We rehearsed for an hour until Julia asked if we could take a break.
"Hell yes. I'm starving. I didn't get food before I came." I said, grabbing my phone off the speaker and grabbing the granola bar from my bag.
"You had to have something before you came. That's why you were late." Kendra said, fixing her high ponytail.
"Shut up and never say that again."
"So do you at least have a picture of the guy? You said he was cute, and I trust you, but I want to know for myself." Julie said as she filled her water bottle up.
"Yeah, I've got a picture." I pulled out my phone and put on the password, finding the picture quickly.
"Oh my god that jawline. I'd be late to everything for that face." Kendra whispered.
"So now you understand?" I joked.
"Hell yes I understand. I wish my boyfriend looked like that." Said Ashely.
"Yeah so pretty much the sooner we can get finished with this, the better." I laughed, finishing up my granola bar and throwing away the wrapper.
"Alright, well. We have another week to practice and we've been working for an hour, so I'm ready to be done when you guys are." Kendra said. The other two agreed to be done, so we packed up and left the studio. I sent a quick text to everyone letting them know that I was on my way back and said goodbye to Kendra, Ashley, and Julia in the parking lot and began my walk back to the house.
When I got back, everyone was in the living room eating pizza and watching some movie that Winter or Louise had obviously picked out. It wasn't from mine or Twyla's collections.
"No one called me to tell me about pizza? What the fuck you guys, I thought we were friends!" I said, setting my stuff down by the front door.
"I was gonna call you but they told me not to." James said.
"Nah I'm joking, it's cool. I'll just eat all of what's left."
"Em, there's like six pieces." James muttered.
"And your point is..." I said, sitting down in his lap and grabbing a slice of cheese pizza from one of the boxes on the wooden chest that we used as a coffee table.
"My point is that I'm not sure you can eat all that pizza."
"Bet. I'll bet you that I can eat all the leftover pizza on this table. If I win, I get five bucks and I get to choose the movie later."
"Fine. And if I win?"
"Babe, that's up to you. If you win, I'll do whatever you want and I'll pay you five bucks." I said, grinning flirtatiously. James held out his hand and we shook on the bet. "You underestimate me. Isn't that right Twyla?"
"She just came from dance rehearsal bro, you don't stand a chance." Twyla said as I grabbed a second piece of pizza.
Four pieces of pizza later and with five dollars in my pocket, I walk into the kitchen and grab a Pepsi from the fridge. I'm grabbing a cup and some ice when James comes up behind me and puts his arm around my waist.
"So. Movie? It's your pick." He says, putting his chin on the top of my head.
"Yeah, gimme a sec. I'll meet you in the room with a movie." I leaned into his body and said. I stood upright as he left, but I didn't notice Winter standing in the doorway until she cleared her throat. "What's up Winter? Need something?"
"Does he ever leave? He has a house of his own, right?" Her arms are crossed over her chest, a bad sign when talking to Winter.
"Yeah, why? Why does it matter if he sleeps here? It's not like he's sleeping on the couch and he's not bothering you by sleeping where you are." I say, not understanding the problem.
"But he's always here and he's not paying rent. You guys aren't living together and you'd have to talk to the whole house about that. So, why is he here?" Her voice is rising. Fuck.
"He and I were talking about moving in together recently. I figured letting him sleep here a couple days a week to see if he likes it could be the first step. His place is more expensive and I have trouble with always having a paying job, so we figured it'd be better living here. Besides, you don't pay rent either, so what's your point here? You've been sleeping on our couch for the past eight months and I haven't seen one dollar for rent. Don't say that cleaning is paying rent because everyone cleans."
"Louise doesn't pay rent-" I cut her off there.
"Louise pays for the food, Twyla pays rent with Jay and I pay for utilities. That's not even including the miscellaneous bills like Netflix and wifi that you use like everyone else even though you pay for nothing. You don't even have a fucking job, you just sit around all day using all the stuff that everyone pays for. Besides, you don't care about when Jay and Twyla live in the same room, so why do you care so much about me and James?" I was shouting now. I didn't care if the whole house could hear me. My face was flushed with anger and my fists were clutches by my sides. I could punch Winter and not feel sorry right now.
"Hey babe, is everything ok?" James says, walking down the hall towards us.
"It might be...better if you go home tonight. I have to talk to my...friend. For a bit. It might get violent, I'm not sure yet. Just go home and I'll call you later. I love you, but it's better this way." I composed myself enough to say all of this in a calm tone.
"Alright, well. I'll see you later, love." He said, walking out of the kitchen and leaving the house.
"We need input from the house before I can go any further with this. Get everyone in the living room. I'll be right there." I hissed.
Winter left to gather the remnants of the house and I went into my bedroom and grabbed the notebook of bills and such from my desk.
