𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑋𝑜𝑛𝑒

𝑋𝑋𝑋

"I'll get it," Janet said with a smile. She leaned over me, pressing her body against mine, sending a rush of warmth through me as she reached for the phone and brought it to her right ear.

"Hello," she answered, her voice smooth and calm.

I watched her, feeling a flicker of curiosity.

"Oh, hey Tina," she said with a laugh, glancing at me. "I'm sorry, was Mariah loud again?" She gave me a playful look that made my cheeks warm.

I felt a flush of embarrassment spread across my face at her teasing. I didn't like being the subject of their jokes, but I couldn't help but find it funny. Janet bit her tongue, stifling her laughter.

I lightly spanked her bottom, trying to regain some control, though the rush of affection and playfulness only made me smile.

She continued listening to Tina on the other end, still holding eye contact with me. "Oh, sure, we'll be right over there. Bye, see you soon," she said, hanging up the phone with ease.

I froze for a moment, feeling a knot of confusion in my chest. What did Tina want? And why was Janet saying, we'll be over there?

This was supposed to be our time, our last day in London. I didn't want to go anywhere. I just wanted to keep her all to myself. I wanted to savor every moment. The thought of leaving now, of stepping away from her, made a wave of frustration ripple through me.

Janet put the phone back on the nightstand and looked over at me with a smile, but I didn't return it.

"So, the kids are meeting in Tina's room next door," she said, her eyes bright.

I rolled my eyes. "And what does that have to do with us?"

She raised a brow, her smile fading slightly. "Mariah, what's the problem?"

I crossed my arms, trying to keep my expression neutral. "She said she has a surprise." Janet narrowed her eyes, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and frustration. She got up from the bed, shaking her head as she started to get dressed. "If you don't want to go, you can stay here."

Knowing Shawn would be there, I felt a pang of competitiveness. "I'm going," I said, a bit sharper than intended.

We dressed in silence, neither of us saying a word. When it was time to leave, Janet didn't hold the door open for me. I could sense she was fed up with the tension between us, and part of me felt a flicker of regret.

We entered Tina's room, and Janet walked in first. As we stepped inside, I noticed everyone lined up, and colorful confetti began to fall over Janet's head. Laughter and cheers filled the room as her friends and dancers clapped and applauded.

Janet's eyes went wide in surprise, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth as a big smile broke across her face. She looked genuinely touched, her guard dropping for just a moment.

Gil stepped forward with a playful grin. "This is our way of saying we accept your bisexual freaky self and love you no matter who you're with!" he joked, wrapping his arms around her.

One by one, everyone stepped up to give Janet a hug, each sharing a quick laugh or heartfelt moment. I watched, feeling warmth replace the tension I'd felt earlier. But when Shawn walked up for her turn, I held my breath.

Janet's expression softened as the confetti rained down on her, and a genuine smile spread across her face. She glanced back at me, the tension from earlier slipping away as she laughed in surprise.

The kids were all clapping and cheering, clearly excited to have pulled off the surprise. Shawn stepped forward with a grin, holding a small banner that read, "We Love You, Janet!"