Mutiny Below

Jayce

My fingers tapped against the steering wheel to the music. It was just a demo CD that John always had lying around. The music was infectious and the lyrics were sweet. The voice was unfamiliar but the overall sound was familiar.

A few songs passed by before I made it home. I hesitated as I entered the complex, but ended up passing my place to go to Eric’s. It was more likely that John was still over there anyway.

I threw my hair up in a ponytail and added a bit of gloss before getting out of the car. Eric’s door was unlocked but the place was empty. I frowned as I plopped down on the couch and crossed my arms. An unlocked door and an empty apartment.

“Bachelor’s Night must have been big.” I muttered to myself and glanced around.

“It wasn’t that bad.” I screamed and jumped before jerking my head to that god forsaken voice that belonged to that god forsaken boy. “Are you alright?” Nick gave me a weird look, kind of like I was crazy.

“You scared me.” I clutched my chest. My heart was pounding in my ears and the blood was rising to my cheeks.

“I noticed.” He chuckled and came around to sit on the couch with me, but on the opposite side. “I’m sorry.” Now I gave him a weird look.

“It’s, uh, okay. Where is everyone?” The atmosphere was plainly awkward. I much preferred it when he was just angry at me.

“Everyone went home while Halvo and John dragged Nat down to the pool.” He stared at the black, blank television screen with great interest.

“Sounds like fun.” I nodded. “Why didn’t you go?” It was an attempt to make things less awkward, but it did not help.

“I was messing around with my guitar.” He shrugged and then the silence settled. The tension filled, super unsettling and awkward silence fell upon us and I was literally dying. I could have squealed with happiness when the front door opened again and two boys laughing hysterically entered. Then Natalia followed, soaking wet. “Uh, what the hell happened?”

Natalia huffed while John and Eric attempted to stop laughing. “Jackass,” she slapped Eric in his stomach. “And dumbass,” she slapped John in his stomach. “Threw me into the pool!” She stomped her foot and then stalked off down the hallway.

“Really guys? You had to throw her in?” Nick sighed as he got off the couch and went after her.

“It was all in good fun!” Eric yelled after them while John smiled and ‘fell’ on top of me.

“No girl finds being thrown into a pool, fun.” I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arms around John. He placed his hands on top of mine and laced our fingers.

“Hey, where have you been all morning?” Eric subtly changed the subject.

“I went to breakfast with Adam, like always, but then he invited me to a tour of the campus.”

“Haven’t you taken that tour like fifty times?” He asked and arched his eyebrows as he sat down in Nick’s previous spot, throwing his feet up onto John’s lap and therefore adding weight to mine.

“There’s a new coffee shop and a few extra books were added to the second hand bookstore. Adam was very enthused about both.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that your brother is a complete nerd?”

“It actually has, and I love him that way.” I pushed John up and then stood up myself. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m taking my boyfriend back home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Don’t break any lamps!” He yelled as we left and I rolled my eyes again.

“One time, and I swear we will never hear the end of it.” I mumbled as I handed John the keys. He chuckled and unlocked the car. I got in and laid my head back, letting my eyes close and my body relax. He started the car and then took my hand, making a smile break out on my face as that unfamiliar familiar music came back on.

“So, you like Nick?” My head snapped up and fear started to close my throat.

“Wh-what?” I choked out and tried not to hyperventilate.

John looked at me strangely and then gestured to the radio. “This is Rocket back when it was just Nick and his computer.”

“Oh,” relief flooded through me and then guilt. “Um, it sounds alright.” I shrugged and John frowned. “He tends to sing about love a lot. Does he have a girlfriend back home?” That would make things less strange.

“Not that I know of. Nat was telling us earlier, by the pool, about this girl he ran into last time he was here. Apparently she’s all he could think about since he left, but now he can’t find her.”

“That sucks balls.” I noted monotonously and turned my attention to outside the window. Surely his girl was not me. I mean, it was one night. He was probably too drunk to remember much of it. Ialmost was.

