The Popstar and the Bodyguard | Septiplier

Chapter 6

My phone vibrates multiple times but I don't bother to check it. Peiji turns his newer phone towards Mark making me have a slight panic attack. Mark's eyes focus in onto the screen placed in front of him. He glances up at me and starts to chuckle with a smile.
  "Oh that's what you guys were talking about? Psh I knew it."
He said with a slight roll to his eyes.
  "But wait Mark I-"
Peiji tosses his phone in my direction, letting me fumble with it in the air until I get a solid grip. I look at the phone resting in my gaze. The screen shows the conversation between Peiji and I however something different was on the screen from what our conversation was.

Peiji
Jack I know you and Lauryn are best friends

Peiji
I'll cut you bb.  She's mine and I'll fight for her

Peiji
Okay if you put it that way... Fine we can both have her.

Mark gives Peiji a questioning look.
  "Why aren't Jack's texts there though?"
He eyes Peiji with a daring look and a scowl.
In return, Peiji gives him a sideways glance.
  "Oh um.. Jack must have deleted them because he didn't want you to know..."
Peiji pokerfaces and gives a cheeky grin while flickering his eyes between Mark and I.
I cough and call their eyes to me.
  "Eh... yeah well Mark we should head over to the Lazer Tag maze. We should get all the rounds we can get before it closes."
Mark gives a strained smile and nods his head as Peiji gets up. He ruffles my head and does the same to Mark.
  "Alrighty well it was so great to meet you. We should really hangout more."
I laugh and give Peiji a hug which catches him by surprise. He laughs and gives me a hug back, his hair tickling the side of my face as I watch Mark walk to the front door. Mark pushes a cough out and gestures to the now open door. The grip of the hug was released and with one final wave, we walk out the door together.

  "He's really nice isn't he?" Mark says from beside me with a smirk.
  "Uh yeah he's literally the best."
Okay fangirl we need to get a Uber for us because how else are we to get there. Mark Huff's and starts to pull his phone out of his pocket. I reach my hand out and stop him, pushing his hand to make his phone remain there.
  "I've got it. I don't mind. The money will just be taken off of my card since I have the app."
Mark starts to reject however I shake my head and hush him.

After silently waiting for the Uber driver to arrive, a silver Honda Civic pulls up in front of us. The driver rolls the window down and squints her eyes.
  "So you can afford this beautiful home but not even a car? Geez you're the strangest couple I've picked up today."
The second she said that, I hear a door be slammed open from behind me and Mark. Turning, I see Peiji with a grin on his face.
  "But they're the cutest couple you've ever picked up before!" He makes eye contact with me and his toothy grin instantly vanishes. He quickly scrambles back into the house with another shut off the door.
I roll my eyes and turn back to the driver, seeing her face with a small smile. She gives a shrug and nods to the door, silently telling us to hop in. Hey yes, I'm breaking the wall here but you may be wondering... "Why Jack? What aren't you paying attention to Mark?" Well I'll tell you this. Everytime I look at him it puts a pang in my chest and I feel like if I do again, it will stop working. So yes, that is why I haven't within the 20 to 25 minutes of waiting for the Uber.

  "My name is Lily by the way. I just wanted to let you know or else it would have been extremely akward for me."
I smile at her and nod. She's a pretty person in my book. She's wearing black skinny jeans, P!ATD shirt, and a ponytail in her hair.

The car comes to a halt, our bodies moving forward a small bit because of gravity. The small talk between Mark and Lily ends too.
  "Thanks again for the ride Lily." Mark comments as we climb out of the car. I don't really know her because the whole time I was looking out the window. I continue to not look at Mark, looking at girl.
  "Yeah, thank you Lily."
She waves as she drives away to the next person who needs a ride.
I watch Lily drive away, feeling Mark staring at me.

