If I Was Perfect Then This Would Be Easy

"What happened to your arm?" Cate asked lowly right as the boys ran into her living room, leaving us in her kitchen. I groaned and took another sip of my drink.

"My bracelet wouldn't work with me." She smiled and frowned, although I could see that my lie was easy to believe.

"Sorry to hear that. I talked to Val and Michelle, by the way," she changed the subject and groaned, making me look up at her questioningly. "Michelle's a bitch. I don't know how Val can stand her." I cleared my throat, looking down at my bottle.

"She's just...been through some tough things," I muttered and I knew Cate was staring at me bewildered.

"Yeah, I guess," she added and jumped as Jack yelled through the house yet another one of his random phrases. I laughed.

***

"Hand it over."

"No."

"I'll take it, anyways."

"Touch it and you're dead."

"You do realize that once you'll leave it out of your sight, she will make it her way," Dom interrupted matter of factly.

"Dude, I was expecting Corey to know that by now," Jack commented, not looking up from the newspaper he was reading. Corey glared at me and pouted.

"The pick is mine. I don't give a fuck if she wants it or not," Corey declared. "Bitch," he added under his breath with a light chuckle, knowing my next move.

I gasped. "Oh fucking hell you didn't!" With that, I jumped on his back right immediately and he began laughing, although keeping a firm grip on me.

"You're still not having it!" he boomed with a laugh. Jack looked up from his lecture and bursted out laughing, along with Dom.

"Ugh, you fucking..." He continued laughing. "FUCKER!"

"Damn it, the Spades are smart," Corey commented while I kept nagging him. "Look, Ace, look at your little brother! Reading the newspaper! Yo, grandpa, fetch me my plastic teeth." I couldn't help but burst out laughing at this and Jack's jaw dropped.

"That's it, little punk! DOM!" Jack boomed. "GET THIS FUCKER!" Jack and Dom jumped from the couch and lunged at Corey. I quickly jumped off Corey's back right as the two other guys tackled him to the ground. I was laughing hysterically as they kept wrestling, Corey dropping his beloved pick at some point.

"Alright kids, knock it off!" I instantly turned at the sound of Matt's voice and smiled widely as Brian appeared behind him, wearing his signature smirk. I suddenly felt the urge to run over to him and jump in his arms, as childish as it may have seemed, but restrained myself. I was pulled out of my thoughts by Matt, who pulled me into a hug.

"Rockstar! How you doin'?" I chuckled as he let go and opened my mouth to say something, right before Jimmy entered the room and I was pulled against his chest.

"Jim...you're....crushing...me," I panted and Brian's laugh filled my ears.

"Dude, let go, you're killing her."

"But, but...She's so fluffy!" Jimmy whined and I huffed as Jack and Dom bursted out laughing.

"James Sullivan, you let that girl go!" Leana boomed and I struggled to catch a glimpse of her. Jimmy obeyed and I gasped for air before Brian walked up to me and grinned.

"Long time no seen, huh?" he enquired as he pulled me against his chest. My third hug for the day. I smiled in response.

"Actually, it did seem like a very long time...." I replied thoughtfully. He leaned in to press his lips onto mine, right before everyone else entered the room.

"Aw, come on! I don't wanna see any of that!" Jack complained. I stuck my tongue at him chidlishly and Brian snickered, snaking his arm around my waist.

"Hi, Lex!" Zack saluted cheerfully and I laughed, returning the hello. However, my smile dropped as I met Michelle's eyes. She wasn't staring rudely, nor glaring daggers at me as I had been expecting her to. She simply glanced at Brian's arm around my waist, then looked back up at me with a blank look. I wanted her to give me a reason to bark at her, but there was really no use for that, seeing that she actually felt hurt by this. Hence, I felt...guilty?

"Okay, so it seems that my house has now been invaded by y'all," Cate noticed with a chuckle. Corey laughed from his spot.

"Cate, I thought you liked being surrounded by your dearest friends," Brian commented innocently. I chuckled as he grinned.

"Dudes, I don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Jimmy declared, holding his stomach. Leana and Lacey began laughing.

"I think we can solve that," Dom replied then got up and walked in the kitchen. Cate followed him closely and it didn't take us long enough to hear a boom.

"Dominic! Are you fucking retarded? You can't just go in my kitchen and bring this place apart!" Cate's voice rang. Everyone started laughing as we heard Dom trying to find some excuses. I rolled my eyes and decided it was time to break apart the kids. I quickly kissed Brian's collarbone and ran towards the kitchen, while Zack wolf whistled and earned a slap from Brian.

