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“Took you long enough, what did you guys get lost?” Monica says as she grabs the bag from James that has her Greek chicken wrap that she didn’t even want at first. She has the container open and is ripping the paper off before we even reply.
“First of all, you’re welcome. And chill the fuck out, will you? We ate there. I thought you wanted pizza anyway.”
“Well yeah, but that was until you were going to Ray’s.” Ray’s Deli was a mom and pop convenience store that sold everything from beer and wine, to a handful of snacks and had a huge selection of made to order hot and cold sandwiches which became a staple in the community. It doesn’t matter who you are: a politician, college student, teacher, stripper, priest; everyone went there.
To be fair, we did not eat there, but in the car on the way here after we left the grocery store. But we needed something to buy us some time. “Do you guys want to watch a movie?” Monica’s standing at our island in the center of the kitchen not even bothering to sit before she takes a bite. “Fuck, I forgot how good this was.” She goes into the freezer and pulls out a bottle of vodka and hands it to James. “Can you make me a Cosmo?”
“You can make yourself a Cosmo.” He drops to one of the seats at the bar and steals a fry from her plastic container before he pushes the bottle back in front of her and she scoffs. We are all French fry fanatics so I’m sure Monica is about to freak that he’s stealing them from her. Sure enough, she glares at him and smacks his hand.
“Uh uh, no fries for you especially if you’re going to be a selfish ass and not put your bartending skills to good use. You know you’re better at making drinks than I am.”
“No, you’re just lazy and don’t want to do it yourself.”
I take the seat across from James and shake my head at their banter. James and I have never been like that. If I’d asked him to make me a Cosmo, it would have been ready before I even finished the sentence. And that was before we were exploring this new relationship.
“I’ll take one too, J, pleeeease.” I place my hands under my chin and give him my most innocent look.
He narrows his gaze at me before a smile plays at his lips. “Fine.”
“Of course, Gab, can get you to do anything,” Monica says and I’m not sure if I detect a hint of annoyance. Monica goes back to her wrap and I watch as James makes us a round of drinks handing mine to me first with a subtle wink.
“Anyway, movie?” Monica asks again.
It wasn’t too late yet, so I wasn’t opposed to the idea of watching a movie. It’s not like James and I could really do anything with everyone awake anyway.
“I’m in.” I shrug as I play with the strings of James’ hoodie I’m wearing.
“Sure, just let me go change and check my emails,” he says before he gets up and heads downstairs.
Monica takes a large sip of her drink and does a little dance. “He’s annoying as fuck but he can make a good drink.” My phone beeps and immediately I snatch it from the counter. I’d set it down because I wasn’t worried about having to guard it with James being in the room. But now he’s gone, and the name “Michael” is on the screen within sight range of Monica. “Jeez, secretive much?” She cocks her head to the side. “What’s that about?”
“Nothing.” I tell her without any explanation. I get up, planning to go to my room to kill time so I’m not inundated with a million questions.
“That’s not nothing!” she calls after me. “And you walking away from me is a sign, young lady!” I ignore it as I climb the stairs towards my room.
“Michael”: A few more of those Cosmos and she’ll be out by midnight. You’re coming down again tonight.
Me: We established that already and could you not have waited a little to text me? I never know what you’re going to say so I’ve been guarding my phone with my life. I even had to change your name. But I jumped three feet when you texted and now Monica is asking questions.
“Michael”: Why? And to what?
Me: Because all it would take is Monica opening my phone once, or picking up my phone innocently like ‘oh James texted you’ and then she’s seeing her brother’s dick on my phone!
“Michael”: Can we not talk about her seeing my dick? Thanks.
Me: Yes, just one sister seeing it is enough.
“Michael”: You know what I mean.
Me: Anyway, I changed it to Michael.
“Michael”: Good to know.
Twenty or so minutes later, I make my way into the living room to see that Monica has settled into her favorite spot on the love seat, stretching her feet across both cushions and buried under a pound of blankets and a hoodie pulled over her head. James is on our L shaped couch with his feet resting on the coffee table, his hoodie also pulled up over his head. They’re both scrolling through their phone as they chew on their thumbnails and I smile at the fact that they’re so similar. I want nothing more than to climb into James’ lap or cuddle up next to him but I settle for the other side of the couch, stretching my feet out as well. James pulls his gaze away from his phone and lands on me. He does a quick glance towards Monica before turning back to me and giving me a not so innocent look that causes a spark between my legs.
“What did we decide on?” I ask as I try to calm my racing hormones that wants me to climb into James’ lap.
“Well, do we want something scary or action or funny? Or Christmas?” Monica says as she pushes her glasses up on her nose and begins scrolling through the On Demand channels.
