STARKID Locked in for Christmas

c h a p t e r t h r e e

《BRIAN》

I woke up first and put more wood on the fire to keep it going. I pulled out my phone to check of there was any signal yet. Nothing. It is 7:37am I can't help but feel like this is all my fault. I volunteered us to work, and now we are all locked in and it's three days till Christmas. We should all be at home with our families.

When I started moving around everyone else started waking up.

"Oh God," Lauren began in a groggy voice, "I thought last night was just a bad dream." Darren placed his arm around her.

"I'm going to go try the door again." Joe said, then got up and left.

"Jaime, will you come with me to the bathroom." Lauren asked her.

"You can't flush." I told her.

"I have to pee." Lauren said as she got up and left.

《LAUREN》

I left our small closet and the impact of the cold hit me. It was freezing out here. I stood waiting for Jaime, what was taking her so long?

"Lauren." Joe said walking up to me, "We need to talk."

"Can you open the door?" I asked him trying to avoid what he really wanted to talk about.

"Well no, but we ki-" I took his arm and dragged it away from the door.

"Do you think I want them to know? Do you think I want Darren to know, no." I took a long breath, hoping Jaime would come out, but she didn't, "What happened was a mistake, I was upset with my parents and you were the only one around, I knew it was a mistake as soon as it happened."

"Lauren do you think we can keep this secret up forever. He is going to find out."

"Find out what?" Jaime said finally coming out.

"Darren finding out what I got him for Christmas, Walker helped me pick it out since I have no idea how to shop for boys." I covered. "Now keep hush about it Joe." I said looking at Joe, he knew what I meant. Joe went back inside, and Jaime and I headed towards the bathroom.

When we got inside Jaime just looked at me, saying nothing, but something tells me she knows something is up.

"What?" I asked her, walking into a stall.

"Stop, tell me what's going on." Jaime said.

"Um, I'm freezing, and I have to pee." I said closing the stall.

"Lauren, with you and Joe."

My eyes opened wide. I slowly unlocked the stall and slowly walked out.

"Jaime nothing happened." I told her.

"Lauren I never said anything happened, I just want to know what's going on. You have been acting weird."

"We kissed." I said, so ashamed of myself.

"Lauren, did he trick you into doing it?"

"No, we were in English and Joe sits beside me so when I got the text from my parents saying they were going to the Bahamas, well Joe was the only one there. It started off as friends just hanging out, we went and got coffee, he comforted me. Then he took me back to the dorm and at the door he kissed me, then ran away. I wasant expecting it, I didn't even feel anything, I just feel like an ass because I kissed someone else, I cheated on Darren." I said then fell to the cold floor crying.

"Lauren, don't cry." Jaime said picking me up. "Is this the real reason you didn't want to go home with Darren for Christmas?" I nodded my head. "Oh Lauren, you need to talk to Darren about it, tell him the truth."

《MEREDITH》

My family and I walked off the plane. Christmas in California, this weekend was going to be amazing. I have a growing pit of worry in my stomach, I haven't herd from Brian or anyone since I left Michigan.

My family and I grabbed our bags and began to leave.

"Meredith?" A familiar voice called out. I stopped and turned around, it was Darrens mother,she looked worried.

"Mrs. Criss, what are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Darren was he on your flight?" She asked her voice sounded as if it was at the verge of tears.

"No mam, because of the blizzard our flight got moved to the 8 o'clock flight because there wernt that many people on it."

"Darren was supposed to be on the 8 o'clock flight. I have called him and called him but he hasn't answered."

"I know I'm having the same problem with Brian, he isint answering my calls."

"Oh dear, what if something has happened to them?"

"I don't think anything has." I said liying, I know something was up, I hope everyone is okay.

《JAIME》

It's noon, and world war three is about to go down. Lauren has been sitting with me ever since we came back. She has been ignoring Darren and Joe.

"Lauren?" Darren said walking up to us, he sat down beside her. "Have I done something?"

"No its me." She said crying into Darren, everyone was looking over here except for Joe, he knew exactly what was going on, what was about to happen.

"I need air." Joe did as headed is way towards the door.

"But is freezing out there." Joey said to him.

"I just need some air." Joe said again then walked out. Oh God its about to happen.

"Darren I need to tell you something." Lauren said softly.

"What's wrong?" Darren asked a little bit more concerned now.

"The day I got the text from my parents saying they were going to the Bahamas, well I was hurt, and well I talked to Joe about it and he calmed me down, then took me back to the dorm, and then... then he ... kissed me."

I looked over at Darren, his face changed from sympathy to anger in a matter of seconds.

"I'm gonna kill him." Darren said making his way to the door.

"Darren please I'm sorry." Lauren said crying.

"You know what, just don't even talk to me, I was your boyfriend, you should have came to me not him." Darren yelled at Lauren.

"Was?" Lauren asked weakly.

"Lauren we are through." Darren said leaving, and slamming the door behind him.

Lauren fell into my lap crying. I tried my hardest to comfort her. While Joey and Brian just sat there not believing there eyes.