"What's going on, dolls?" Cate quirked her eyebrow and Dom laughed, almost dropping a dish.

"You really are hopeless, aren't you?" Cate enquired, watching him with a look that clearly said she had lost all hope in mankind. I began laughing as Dom fidgeted with the plate, yet again almost dropping it.

"Dom..you better put that away," I chuckled. Cate blew out a breath as he placed the plate on the counter.

"You women have no trust in us, hunky men." Cate rolled her eyes and I chuckled at his disappointed face. Dom's eyes lit up as an idea popped in his head. "Rockstar, can't you cook us some pancakes?"

I gave him a weird look. "Didn't you eat this morning?" Cate spoke up.

"No. Besides, we have hungry people in the other room, so let's move!" Dom began pushing me towards the counter, while Cate was laughing loudly.

"You better not be violating my sister, Dominic," Jack commented as he showed up with Zack in the kitchen. Dom gave them a sarcastic look and pointed at me.

"She is cooking for us." Zack stopped laughing and looked at me weirdly.

"You cook?"

"Minimal things," I replied simply as I began taking out all the ingredients. Jack quickly rushed past Cate and to my side as he began helping me out. I don't know why, but as Zack took a seat next to Dom, I began feeling odd. To emphasize my awkwardness, fifteen minutes later, everyone else entered the kitchen as well.

"You really should stop with all the unhealthy food, Val," Michelle's voice rang through my head. I glanced over to see her looking at Val disgusted as her sister began eating some chocolate Cate had offered. I could feel Brian watching me, which didn't make me feel alot better, but I tried to stay cool and continue. It was only then that the actual awkwardness hit in.

"Chocolate? Seriously, you should start eating healthy and work for a slim body. And stop eating cookies, pancakes and all that shit in the morning." Yes, it hit me and Cate like a speeding train with no brakes. I gave Jack the spoon I had been holding, looking at my best friend. Cate put the chocolate on the table and looked down awkwardly. I felt odd, different and angered by Michelle's non-diplomatic attack against our diets.

The room fell silent. I doubt any of the guys really understood how much this had affected the girls, but still, they were silent as some of them began fidgeting with towels, or staring at the floor. Jack and I suddenly exchanged looks and he nodded towards the frying pan. I pulled off my hoodie in a quick move and grabbed it, while Jack poured some of the pancake paste we had made. As soon as the devious pancake was created, I skillfully threw it in the air.

"Cracker Jack, plate!" I ordered as the pancake landed in the dish Jack had just taken out. Corey and Dom began laughing. This "ritual" always made them laugh from some odd reason. As I had been hoping, after the fourth or fifth flying pancake, the mood in the room had taken an 180 degrees turn.

Jack began pouring the chocolate sauce over the pancakes under the eyes of everyone. A roar of laughter erupted as I threw a pancake and Jack caught it in his hand, then began eating it.

Michelle was watching me not quite happy about everything as we put the plates on the kitchen table.

"Alright, who wants to try first?" Jack enquired, grinning. From some odd reason, Matt and Jimmy exchanged weird looks.

"Aw, come on, dude, these things look awesome," Brian intervened. "I mean, no offence, Val, but the pancakes you made were kinda scary." He gave me an assuring look and I grinned as Zack and Brian actually began eating.

"This is fucking awesome!" Johnny exclaimed. Everyone else at the table was just as surprised. Jack and high-fived each other.

"Meet the wonder brothers," Corey commented with a laugh and everyone else started laughing.

"I didn't know you could cook," Brian muttered next to me, giving me a questioning look.

"I didn't think it was important." I grinned and he shook his head with a chuckle.

"You're a good cook, babe," he replied with a wink. I glanced at Cate, who was looking outside the window.

"Oh Cate," Jimmy sang as he approached her. In a fraction of a second, Cate looked at him and Jimmy instantly threw chocolate sauce at her. I bursted out laughing as I saw her cheek full of chocolate. She looked at him trying to look angry, but failed miserably as we all began laughing.

I glanced at Michelle, who was grabbing her purse.

"Where are you going?" Val enquired.

"I have somewhere to be," her sister replied, not pulling her gaze away from me.

"Where did you get that?" Brian suddenly enquired, pointing at the small cut next to the bracelet he gave me. I paused, not knowing what to respond.

"I...accidentally cut myself." He didn't seem satisfied with my response and gave me a look telling me we were going to discuss this later. Brian put his hand over my shoulders and kissed my cheek, then returned to his conversation with Zack.