Darkson High

3.18

As they drove away from the party, the car was filled with a mix of exhaustion and leftover adrenaline. The late-night energy was palpable, and despite everything that had happened, the mood had lightened significantly. Ricky was still half-asleep, leaning heavily against Trey, who occasionally had to push him back upright. Harry, sitting next to Ricky, was humming a random tune, tapping his fingers against the car door in rhythm.

"Okay, where to?" Nikky asked from the driver's seat, glancing at Jake. "Are we doing the usual and getting burgers, or is anyone feeling fancy tonight?"

"Burgers!" Ricky mumbled from the backseat, barely lifting his head. "I want extra pickles."

"Shocking," Oliver deadpanned, earning a chuckle from everyone.

Kendra leaned over from the passenger seat. "I'm down for burgers too. Honestly, I'm starving."

"Burgers it is," Nikky confirmed, taking a sharp turn that made Ricky topple onto Trey's shoulder.

"Whoa, easy there, speed racer," Trey joked, holding Ricky steady. "I'm already babysitting here."

"Good luck with that," Harry added with a grin. "You know Ricky's a handful."

Jake smirked from the back, his arm draped lazily over the back of Nikky's seat. "Hey, let's swing by Big Joe's. They've got that new triple bacon thing."

"Gross," Nikky scoffed, but she was already heading in that direction. "You and your obsession with bacon, Jake. I don't get it."

Jake chuckled. "It's the simple things in life, Nik."

As they pulled into the parking lot of Big Joe's, the neon lights flickered above them, casting a glow over the group. They parked, and everyone piled out of the car, stretching their legs and yawning. Ricky, still a little wobbly, was guided by Trey like a toddler learning to walk. Harry took the lead, dramatically opening the door for everyone like he was a butler.

"After you, my good people," Harry said in a mock British accent.

Inside, the late-night crowd was buzzing with a mix of post-party revelers and people just looking for a quick bite. The group managed to snag a big booth in the corner, squeezing in as they looked over the laminated menus.

"Hey, I'm thinking of getting that chili cheese dog," Trey said, eyes scanning the options.

"Bold choice," Oliver commented. "Might be regretting that one tomorrow."

Trey grinned. "Worth it. I'm living for today, baby."

They all put in their orders—Jake getting his monstrous triple bacon burger, of course—and settled in. The atmosphere was laid-back now, full of teasing and banter.

Kendra, who had been quiet, finally relaxed and joined in. "Remember that one time when we tried to cook burgers at Jake's place?" she said, a small smile on her face.

"Oh God, don't remind me," Nikky groaned, her head falling back against the booth. "Jake nearly set the whole kitchen on fire."

Jake shrugged, unbothered. "Hey, that was an accident. How was I supposed to know you couldn't use that much oil?"

"Common sense?" Oliver suggested dryly.

The food arrived quickly, and soon enough, the table was filled with the smell of greasy fries, burgers, and way too much cheese. Ricky, surprisingly coherent, stared at his burger with wide eyes. "It's... beautiful," he said, before taking an enormous bite.

"Yeah, yeah, don't start crying over it," Trey laughed, nudging him.

"Be careful, Ricky," Harry chimed in, "or you'll end up writing love poems to burgers instead of girls."

The group dug in, the noise level at their table gradually increasing as they joked and ate. They swapped stories about their messiest party moments, with Ricky being the clear winner for most chaotic, and occasionally their laughter would draw the attention of other diners.

After they'd polished off their meals, the boys were in high spirits, cracking jokes and tossing crumpled napkins at each other like middle schoolers. Nikky rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Even Oliver, usually the quiet one, was smirking more often than not.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, a new problem arose. Jake's eyes widened as he fished around in his pockets. "Uh... guys? Where are my keys?"

"You're joking, right? I gave them to you!" Nikky said, narrowing her eyes at him.

Jake held up his hands, looking a little panicked. "No, seriously. I had them when we got in, I swear."

The table erupted into chaos, everyone patting down their pockets and searching around the booth. Ricky, ever helpful, lifted up a fry, as if that might be the missing key. "Found it!" he announced triumphantly.

"Ricky, that's a fry," Trey sighed, shaking his head. "And it's mine. Give it back."

Oliver leaned over the table. "Did anyone check under the seats? Maybe they fell out."

The group spent the next five minutes frantically searching under tables, inside napkin holders, and even retracing their steps to the car. Meanwhile, a few patrons looked on with bemused expressions, clearly entertained by the spectacle.

Just as they were about to give up, Jake suddenly grinned and jingled the keys in his hand. "Gotcha!"

The group let out groans of frustration. Nikky swatted him on the shoulder. "Jake! Man, we're tired, and you're still pulling pranks? Unbelievable."

Jake chuckled, unrepentant. "Gotta keep things interesting."

"Yeah, well, next time, I'm throwing you out of the car," Nikky shot back, though she was smiling.

"Alright, alright," Jake said, still chuckling. "Let's head back to mine. With my dad out, we've got the place to ourselves."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Your room is a mess, though."

Jake grinned, his eyes sparking with mischief. "And how do you know what my room looks like? I don't remember inviting you over. You stalking me, mate?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Just a gut feeling. And trust me, my instincts are always right about your chaos."

Nikky jumped in, nodding. "After ten years as this guy's best friend, I can confirm his room's...an experience. Seen some questionable stuff. And those hookup remnants? Yeah, I needed bleach for my eyes. Thank God he has a cleaning lady. Too busy playing Mr. Cool to clean up his own mess."

Jake put a hand to his heart, feigning offense. "This is slander."

"Not slander if it's true," Oliver shot back, smirking.

Harry, laughing, added, "Alright, now I'm curious. Just how bad is this mess?"

"Trust me, Harry, you don't want to know," Nikky said, shaking her head. "You'd never be the same."

Everyone laughed, enjoying the playful banter, and they all piled back into the car, the vibe relaxed and buzzing with the satisfaction of good food and great company. It didn't take long to get to Jake's place, a spacious manor that always seemed to be in a constant state of "almost clean."

Once inside, they kicked off their shoes, Ricky nearly tripping over himself in the process. "I'm never gonna recover from tonight," he mumbled dramatically, flopping onto the nearest couch.

"You never recover from any night," Trey quipped, earning a few laughs.

Jake disappeared for a second, then reappeared with snacks and drinks, tossing them onto the coffee table. "Alright, who's up for a game of 'try not to wake up my dad?'"

Nikky snorted. "Jake, we're not twelve anymore."

"Speak for yourself," Jake shot back, tossing a pillow at her.

For the next couple of hours, they settled in, sharing more stories, playing a few rounds of card games, and mostly just enjoying being together. Despite all the drama and chaos of the night, moments like these reminded them why they stuck together—through thick and thin, fights and reconciliations.

And for now, at least, everything felt right.