Maggie & John

Chapter One

Chapter One - October

It's Halloween night. We're at a yet another famous Benno party. Isla and Chase have been dating for about four months. They are currently glued to the sofa, Isla is dressed as a fried egg and Chase like a bacon strip, and have yet to come up for air from their make out session in probably an hour.

"This is ridiculous." I'm startled by John coming up next to me behind the open concept kitchen counter. He is wearing a Super Mario costume with these ridiculously large gloves.

"Fuck, don't do that, asshole!"

"Whatever. How long have they been at it?"

"Way longer than is socially acceptable."

"I swear, this is like two gropes from turning into a straight up porno."

"Eh, I would say three gropes. They better use a condom, I'm too young and too poor to be the cool aunt."

"I see you third wheeled their outfit."

I frowned at that and looked down at my ketchup costume. "What, no! Ketchup doesn't go with bacon and eggs." I wasn't about to tell him that I actually was the third wheel as Chase, Isla, and I wen't Halloween shopping together.

"Mhm, you so are their third wheel."

"So are you, dumbass."

"Touché, Maggie."

I take a long sip of my beer. This whole Isla-and-Chase-are-dating thing has been getting on my nerves. They have been inseparable since they told John and I they were dating in September. And the goddamn kissing. I didn't know people could or wanted to make out that much. In between classes or Chase's football practises or Isla and I's volleyball practices or literally any other time, they have their tongues down each other's throats.

"How often have you hung out with Chase since they got together? Or Isla for that matter?" I ask John, curiosity eating me alive.

John lets out a low laugh before answering me. "Outside of school and practice? Maybe like four and a half times with Chase, and like six times with my sister."

I always loved that Isla and John called each other brother and sister, even though their cousins. But John lives with Isla, her parents, and Isla's little brother Louis. According to Isla, his mom left him on their doorstep when he was ten. At the time, Isla and I had been friends for about three years at that point  - I shared my cookies with her in first grade - so when Isla brought John over to my house once, Chase and John just clicked.  They've been best friends ever since.

"Four and a half?"

"We were supposed to play video games at my house, but Isla joined and literally sat on Chase's lap the entire time."

"Oh, so four times?" I push, with a little smirk on my face.

"Whatever, Santiago. How about you?"

"I've hung out with Isla like five times and I've only really seen Chase at the dinner tables."

I remembered the plural this time. Two dinner tables. My parents split up about four years ago, but it's still weird to refer to dinner tables in the plural.

"Man, they suck."

"Agreed," I sighed. "But they are kinda adorable, especially when they stop sharing saliva."

"Hate to agree with you there. Never seen them this happy."

And I hated to agree with him. My brother hasn't been this happy since before our parents split, and I've never seen Isla so giddy.