Where I Belong. (Stopped)

Chapter 21: Kicked In The Face.

Things were tense over the next few days. Everyone was keeping a close eye on Ashlee and Bridget to make sure they didn’t beat each other up again. They watched Tom to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. And they watched Tanya and Jay to see if jay would stop being a chicken and ask Tanya out already officially. But he didn’t. But he did steal kisses when he thought no one was watching, when really everyone was. Let’s just say, Jay wasn’t the best at being sneaky.

Grace was sitting at the kitchen island, sipping a freshly made tea, flipping through a magazine when she called the boys into the kitchen. They all filed in, glancing at each other to see which one got in trouble. Jay and Tom were the main culprits of the staring. “So, you boys are in a boy band huh?” They nodded. “So, you sing right?” Their heads went up and down. “Do you like singing?”

“I guess so.” Max shrugged.

“Guess so?” Grace echoed.

They looked at each other. “None of us have quit yet, so..” Jay commented.

“If I offered you to sing at my wedding, well, the reception, would you?”

They broke out into smiles. “Of course.” Siva said.

Tom gave a sigh of relief. “You had me thinking you were mad at us.”

“Oh, I am.”

“Why?” Tom looked at Grace with wide eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights. Grace flipped the page, glancing at it here and there. Her eyes stayed on a set of porcelain plates on sale, then looked up at Tom. He squirmed for a second under her gaze. Grace lifted the mug that had ‘MINE’ across it in red. After breathing out a content sigh from her tea, she set it down.

“You let Ashlee and Bridget get into a fight Thomas. You could have gotten in between them and stopped it.” She widened her gaze to the other boys. “In fact, any of you could have done that. So Tommy, it’s not just you I’m mad at.”

“You’re not like, ‘call our mums’ mad though, right?” Tom asked with a sheepish smile.

Grace laughed. “No, not ‘call your mums’ mad.” Tom let out a sigh of relief. “Just be a good boy.”

Max grinned, grabbed Tom’s ear and rubbed it. “He’s always a good boy.”

“A very good boy!” Grace looked between the two and nodded.

“Right,” she flipped the page of her magazine, “well, you can go now boys.” The boys nodded, walking out of the kitchen, leaving Grace to herself with her magazine and tea.

Entering the living room, Ashlee was grinning at the five boys. “So, what’d you get yelled at for?”

“Nothing you idiot.” Nathan rolled his eyes. Ashlee opened her mouth only to have a hand smack over it. Tanya scowled at her childhood friend.

“Don’t start that crap, Ash.” Ashlee mumbled a few choice words under Tanya’s hand then removed it from her mouth.

“I’ll be the bigger person.” Ashlee harrumphed, crossing her arms over her chest, sitting back in cough. “In attitude and in height.”

“I’m taller than you.” Nathan snapped.

“Excuse me little man child sloth thing, I would not like to argue.” Ashlee said, giving him a dirty look. “And I’m taller than you.”

“You are n--”

“I swear to god if you say another word, I will beat you up myself Sykes.” Tanya threatened.

“Meee-ooow Tan.” Ashlee snickered.

“What’s got you in a mood?” Tom nudged Tanya in the ribs. Tanya shrugged, trying to think of an excuse to tell everyone why she was a bit snappy today. Tom leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Is is Jay?”