Living

Chapter 8: Date City

Two updates today bc these go together

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Jack, Davey, Blink, Mush, Specs, Romeo, and Crutchie sat in a corner booth at Morgan's. They were updating each other on their lives as Mush and Blink sat next to each other and flirted.

"No, no, wait, here's the funniest part", Jack says, trying not to laugh. "When I showed Dad the report card, he sighed and shook his head, then just ripped it up!"

They all laughed as Davey chuckled, shaking his head. "You got off super easy. My dad would've blew up if I got a grade like that."

"Well, how about now, huh?" Romeo laughed, trying to get more of the story. "What would he do now?"

"Nothing", Davey says. "He's dead."

They all stared at him, watching as Davey took a sip of his Mtn Dew quietly, looking at all of them.

"Oh", Romeo says quietly, placing his hands in his lap. "I'm sorry."

"It's, it's okay. I'm getting over it", Davey smiles, taking another sip. It seemed stubbornness and the amount of caffeine in his soda were the only things keeping him from crying.

"Um", Jack starts, glancing up at Davey from his lap, "do you want to change the subject?"

"Please."

"Okay. Well, let's talk about Finch: The Bird We'll Never Meet."

Crutchie rolled his eyes and looked around. "You guys hungry yet?"

"Uh-uh, you ain't gettin' out of this", Mush states, adjusting himself in his seat. "Who's Finch?"

"Finch is Crutchie's new partner in his engineerin' classes", Jack says smugly, watching Crutchie glare at him. "They rode to school together."

"I don't like the way you said their name", Crutchie says, crossing his arms. "It was weird."

Jack shrugged.

"How come we've never heard of them, Crutch?" Romeo smiles, chuckling when Crutchie rolled his eyes. "And here I thought you were gonna be single forever."

"Screw you, Romeo", Crutchie says, causing everyone to laugh lightly. "And we're not even datin'."

"No, no. They ain't", Jack says, shaking his head. "But they do share the occasional kiss and cuddle."

"Crutchie!"

"Look at you, man!"

"Get some!"

"Blink, no."

"So, you don't have any labels on your relationship?" Crutchie looked at Davey and nodded, smiling. "Respect."

"So, you would want a relationship with no labels?" Jack looked Davey in the eyes when he asked, watching Davey think.

Jack doesn't mind when someone has a relationship like Finch and Crutchie's, but personally it wasn't his style. He wanted to tell the whole world he was dating someone, especially if it was Davey.

Davey?

"I mean", Davey says, shrugging. "I wouldn't mind it. But I'd rather label my relationship. You know, for less confusion."

Jack smiled, turning to Crutchie. "Not that there's anythin' wrong with that."

"No, I understand", Crutchie smirked, making Jack nervous. "I understand just fine."

Jack nodded, looking away and hiding the blush on his face, looking around at everyone. "You guys hungry? I'm gonna go back there with Miss Medda."

The guys all agreed and watched Jack stand up and walk to the kitchen. They turned to look at Davey, who was tearing a napkin.