𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑| Elle Argent, Tao Xu

16| whole new level of jellyfish

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Loralie stood in the kitchen, staring out the window. Tao and Elle were sat in the Spring backyard, a blanket beneath them as the sunlight shined through. Loralie had immediately began to spy on them the second Elle asked him if he'd join her outside, watching for the past ten minutes as she showed him her drawings. Clearly, she had felt discouraged because he was in the process of making her feel better.

Elle seemingly gave into his posing, touching his face to make him turn to the side some. Loralies eyes widened, not sure if fear or rage flooded her body. She spun on her heels and stormed away from the kitchen, zooming out the front door with a harsh slam. The group in the living room looked confused as they all hurried to look out the window, watching as she went toward the gate. Charlie frowned his eyebrows. "Why didn't she just use the back door if she wanted to go into the backyard?"

Loralie creeped into the backyard quietly, hiding behind the bushes as she watched Tao and Elle. She kneeled right near the water hose, staring at the pair intensely. She grasped the water hose and twisted fast when Elle leaned in to kiss Tao, twisting faster as the water pressure set the sprinklers off. Tao screeched as Elle jumped back, the pair both hurrying to get their things and make a run for the door. Loralie smiled as she circled the house again, sneaking into the front door before either realized she was the one missing.

Loralie grew petty. She was confused because she didn't know who she was angry at. She was mad at Elle for trying to kiss Tao, but she was mad at Tao for almost kissing Elle. She wasn't like Elle, it wasn't easy to accept the liked them both and now was battling a war in her mind about it. All she knew was she was mad, a rested glare on her face and arms crossed. When Loralie was angry, it was impossible fo hide it.

Impossible. Because she made it everyone else's problem too.

"Loralie, you're not gonna dance?" Elle laughed as she danced with the rest of the girls, the boys, Imogen, and Loralie glued to the couch. All Loralie did was stare at her with frowned eyebrows and a very obvious look of annoyance. Elle waved her hands in her direction. "Come on."

Nothing. Elle tried not to be affected by her look, not knowing what it was about, but it was a little hard. She continued to dance as Tao looked over at Loralie, her eyes casting down to the ground again. He debated if he should talk to her, not entirely sure if it had been a good idea.

"Issac, come dance with me." Tara smiled a she tried to get him off the chair.

"No, i'm good." he giggled.

"Agh, give me your book!" she tried to fight him on it, hoping he'd give in so their audience didn't just stare at them.

"Tara, I don't like dancing." he argued and pulled it away, continuing to laugh and smile to show he wasn't angry or actually annoyed.

"Imogen?" Tara offered as the blonde grinned, out reaching her hand. "Come on!"

"Go on, Imogen." Charlie encouraged as she popped up and joined the girls. Loralie wanted to be out there, she loved to dance her little heart out. Everyone knew that, just no one knew why she was acting the way she was. All they knew was that she was at fault for what happened in the backyard, everyone except for Tao and Elle. Charlie glanced over as she sat on the other side of Nick, leaning past his boyfriend some. "Loralie, what's the matter?"

Her angry look dropped when she focused on Charlie, he hadn't done anything. "Nothing. I'm having so much fun."

She smiled at him softly before going back to facing forward, returning the very noticeable glare and frowned eyebrows. Nick and Charlie shared a look, not sure if they should be worried or laugh at how quick she went back and forth between moods. Imogen grinned. "Nick, come and dance."

The girls all encouraged him from behind her head, hoping he'd tell her. The doorbell rung. "Pizza!"

Elle went toward the door with the rest of the girls. Tao stood up to walk outside again, Nick following after him. That left Loralie with Charlie and Issac, who both were fully engaged on her the second they were alone. Issac leaned on his elbows. "Oh my God, Loralie, you have to tell us what Elle and Tao did to have you fuming."

"Spill all the tea." Charlie encouraged quickly, Issac stood up to join them on the couch.

Loralie huffed and she threw her body against the cushions, resting her head back. "They almost kissed."

"Tao and Elle?" Issac gaped her way. "Without you there?"

"Wait, why does that make you mad? I really don't think it would ruin our friendship group." Charlie insisted, Issac seemingly the only one who caught on very fast.

"No, I know it wouldn't." she shook her head and shrugged. "I don't want them to get together."

"You don't? But why?" Charlie continued to look confused as Loralie rubbed her forehead. "Oh my God, do you like one of them?"

"Yes." she threw her hands up in surrender.

"Which one?" the boys asked on sync.

"I don't know!" she rose her her feet and paced slightly, speaking loudly with her hands. "Do I like Tao? Of course I do! He's so great and he makes me so happy. We always have the best time and I want to be around him every single chance I get, and I always think about kissing him. He's the only one who really calls we Lori and we can banter for hours and hours. He's absolutely beautiful and his style is sooo sexy! I totally do like him, sure."

She paused her pacing as she pointed her finger. "But, then there's Elle. I totally like Elle too, I do. She's so gentle with me and always know what to say. She is so driven and passionate and I just love her hair so much, and I love the way she always looks out for me. Not to mention she's got a great butt."

"Woah." Charlie stared. "You like them both?"

"I don't know!" she threw her arms up in defense. "Yes? But also no? Like, I always have but I never really acted on it because of our friendship. I can like people but ignore it, it's easy to do when you're close like we are. I've liked other people between all of this and it's been fine, they're like that wonky crush you never actually do anything about but are in the back of your mind. They can't date each other, they would mess with my brain so much! It's one thing to date other people and have some jealousy, but each other? That's a whole new level of jellyfish!"

"That is a whole new level of jellyfish." Issac gasped in agreement.

The movie passed by quickly and Nick did eventually tell Imogen. Tori had given Loralie clothes to sleep in as she curled up on the couch, her back to the rest of the room. Unlike the others, she hadn't went home to get a sleeping bag. She glanced over her shoulder, looking at Tao as he rolled over with his earbuds in.

Elle was right below her, looking up in hopes of Loralie getting down here with her. They never had a sleepover where the girls didn't cuddle together, now they weren't even speaking and Tao didn't even kiss her back. Elle was so confused, she didn't get any of it. Tao acted like he likes her, but pulled away before she could kiss him right before the sprinklers went off. Loralie was perfectly fine the first half of the sleepover, then ignored her entirely and only looked her way if she wanted to glare. It wasn't just directed to her either, it had been at Tao as well.

It was all so confusing, for all three of them.

Loralie looked at her phone, opening up her text with Tao and starting to type something before she stopped and turned her phone off.

"The flirting didn't work." she heard Elle whisper into the night, seemingly talking to Tara and Darcy considering they were the only pair "awake". "I think I need to try and get over him too."

"Oh, Elle." Tara cuddled up to her, Darcy not far after.

Loralie frowned her eyebrows as she glanced over her shoulder. Too. Get over him too.

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kylie speaks

SO THE DRAMA BEGINS