This Mess That We Are

A La Mode

(Sorry for taking fucking forever to update, I just was not in the mood to write, so this is definitely one of my shorter chapters.)

Evan awoke with his head pounding wildly, and confused by his surroundings. He was in his own house but he heard voices echoing through the room that were not his own. As his eyes became fully accustomed to the area, he noticed a set of arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Connor was at his side happily sleeping. Evan giggled softly at the boys cuteness. He saw the other guys resting around the floor, Jared solemnly in a corner. The only people that were missing were Alana and Zoe. He loosened Connor's grip and walked into the cramped kitchen. Evan saw the two girls haplessly attempting to make pancakes. They looked worried when the pan caught fire, and Evan raced to extinguish the flames.

"Hey I know this place I-is a d-dump, but it's all I've g-got! Please don't b-burn it down!" Evan said sternly

The girls only erupted into uncontrollable giggles.

"This isn't f-funny!"

Soon enough a drowsy Michael and Jeremy enter the room.

"What'd I miss?" Jeremy asked nonchalantly.

"Jeremy no," Michael replied softly socking him in the arm.

"What," he said raising his arms in mock innocence.

"The girls a-attempted to make breakfast, and almost burned the freaking house down!" Evan said unhappily.

The boys soon began to laugh just as Alana and Zoe had.

"That's not funny y-you guys!" Evan deadpanned or tried to at least.

He snatched the pan from Zoe's nimble fingers and start a new batch of pancakes. When the pancakes were almost done cooking, the rest of the cast started filing into the kitchen. All assuredly smelling the pancakes simmering on the stove.

"What's going on in here?" Christine asked dazedly.

"Just making breakfast," Alana replied with a grin.

"By that she means, she and Zoe pulled a Rich and almost burned the place down." Michael jokes.

Rich smiled awkwardly and Jake just laughed at his discomfort. Connor still half sleep wandered next to Evan's side.

"This kitchen is really gay," Jared commented, ruining the peaceful moment.

"JARED!" The group yelled simultaneously.

"I'm just trying to tell the truth," he reasoned.

Connor and Zoe just rolled their eyes at the boy in glasses. This made Evan smile to himself.

"So, y'all up for an impromptu road trip?" Connor began," There's this place me and Zoe always used to visit."

Evan, of course knew he spoke of the old 'Autumn Smile Apple Orchard', and he had been excited to take his newfound posse to this wondrous place.

"Sounds like fun, Connor," Zoe said excitedly. She must've missed hanging out with her brother.

"Okay, but if we go, we go in separate cars, I am NOT sitting in the cramped floor space again." Jeremy whined.

Everyone chuckled at his childish antics.

They stuffed their faces with pancakes and when all had finished their early morning meal, they prepared to head out. Quickly changing their clothes from the day before, they left the house. Bad news was Heidi had taken the Hansen car earlier that morning, so once again they crammed into Connor and Zoe's shared sibling vehicle.

Blasting songs from the Heathers musical they embarked on their journey. Everyone hummed and vocalized along with the tracks, watching the world pass by, as they drove along. About an hour or two into the trip, they reached a quaint ice cream parlor named A La Mode.

"What are we doing here?" Christine inquired.

"Just thought we could stop here before we reach the orchard." Connor responded.

Everyone carefully maneuvered themselves out of the clammy car to enter the shop. As they entered a lady at the counter smiled, Connor and Zoe  waved happily at her.

"Oh, so now my god kids decide to take a visit, what has it been? Freaking twelve god damn years!" The woman spoke in a tone of false anger

"Yeah, yeah, we missed you too, Auntie Jenna." Connor said blandly.

Zoe smiled wide and pulled the older woman into a warm embrace.

"So who are these people, you brought along Connie?" Jenna cooed.

The group giggled at the childish pet name.

"Connie?" Jared taunted.

"Shut the fuck up, Kleinman!" Connor whined as Jake socked him in the arm. Connor turned to his bubbly aunt.

"Jenna, please don't call me that! And their my theater friends. The awkward blonde one is my boyfriend."

"That's AUNT, Jenna to YOU, boy, and boyfriend huh?" She said angrily while wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, simultaneously.

Evan began to glow a deep red.

"What would y'all like today?" Jenna began, changing the subject.

The group discussed and ordered quickly.

They found a booth in the corner and sat together as they waited on their ice cream.

It arrived momentarily as the group chatted about everything and nothing.
Everyone began to spoon and lick their frozen desserts.

"Guys let's play twenty questions!" Zoe suggested," I mean we still don't know each other that well."

"Okay." Jake said back with a charming smile. "Alana, at this table who do you trust the least?"

"That isn't twenty questions, this is truth or dare. But whatever. The answer is Jared."

"Wait why me? You knew me longer than most of the people at this table! And Rich set a fire to his own god damn house, I mean how stupid is that!" Jared whined

"Hmm good point. Final answer: Jared Kinky Kleinman. I mean you eat bathbombs, that's a shady ass red flag." Alana said chuckling.

The group stared at her remark, disgusted by and admiring Jared's stupidity. Michael almost choked.

"You've eaten a BATH BOMB?! Aren't those things like fucking deadly?" He said surprisedly.

"T-That's what I said!" Evan quickly added.

"That's fair, I guess," Jared concurred.

It was now his turn to ask. He turned to Christine.

"What's your favorite musical?"

"You're making me chose?!" Christine shot back. "I mean if I had to, I'd either chose Hamilton or Les Miserables."

"Oh I love Les Mis, but Falsettos is boss!" Zoe said and then the crowd broke into a heated argument about which current musical is best.

"Look w-what you started J-Jared!" Evan sputtered jokingly.

The group finished up quickly, and got ready to hit the road once again. Connor tipped Jenna and Zoe hugged her goodbye promising they'd visit once again soon.

This was starting off to be a great day.