Just Say Us
Sounds in Silence
They're not quite sure how they got here.
Not literally here in Ricky's apartment, or literally here together, but how they got here figuratively. Because they don't understand how they could have gotten so careless after all this time. The room is filled with a pregnant silence, stifling them all. Grace's head is knelt down on the tabletop, Adrian's caressing fingers running through her golden locks soothingly, only—nothing can sooth her at this time; not when it was her fault.
"It wasn't your fault, Grace," Amy murmurs, hands stroking hand, and the blonde's pubescent blue eyes threaten to water over. Jack strokes her back, and Ben sits on the other end of the table, feeling guilty for his indiscretion as well even though his fears aren't being assuaged.
Ricky's the only one truly moving, pacing about the small living space pensively. His eyes are darkened over in thought as he leaves an invisible trail over his carpet, and he doesn't want to think it, but it comes in spewing stints throughout his jumbled thoughts: 'We're in shit, we're really in shit…' Ben and Grace may've been caught by Kathleen, but he can't help but think that he did this. This was his idea, he drug them all down with him and now, all they can wait for are the flames by the proverbial stake.
Grace sniffles, and Ricky turns at the interruption. "Grace, tell us again, what you said to your mom," He says gently, but firm. He doesn't want to seem upset at her for ruining this impossible idyllic world the six of them have built, but he can practically see it tumbling down in front of him, and his annoyance comes off in waves. Adrian's gaze snaps from Grace's ashamed face to Ricky's stern ones, and she instinctively narrows her eyes in the blonde's defense. "She's already told us, Ricky. Repeating it isn't going to make this go away."
"We need to get our stories straight!" Ricky reacts, and everyone's weary eyes fall on him. A smoldering fire is beneath Adrian's though.
"And say what?" Adrian laments sarcastically, "'Yeah, I'm only going out with so and so, but if you see me acting flirty with someone else, it's not because I'm a cheating slut, it's because I'm going out with them too!'"
"Cool it, Adrian," Jack says from behind Grace, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "Ricky's right, we gotta think right now, not go down each other's throats if we expect to get past this."
"Get past something we all knew from the beginning was a bad idea? Sure," The Latina scoffs.
"Well, do you have any ideas then?" Ricky asks, approaching the table. "Seriously, I'd love to hear it. Because right now, unless we think of something, we're all going to be known as freaks. Freaks that get together and have orgies or something."
Grace's head rises from the table, and she looks at Ricky petulantly, wiping her nose daintily with a tissue. "It's not like that, though. Not at all."
Ricky's hardened expression softens, "I know it's not. But other people don't, and what will they think of us if they find out?"
Ben notices the change; the change Ricky takes when he regards any of them at once. With Adrian he's more willing to argue because she'll always match him, word for word. He won't relent or censor himself around her because she'll always come back, and for that reason, he always protects her from others, even if she doesn't need it. With Amy, he treads on unsteady ground, practically walking on eggshells to get his point across. Still, beyond that is some level of understanding underlying, one he doesn't easily comprehend, but maybe that develops when you have a kid together.
But Grace was different. He shamelessly teases her. He tugs on her hair when she isn't looking. But he couldn't do something like get in an argument with her. Ben's pretty sure than no one could, actually, except Adrian, but that's an entirely different situation altogether that, if all of the guys involved in this relationship were questioned about, he's sure he understands that dynamic the most. Of course, that could be because he's actually taken time to try to understand it, unlike Ricky and Jack who are content just watching them make out.
"They'll think of why they didn't catch on sooner," Ben says, and everyone hones in on him. "It's not like we've been doing a good job, hiding this."
"He's right," Amy agrees with her boyfriend and smiles mutely as Ben stares at her mahogany green-flecked eyes, he feels closer to her, even if they're at opposite sides of the table. He stretches out his hand, grasping hers and running his thumb over her knuckles, and Ricky watches this, deliberating.
"What we've been doing is wrong, it's all wrong," Grace laments mournfully, fearing that it's over. From behind, Jack brushes back her flaxen hair from her shoulder, and drops an open-mouthed kiss on the crook of her neck that causes her breath to catch. She closes her eyes, savoring the feeling until he reaches that spot below her ear. "Does that feel wrong?" He asks, and she shakes her head fervently.
Adrian leans in and Grace, eyes still closed, gasps at the contact full on her lips, but leans into the touch. It's chaste, and intimate, and before Grace realizes that the kiss is over, her best friend is asking her if that was wrong.
"It…of course it isn't." Her wide eyes open, "I feel like I should be saying yes, but I can't because how can it be wrong, if you care about the person?" Her brows are furrowed. "I mean, obviously society has an issue with polygamy, and most religious groups don't believe in bisexuality…" She looks around at her significant others. "I don't think of myself as bisexual –does that make me a hypocrite?"
"Does it really matter?" Adrian questions rhetorically. "I mean, if it feels right and you like the individual then why should it matter?"
"Because it does matter," Amy says thoughtfully. "Society makes it matter. And I can live with being with all of you like this, but if John gets involved…"She stops herself, and Ben sees her glance directly at Ricky who nods in agreement with her; the unspoken bond solidified.
"John won't get involved, Amy," Jack tries failingly to reassure. "I mean, we made it this far, and we all agreed to this…relationship, and we can keep going because if we stop now then it'll be like we didn't care for each other at all. Like, this was some experience we did for kicks. And it wasn't…right?" Jacks inquires, and everyone stays silent. "Right?"
"…Do you always have to be so optimistic?" Adrian smirks.
"I know; you're worse than the freakin' school mascot," Ricky shakes his head, and Grace giggles.
Jack all but pouts. "I'm not. S'not my fault for wanting some reassurance. Speaking of which, what is a lancer?"
"A guy with bad aim," Adrian answers immediately.
"That's what she said," Ben says after.
Laughter breaks out through the tension and, though momentarily, they forget their current trials and tribulations with soft touches and even softer glances.
Together.
Yes. You read it right. Ricky/Adrian/Ben/Amy/Jack/Grace, all in one relationship. If you're confused now, this is only a prologue, and how this ending up happening will be answered. I can't guarantee too much, but I'll answer any and every question. And, this is Secret Life, where people hook up like bunnies, so why not?
DAC
