Fast Forward

Chapter 29: Straight off the Bat

Chapter 29: Straight off the Bat

I jam in the last of my clothes, relieved that my packing is over. It sit on my bag and push my overflowing clothes down before quickly zipping the bag closed. "I'm done!" I declare before flopping face-first onto our bed, exhausted. "It only took me a whole five minutes, but I'm finally done," I murmur into the blanket.

"How are you done already?" Jay questions, bewildered. He checks the time on his phone. "We only started like two minutes ago."

I flip over onto my back and take out my own phone, replying to one of Ry's texts – he's checking in on Carlos.

"I don't know what to tell you other than I'm just that good," I answer my husband-thing absentmindedly.

"I don't believe you but alright," he carries on packing his own bag, neatly folding his clothes as he does so.

My phone lights up with a new notification. I laugh aloud at one of the memes Ry just sent – I'm glad he's doing well and in high spirits.

"Who are you texting?" Jay asks, intrigued.

"My best friend," I answer truthfully.

"Really?" he arches an eyebrow at me. "Because I don't have any new messages from you."

I look up and see the playful smile on his face. "My best friend, after you, that is," I happily correct myself and wink at him.

"Which one? You only have like a bazillion of them," he replies calmly.

"Brewer," I let him know.

When he doesn't give me a response, I put my phone down and sit up. He's been side-tracked by my bag that's just about bursting at the seams.

"Why...what have you done here? How did you even get this closed? Did you—" he stops talking so that he can forcefully unzip my bag.

I watch in dismay as my clothes spill out like a waterfall. It's quite a contrast to his tidy and precise packing.

I cringe when Jay's gaze slowly falls onto me in an accusing manner. "Aqueela...babe...sweet girl...klutz...all your clothes are going to get crinkled like this. You've done this so haphazardly."

I guess Boss Man ironed away in vain...

I shrink back, sheepish. "Oops."

"This is going to bug me the whole time. I'm redoing it for you," he informs me, already taking out all my clothes and repacking them in a systematical, Jay way.

There's a knock at the door before Laiken peers in, obviously back from dropping Susie off at home. "Hey guys, I..." he falters as his eyes land on Jay sorting through my stuff. "Assuming those are Aqueela's and not yours, why do you have all her bras in your hands?"

"Because he's a perv," I answer with lightning reflex.

Jay scowls at me before giving his version to Lai, "Because my fiancée is lazy."

I gasp. "Am not!"

He just grins. "Are too."

"You're lazy!"

"Not as much as you."

"You're stupid."

"You're beautiful."

Oh, I see how he's playing this.

I huff. "You're the worst."

"You're the best."

I glare daggers at him. "I hate you."

"And I love you."

"You guys argue like little kids," Laik states, having observed all that.