VIRAL | JSCHLATT (stopped)

Fourteen

That evening my phone was blowing up non-stop. There were messages on several platforms from several group chats, and the ones I managed to check I muted. It seemed like there wasn't one day where I could get some rest in the evening, and this time, there was a selective group of people heading out for another arcade night, similar to the one they had in Boston. I rolled my eyes when I first saw the inviting messages and a totally new group chat for it, but the more I thought about the content possibility for my viewers and the time I could spend with Schlatt, I liked it more and more.

Wilbur
Wear oversized
And vintage

I look at my phone as it dinging, and read the message, cocking my brow.

Me
huh?

Instantly, Will fires a response back.

Wilbur
Schlatt would like it ;)

Me

cheers for the wingman job

Wilbur
I better get paid at the end of the month

////

Dan and Phil have kept their Pax East tradition and have joined me in my hotel room. Today was a simple gaming night so it seemed like not much thought was necessarily for tonight's outfits, especially after receiving Wilbur's hints. Either way, I decided to look sweet nonetheless.

A pastel colored sweater with a skirt beneath seemed to work, and paired with some calf-length socks and sneakers I felt ready to go.

"What about your jewelry? You need to shine in there," Dan was looking at me judgingly from the bed, his phone in his hands as Phil was sprawled out behind him.

The black-haired man looked up, "Some hoops? Chains? Put on rings."

"Damn, choose one," I snicker mostly to myself as I reach to grab a small bag in which I stored all the items I surely didn't want to lose. I chose an array of shiny chains to match with some earrings and turned around to face the rest of the boys. They gave me an approving thumbs up as I took my makeup bag and set off to the bathroom.

In the midst of my makeup routine, Wilbur had welcomed himself inside my room, using the spare key that I gave to him and flopped on the joined twin bed alongside Dan and Phil. Music instantly began to blast and the boys talked as I got round to finally doing my eyeshadow, and oftentimes they'd incorporate me into the conversation as well.

"Ta-da! How do I look?" I exited the bathroom and turned off the light. Since the outfit was quite simple, I decided to go for a more glossy nighttime look, with a pop of a softly red lip.

"Damn, I think I might be straight for the night," Dan fans himself, exaggerating his compliment. I laugh as Wilbur bites his lip ironically at the latter boy sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Well then, Phil, that leaves you for me," Will tackled the black-haired boy as he yelps and falls back, a series of giggles erupting from the room. It felt so simple to gain such amazing connections, but God only knows how rarely they last.

"Right, everyone ready to go?" I interrupt them and smile, taking my bag and waiting for the rest by the opened door.

////

"Oh, don't be a kid, just get in the car," Phil laughs at Dan who was pouting from not being fast enough to claim the front passenger seat. He gets pushed inside, right into the middle seat, as I sit to his left and Phil to his right. Will turns back and smiles at us evilly from the front and we tell the taxi driver where to go.

The night was calm and the light breeze aired out the clammed taxi from my opened window. Phil was pulling at his collar, so I opened the window a little more. It reminded me of PAX East, and how short of a time it was ago, yet it felt like ages. It felt like it's been so long - making that baking video with Schlatt, and talking about how Pluto would definitely taste like blueberry ice cream. I cringed at the mishap in the shop yet smiled at the memory of being recognised there by some boys. I wouldn't trade these past few weeks for the world.

The taxi came to a halt, and the boys were chattering amongst themselves while I gazed out to the stars. Suddenly, Wilbur said my name as I began to pull on the door handle. He was also in the process of going out, but his thoughts seemed to overpower him from leaving the vehicle.

"What I'm thinking of, right - if you and Schlatt are being shipped quite drastically together, what about Charlie? Aren't you two-"

I stopped my movements, and Dan, who was already halfway out the door, instantly whipped his head to the passenger seat in front of him and boomed over Wilbur's words by saying how excited he is for the night. He eyed Phil, and before I could ask what he meant, he signalled me to hurry up.

"Alexa, come on, let's go!" Phil kindly gestured towards the opening of the building, and I shot a thankful look to the driver who was already prepaid. Still confused, I let out a 'huh' in Will's direction, but it seemed like he was already preoccupied with quickly going inside and Dan leaning closely into him, saying something as they walked up the steps.

"Wait, what about-" I began to exclaim to the two, but Phil putting his arm around my shoulder stopped my actions and I turned to him with a worried, overwhelmed glance.

He smiled at me, as if completely disregarding what Wilbur just said, and nodded to the open doors. "Why don't we go inside, yeah? There's a machine I'd love to try out!"