn to M&M ratio."

"I don't think math is a factor when it comes to movie night snacks." Alice interjects from the living room, where she and Fred have already dug into a bag of liquorice.

"Fred!" Hermione whines.

"Sorry babe, I'm on team M&M."

A knock on the door catches everyone's attention and Alice hops up to answer it. "I'll get it!" Hermione and Fred share a nervous look, while FP remains oblivious.

"How's that, princess?" FP mocks, gesturing to the bowl, having taken out a majority of the M&M's.

Before Hermione gets a chance to answer though, Alice comes waltzing in with a guest. "Hey guys," FP's head whips around at lightning speed, and his whole body visibly tenses at the sight of Lance.

Hermione looks nervously between the two boys. "Hi Lance, how are you?"

"I'm good thanks." He holds up a bag and smiles. "I brought snacks."

"Oh perfect, Alice filled you in on how these things go."

"She did indeed. I didn't know what you already had so I brought some pretzels, milk duds and liquorice."

"Pretzels doesn't exactly fit the junk food theme." FP sourly decides.

"They're basically just salt, of course they're junk food." Alice chuckles. "And besides, we could always melt down the milk duds and make chocolate covered pretzels."

"Good point." Lance agrees. "And even if not, like I said, I brought liquorice too."

"We already have liquorice."

"And there's no harm in having extra." Alice grits out, warning FP with her eyes. She takes Lance's hand. "Come on, I'll show you the movies we've got lined up for tonight."

FP's jaw tightens as he turns to look at Hermione. "You couldn't have warned me?"

"I thought you were cool with each other!" She lies, but FP doesn't buy it, something she realizes quickly. "Ok, I figured that if you knew you wouldn't come and it wouldn't be the same without you."

"This is our group thing, haven't we learned from experience that inviting others never goes well?"

"Listen, Alice asked if he could come, and I said yes. If it's so awful I'll tell her no next time." She picks ip the bowl of popcorn and leans in close to him, lowering her voice to a threatening tone. "Now be nice and behave."

***

Fred and Hermione have taken up residence on the love seat, while Alice and Lance have taken up the couch that FP is leaning against, and he's miserable.

Every other movie night he and Alice would be swapping commentary and jokes, this time, she's instead swapping spit with Lance.

"Would you two please knock it off?" FP barks as Alice foots hits him in the back of the head yet again. "You're going to give me a concussion."

"Sorry." She squeaks out.

"Are you guys actually going to watch the movie or are you just going to continue violating the Gomez' couch?"

"Geez, who put salt in your cereal this morning?" Alice rolls her eyes, sitting up straighter on the couch.

"Just making a point is all."

"FP." Fred scolds gently. "Could you pass the popcorn?"

***

"You guys want to watch the sequel or a different movie?" Fred wonders aloud after the movie ends.

"I think we better go for something different, clearly this one bored Alice to sleep." Hermione chuckles, noting how the blonde is fast asleep, curled against Lance's side.

"I second that. Besides, I'm not really in a sequel kind of mood." FP answers.

"Well you're definitely in some kind of mood." Lance murmurs under his breath.

"What did you say?" FP responds, a bite in his tone.

"I said you're in a mood."

"So she falls asleep and you finally get the balls to say something?" He scoffs. "She's got you whipped."

"Or maybe I just have respect for her and don't want to pick fights with her friends. You should try it sometime."

"Listen here," FP barks, whirling around to face the boy. "Alice and I already had this conversation, we made our peace. I may not like you all that much but I'm willing to be civil, maybe you should try that."

"Civil is making digs at what I brought to movie night?"

"Oh get over it, so I dissed your precious bag of pretzels, so what?"

"Come on guys, knock it off." Fred interjects.

"I'm not the one who started it!" FP defends. "This clown is clearly trying to compensate for something by picking a fight after Alice fell asleep."

Lance scoffs, rolling his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, you won't do a damn thing to make Alice think any less of you. You act like the perfect, golden boy, when in reality you're anything but."

"I don't have to sit here and take this." Lance spits.

"No one asked you to, in fact, none of us care whether you're here or not."

"Ok that's enough you two, knock it off!" Fred yells, effectively breaking up their fight. "Either you be civil or you both leave."

"You know what? That sounds good to me." Lance decides, gently moving Alice aside so he can move from his spot on the couch.

He grabs his jacket and swings it on with flare. "Tell Alice I'm sorry, that something came up and I had to go. Please?" He directs the request to Fred, knowing he can trust the taller boy not to tarnish him to Alice.

The house goes eerily silent as soon as Lance leaves and two sets of eyes fall onto FP. He cowers, the tips of his ears turning red in embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

"You know she's going to be pissed right?" Hermione tells him, a snooty tone to her voice.

"I know that, but it's not like I meant for it to happen. I was minding my own business."

"Come on man, we both know that's not true." Fred recalls. "You've had your guard up since he walked in."

"He picked the fight with me!"

"Yeah after you kept provoking him all night." Hermione points out. "Listen, you know I love you FP, but this war with Lance is getting a bit ridiculous."

"I didn't plan to fight with him tonight!" FP defends yet again. "Yes I wasn't happy that he showed up tonight, but I promised Alice I would try my best to be nice to him."

"And you failed multiple times."

"I'm sorry would you enjoy being kicked in the head while they play tonsil hockey?" He's met with silence from Hermione and a sorrowful look from Fred. He rolls his eyes. "Whatever, just put on another movie and pass the popcorn."