GUARDIAN | DORBYN ✓

24

jenna parted ways with daniel at the end of the day, zach tugging on his shoulder as he waved with a small laugh toward the childishness of his friend. "bye, jenna!"

jonah and jack gave side-eyed glances, nodding without notice as daniel was hauled over to their cars.

"c'mon, d! carrie's got snacks made for us!! give up on the girl, let's get food." zach whined, practically pushing daniel up against his car as the elder pushed zach back by his head, ruffling the mop of hair. "not the hair, man!"

with a small snicker, he nodded at jonah, hand moving to point toward him. "so, we're back at yours for a bit?" his brow quirked, and jonah simply nodded in response.

"'kay, let's get a move on, carrie's meals are to die for." jack's hand slapped on the black paint of his car, already sat and ready to leave as his arm casually hung out the window. zach bolted to the passenger's door, climbing in as his backpack was tossed to the back seat. they drove together often since the youngest continually failed driver's tests.

jonah walked around daniel's car, to his own, and they all started the train to jonah's house.

when the group entered the house, carrie, jonah's mother, greeted them as usual. he nodded with a wide grin, hearing a mumble of greetings from svea and esther as they piled into the kitchen.

the food was introduced to the group, each hand reaching toward a plate as jack tugged on daniel's sleeve. jonah called out to carrie, already walking down the stairs.

"don't worry, mom, we'll bring the dishes up!"

daniel was a little behind, closing the door to the basement with a small nod to nobody in particular, carrying on until when he'd met the flooring.

jack, zach, and jonah stared at him as if he were an intruder, a possible classmate they hated collectively.

"guys..?"

jonah's tongue darted out to lick his lips momentarily, jaw merely taut as he nodded to a chair across from the three.

daniel sat, scared for the interrogation as his appetite shrivelled.

"let's cut to the chase," zach leaned forward, until jack slapped his shoulder and the entire atmosphere was reversed.

"dude! i'm bad cop!"

"i wanna be bad cop!" zach huffed, sticking his tongue out as jack flicked his ear.

"you always suck at bad cop, that's why you're goo—"

jonah cleared his throat, zach leaning back with hands raised in surrender. jack, thinking he'd won, returned the gesture of sticking out his tongue.

"daniel,"

"so, seavey. where were you—"

"oh my god, zach, let me do the talking." jonah wanted to cut to the chase, arm reaching out to push both jack and zach into the back cushions of the couch.

"okay, daniel. basically, i— we want to know your intentions with jenna."

daniel slumped into the love seat, lips parted a little as his eyes traced the shagged carpeting at his feet. "i don't know, it could be a hookup or something. it's been boring, though. i might get with her, she's nice, pretty."

jonah nodded a little, swallowing in the silent room.

"hookup isn't too bad, i guess..." jack muttered, and all the attention was brought to him.

"look, daniel. we've all heard the rumours about her, it's just that we don't want you to get tied up in her webs."

daniel nodded a little, brows knitting together as his legs stretched out. "what rumours?"

"the entire time she was with adam she cheated, apparently she spread jacob benslow's nudes, she's also been with the whole football team at her old school. don't even get me started on the frat from west wing—"

"okay, and? those are just rumours, right?"

it was easy to tell that daniel didn't want to believe the words tumbling from jack's lips, body stiffening. she can't be that bad, can she?

"i mean, rumours or not, she seems kinda dangerous."

the words of jonah were the spitting ones of corbyn. anything daniel did jonah was protective over, and when reminded of the short blond he rolled his eyes and shifted in the seat.

"i've got this under control, guys. i don't need any advice."

the three across from daniel were a little shocked by the defensiveness, jonah's lips pursing with a nod as he sat back and took the plate of lunch into his hands.

they all ate, then, a silence masking the tension of the room until zach complained about jack's chewing. the room returned to the regular atmosphere, a little weary when talking to daniel but the brunet acted as if his attitude was never a part of the equation.

"so, is anybody up for mario kart when we're done?"

zach was quick to hum, mouth full as he sat up with a finger held to give a second.

"listen, seavey. if we play that game you're going down. i barely got to race you yesterday!"

daniel scoffed at that, playfully.

"you came in fourth place, z."

with that, the youngest wailed and sat back, stuffing another spoonful into his mouth.

EXTRA NOTES
-i've been helping my sister move so woops not many updates in the past week

-but its kool we pretty much done

-also this kinda like a filler/ish thing
but dw dw stuffs gonna happen soon (: