You Can Be My Bad Boy: Stop The Plot

~Evening~

It was really quiet now. Josh instinctively put his hand on Jess's arm to comfort her. She looked shocked. I gave Josh a look and he nodded, understanding my meaning. He went to gently lead her upstairs to give her a moment but she stopped him, claiming she was fine. Few people, if any, believed her. Her boyfriend was the Boy Next Door to JJ's ex-Good Girl. He was now caught up in this the same way JJ and I were. Tropes were prone to relapse.

I looked at JJ, "So, that's why there's been so much tension?"

JJ avoided looking at me, "We never really got along."

Jess waved her hands emphatically and got our attention, "So, wait, the plots still going, right? So that must mean that there's still some story to tell, right? But what's the story if Eve's safe and everything is resolved?"

Jess brought up a good point. The story up until then had been about me and JJ falling in love while he protected me from the Vipers. But I was fine. The Vipers were eliminated and I was home, safe and sound. And JJ and I had not fallen in love. So, what more story could there be?

Mari, in her endless wisdom, spoke up, "Are you two in love?"

"No!" we said quickly and in unison.

We looked at each other for a moment in surprise before turning back to our wide-eyed audience and continued out a suspiciously harmonious denial, "Of course not! We know better than that! What do you think we are, stupid?"

"No, but judging by how you talked in unison so effortlessly the curse must still be actively tying you together," Sam concluded, "But, why?"

"Is it cause you kissed?" Leo asked bluntly.

JJ and I turned red, "What?"

"Maybe," Jess said, "but that was ages ago and nothing has happened since, right?"

JJ and I were silent for so long that it seemed like everyone came to their own conclusion about our answer. Which sucked, because it sucks when people assume stuff about you. Especially when it's something you don't what people to think about you. Especially when it's true.

"What else happened?" Raph asked.

I looked at JJ and saw that he was clearly fighting the urge to give in and tell Raph everything. I stared at him intently and tried to thought project to him to stay quiet. He looked from me to Raph in a panic as we both gave him conflicting demands. Raph, intimidating and sharing a long history with JJ, waiting for JJ to tell him everything. Me, a cursed girl with whom he shares an indescribable connection, insisting that he shut up. I could see the mounting panic in JJ's eyes as they'd snap from me to Raph. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes, JJ groaned loudly.

"I can't take it anymore! I'm so sorry!" JJ shouted, realization and fear flooding my thoughts, "Other stuff has happened."

I couldn't bear to look at JJ as it made me angry, so I turned to the rest of the group. They all shared very similar expressions. Jess, Mari, Chris, and Josh seemed upset that they didn't know this already. Sam, Raph, and Leo looked annoyed at JJ for being as dramatic and obnoxious as always. GD seemed exasperated with our unending antics. Alex looked confused. Everyone looked more than a little amused.

Jess made a gesture for us to continue, "Explain."

I felt my face heat up as I answered, "It's not a big deal. We got kind of close to kissing a few times, we've had some . . . weird moments, and . . ."

I cut off abruptly when I realized what I'd almost mentioned. JJ still didn't know that I remembered the kiss from after the party. I looked at him as a blush crept up my cheeks. JJ looked at me with mounting horror as he realized what I was talking about. I couldn't breath as I looked into JJ's equally wide eyes, but I couldn't tell if it was because of the panic or the fact that I was looking into his eyes. Josh coughed lightly causing JJ and I to quickly look away from each other. Everyone gave us questioning looks that ranged from annoyed to amused to excited.

I cleared my throat before quietly continuing, "I may have kissed JJ."

There were jumbled sounds of shock as everyone reacted.

"Alright, alright!" JJ hollered, quieting everyone, "It's no big deal, alright? It was for some stupid bet and Bambi was drunk. All good. Didn't mean anything."

I hid the odd stab of pain as I nodded, "Didn't mean a thing."

JJ seemed a little tense as he echoed my echo, "Not a thing."

"We get it. It didn't mean anything," Jess said, rolling her eyes, "The real question is what do we do now?"

"What do you mean?" Chris asked.

"How do we stop the plot?"

There was silence as everyone thought. We thought we did everything we could the first time around to stop the plot, but apparently it didn't work. Somehow we had to come up with a new plan that would, hopefully, work better than the last one.

"Alright," Jess said, throwing her hands in the air, "Good Girl Gang, we need to meet and converse in Eve's room. Bad Boy Band can stay here to discuss. Meet back here once we've got everything sorted out."

Jess marched out of the room with Mari and Josh in tow. Chris rolled his eyes before following after. I looked at JJ. He seemed worried about what questions he'd have to answer once we were gone. So was I. But this was probably necessary. We needed a working plan. A working plan required the planners to know what they were working with.

And so, with a sigh, I also left the kitchen.

~Jason~

Once I heard Bambi make it solidly to her room I sighed and turned back to those who remained in the kitchen. Part of me was surprised that Alex was with us instead of following Bambi. Guess we got close while taking down his dad's business. I was kind of glad. Alex was a good guy and a good friend. Also, glad that he didn't follow Bambi in a way that was worrying. Can't be thinking like that. That's plot device shit.

GD looked at all of us before backing slowly out of the room, "Not that I don't love you guys and wish the best for J, but I'm going upstairs."

As GD's thunderous running went up the stairs Sam sighed, "So, what's up, Jace? What's going on?"

I ran my hands over my face, "I don't know, man. I don't know! One minute everything's fine, you know? She was just some girl that was in my house then something would happen and all of a sudden . . . I don't know, man!"

Leo looked weirdly somber for being, you know, Leo, "Give us some examples, dude."

"When we'd cook together, when we'd cook separately, when we'd swim, when she'd be tired, when I'd be tired, when I met her family, when she met my family," I started listing.

"Wait, wait, wait," Alex stopped me, "You've met each other's families?"

"Yeah," I said, matter-of-fact.

Alex put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. Continue."

"Alright," I said, slightly thrown off by his question that seemed so obvious, "When we'd hang out with everyone, when we'd be alone, I don't know. Stuff like that."

"You like her," Raph's voice broke through the shocked silence of everyone else in the room.

"What?" I asked, surprised, "Of course not!"

"Wasn't a question."

I sighed and sagged my shoulder's a bit, "It's that obvious?"

"Well," Leo said with a soft smile, "It is to us."

Alex raised his hand, "I think it's important to know that I could also tell."

I sat at the counter with my hands in my hands, "She's really great. Everything about her makes me feel safe and cared for and all that sweet shit. She's like Maddy, but absolutely better in every way and I can't do anything about it. She definitely doesn't like me and even if she did it's only because of the curse. I don't want to take advantage of her like that."

"Yeah," Sam said softly, "Sucks."