“Maybe he’ll get lucky and find a girl as amazing as mine.” He squeezed my hand as he parked in front of our building and then leaned over to kiss my cheek. I blushed as I got out of the car and kept my eyes glued to the concrete.

“Just maybe.” I squeaked and started for the door. This was all so sick. I couldn’t wait until Nick went back to Ohio and I hoped he stayed there for the next ten years.

John’s arms wrapped around my waist before I could bolt to the bedroom. “Is everything alright, Jayce?” He swayed us in the entry way and leaned down to press soft kisses to my neck. My stomach did a million back flips.

“Home stressed me out.” I shrugged and tipped my head to the side. “I missed you.” I whispered and stared into his deep green eyes.

“I missed you too.” He smiled and then brought his lips down on my own. I practically melted into his kiss and let everything else float away. John was like my anchor in this crazy, hectic world. It was ridiculous to entertain silly thoughts about Nick. He was nothing. Better yet, he was a mistake. Johnwas is my life.

I smirked as I pulled away from him. “I’m going to change. I’ll meet you in the living room.” I pecked his lips again and sprinted off to the bedroom. I could hear John’s laugh until I closed the door and quickly locked it.

An evil smirk was still planted on my face as I went through my dresser hastily, searching for the new lingerie I’d bought a few weeks ago with Gemma. It took a few extra minutes to strap the thing up on my own. I looked at my reflection and frowned. I took my hair down and ran my fingers through it.

Happy with my appearance, I tiptoed from the bedroom the living room. John was sitting on the couch with his back to me. I leaned against the doorway and waited as he talked on his cell.

“Really? … What about Garrett? … Sure … Uh, yeah, couple minutes … Alright, see ya.” He slapped his phone shut and stood up, turning toward me. I tried smiling innocently as I posed a little but dropped it when I saw his disappointed expression. “Jayce,” he muttered uneasily as he eyed me.

I sighed and crossed my arms. I’m pretty sure you’re never supposed to feel embarrassed about being partially naked in front of your boyfriend. “Who was that?” I already knew what he wanted to say just by the way he said my name.

“Kennedy.” He bit his bottom lip as he took a step closer. “He’s got this idea for a new song and everybody’s meeting over at his place before he loses it like last time.”

I rolled my eyes. “Typical Kenny.” I tried sounding like I wasn’t hurt even though I was. The band comes first. “You should go then. Take my car.” John frowned.

“Are you sure? I can stay.” He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me forward so that I stumbled into his chest. “The guys can work it out on their own.” I firmly placed my palms on his chest.

“No, you should go. Someone needs to keep the peace over those rascals.” I bravely put on a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

“Why don’t you come with me? Hang out with Gemma and then we’ll go out for ice cream or something.” I thought about his offer but then scrunched my nose up.

“Gemma has baby Gomez over. I think I’ll stick to ordering some Chinese and waiting up for you.”

“I don’t want to leave you.” He pouted and I pushed him toward the door.

“Go on, pansy. I’ll see you later.” I smacked his ass and giggled as he turned to me with a fake glare.

“You are so going to pay for that one when I get back.” He growled playfully and picked me up as he left several sloppy kisses on my face. “I love you, Jayce Lynn.” I giggled harder and turned my head until he put down.

“Love you too, Johnny Oh.” I blew him a kiss as he walked out the door. Once the door closed my arms fell to my sides and my lips pulled down into a frown. “Another night alone,” I sighed and locked the door before I went back to change into regular pajamas.

I threw the lingerie set on the bed and shuffled my feet on the carpet to the kitchen. I checked the fridge and then the pantry. After finding nothing of interest, I pulled out a menu for the Chinese restaurant downtown. I smiled a little as I stared at the meals Eric had highlighted as his favorite one night.

“Perfect.” I mumbled as I snatched the menu up along with my keys and slipped on my flip flops. I left the living room light on and locked the door behind me before I walked to the other side of the complex.

I decided to politely knock instead of burst in through the most likely unlocked door. I tapped my foot as I waited for someone to answer. The door opened and Nick stared at me oddly.

“Jayce?”

