It's Called Sarcasm [1] ⌲ Twombly

11 | hidden hickeys

"Okay guys," Billy starts as all of us sit in Lyle's office later the next night. "Let's take our new found team spirit and apply it to this next app challenge. We got this."

"You know, it'd help if we had an idea for an app." Stuart says while scrolling through his phone.

"You bet your sweet ass it would, Stewie." Nick says while tapping his fingertips against his knee.

"No," Stuart says in an instant, not even bothering to look up from his phone. "Never Stewie."

"You don't like Stewie?"

"No, he likes it, I'm just the only one allowed to say it." I say as I sip on my coffee.

"I never said I liked it, I just tolerate it."

"Okay, Stewie."

"Perimeter breach acknowledged, Stuart." Nick says with a nod before look back at me. His brow furrows and I raise my eyebrows.

"What?" I question.

"Is that a hickey on your neck?" He asks, making my face turn red and Stuart's eyes snap up to me.

"What? Of course not. I got it when I fell down yesterday, that's all." I shrug, hiding my face in my coffee cup.

"Oh, come on, Macaroni, you can't fool us. Who's the guy?" Billy asks, nudging my arm.

"Look, I'd really rather not talk about this now, alright?" I say with pleading eyes.

"Okay, fair enough. We'll leave your rendezvous night to another time."

"Thank you," I say, looking up at Stuart who gives me a look that I can't really read. I look back down at my computer, sighing softly to myself.

"Okay guys, back on topic. Let's brainstorm this puppy. We're going to put some coffee in the pot-"

"Thank you!"

"-and we're going to let it percolate."

"Oh, you meant figuratively. Noted." I mumble with a nod.

"We can make real coffee too."

"Yay."

"Let's go!" Nick says.

"I think it would be most helpful to explore what apps have been most helpful in the past." Yo-Yo chimes in.

"Go backwards to go forwards."

"Oh, and we can bin it, you know?" I add.

"Fall out."

"Uh, categorize needle-movers by type of user." I say, getting up and beginning to bustle around the office.

"There you go, Mack." Lyle says. "The old two prong. You're on the forest moon of Endor, taking out the shield generator, and you're launching an offensive with Admiral Ackbar. It's not a trap!"