𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎; 𝚓𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚛

𝐯𝐢. 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐣𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧 >>>

Cora

Addison decides to go straight to the hotel room with the boys, but I decide to hang out with the others and get to know them. If I'm going to be spending tour with them, I might as well find out more about them. After multiple games of 20 questions, I genuinely feel like I've known these people for years. They all have this young, carefree aura about them, and it's like a breath of fresh air after being around so many stuck up celebrities.

We all walk up together, and I quietly sneak into the room. It's pretty late at night, so they're probably sleeping.

As I set my suitcases down near a wall, I hear the other three talking. Okay, maybe not sleeping.

"I mean Cora's really just a crush. Catching feelings is entirely different and takes so much more time," Jaden says. My eyes widen slightly at his statement, though I definitely do agree with him.

"Mhm, keep telling yourself that," Bryce retorts.

"Besides, she probably has a boyfriend."

I smile and step into the light, tossing my bag onto a chair, "I most definitely do not."

Both boys turn and gape at me, Jaden obviously nervous about everything I may have heard. "How long were you standing there?"

"Twenty minutes maybe," I lie, seeing if they'll slip up and tell me anything else. Bryce's jaw drops open and he frantically starts scratching his head.

"Please don't tell Addison! I don't want to ruin our friendship," he pleads.

"Hmm... but just think of all the drama I could cause," I say, playing along.

"Dude seriously, if she finds out I like her-"
"YOU LIKE HER?" I yell. The two boys immediately shush me before sending me confused looks. "I was only standing there for like 40 seconds, but you just gave yourself away."

"Damn, she really is a detective."
"Jaden, not the time," Bryce groans.

"Your secret is safe with me," I pretend to zip my mouth up and 'toss' Jaden the key. He pretends to grab it out of the air and swallow it, winking at me.

"I'm pretty sure the swallowing is supposed to be Cora's job," Bryce mutters. I instantly pick up my bag from the chair and hurl it at him, hitting him straight in the stomach. He flies back onto his bead with an "oomph".

I smile cheekily at him before retrieving my bag. "Sorry, would you like to repeat that? I don't think I heard you correctly." Jaden is smirking and staring at Bryce, both of us waiting on his answer.

"I said... I said the secret keeping is supposed to be Cora's job?" he replies meekly. Jaden and I glare at him for a few more seconds before bursting into laughter.

"You should've... seen... your face," Jaden wheezes.
"He looked like he was about to piss his pants!" I snort, collapsing next to Jaden. Addison walks in just as Bryce sticks his middle fingers up at us. She gives him a sideways glance, obviously confused, as Jaden and I hurl ourselves into another fit of laughter.

"You two really are perfect for one another," Bryce scowls at us, simply adding to our laughter.

Eventually we all calm down, and I step into the bathroom to change. I walk back out wearing a tank top and sweats.

The first thing I see is Addison and Bryce cuddling on one bed, and Jaden lying shirtless on the other. "Wait you two aren't bunking together?" I point towards the boys. Bryce shakes his head, grinning cheekily.

"I kinda wanted to stay with Bryce. Is that okay with you?" Addison asks, doing the pouty face she's known for. I turn my head to look at Jaden, who just sits there, smirking at me.

He pats the spot next to him. "Come onnn, I don't bite."
"Yeah? Well I do," I wink at him before throwing myself onto the bed. His face was priceless, and the three of us giggle laugh at his reaction. "Don't worry, it's all jokes," I reassure him. He rolls his eyes playfully at me and pulls me down next to him.

I move myself farther away since I don't know him well enough to be comfortable right next to him. The next half hour is filled with tiktok sounds as the four of us aimlessly scroll through our For You pages. Bryce and Addison fall asleep after a little more time.

I find one of Brent Rivera's videos on my page and start giggling at how cringey and staged it is. Jaden turns his head to look at me before pulling himself closer. He gently grabs my wrist and turns it towards him so he can see the video.

I gasp in mock horror, "Uh excuse me? Do you have no respect for me at all? You're literally touching my hand right now!"

"Oh really?"

"Mhm"

He chuckles and lets go of my wrist. As I go back to watching videos, I see him shut his phone off and move closer out of the corner of my eye. He squints at my screen, trying to watch the TikToks with me, so I push myself the tiniest bit closer. My shoulder presses against his, sending his warmth through my body.

My dumbass brain immediately goes back to seventh grade science; aLrIgHt ClAsS wE aRe LeArNiNg AbOuT hEaT tRaNsFer. If I remember correctly, this is thermal conduction (when two objects or beings come in contact-)

"Yo Quinn, you good?" his voice echoes in my ear. I shiver slightly before nodding and continuing to scroll down the page. "You know, I think it's my turn to call you out on the disrespect. I think it's incredibly unprofessional of you to be forcing your shoulder onto mine like this," he smirks.

"Oh really?" I mock his earlier reponse.

"Mhm"

Just as I open my mouth to respond the screen changes to a video of me dancing, and I quickly scroll past it.

"Hey!" he whines, trying to grab the phone. I lift it out of his reach so he wraps his fingers around my arm instead, pulling me onto my side. I place a hand on his bare chest to steady myself on my hip.

"Not gonna lie Hossler, this is going a bit too far. You really think it's okay to just grope my arm like that?" I whisper playfully.

"I'll let go of your arm once you let go of my boob." We both look down to where my palm is resting on his chest, and I instantly feel a blush rising to my cheeks.

My hand is literally covering his man-breast.

fuck.

I yank my arm away and roll to the edge of the bed before turning around to face him, a good six feet of distance between us. He's laughing quietly, shaking his head. I'm in the complicated process of rolling my eyes at him when he suddenly lunges at me. I instantly shove myself backwards, sending myself flying against the wall, and landing on the floor with a thud.

"fuck you," I mumble. His gentle laugh rings from the bed above me, undoubtedly trying not to wake our roommates up. I start to pick myself up before realizing it would take a whole lot less effort to just... not move.

So I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. A good five minutes pass before his face pops into my box of vision, grinning at me. "Are you planning on staying there?"

"yes."

He sighs, and I sigh back in response. The next thing I know, his hands are wrapped around my body; one on my waist and one on the small of my back. He gently lifts me up onto the bed, and I frown at him in response. Smiling softly, he moves away from me, but not before taking the blanket with him.

oh, it's on.

and that's how we spend the next ten minutes. fidgeting quietly in the bed, trying not to touch each other, while yanking the blanket back and forth.

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