The Gold and the Forest

XXV

Chapter 25: Gossip

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He was waiting in the locker room when she walked in.

"Vivi—" He began, stepping forward and instantly getting blinded by the summer sunlight. He winced away, and she instinctly went to him to ask if he was okay.

It was when she stepped closer that she saw the discoloration of a healing bruise on his face and she held his face steadfastly, a look of concern overtaking her. He widened his eyes at her actions before realizing that she was probably going to ask him about the bruises. He looked away.

"What—" She blinked fast. "What happened?"

"I just... got hurt." He stumbled on his words.

She pursed her lips, knowing that he didn't give the full truth.

"Who punched you?" She asked directly.

"The guy that kissed you." Vivi flinched at his response. "He was asking what I did to you."

"That's none of his business." There was a hint of anger in her voice, and she caressed his bruise. He felt himself melt into her touch. She then realized what she was doing and their situation and promptly stepped back. The air felt cold when she left to go to her locker.

He stood there dumbly, trying to process what he was feeling.

"Are you going to watch me change?" She asked him, shooting him a smug smile.

"No—" He quickly sprinted out of the room.

---

"Why are we watching a movie together?" Carl grumbled as Kade sat down in the seat next to him and handed him the caramel popcorn.

"Because I've got tickets." Kade retorted back in the same tone.

"This is a romance movie."

"And my girlfriend got stolen by my sister and Vivi."

Carl sighed heavily into his hands and then started digging into the popcorn to palliate his pain. Kade folded his arms, staring straight at the screen.

After the movie ended, they exited the theater to face a strange predicament. Girls whispering about them two being friends or—maybe lovers?

"Should we approach them?" One whispered.

"What if they're on a date?"

We can hear you very clearly. The two guys thought.

Kade wanted to whip around and ask are you two on a date? Two girls together? Must be a date!

He restrained himself and they left to go grab some more food.

---

While the two guys were sulking around on their meet-up, the girls were having a blast trying to bake cupcakes and brownies. Angel had just gotten through an arduous rift with a "suitor" and wanted nothing but to purge all testosterone sacks from her sight. Vivi was also quite exhausted with all the drama that has happened recently and was overjoyed to spend some time just baking. Min was supposed to be going on a date but how could she resist baked goods?

"I'm so done with men. I'm going after the opposite gender instead."

"Every girl says that." Min sighed. "And then go back to boys again."

"No—" Angel sounded determined. "I'm going to explore."

"Go for it," Min eyed the oven eagerly and Vivi laughed in agreement.

Angel winked at both of them. "Which one of you wants to be experiment numero uno?"

The two girls looked at each other. Min smirked. "Oh—but you see... I'm already with..."

Vivi snaked her arm around Min's waist and they both looked at each other, sexual tension high. Angel groaned and shoved the laughing duo away.

After they settled around the lounging area with freshly baked brownies in their hands, they started up conversation again.

"So what did— ah, what's his name... caterpillar eyebrows do?"

"Tell us, tell us." Vivi chimed in, tying her curls up.

"So, we went on a date..." Angel paused, munching her brownie with a raised eyebrow. "And this man, this supposedly impressionable young lawyer of a man. This stupid boy shows up in sneakers."

Vivi gasped. "On the third date!?"

"To a cruise ship." Angel scoffs. "Even my brother has more class. And it's Kady."

"Kade has more class than half the catalog of guys that you've met." Min said matter-of-factly and the two single girls gave her a sideways glance.

"What?" She asked.

Angel rolled her eyes, smiling. "So anyway... I obviously chewed him out slightly about it. He said maybe we were going hiking later."

"Nah— He just didn't care." Min interjected.

Vivi nodded.

"And then— someone fell overboard." The two girls gasped. "And he jumped in to save this poor girl. But an untrained professional in seawater? What is that going to accomplish?"

The two girls shook their heads in disapproval.

"You know how embarrassing it is?" Angel sighed angrily. "Gosh—men and their egos! Thinking they can save the day all the time!"

"Well, some of them can." The words fell out of Vivi's mouth before she could stop herself. She gasped, covering her mouth and staring at her lap in embarrassment.

Angel caught on in a snap and coiled around her like a sly cobra. "Vivi," She hummed. "What haven't you told me?"

Min sipped on her milk loudly, signifying that she wasn't going to defend her.

"I..." Vivi paused to think on her word choice. "I do have a bit of a hero character in my life... Or maybe a bit of a bad hero..."

"A bad boy?" Angel offered and Vivi started to go pink.

Min snorted.

Angel narrowed her eyes. "What's been going on while I've been in LA?"

"Lots." Min mumbled.

"Min!" Vivi cried out, embarrassed.

Angel gestured for Vivi to speak more. Vivi nibbled at her brownie nervously.

"What does this boy look like? Where did you meet him?"

"Recently? Or... in the beginning?" Her voice was meek.

"You guys have history?" Angel gasped, indignant. "And you haven't said anything to me?"

"Well, I wanted to say something only after I've asked him to be my—" Her voice choked up and the room went quiet.

"Um." She averted her gaze, reaching over to her cup.

The oven started beeping to signify that the cupcakes were done and in dire need of frosting.

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