Falling slowly ...

SAO: SHE STOLE MY BEST FRIEND

I woke up with something tickling my foot.
I was horrified initially.
I live alone, who is tickling my foot? But then, recalling yesterday's incidence, I took a breath of relief.
It must be Pebbles, the kitten I rescued yesterday from streets.

I was driving home from Courtney's place, when I saw her near the footpath, struggling to get her head out of a coffee cup.
I removed the cup from her head, only to find a cut near her eye.
Poor thing.
Her black fur was still dirty, but her eyes still gleamed of an innocence which could melt anybody's heart. She purred softly and snuggled closer to me to escape the evening cold.
My room owner doesn't allow animals, but how could I leave her?
Yesterday being Sunday, i could not find any vet clinic open. So I snuck her in and aided to her.
But that won't work today. I have to get that wound checked. It could be infected.

I called Sarah and told her I would be late. She agreed without even listening to the reason.
I took Pebbles to vet, brought some kitten stuff for her, droped her at a friend's house just for some time and drove towards office.
Sitting still in my car, stuck in LA traffic I realized,
today is Monday. Sjit, shoot day.

I entered the office and found it crazier than usual. Making my way through the chaos, I entered the games room and saw all the games cast, along with Courtney, Shayne and Ian there. I saw Damien reading a script. He looked towards me and made a slightly frustrated face, with a hint of 'I am so sorry we have to go through this'.
"What's happening? Why is everyone here?" I asked, keeping my bag on the common table. I miss my table on shoot days.
"So we had this super crazy idea today." Ian got up from his chair and started explaining.
"A Smosh and order episode, where Damien takes Court to court for stealing his best friend. You will be his attorney and Shayne will be hers." he said, his face 4 inches away from my face.
That is how I know Ian is excited about something.
"Yeah, we get to fight on camera y/n." Shayne said and started laughing in his distinct laughter.
I looked at Courtney. She too was smiling widely. I immediately understood why Damien was giving that expression. I looked at him and his face hadn't changed.
"Are you people crazy?" I said slowly.
"Why?" Ian asked, perplexed.
"Because that is bullshit. Neither of us feels that our best friend is getting stolen." I said.

Was it true?

Sadly, no.

I was very happy that Courtney and Shayne were together now, but it also meant that now Courtney had somebody else to go to in her free time. So was same for Shayne.
I and Damien were very well aware of the fact that we both were going through this, but they both were so happy that it felt wrong to do anything to ruin it. So we didn't.
As a matter of fact, I felt that it was bringing me slightly closer to Damien. We weren't talking a lot, but definitely more that before. Rest of the time we both were just alone. As it would have had been without them.
Bringing anything of such sort into light is just going to put pressure on Shayne and Courtney to balance work, family, relationship and now friends. That would not be good. Maybe.

"Ok, we are not saying that it is happening, we are just pretending that it is and making an episode out of that hypothetical situation." Courtney said.
Ian, turned his head towards her and said "hypothetical?"

Sjit Ian.
See, that is why you can not trust Ian with conversations. He has a very harsh way of bringing up the truth. Harsh truth mixed with his emotionless sarcasm is always million times more awful.

Both Shayne and Courtney stared at us to answer him, but none of us had the power to oppose the truth.
The room just got deadly quite.

Quick, break the tension.

" So who is the judge?" I asked, trying to sound interested.
"Me." Ian said.
Oh man.
"Fiiiine. Where's my script?" I said.
"Um, yeah, here. I have it." Courtney said, handing it to me.
I looked at her and tried to give her a comforting smile. She needs it.
She smiled back.