UNEDITED
*You have to read The Truth About Faking before reading this novella!*
This is a novella about Jake and Gemma's wedding and the events leading up to it.
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Gemma
While it feels great to know that Penelope and I drove Jake's team into the mud, it's even better to see Reid still stewing over the loss. He's always hated losing to me, and even though it sounds a little sadistic, seeing him pissed off about losing brings me great pleasure. I almost wish I had a crown or something to display on my head just to rub it in.
After going out for dinner, everyone came over to the place Jake and I are renting for a horror movie night. It's been interesting, having Jake, Reid, Cassian, Nolan, Penelope, Morgane, Hanna, and Parker all in the same room. We've all spent quite a bit of time together, but I've learned some very important things about my friends, fiancé, and brother while watching these movies with them. For starters, Cassian is someone you would never trust if you were facing a serial killer; he would push you towards them and take off. And maybe it's unfair of me to come to this not-so-surprising conclusion, but he refused to share any of the blankets with Penelope and Hanna, and didn't touch any of the junk food on the coffee table. He kept that blanket wrapped firmly around his body and head, almost like a hoodie, and didn't move, his brown eyes glazed with fear throughout every movie we watched. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't piss himself.
Penelope, on the other hand, is a strikingly different comparison. She laughed at a lot of stuff, pointing out how cheesy it was and how ridiculous the storylines ended up being. "There hasn't been a good horror movie in years," she complains, tossing a handful of caramel popcorn in her mouth. She chews thoughtfully, staring at Cassian as she continues. Of course, he's still wrapped in the blanket, glaring at her. "The last one that really scared me was Signs."
"I have to agree," Reid nods, stroking his man-bun. I cringe at the very sight of it. I've told him countless times that he needs to get his hair cut before the wedding. I will not have a man, let alone my own brother, with a man-bun at my wedding. He directs his gaze at Jake. "Why are you guys so scared of Coraline? It's so basic. And it's a cartoon."
Jake releases the pillow he's been holding for the past couple of hours, tossing it to the floor as he squares up with Reid. Sometimes, I worry that the two of them are just pretending to like each other for the sake of my own mental health. Especially during moments like these when they're ready to go into full-on battle mode for an argument. But then I pick out the tiny details between the two of them: the spirited, haughty look in Reid's eyes, the way the corner of Jake's mouth twitches. Personally, I think their egos feed off of each other.
"You," Jake begins, "haven't read the book, have you?"
"No," Reid replies, leaning back against the cushions.
"Well, for starters, the book is always scarier than the movie. There are so many tiny details that manage to worm their way into your head that you can't simply ignore them; your imagination runs wild. When you add that to the movie, fear is impeccable."
Reid rolls his eyes. "Then just don't read the book. It's as simple as that."
Instead of responding to Reid, Jake looks at me, a questionable look on his face. "How did you manage to grow up with him without committing a felony?"