“The one and only.” I smiled cheekily and pushed past him through the door. My eyebrows rose as I entered the living room and found Eric on top of a giggling Natalia. “Um, am I interrupting?” Both their heads snapped to Nick and I.

“Jayce? What are you doing here?” Eric sat up so that he was just straddling Natalia’s waist. Her face turned bright red as she stared at the ceiling.

“My boyfriend ditched me for band night.” I smiled a little and he grinned.

“Kennedy?” He guessed and I rolled my eyes.

“Boy’s too forgetful for his own good.” I commented as I walked into the room and went to sit down on his loveseat since the couch was taken up. “So, what are you guys doing?” I arched my eyebrows again and darted my eyes from Eric to Natalia to Nick. The latter was still standing in the doorway anxiously.

Eric looked down as if just noticing he was on top of her. “Nat’s hiding the remote under her butt and I was tickling her to try and get it back.”

“Unsuccessfully.” Nick added and Natalia finally made a sound. She giggled.

“Right, well some idiot won’t help me.” He grumbled as his hands went back to her sides. Natalia squealed and jerked, taking Eric totally by surprise. He fell and clanked his elbow against the coffee table. “Damn it!” He yelled and I burst out laughing with both Nick and Natalia.

“That’s what you get.” Natalia sang happily as she sat up and clutched the remote to her chest.

“Come on, Natty! I am so tired of watching the Discovery Channel.” He whined and batted those brown eyes at her. I smirked. There was no one in the world that could turn down that puppy pout.

I decided to save her. “Why don’t you pick out something to eat then?” I extended the take-out menu toward him. “Dinner’s on me.” His face lit up and he completely left Natalia alone.

“Awesome!” He snatched the thin paper and opened it. “Hey, this is the one I highlighted in!” He exclaimed and glanced over at me.

“So I noticed.” I smiled and kicked my shoes off. “You have any Hard Lemonade?” I asked hopefully and he nodded without looking up.

“Bottom self in the back.”

“Sweet.” I stood up and quickly strode to the fridge. I listened to the footsteps that followed and stopped as I bent down.

“Grab two, please.”

“Sure thing.” I pulled an extra bottle out and twirled around to hand one to Nick. I gave him a friendly smile and he stared at me as he opened it. I felt uneasy under his gaze so I popped my bottle open and took a few chugs from it, just to take the edge off.

“John’s an idiot to leave you for the guys.” He muttered and then turned and left.

My mouth opened a little as I leaned against the counter. My hand slackened around the bottle and I almost dropped it. It was sort of a sweet comment, but it also sort of crossed the lines of just friends.

“Jayce!” Eric shouted and I snapped to attention as he entered the room with the menu. “We need a number six and three and an order of egg drop noodle soup.” He smiled and handed the paper to me. “Plus whatever you want.”

“Alright, I need your phone.” I giggled and held my hand out. “I left mine in my jeans.”

“Oh, and maybe a side of those sugar doughnut things. Those are good.” He slapped his phone in my hand and I shook my head.

“Shoo,” I waved at him and he rolled his eyes before going back into the living room. I called and ordered. When I re-entered the living room, Eric was pouting with his arms crossed, Natalia was still clutching the remote to her chest, and Nick was sprawled out on the loveseat. All three of them were watching the television screen with some weird bugs crawling around on it. “Um, I need a ride to go pick up the food.”

Eric raised his hand. “I volunteer Nick!”

“Thanks Halvo.” Nick said sarcastically as he stood up slowly. “I think I’ll just eat your egg rolls on the drive back.”

“Don’t you dare!” Eric glared and I shook my head. Nick followed me to the door and then grabbed Eric’s keys from the hook before we left. I slipped on a pair of Eric’s way too big shoes instead of going back for my sandals.

On the way to the car Nick started to chuckle. “I didn’t know you had such huge feet, Jayce.” He teased as he unlocked the doors to Eric’s car.

“Shut up, Nicholas.” He gasped dramatically.

“How’d you know that was my name?” I couldn’t help but giggle as he started the car.

“I just guessed, but now I know it’s true.” I smirked and leaned forward to fiddle with the radio.

