Getting Married to the Bad Boy *REVISED* (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 12

After the adults left, we got to work. With our respective friends, we parted ways and unpacked the boxes in our rooms. It was now six in the evening. Everyone was lounging in the living room as we awaited the pizzas that were ordered; working for over three hours built up quite the appetite. As we waited, whether it was to break the awkward silence between two different groups on the social hierarchy or Jake was simply speaking his mind, he decided to drop a bogus suggestion or, in their opinion, a brilliant one.

"Let's throw a party."

Immediately Zach, who was slumped in a grey bean bag, agreed. "I'm down with that."

Max nodded from where he shared the couch with Jake and Reece. "It'd be like a home-opening ceremony but with booze, hot chicks, and deafening music."

"I don't think that'd be a great idea," I said.

"Why not?" Jake asked as everyone looked at me, awaiting my answer.

"Because of me."

Jake looked at me, confused. "You?"

"I live here. They'll see the other room and start digging for the girl living with Mr. Hot stuff over there," I pointed at a cellphone immersed Reece, "ruining the secrecy we've been vying for."

Jake shrugged. "It's really not that serious, we can simply lock off your room, claim it as an out of bounds area."

"I don't want to be locked up in my room, like some prisoner."

"You wouldn't be, you'd give them the impression that you're just joining the party like everyone else and then stay until everyone leaves. That's if you join the party, though."

I hesitated.

Max groaned, "Don't be a buzzkill, Paige. It's just one party."

Reece snickered, his tone condescending. "Can she be anything but a buzzkill?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, rattled by his tone of voice. As if going to a party was way out of my league.

"Take it any way you want wild punches," he said, getting up as the doorbell rang, sauntering off to collect the pizzas.

My blood riled up as I glared at him from behind. "Fine, let's do it. The party."

Amanda and Rachel high-fiving as the boys "whooped" caused me to shake my head, but I couldn't help feeling that this was a bad idea despite my agreement.

The moment Reece returned with the food, everybody dug in. I was enjoying my second heavenly slice of barbeque chicken pizza when I saw Amanda and Rachel giggling as they spoke to Jake and Zach. They were clearly dropping their full charm. My friends being the fans they were, ate out of the palms of their hands. Seeing them converse reminded me of earlier when they were huddled by the corner.

"By the way," I voiced out, pausing their conversation. "What were you guys talking about this morning? When you were huddled in the corner."

"We were getting to know each other, obviously." Rachel said with a high-pitched giggle.

My eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Might as well, right?" Max said as he reached forward for a slice of pepperoni. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on." He gave me a quick smile and a wink as he took a bite out of his pizza, adding an extra "Yum."

"Well, that's fine by me, but we stick to our own peers at school. We've seen first-hand this week what happens if we hang around each other."

"Well, aren't you a stickler for school hierarchy," Zach said mockingly.