Standing By

Chapter 8

Kevin's POV

Eww, this place stinks! I hate having to put the rubbish in the bin, but then again who doesn't? Avi was busy cooking food so I had to do it. I chucked the bag into the bin and headed towards the door. It was wobbling a bit, I guess there is someone on the other side trying to open it. I pulled it open to reveal a small girl with ginger plats and a PTX beanie carrying a huge bin bag almost the size of her. She must've not seen me, even though I'm much taller than her, as she walked into me.

She jumped back and stared at me with a surprised look in her face. I smiled at her, laughing kindly. "You ok?" I asked. She nodded and then her eyes lit up, and her hands flew up to her mouth as she dropped the bag. She jumped up and down and looked really happy, but her eyes began to swell. "You sure you're ok?" I said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Kevin!" she said with a smile as wide as the sun on her face. "Yep that's me." I said. Its nice to meet the fans when they are least expecting it. I mean, who would think of meeting celebrity by the bins!?

She jumped up and down a bit more "I love you so much you are my inspiration without you I don't know who I'd be, you've made me who I am and ... sorry, I'm fangirling. You probably have places to be. I'm sorry I kept you waiting." She said, blushing and looking really guilty.

"No it's fine! I was just putting away my litter, let me help you." I said. She smiled as I took the bag and threw it in one if the 3 large bins in the small room. "And its lovely to hear that I mean so much to you" I said. She blushed again and looked at her feet.

"So, what's your name?" I asked her. "Verity" she said as she looked up at my face. I have never seen eyes like hers before. They were a mixture of blue/green/gray and they shone like stars. "Well Verity, I don't know about you but I want to get away from this smell!" she giggled and followed me out of the room.

"Do you live here then?" she asked me. Then she looked worried. "Don't worry I'm not going to go around twitter telling everyone where you live!" that made me smile. "yeah, I live on floor 4 with my friend." Her whole body shook with excitement and her face lit up brighter than I though was physically possible. She mouthed the word 'Avi', and then looked like she was going to faint. "I live on floor 4 as well!" I smiled at her as we walked up the stairs.

"So, which room number do you live at?" I said, "11" she said smiling. "We live at 10" She stopped at the top if the stairs and smiled. "That's next door!" I looked down the empty hallway at my house door. "So you're a Pentaholic right?" She pulled an 'isn't it obvious face', pointed to her beanie and got out her phone. "Can I take a picture?" I leant in next to her. "Of course!" She held up her phone and said "Dragons!" "Why did you say dragons?" I asked. "Its because they're cooler than cheese!" I laughed. "Wow, you'd get on well with Avi, you should come round some time!" She smiled even more and let out a small squeal. Then she fiddled about with her fingers and rubbed her feet on the floor. I had to admit she was kind of cute.

"What's wrong?" She looked up at me and quietly said "I'm shy, and I want to ask you something but... never mind." she looked at her phone screen again. I gathered up all the clues and made my move. I plucked the phone out of her hand and entered my name and number. "We are neighbours, we should get to know each other right?" She took her phone and then hugged me. "Thanks!" she said.

Then her pocket vibrated. Embarrassed, she quickly pulled out her phone again and checked the screen. "Oh, I better go! Dinners being served." We smiled. "Ok, talk to you soon!" I said, waving goodbye and walking to my door. "Bye!" she said, shutting the door and letting a cat in behind her.

Dan's POV

"I'm back!" Verity said as she entered the house. I glanced over my shoulder at her and smiled. "Oh hi Espioth!" I said, jumping up from the sofa and tickling my tabby cat under the chin. Verity looked down and smiled. "Espioth how could I forget you?!" she said, stroking her gently. Espioth mewed in response and rubbed her back on the couch. "Why is she in our apartment?" Verity asked me. "She can smell me, so she must've followed me in here." I replied.

"Ok guys!" Connie said, "Dinner's ready!" Matt turned off the TV and stroked Espioth on his way to the table. Connie and Lucy came out the kitchen with plates full if delicious looking spaghetti bolognaise. "Woah that looks amazing guys!" I said as I sat down at the large wooden table. Matt sat on my right, and Connie on my left. Verity sat on the other side of the table with Lucy on her right.

Matt took a deep breathe and sighed contently. "It smells amazing too!" He said. Connie looked pleased with herself, "It was a recipe that my dad taught me, but cause I'm a terrible cook I just told Connie what to do, so all compliments to her please!" Verity said, getting up and walking to the kitchen. Connie smiled "And Lucy helped serve it up!"

Lucy had picked up her fork and was repeatedly stabbing a carrot. "Can we eat yet?" She asked "Yeah!" Matt replied, banging his cutlery on the table "I want food! I want food!" He began to chant. Lucy joined in, "I want food! I want food!" Connie picked up her knife and dork and joined in with them. "Hey we should make this into a song!" Lucy said over the chanting. "A Capella!" Verity shouted from the kitchen. I decided to make things interesting and began to beatbox. Matt, Lucy and Connie stopped chanting but continued to bang a rhythm on the table.

Verity danced out the kitchen holding a bottle of Smoothie that she had made earlier. She started singing into it like a microphone. "I am really hungry! That food smells so good!" She sang. "I wanna eat it! And my stomach says I should!" We burst out laughing. "Ok let's eat!" Connie said, tucking in to the steaming food. Verity poured everyone some Smoothie. "Right, don't drink to much, save room for later!" She said, tapping on Lucy's head and sitting down. "What's happening later?" I asked. "Oh, you'll find out!"

"Wow this tastes amazing!" I said, shovelling another forkful into my mouth. Within minutes everyone was finished. "I'm glad you guys like it!" Verity said, gathering in all the plates. "Right," Connie said "because we did the cooking, you two can clear up!" She pointed at me and Matt. "ok, that's fair." Matt said, taking the plates into the kitchen. I stood up and followed him, stroking espioth. She meowed at me. "Aww she's hungry!" Verity said. "I'll go and feed her for you!"

"Ok, her food is in the first drawer on the right, and her bowls are just next to the cupboard" I said, handing her our apartment key. She smiled and walked towards the door, Espioth right behind her. "Oh and it's room number 8!" I said.
"Ok Dan, get your butt here and help me load this dishwasher!" He said. "Yeah Dan!" Lucy said, shoving me into Verity. "Go help your boyfriend!" Matt and I awkwardly glanced at each other before glaring at Lucy with evil eyes. Verity smiled "As you should know by now, Lucy loves to make people feel uncomfortable, just ignore her." She said, and walked out the door.

~~~~~

"Ok, now for my idea" Verity said. We were all sat on the couches, empty glasses in hand because she had given them to us. "What exactly are we going to be doing?" Lucy asked, looking worriedly at her empty glass. "A game?" Connie's face lit up, "A drinking game!"