Just Sh*t: A New York City Story

Chapter 10: Mia, Mia, Gone

After Judah starts talking, Mia's expression shifts from confusion to a realization that something's up. Her smile falters, and she nervously glances between the boys.

Judah, sensing her unease, takes a breath and continues, "We've all been seeing you, apparently. And, well... none of us knew until recently."

Ryan cuts in, trying to ease the tension with a smile. "Yeah, it was kind of a shock when we figured it out."

Alex, leaning back with his signature grin, adds, "To be fair, you've got good taste. But uh... what's going on here?"

Jamie, still fidgeting awkwardly, jumps in. "We don't want to, like, accuse you of anything weird, but it's kinda... weird. Right?"

Mia's eyes widen, clearly realizing the situation she's in. She looks down at the table for a moment, clearly collecting her thoughts. When she looks back up, there's an embarrassed smile on her face, and she lets out a small laugh, which catches the guys off guard.

"Okay, first of all, I didn't do this on purpose," Mia says, her voice filled with a mix of nervous laughter and genuine apology. "This is... really awkward. I didn't mean to be dating all of you at the same time."

Jackson, ever the serious one, raises an eyebrow. "Then how exactly did it happen?"

Mia sighs, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It started with Ryan. We went on a date, and I really liked him. But then a few days later, I ran into Alex at the bar, and we clicked, and I... I don't know, I just didn't think you'd know each other. Then, I met Jamie, and—"

Alex laughs, shaking his head. "You thought we wouldn't figure it out?"

"I didn't think it would get this far!" Mia admits, sounding both exasperated and guilty. "I wasn't trying to play anyone. I just—well, it was stupid of me. I should've been honest earlier."

The boys exchange glances, unsure of how to proceed. None of them seem particularly mad—just baffled by the whole situation.

Ryan, the sensitive one, leans forward and gently says, "I get it, it's New York. Things happen fast. But this? It's kind of a mess, Mia."

Judah, though trying to stay serious, chuckles. "Honestly, I'm more impressed that you managed to keep it up this long."

Mia groans, covering her face with her hands for a moment. "You have no idea how guilty I've felt. I didn't know how to end it with any of you without making it worse."

"Well, you're here now," Jackson says, his tone a bit more serious. "It's better to be honest."

Mia nods. "I know. I'm really sorry. This was a huge mistake."

Jamie, still looking a bit awkward, finally speaks up. "So... what happens now?"

Mia looks at all of them, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I think we should stop seeing each other. All of you. I didn't mean for this to happen, and I don't want to hurt anyone more than I already have."

The boys sit in silence for a moment, processing what she said. There's no anger, just an odd sense of relief that the awkward situation is finally being addressed.

Alex breaks the silence with a grin. "Well, at least we won't have to fight over who gets to date you."

Mia laughs, shaking her head. "I never wanted that."

Judah, smirking, nudges Jamie. "Hey, look on the bright side, man. At least we're all in the same boat."

Ryan sighs but smiles. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Mia looks at all of them, her guilt still palpable. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to mess things up."

Judah waves it off with a grin. "Don't worry about it. We're not mad, just... surprised."

Jackson, ever the pragmatist, leans back. "Well, lesson learned, I guess. No hard feelings."

They all nod in agreement, the tension slowly dissolving. It was an unexpected twist in their already chaotic lives, but they'd dealt with it together, as they always did.

As they get up to leave, Alex jokes, "So, who's buying the next round? Because I think we all need a drink after this."

Mia laughs, relieved that the situation hadn't exploded into something worse. "I think I owe you guys one, don't I?"

With that, they all head out of the coffee shop, still shaking their heads at the absurdity of the situation, but thankful that it ended with more laughter than hurt feelings. It was just another crazy chapter in their lives, and they knew there would be plenty more to come.