"Okay let's go." I say as I tug at the hem of his shirt, refusing to make eye contact.
"Wait Seán I -"
I cut him off with a tug that makes his body jolt, him soon giving up. Rushing up to the front doors, we're greeted by a large counter. Above the counter was multiple illuminating monitor saying what time each round it. I glance around the room, realizing how many people are there.
"Shit. Do you think anyone will recognize you? Mr. I'm-So-Famous-and-Popular?"
"Well if yuh shut up and not call attention to me, we should be fine."
"Okay but hey," He pokes my shoulder, it tingling in the exact spot he touched. I continue to avoid eye contact with him... I don't think I can for long though... "Is it just me or are you avoiding my eyes? Why wou-"
In that instant, I half sprint to the front counter and slam my palms into the cold blue countertop. The woman working gives a faded smile. It makes sense because she's probably been working for so long. I return the small smile and look up to the game times. There, right there, is a competition listed in 5 minutes.

I look back to the young, brown haired woman. Her brown eyes connect with mine, expecting me to say something and making me not want to say anything just to see an annoyed look out of her. She looks like the type of person that is really hard to get annoyed when the time comes down to it.
"What's the details on the competition?"
"The rundown? You're put into 6 groups of 3; 18 in total. The first round ends when 8 people are eliminated. Then we go to round two and put the remaining 10 players into two separate groups. When 4 people are eliminated from that round, we move to the final round. 3 verses 3 for the final match. The game ends when there is no players from one team."
The woman quickly explains with a small and almost unnoticeable annoyance in her voice.
"Wanna do that one Jackaboy?" Mark says in a low voice behind me. I nod and try not to die from heart failure. I continue to talk to the worker.
"Okay what's the prize and do we get to pick what group?"
I say with question in my voice. I feel Mark's body heat radiating from him right next to me making me try with all my might not to cling to him. Goddamnit Lauryn... you with your stupid schemes. I mentally slap myself and listen to the brunette.
"You get placed into groups by another worker when they put your gear on. I believe he does it by random so there may be a high chance that you won't end with your friend. The prize is a $75 gift card to the fancy Olive Garden down the street. It's honestly worth it. It's $8.57 per player to join the competitions."
I hear Mark clap his hands together in enjoyment. I slip my hand into my back pocket and pull out a black leather wallet with my stage icon, a green eye, on it. Handing her the card that was in it, she swiped it into her computer and handed me it back.

"Give me your wrist please." She says with her hand out waiting. I place my hand there and she wraps a hot pink wristband around it, making it almost as tight as possible. I put my arm down and glance at Mark, watching him get his wristband put on him. He was too busy watching her strap it onto his wrist to notice that I was looking. A blonde woman peering over the brunette's shoulder called my attention. Her eyes flicker between Mark and I for about 30 seconds and she leans over to say something. Is she a fan? She's probably going to ask for a picture with me and I'd be fine with that but the game is about to start.

"Are you guys dating? That's goals. I wish my girlfriend would take me out soon."
The brunette looks at the blonde woman with a laugh.
"I don't think that they are dating Jess."
The blonde lady, Jess, rolls her eyes and scoffs, her arms cross.
"Oh really Liz? But my gaydar is tingling. All queers have a gaydar. It's a radar to point out other gays."
"No but-"
Jess ruffles Liz's hair and chuckles.
"I'm 100% accurate aren't I you pretty boys."
Mark laughs and changes his standing position, now leaning on the opposite foot more.
"Well I am gay and he's gay so you're-"
"AHA! I told you Liz! They are gay! Y'all are relationship goals!!"
Liz puts up her index finger and hushes Jess. Picking up a wired phone next to her, she turns on the Lazer tag intercom.

"Attention all competitors for the Lazer Tag Games Competition. The curtain for the games is to the right of the entrance. We will be starting in 1 minute so get there ASAP. Thank you!"
She set the phone down and gestured to the curtain. Well.
Mark grabs my hand and pulls me to the curtain, soon opening it up. The curtain falls behind us but continues to flap open from the other contestants entering.