"Chapter Seventy-Six: "We're Back!"
"CAN SOMEONE PLEASE tell me why she is looking at that pineapple like she wants to shoot it?" Liam announces out to the group of us sitting in his room. He and Carly are sitting on his bed while Landon, Maya, and myself are on the other bed with Maya's head on my lap, and Lance and Becca are occupying the 'L' shaped chair things near the large floor-to-ceiling window.
"Probably because it will murder her," Lance says sarcastically, and out of the corner of my eye I see scribbling some letter down onto the sheet of paper between he and Becca. They're on their seventh game of Hangman, and Lance is trying to cut the tie between them.
"Murder her?"
"Allergies, you idiot." Landon chuckles, rubbing my shoulder.
"The same reason we all were 30 minutes ago," Maya says.
Liam scoffs. "Seriously, Brooklyn? Don't you think you're overreacting?"
Maya looks up to me and ruins the braid I was unconsciously braiding. "Listen, ignore him. Everyone who was watching knows that what happened wasn't your fault and you still can't be upset about it. The ref was an idiot, we all know that the point was ours. And just because you slapped that girls hand while shaking it doesn't mean it jeopardized our chance of getting the point. It was already called by then, so stop with the look, it's freaking me out and you're pulling my hair."
I sigh deeply and massage her scalp. "I know, I'm sorry. I just... I knew I had that spike down and I don't know what happened. I swore we had it."
"It's only our first game, Brooklyn. We still have, like, a dozen left. We had them, the ref didn't." Carly says reassuringly, and though I know the girls are right, I just can't help but think about it. Maybe it's me, maybe it's not, but I don't know what it is that has me so... weird.
"What do you say we go out and get some air? Maybe walk down the strip or go to the beach?" Landon suggests.
"Yeah, sure. I could use some air." I agree, feeling a vibration deep in my pockets. "Maya, get up." I mumble as the feeling continues. She moves slowly off my lap and I reach down into my jean pocket and pull out my phone, feeling slightly happier and giddy when I read the Caller ID on the screen. "Hi!" I smile into the phone, not even hesitating in pressing the 'answer' button.
"Hey, Brookie!" Lacey squeals over the other line. "How are you?"
"I'm... good. I'm really good." I answer in brute honestly. Because it's true; everything lately has been amazing. The boys are great, Landon and I are great, and though Ella and Thomas aren't together anymore, I can tell she's doing better than I thought she would. Maybe they were always issues since I arrived and I just couldn't catch it because I was blinded by my own problems. "How are you? How's Justin?"
"I'm good. He's great, he and Selena are still together and as disgusting as they were last time you saw them," she giggles. "So, volleyball! I heard you had your first game today. How was it?"
I groan. "Don't even get me started on it. I'm pissed off with it. Long story short, we lost 24-25 because of me."
"It wasn't your fault!" Liam shouts from the bed, and I roll my eyes.
Lacey giggles on the other end and I hear her hiccup. "Who was that?"
"Liam." I mutter. "Anyway, when are you guys in?"
"Actually, we arrived last night. We're staying at the Hilton in Vancouver."
"Really?" I chirp. "We're staying in the Homewood Suites."
"So you're across the street from us?" Lace says through another round of hiccups.
"Guess so," I shrug. "We're going to the beach, do you guys want to come?"
"I was actually about to ask you the same thing," Lace chuckles. "But yeahâ"
"Landon, stop it!" I hiss, squirming away from his wandering hands pinching at the flesh on my waist.
"Brookie, listen I needâ"
"Lan!"
"Brooklyn! This is seriousâ"
"Listen, Lace, meet us at the building beside the parking lot and we'll talk then, I gotta go, bye!"
"No, Brookâ" the phone is taken out of my hand before I can even finish hearing Lacey and Landon is on top of me, his fingers pressing against my skin in not-so-comfortable places.
"Stop it!" I squeal, trying to wiggle my way out. "Help me!"
"You guys are disgusting, but this is kinda entertaining." Becca comments. "Man, why didn't you tell us you were friends with the Rebel Brothers earlier, Brooklyn?"
"Get him off me, he weighs a ton!" I growl out through laughter.
"That's not what you were saying last night, baby," Landon whispers teasingly in my ear, making me gasp and somehow find enough strength in me to throw him off the couch. "Ouch!"
"You dirty dog!" I exclaim. "I did no such thing!" I stand up swiftly and grab my bag from the floor and rummage for a bathing suit set. Once I find one, a cute Canada flag bikini with white bottoms, I strut to the bathroom dramatically and glare at Landon. "Get off your sexy ass and hurry up otherwise this will never be seen by you."
I hear Maya gasp in horror, presumably because she knows what I said and is probably disturbed by the fact that one of her best friends is basically sexually flirting with one of her other best friends. "Brooklyn, Jesus Christ I didn't need to hear that!"
I smirk at a wide, blue-eyed McGibbon and wink at the girl who looks like she saw a ghost before heading into the bathroom.
"So, what did I miss?" Lance's voice is suddenly heard, just now jumping into the conversation he's been ignoring. He's now multitasking: on his phone and playing Becs at Hangmanâthey still haven't settled the score and he's been deathly focused on the solution.
These guys are in for a treat if they think my talk is dirty: Johnny and Casey are going to be their worst nightmare.
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Hey guys! It's been a very long time since I've updated, huh? I'm so sorry!!!
I have a lot of personal things going on and I've been extremely busy. Not to mention that, unfortunately not only did I get writers block, I also lost my desire to write at the same time.
So I apologize for taking foreverrrr. I have more to this chapter but not much so I just cut some of it short so I could at least update something for you guys. It's also very short which sucks. ð
I also want to thank those of you for your concerns and just know that I'm doing better than I was before however that doesn't mean that I'm back into the writing spirit. It's heartbreaking but I'll come back eventuallyð
Long note but I feel like it needed to be expressed. Until next time!
Ellainað