“Seatbelt.” He commented as he backed up.

“Yes, dad.” I mumbled and sat back. The radio played lowly in the background as we drove. My directions were the only words exchanged. It was already dark out and I tripped over a pot hole because I couldn’t see it.

Nick laughed but caught me before I face planted into the ground. “You’re not very graceful.”

“What makes you say that?” I jerked my arms from his grasp and continued into the small restaurant.

“You just seem to always be falling.” He came to stand beside me at the counter, looking up at the light up menu on the wall. I glanced over and bit my lip. Nick looksreally good.

“I have my moments.” I mumbled and then the cashier approached us. I paid and we had to wait another five minutes before the food was ready. Nick insisted on carrying it for some reason and then we were back in the car.

I pressed my lips together firmly and made sure my eyes stayed away from him. It was hard as he started to hum along with the radio, which escalated to his low singing. I fought a smile the whole way back.

He grabbed the food again as we got out of the car and I skipped ahead of him to the apartment. Eric and Natalia were still on the couch, but it looked like he had finally given up on trying to get her to change the channel.

“So, what are we watching?” I asked as I plopped down in between them on the couch. Nick stumbled in a few seconds later.

“Whale Wars.” Natalia chirped and Nick groaned.

“We’ve watched all these episodes at least twenty times.” He complained and sat the food down on the coffee table.

“Eric hasn’t, and neither has Jayce.” She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes. I giggled as I leaned forward to pull the food out of the bag.

“Whale Wars and Chinese. Sounds awesome.” I handed out the food, guessing whose was whose and then sat back with my own. We finished the rest of the episode and then watched another full one.

By the time it was over, I was stuffed and tired. Eric on the other hand was invigorated and hyper. “Let’s play a game!” He cheered and started to bounce in his seat.

“What kind of game?” Natalia asked warily as she shut the television off.

“Card game!” He jumped up and took off to grab his deck of cards.

“Poker?” Nick suggested and I snickered.

“No!” Eric shouted and his eyes darted to me. “This one’s a devil! She’ll strip you down your undies in like ten seconds.” His look of horror and Natalia and Nick’s look of confusion made me throw back my head and laugh hard.

“You guys played strip poker?” Nick asked, a slight tone of disgust in his voice.

“It was more like Halvo-takes-off-clothes poker. I didn’t take anything off.” I smirked.

“And I have learned my lesson.” Eric shook his head as he went into the kitchen. I sighed before grabbing my drink and following him with Nick behind me, and Natalia slowly following him.

“So what are we playing then, Halvo dearest?” I pulled out a chair beside him. I still wondered how he’d managed to cramp a table into the kitchen area, even if it was a small four-seater one. I’d never been able to get one in my own kitchen, though it was the same size.

Eric grinned like a small child who had just gotten away with stealing cookies. “Bullshit.” Nick and I chuckled as he sat down across from me.

“This is going to be a long game.” Nick muttered and I noticed Natalia grinning as well as she sat down across from Eric. “Nat likes to call Bullshit every few hands.”

“Hey!” She shouted defensively and smacked him.

“Halvo does that too, just because he likes to scream Bullshit at the top of his lungs.” I smirked and Eric fake glared at me.

“That is only when I am drunk, for your information.” He shuffled the cards a few times and I shook my head as he started to deal. “Nick, you go first. Two’s.”

Nick cleared his throat as he looked at his cards. “Alright, I’ve got one two.” He slammed the card down and pressed it to the center of the table.

“Bullshit.” Natalia muttered.

“What was that?” Eric tilted his head and smirked a little as she rolled her eyes.

“Bullshit!” She yelled and Nick sighed.

“Dammit, Nat.” He glared at her as she giggled.

“Oh come on, Nicky. I can always tell when you’re lying.” She put two cards down and smiled like she knew a secret. “Two three’s.”

“Bullshit.” Eric shouted and pointed at her. Natalia giggled uncontrollably as she flipped over her cards. “Damn.” He sighed as he picked up the two three’s. This was going to be a long game.

