Chapter Four: We Go Together Like The Winter And A Sweater
"When wood floors meet high heels And shadows form from chandeliers.." ~Ü•~ Breakdown - Forever The Sickest Kids
Caty
I woke up on the side of the grassy hill with a stiff back and John no where to be found. I looked to my left and saw an imprint of where John had been laying next to me in the grass. I sighed, running my fingers through my tangled hair. I snatched up my jacket and wrapped it around my body as the wind started to pick up. Where was John? I tucked my knees under my chin and hugged my legs to my chest as my hair whipped around my face.
"Morning, babe." John said coming up from behind me to kiss my cheek. He dropped a handful of daisies onto my lap and sat down next to me. I picked up the daisies one by one and clutched them to my chest.
"How did you know I liked daisies?" I asked. John shrugged.
"Just a guess." He smiled and I hugged him. "Ready to go? Everyone's got to be there by now. I didn't mean for us to fall asleep."
"John." I said his name slowly, my fingers tracing the petals on the flowers. "We didn't..."
"No. Don't worry. Wait, did you want us to? Because I'll admit to thinking about it." He said, his face serious. I laughed and pushed him over.
"Maybe if I'm awake to remember it." I giggled, holding the flowers to my nose.
"Is that a yes?" He arched an eyebrow and I shook my head.
"I'd consider that a definite maybe, but right now we seriously got to get going. Everyone's probably waiting for us and I don't want them to get the wrong idea." I said, letting him help me to my feet.
"Alright." He pouted. "Can we at least get breakfast?"
"Fine, but seriously, get moving." We headed towards the car and drove towards a Starbucks. We got some coffee and were soon pulling up the driveway towards the house where I had spent almost every summer of my childhood up until Hayden walked in on it. Garrett and Brian's cars were already parked in the front.
"Dang, girl. This is yours?" John asked, pulling the gear shift into park. I nodded and kicked open the door.
"Yeah, sorry it's not much. We haven't been here in awhile." I apologized.
"No. It's," I watched as he searched for the right word. "Amazing." He breathed. I shrugged and stepped out of the door staring at the house. It was almost completely made out of glass except for the roof and a few slabs of red brick that held it together. The black roof on top was flat and rectangular and went up slightly when the bedrooms were added on top of the left half of the first story. Grass surrounded the front and the water enclosed the back.
"Okay, if we're really quiet, maybe they won't hear us and think we just got in late, because you look awful." I whispered to John.
"Thanks, sweetheart." He smiled sarcastically. "Maybe you should try fixing your hair some, unless you want it to look like something did happen." I quickly went to work pulling out the knots in my hair with my fingers and John slowly opened the front door.
"John! Caty!" Jess said brightly as we walked in. "What took you guys so long? I hope you don't mind, Caty, I had Pat pick the lock because it was cold out and we couldn't find the key." She smiled sipping her coffee.
"Yeah, it's fine." I smiled, straightening up. "John and I just, um, decided to stop at a motel for the night." I almost slapped myself in the face. "Separate rooms of course." I sent her a smile and she nodded, smirking between sips of coffee. "So, is everyone here?" I asked and she nodded.
"Yeah. Everyone's awake. Do you think it's too cold to go swimming?" Jess asked and I shrugged.
"I'd say push Stephen in and see what he says." I smiled.
"I heard my name." Stephen said, hopping down the stairs. He stared at me from halfway down the stairs and trotted back up. "Guys! Caty and John are here!" He called. Teagen and John Gomez came running down the stairs and Teagen pulled me into a tight hug. Stephen came back down shirtless, followed by Pat, Garrett, Brian, Josh, and a tired looking Jared.
"Sup, man." Jared yawned at John and gave me a small wave.
"Hey," John replied. "Stephen, aren't you cold?"
"No. I'm just fine thanks." He said quickly, acid coating his words.
"Am I missing something?" I asked glancing between John and Stephen. Stephen shook his head, his eyes not leaving John.
"No. We're cool." Stephen jammed his hands into his pockets and shuffled into the kitchen as John threw his arm around me.
"Okay, then." I said. "Well, we put in four tanning booths in a few months ago and I want to try them out, if anyone else wants to." I let John's arm drop as I ran up the stairs followed by Jess and Teagen.
"That sounds sick!" Teagen giggled.
"Woah. Three naked girls upstairs? I'm so in." Josh jumped up and Brian held him back.
"Easy tiger." He laughed.
Jess
"Okay, so where exactly were you last night?" I asked as soon as we were upstairs.
"Yeah, I was thinking about that." Teagen put in.
