Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

We ended up at Dave & Buster's.

“Awesome choice, Rose!” Joe said quietly before we entered.

Mom and Dad gave us 3 cards; one to Joe and Mel, one to Vic, and the last one to Nick and I. It was really loud inside.

“There's at least $100 on each card. Vic, you said your friend will be here later, right?” Mom asked.

“Yeah”, Vic replied. She shrugged and we went our separate ways.

Minutes turned into hours and Nick and I were exhausted.

“Time check?” I asked.

“6:15”, he answered, holding the gifts he'd won for me with all of the tickets we'd collected.

“I'm starving!” Mel exclaimed, leaning on me as Joe followed closely behind her with a large, brown stuffed bear.

“Me, too! Where are your parents?” Joe asked.

“At table 5”, he said.

“No”, I whispered.

I looked over Joe's shoulder and saw him. His muscles barely showed in the dim light, but he wore a brown shirt and black jeans with black shoes. His short, spikey hair brought back the memories of our times as friends, but moreso when I kneed him in the balls.

“ 'Sup Rose, Nick”, he said casually.

“Hi, Jake”, Nick replied, going pale.

…

“So, Roomie, going to introduce me to the other people with you?” Jake asked, flashing a smile. I blinked in shock, looking at Nick.

He bit his lip as though he was torn in two, unable to decided what to do. Mel rolled her eyes, biting her lip in anger. Joe looked perplexed.

“Um, excuse us”, I said quickly, pulling Nick to the bathrooms.

“What the hell did Jake mean by Roomie? If it meant roommate then you have a LOT of explaining to do!” I fumed.

I was beyond pissed. Jake being Nick's roommate and he didn't even tell me?! What the hell?

“Rose, I-I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn't know how to tell you without you getting upset”, was his retort.

“Seriously, is that the only excuse you could come up with? You didn't know how to tell me?!” I laughed without humor as Nick ran a hand through his curls.

“I told you how he treated me last year, yet you still didn't have the decency to tell me he was your roommate since day, oh I don't know, ONE when I told you everything?!” I said, raising my voice.

“I'm sorry, Rose! But what was I supposed to do about it? Go back to the D.A.B and change dorms just because the guy is and or was an asshole? I thought all of it through, babe, but to be honest, I-I wanted to fit in. I didn't want to start drama, either! You know what I've been through, too. I wanted some friends just like you have”, he said fuming back.

My heart cracked a little. Did he just say Jake is and/or WAS an asshole? Wow.

“So, you're friends with Jake?” I asked, pushing the tears back.

We stood in silence for what seemed like hours before Nick responded with one word.

“Yes.”

I rushed past him, through the crowded game room, finding our table. Dad wasn't there, but Mom and Max were. I breathed a couple of breaths before joining them.

Mom's eyes landed on me first, she could tell something was wrong, but kept the smile on her face for Max.

“Hey, Rose!” Max said cheerfully.

“Hey, Max. Joe won Mel a bear and Nick-”, I began, but he cut across me.

“Say no more. I'll let them put them in the car”, Max replied, standing, then headed in the direction I just came from.

“What's wrong, baby?” Mom asked.

“N-nothing, it's just-”, but Vic cut across me.

“Hey, Mom. You remember Jake, right?” she asked, Jake next to her as was Mel. She looked uncomfortable.

Mom sighed quietly.

“Yes. It's been a while, Jacob”, she said in a firm tone, shaking Jake's hand.

“Nice to see you, too, Mrs. S. Glad to see you're feeling better”, Jake replied as he shook her hand.

“Thank you”, she replied.

“Hi, honey”, Dad greeted Mom, kissing her cheek. “Sorry that took so long. It was the office”, he explained to us as well.

“It's fine, Victor. We'll order when Max, Nick, and Joe come back. In the meantime, you can sit down”, Mom said, referring to Mel, Jake, and Vic.

They nodded, Mel taking a seat to my right. Vic sat by Dad. Typical. Jake sat to her left. I sighed quietly and Mom squeezed my hand, giving me a sympathetic smile.

...

By another hour later, we were eating dessert, when Mom and Dad cleared their throats, getting all of our attention (including Joe, Nick, and Max whom returned earlier).

“OK, so, Roselyn and I have some news. Originally, this was going to be a family-only get together, but Roselyn convinced me to allow Vic and Rosalina to bring friends as well”, Dad began.

Mom took over, rolling her eyes at him.

“First of all, you're welcome, girls”, she began with a smile, but changed back to normal, “second of all, I said I'd make an announcement tomorrow, but I changed my mind. All of you know that Vic and Rosie will turn 17 in two days, but due to circumstances from obvious reasons, they won't be able to stay here to celebrate it.”

“Wait, what?” Vic interrupted.

“Let her finish”, Dad snapped, silencing her.

Whoa. Dad snapped at Vic? That's a first! My bad feeling came back and I knew it had to be something serious.

“We”, Mom continued, but rolled her eyes once more (as Dad messed with his clothes, getting uncomfortable at her using the word we knowing that it was Mom's idea and not his), “well, I think it'd be best for you girls, including Mel and the boys to head back to school Sunday. You three have missed too much school already because of me. I know if you miss another week, you won't be able to pass the semester”, she said in a knowing tone.

That was true. I was already exhausted from the 4 days of make-up work. I wouldn't be able to do it for another week, but I was willing to and I knew Nick and Vic were, too.

“Third of all”, she continued again, “we're going to a Halloween party tomorrow and your costumes are at home as we speak!” she said happily.

Everyone cheered except Vic and I. We never celebrated Halloween before. Why does she want to do it now?

“So, after we leave here, we'll head home”, she concluded.

…

I told Mel everything that happened after I took Nick to the bathrooms and about Jake making a move on me. We were still in our clothes from earlier, laying on my bed. I still couldn't believe Jake came home with us or the fact that he, Joe, and Nick were stuck in the guest bedroom more than likely arguing this very second. Nick and I hadn't talked at all since we argued at Dave & Buster's.

“That sucks, Rosie. Jake deserves a punch in the-”, Mel began, but I cut across her.

“I know”, I said in a sad tone. I didn't understand how all of this happened.

“Nick deserves to know, too, you know?” she asked timidly.

A sigh was my response. I was tired. I was tired of all of this drama. I was tired of arguing with Nick. I was just...tired of everything.

“So, what are you going to do about tomorrow?” she asked, texting Joe.

“I don't know. I'm sick of this arguing, though. I tried to avoid Jake, Brian, and Vic all year and now I have to face Jake. I don't know what to do anymore”, I admitted.

“Talk to him, Rose”, Mel coaxed.

I nodded in agreement as I laid my head on my pillow, thinking. How was I supposed to tell Nick about Jake? I had a bad feeling about this.