Several hours later, Eric was carrying a sleeping Natalia back to bed and I was trying to find my flip flops. I wasn’t drunk or tipsy. I’d had just enough to keep me giggling. Unfortunately, I’d also had just enough to make it difficult to find two of the same shoe that fit my foot.

“Sit down, Jayce.” Nick laughed as he watched me try to look under the couch.

“But—,” I started and then turned around. He held both my shoes in his hands with a sly smirk. “How long have you been holding them?” I fake glared and plopped down on the loveseat.

“A few minutes.” He shrugged and came to sit down beside me.

“Douche bag.” I mumbled as he grabbed my feet and pulled them up to his lap.

“Douche bag that’s putting your shoes on for you.”

“Oh, don’t think of yourself all high and mighty. They’re flip flops.” Nick chuckled and shook his head. “Now, if you don’t mind.” I swung my feet over and stood up. “I have to get home.” I smiled and started for the door. I wobbled the whole way and stopped a few times to lean against the wall and giggle.

“Let me walk with you then.” Nick stated instead of asked as he slipped on shoes and called to Eric that he’d be right back. “You mind if I smoke on the way?” My mind pictured it and I shuddered.

“Nah,” I tried shrugging nonchalantly as I opened the door, but in acting nonchalant, I missed the door coming straight for my head. “Aw, fuck.” I groaned and rubbed my forehead. Nick continued to chuckle.

“Be careful of the step down.” He warned as I put a foot out the front door. Like he probably guessed, I stumbled over the step and he lightly held a hand to my lower back so I didn’t fall.

“Ugh, why can’t the earth just be flat?” I groaned and kicked at a rock. Nick shook his head as he placed a cigarette between his lips and smirked a little as he pulled a lighter from his pocket. I stared at him intently, a smile growing on my own lips as he lit up and took a deep drag.

He put the lighter back in his pocket and raised his eyebrows as he pulled the cigarette away, slowly blowing out the smoke away from me. “What?”

“Nothing.” I giggled and looked away to hide the vibrant blush growing up my neck and into my cheeks. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and tilted my head back. “What are the stars like in Ohio?”

Nick cleared his throat and looked up. “Not this pretty.” He sighed and shook his head again. “Not this clear.”

“I love the stars. They’re so beautiful.” I hugged myself and closed my eyes for a second. “When I was younger, I’d look up and suddenly feel like I wasn’t all alone in this world.” I opened my eyes and looked over at Nick. “Even in the city, they’re this gorgeous.”

“Yeah,” he smiled a little and I nodded. “Gorgeous.”

The rest of the walk was quiet and slow. I took little sneak peeks of him, each one sending a shiver down my spine. By the time we reached the door, I was breathless.

“Thanks.” I struggled to get my keys in the door.

“It’s no problem. You shouldn’t walk at night alone.” He took the last hit and then threw the cigarette down, squishing it with the tip of his shoe. “Someone might try to scoop you up.”

“Right.” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m serious, Jayce. You’re special.” He put his hands in his pockets and started to walk off backwards. “John’s lucky.” I swallowed hard, remembering John admitting that fact earlier.

I waved awkwardly and then darted inside. I chewed on my bottom lip as I locked the door and kicked my shoes off. Nick was just weird. He made me feel a little weird, but nothing more.

John made me feel loved. Nothing was better than that.

I threw my keys on the couch and went back to the bedroom. I giggled quietly as I leaned against the doorway and crossed my arms. It was surprisingly already three in the morning and John was passed out in our bed.

I tiptoed to the bed but all my efforts to be silent were useless. The bed squeaked as I sat on it and John inhaled loudly. I froze and stared over at him. He was still as peaceful as ever. I leaned over and kissed him softly. John wrapped his arms around me in response and pulled me against him.

“I was wondering when you’d get back.” He mumbled with his eyes still closed. I giggled and buried my face in his neck. He instantly fell back asleep.

I smiled and pressed a small kiss to his collar bone. “I love you.” I whispered and then closed my eyes, letting the heaviness in my eyelids finally win.