Mutual (A TheSyndicateproject/Tom Cassel)

The mystery date

"Ashley! Erica is here" I groaned as Emma called up the stairs. The day had passed too quickly, with an hour of recording with Jordan, the Mianite stream (I strip mined, stayed off TeamSpeak, and avoided the others like the plague.), and finally pizza with Emma while listening to her gushing over the fact that I was "Actually going on a date with someone I didn't meet because of Youtube (I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was meeting him through Steven, who I only knew through Zoey, and that I met Zoey through Seananners, and therefore I was techincally meeting him because of Youtube). It'd taken more or less an hour to realize I wasn't getting out of the date, then another half hour to decided on the silky blue and teal top and jeans I had on with a pair of cute wedged flats. Finally there was this, the past half-our I'd spent staring at my ceiling wondering how the hell I was supposed to go on a blind date with one of the Creatures. 

"I'm coming!" I called as I rolled off my bed. I grabbed my phone and wallet off the bedside table, shoving them into the Legend of Zelda triforce over the shoulder bag that was hanging on the back of my door. My phone-charger was stuffed into it next to spare make-up, a stain-cleaning detergent pen, a small notepad, and a mechanical pencil I grabbed off the desk in the corner. 

I slung the bag over my shoulder, adjusting the strap to set comfortablly over the light jacket I put on over my outfit. I could hear Emma and Erica downstairs, their voices echoing up the staircase to me. I walked down the stairs sluggishly, hoping my face showed the irritation I intended as I joined Emma and Erica in front of the door. 

"There she is" Emma made a face at me as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Miss sassy here isn't looking forward to her date" 

"Erica's date" I corrected. "I'm the unwilling participant to keep yet another unwilling participant from being the third wheel" 

"Oh, sweetie" Erica laughed. "I doubt Kevin will be unwilling when he sees your pretty face" 

I raised an eyebrow. "Kevin? You're sitting me up with GoldenBlackHawk?" 

"Yeah....what about it?" Erica twirled her keys in her hand as she opened the door. We stepped out into cool, crisp air.

"He's like...a year younger than me" I raised an eyebrow. 

"You're only 19. So what if he's 18? He's only younger by like a few months at the most" Erica lead the way to her car. "We're picking Ze and Kev up at their hotel. Choose your seat wisely" 

I rolled my eyes, slipping into the backseat. I wasn't going to bother with her lecture of letting her and Ze sit together in the front seat. Especially when I didn't want to be here at all. 

"I've never even met him, Er. What am I supposed to talk about with him while you're busy sucking face with Ze?" I said as we started off toward whatever hotel the guys were staying at while they were in L.A. 

"I'm sure you'll figure out something" Erica turned onto a busy street. "The only thing getting you out of this is admitting you like Tom and that something happened between the two of you. Do that, and I'll abort the mission and go pick up Emma instead. She'll be ready as a backup plan by now" 

I shot a glare at her. "Which Tom?" I said sarcastically. 

"You know which one, Ashley. The one you were inseperable from for two weeks before suddenly stopping all contact for no reason" Erica shot back. 

"There's nothing between Tom and I.....at least...no anymore" I diverted my eyes to the passing scenery, hoping my voice didn't sound too wistful. 

"What do you mean?" Erica parked the car outside a hotel, but didn't grab for her phone. "I won't call Steven until you're done explaining, don't worry" 

"He came over...and he kissed me..." I sighed. "Now I don't know what to think. I don't even know what I want with him. I feel like he's just a friend, but then he just-urgh" I ran my fingers through my aleady mussed hair. "He clearly doesn't want anything to happen" 

"Then why don't you come with us tonight?" Erica said softly. "Give Kevin a chance. He's a sweet kid, funny as hell too. Steven likes him a lot, otherwise he wouldn't be letting me bring you along. You'll have fun at the very least" She smiled. "And you'll love his sense of fashion after being stuck with the Derp Crew. I hear Chilled when shopping again" Erica dug for her phone, typing something quickly before hitting Ze's name on speed dial.

"I swear to god if he bought another plaid shirt" I laughed as the doors to the hotel opened, allowing Ze and Kevin to step into the sunlight. Neither of them appeared to be dressed for California weather, probably due to the fact that this stop had been last minute. Ze was probably going to have a heat-stroke in those jeans. Kevin on the other hand was relaxed despite wearing a waistcoat and skinny jeans. I smiled as he lowered his sunglasses, making mocking a smoulder as he got into the backseat with me. 

"Why hello there" I had to fight to hold back a laugh at the voice he'd chosen, purposely too deep and gravely to be taken seriously. 

"Hey Kev. Steven" Erica leaned over to give Ze a kiss, rolling her eyes as she saw the face I made in the rearview mirror. "Kevin, this is Ashley Lewis. Ashley, Kevin McFarlane. Cataclysm and GoldenBlackHawk. You know the drill" 

"She's the crazy one, I swear" I mock whispered as Ze and Kevin laughed. Erica gave me a look in the mirror. 

"I wouldn't doubt it. I've seen her play Mario Kart with Dex. It isn't pretty" Kevin mock whispered back. 

"So you have seen the wrath of ThreeBee" I nodded as if I were serious. "I'm honestly shocked we haven't added Steven to the casualities." 

"He's endured well" Kevin had to hold back a snicker at the looks we were getting from the couple in the front seat. 

"Oh Steven" Erica shook her head as we pulled away. "And you said they wouldn't get along"