caring isn't for everyone | z.k •PRETTYMUCH AU•

•eight•

That wild night was short but sweet. It was around late 1 am as the large crowd began to clear out, leaving the owner and a select of other people to help. It was pretty messy, but knowing Edwin he'd make it spotless as if he were selling the house the next morning.

Him and Nick, with the help of Austin and surprisingly Brandon as well, all helped get the place tidy and habitable again.

"I actually enjoyed myself for once," Brandon speaks suddenly as he carried and collected multiple red cups at once.

Edwin smiles as he swept. "I'm glad, B."

"Okay wait, wait." Nick suddenly bursts out. "You knew Brandon before this whole thing?"

He tilted his head at the suddenly heated boy but nodded as he continued to clean. "Yea. Not for too long. I knew him just because he was Zion's neighbor and I'd bumped into him a few but never knew Z didn't like him until the affair they had."

"Ed, that doesn't add up. You've acted like you didn't know this man when this whole thing was going down and you did?" He turns towards Edwin.

He shook his head. "It wasn't my place to say something like that to make it worse."

"I'm right here," Brandon replied.

Nick placed down the empty liquor bottles rather carelessly, even for being glass. He then approached Edwin with a boldness which caused the two other boys in the room to look over in their direction. 

"Why'd you lie?" He asked.

He simply chuckled. "No one asked me, Nick. And plus, me knowing him had no relevance. I didn't tell him to do whatever. That was his feelings. Now if you have something against me for that, then so fucking be it."

"Hey now," Austin speaks up, stepping over to the situation. "I think this is irrelevant now. It's over. She's happy with Zion so let's just, leave it."

"Now I know exactly why I always didn't keep in touch with you. Blowing steam over what? Did you have feelings for her, too?" Edwin turned away.

"I do." He said, somewhat coldly.

The room suddenly grew awkwardly silent. Edwin had turned around to look at Nick, just to make sure he wasn't pulling his leg. Brandon was somewhat in awe, yet not completely because he'd met the amazing girl and known how he could've fallen under her spell. Austin simply just didn't know what to do at this point. So he tried pulling pieces together.

"I'm guessing you don't know that he tried kissing her, too?" Austin spoke quietly.

"Seriously?" Edwin shook his head.

"What the hell, Austin?" Nick whines, as he just quietly stepped away. "I didn't cross the line like Brandon here,"

"I don't know why you all are painting me out to be some dick! It was in the moment, trust me. I ate her out with consent but then she decided we stopped but then she left her panties behind!" He was yelling so forcefully the vein on the side of his neck popped out.

Edwin has had enough. He didn't like hearing Amari being talked about like this. It made his blood curdle with anger and imaginary smoke come around out of his head. He was just a very overprotective friend, is all.

"Okay. Let's talk about something else," He says, taking the dustpan and tossing the debris in the trash, rather aggressively. "Cause this is just rubbing me the wrong way."

"Fine. But I know you wanted a chance with her. Just once." Nick lingered on.

"Why are y'all so loud?" Zion had stepped out of the room, looking one less than a complete hot mess. He appeared tired and irritated. "And why are y'all talking about Amari?"

It was a good question, obviously. Everyone besides Austin really has interacted with Amari in such a way that it took effect on them. Zion just wondered why now, behind his back, and so God damn loud. 

"They're just babbling, you need to rest," Austin explained.

Zion shook his head. "I don't believe it. Especially that I'm hearing about my girl, Mari? Oh, it better be good. I'm already not so good with someone in the room." He glared at Brandon, who calmly shook his head at the boy, who was probably still highly intoxicated.

"Fuck you. Mari came onto me. Probably because of you--"

"Aye. Stop," Edwin spoke up. "Z, just go back in the room, okay? It's too late for all this."

Suddenly, it became tense for the first time with all five boys standing in the room at once. They looked at each other, unsure of how this moment was really brought upon them all because of this one girl that decided to pop into their lives; some more than others.

"I still got feelings for her," Nick says, running his hands through his hair with nervousness. 

"Is that why you left the apartment?" Zion asked, curious.

He nodded. He was a bit worried about how well he was taking it. But also willing to throw someone else in the crossfire."So does Ed. Right?"

That is something intoxicated Zion did not need to hear. Even if he was sober, it probably would've been just as bad. He was already questioning her about how she felt about her best friend. It only brought more tension than any of the boys had thought in the first place. Now he was thinking Edwin was feeding those feelings to her.

"No. I don't. Zion," He looked over at him, who seemed not to happy.

"Listen. If either of you two tries some shit with my girl, I don't care I will knock you the fuck out." He cautioned through gritted teeth.

"Nick. Why would you lie?" Edwin asks, stepping up to him.

"Why are you so about her?" Nick spat.

Now the two were face to face, almost close enough to kiss. Quite frankly they were about to do the opposite. Zion pushed the two away, so upset with both of them, almost as if he was ready to jump in the middle of the fight for whatever reason.

 The Dominican boy sighed. "So what I liked her once. I'm past it."

"I'm in the mood to beat both of your asses--"

"All this over one girl? Really?" Brandon shouts over the arguing, still cleaning in the far corner of the open living room. "I know I'm the one who was crying over another but the three of you sound pretty insecure. C'mon. Zion, she is yours. I think that's enough to prove."

Zion furrowed his eyebrows at him, getting ready to say something, but he holds up a finger. 

"Not finished. Also, you just threatened to knock out who I thought are your friends. Shouldn't you trust them, or are you still drunk? Maybe it's none of my business," He shrugged, picking up more trash and throwing it away.

"Hopefully, drunk." Austin buds in. "Look, I agree. You three just look dumb. This is pointless. Now can we get back to what we were doing so we can all get some sleep? As for you Z," He began to approach the taller boy, leading him back to the guest room. "Sleep it off. With your girlfriend who's right fucking there and was just sleeping beside you, not with anyone else."

Shutting the door, the blonde walks over to the remaining boys. Visually still tense, he picks up a pillow and hits both of them pretty hard one good time for each.

"You two. It's always been you two," He shakes his head. "Could we finish cleaning now, so we could deal with this high school crush bullshit later? Thanks," He walked away, chucking the pillow at Edwin. He threw it on the ground and started back up with his task.

For the rest of the night, the boys cleaned in almost complete silence, disregarding small murmurs of simple demands from one another. It was cleaned in almost no time. Edwin and Nick steered away from one another the whole night, even though at the end of it all, they end up crashing in the living room.