"Guys, chill. It wasn't that big of a deal. John took me to get Burger King and we fell asleep on this hill thing. Nothing happened!" Caty put in quickly as Teagen and I smiled at each-other.
"Caty and O'Callaghan." Teagen giggled. "That's so cute! Especially since you liked him before."
"Aww. You did? That is so cute!" I smiled at her.
"What about you and Brian? He's cute." Caty said and I shook my head.
"That boy wouldn't care if I died in this tanning booth." I sighed, opening the top.
"I'm sure he would. Even if he's selfish, he'd at least notice that his drummer is missing." Teagen winked. I rolled my eyes.
"I mean, we fight a lot, but jokingly. Is that like flirting?" I asked, biting my lower lip. Caty nodded, pulling out her lip ring.
"I'd say. Did either of you tell John I liked daisies, by any chance?" Caty asked.
"I didn't." I said and Teagen shook her head.
"No. Why?" She arched an eyebrow and Caty shrugged, sliding off her jacket.
"He brought me a bouquet of daisies when I woke up. It was, really sweet actually." She smiled dreamily.
"Well, it is your middle name, hun." I giggled and Caty shrugged again. "And your character name in your movie." She nodded and tore off the rest of her clothes and climbed into the tanning bed.
"Yeah, you're right." She said, closing the top. Teagen and I did the same.
Brian
"Hey, you guys know what would be really fun?" John Gomez said, a wicked grin spreading over his lips.
"Do I even want to know?" I asked, putting down the TV remote to Caty's 100 inch flat screen.
"I do." Josh said turning his attention towards John Gomez.
"Okay, so Josh, Stephen, and I'll go, then." John said, flashing me a look.
"What is it?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
"You have to swear you'll do it, though." John said seriously. "And make sure Garrett, Pat, and John don't know until after we're done." He smiled and I groaned.
"Okay. Fine. I promise. What are we doing?" I asked.
"Okay. So we run up and take the girl's clothes from the tanning room without them knowing. Josh knows how to pick locks in case it is locked, so this could work." He smiled and I laughed.
"That is so wrong!" I said.
"Yeah, but you know it'd be worth it. And," He paused slightly. "You promised."
"Okay, fine. Let's go before they get out." I said jumping up.
"Thatta boy!" John said slapping me on the back. I followed behind Josh and Stephen as they ran towards the door. Josh twisted the knob and waked in side, shrugging. Stephen ran in and snatched up the three piles of clothes and ran downstairs.
"That is so messed up." I said laughing as John put a bra on his head.
"So you've said." He smirked.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Now. We wait."
Teagen
"Uh. Guys? Where are our clothes?" I asked as I stepped out of the booth after I stared down at my perfectly bronzed arms.
"There right... Oh my gosh. Where are they?" Jess asked, turning towards Caty.
"Uh. Towels?" She offered. I nodded and we ran towards the bathroom.
"Just for the record, this is really awkward." Jess said, covering her chest with her arms.
"I second that." I mumbled.
"Okay. I found two towels. Who's streaking?" Caty asked.
"Not me." I snatched a towel out of Caty's hand as she wrapped the other one around her body. Jess's jaw dropped.
"You have got to be kidding." She said and Caty laughed.
"Yeah, don't worry. Here." She tossed a towel at Jess who shook her head and we walked back into the tanning room. "Okay. So. Bad news. Someone is running downstairs and then taking hate elevator to the bedroom and getting us clothes. Volunteers?"
"We should all go." Jess sighed. "I'd feel bad if Teagen had to run her naked butt in front of the guys."
"Hey! Who said I was going!" I said. Jess giggled and stared at Caty who bit her lip.
"Shit. The guys are down there." Caty groaned.
"It's not like John hasn't seen you naked already, sweetheart." I giggled.
"Shut up!" She said jokingly. "I said nothing happened!"
"Mmhmm." Jess smiled. "I bet the guys planned this."
"I bet they did, too." I laughed. "I hate them. All of them. I should have stayed with Kennedy." Jess and Caty both stared at me.
"And leave us both here to deal with this? I don't think so." Caty said weakly, latching onto my hand. "Let's go." I clutched tightly onto the towel and we headed towards the head of the stairs.
"Ready?" Jess asked. I took a deep breath.
"Let's do this." I said. "If we're lucky they won't be downstairs."
"Don't count on that." Caty mumbled gesturing towards the crowd the guys who had gathered on the couch at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hey girls." John Gomez smiled wearing my bra over his shirt.
"This blows." Jess sighed.
"Big time." I agreed.
