"You fucked Lily?!" Barty yelled as he slapped my arm repeatedly. I winced but let him do it anyways.
"You just witnessed her leave my room!" I told him.
"Are you stupid? You're never going to get Ara back now!"
"I know that."
"And you!" He yelled down the hall as he walked to my door, no one was there but he was going to get his point across anyways. "Must you make my life a living hell? James is going to be so angry and he just got captain! We're going to skate so many suicides!"
"He stood me up!" Lily yelled from the kitchen.
"So you fuck Reggie? That's like the worst thing you could do! I know there were plenty of attractive men in the bar last night! Shit, you could have fucked me Lil! I'd have taken one for the team!" She reappeared in my doorway, clutching a mug of coffee. Barty jumped back, both startled by her presence and by the look of anger she held.
"As much as I appreciate you 'taking one for the team,' Crouch, I prefer to get into bed with people who don't see me as something to be passed around." He nodded.
"And I know that, and I'm so sorry for even saying it like that." He quickly spit out as he threw his hands up in surrender. She glared at him, waiting for the inevitable slip up that always followed his first one.
"It was a one time thing," Barty cut her off with a look. "okay, a two time thing, but no one has to know."
"Remind me what bar you two were at?" He asked as he sat himself down in my desk chair.
"The Black Dog." Lily told him. She wasn't there yet. She didn't know the way this town worked.
"And who was bartending?"
"Peter?"
"And, who lives with Peter?" Lily's face dropped. I nodded.
"Okay, but that's not his business." Barty laughed.
"His business or not, they know. You guys are fucked."
"We live together though." Barty shrugged.
"So do James and Ara. Maybe they're next." I held back a gag at the thought.
"They're like siblings." I told him. He gave me a pointed look.
"Yeah," He pointed his chin towards Lils. "that's what you said about her before she moved in. I know incest runs in the bloodline, Black, but jesus. I thought you were better than that."
"Get out."
"The family tree is a circle."
"Get out!" He got up and skipped to my door, a little too pleased with this situation.
"You guys are fucking idiots." He reminded us as he left. Lily took his spot.
"Do you really think we're fucked?" She asked. I rubbed a hand over my face.
"I mean, yeah. Probably. I don't know." She sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry." I shook my head.
"Don't be, we made a choice together. We, uh, just didn't think about the consequences." She laughed.
"No, we did not."
"Welcome to small towns, Lils."
...
"I gotta talk to her." I told Evan as we sat on the couch. He paused his playing with Puck to stare at me like I was stupid.
"Now?" He asked. I nodded and stood up. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me down.
"What're you doing?" I asked him. He shook his head.
"You're not doing that to her right now." I stared at him confused.
"What do you mean?" He ran a hand over his face.
"Her sister's in town."
"Nice try, her sister's not coming until Friday." He shook his head.
"Yeah, that what she thought too. Then, her sister showed up with a black eye and a broken nose last night."
"While you were there?"
"Right as she got home." I shook my head.
"I should be there for her, I-I should help her." He shook his head.
"You don't get it, Reg. She doesn't want your help right now, you did that. You made your bed, now you have to lie in it. She has people. If she wants you, she'll reach out, but the last thing you should do is add more to her plate because you feel guilty." I pulled my lips into a thin line.
"You're right." I muttered.
"What was that?" He teased.
"I'm not saying it again." He smiled.
"You're not just gonna get her back by waltzing in there and apologizing. You've got shit to work on, so does she. Figure things out and then, maybe she'll give you another shot."
"When did you become an Ara expert?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"Last night, when I had to console her while she cried about your dumbass, and her sister, and your stupid ass brother. I'm well versed in Ara lore at this point."
...
This was the stupidest idea I'd had to date. Okay, second stupidest, but this one was actually thought out. I slid on the dark green thermal shirt as Barty sat on my bed.
"You have no color." He told me.
"This is green. Green is very much a color." I retorted as I rolled up the sleeves.
"That'd hardly green." He looked at my outfit in disgust. "Black pants, I presume black boots, no color."
"Look, I don't criticize your eccentric style why must you hate mine." He shrugged.
"I can't believe you're going to the bar."
"We! We are going to the bar."
"Well then we should head out." He tapped in his phone before standing up and walking to my doorway.
"Pandora! Uber will be here in five!" He yelled down the hall. Evan appeared in front of him.
"What's he wearing?"
"Black."
"Jesus, mate. Just because it's your last name-" He stopped when he saw me. He turned back to Barty.
"That's green." He told him. Barty rolled his eyes.
"Hardly!"
"That's like wearing a goddamn rainbow for Reg."
"Thank you!" Pandora appeared wearing a short black skirt and a red top that I wasn't sure could be classified as one.
"Change." Evan told her.
"Fuck off." She replied as she looked up from adjusting her boot.
"Let's go, party people." Barty announced. The four of us walked out of the house and into the Uber. The drive was short, but it felt longer as the dread hit me.
"This is stupid." I admitted. Pandora patted my thigh.
"Sure is." The car came to a stop and we all climbed out. We walked inside The Black Dog. Pandora immediately dragged me to grab a drink. Luckily, Peter wasn't working so I could trust whatever I was getting. She ordered two shots and two jack and cokes. She tapped her shot against mine as I handed the bartender my card over her head. We downed the shots. I winced as it went down.
"Ew, what the-" I stopped mid-sentence when I saw her walk in. She wore jeans and a tight green top, her hair was down, she flipped it over her shoulder as James escorted her and Remus to the bar. She offered me an awkward smile as she passed.
"Let's go play pool!" Pandora cheered as she grabbed my hand and dragged me away.
