Distance / Gilinsky

Chapter 10

It had been three days since I had seen Jack. Levi was sitting across from me with a beer in his hand, and Matt on the other side of him. I was sitting on the foot rest on one of the recliners, drinking a soda and watching a cheesy horror film.

"Clearly, this is fake as fuck." Levi announced. I glanced at him and I'd never seen him like that before. He looked all high and mighty, like just because he was holding a beer he was above everyone. His chin was jutted out and he was sitting straight. Drunk, I concluded.

Matt agreed, and they both looked to me for my input, but I pretended I didn't notice. Instead, I diverted my attention to something I thought was odd.

The day I had come home (after the storm died down, Jack drove me back) Levi was acting like a real brother. All protective and checking out my neck for any marks of hickies. I swatted him away, and he started yelling at me, saying how irresponsible I was for worrying him and my mother.

"Shut up, Levi. Stop pretending like you're my brother." I had said, and he went quiet. Ever since then, he seemed to be a little hostile toward me, like I had majorly affected his life.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I hopped up to get it.

"Got it!" I called, even though neither one of them made any kind of effort to stand up.

I flung the door open, and there stood Jack and Sam. I smiled, and as Jack leaned into hug me, Sam smirked and I flicked him off. I hugged Sam, too. When we walked into the living room, Levi seemed shocked to see them.

"I told you I invited them." I said.

"Yeah, you said Jack."

"What's wrong with Sam being here?" It made me uncomfortable that Sam was standing right there, and I couldn't imagine how awkward he felt.

"Well... Nothing. But we both agreed on one friend each."

"Yeah, but Jack doesn't count cause he's my boyfriend."

I looked to Jack to see if I had said something I wasn't supposed to, but he just smiled and kissed my cheek. Sam hopped onto the couch like it was his own and Matt and Levi stared with nearly open mouths at Jack and I. I pretended not to notice.

We sat down next to each other, and barely a minute in, Matt announced he was bored, with a hint of mischief in his voice. Matt didn't seem like the type of person to have a friendly idea of fun.

"What's new." I mumbled. Jack squeezed my hip with his hand, and it made me squirm.

"A game!" Levi said like an excited child.

"We don't have anymore board games. You threw them all in the water, remember?" I said.

Levi laughed and so did the rest of the guys.

When I was younger, we would always play board games at night, and I would always find a way to cheat. Levi knew, and one night he got so fed up that he marched outside and launched all twenty seven of the games we had owned into the water. I cried for three days.

"Truth or dare." Matt announced.

"No, that's to cliche." I said.

"So? It's fun. Who's up, say Aye."

Everyone but me agreed.

-

The door rang just as we formed a circle.

"Ah," Levi said, getting up.

It was quiet until he walked back in with a girl. Taylor. I almost gagged.