Mutiny Below

Jayce

My nose scrunched up the second I became conscious. Last night at Kennedy’s, I had not so accidentally fallen asleep on Nick. Just his presence being that close, even if I couldn’t be with him like we both wanted, had a calming effect on me. And now I was lying in my own bed with John’s arms lightly around my waist. I sickened myself.

John’s chuckle made me snap out of my pity party quick. I opened my eyes, half surprised that he was awake already and staring at me. “What?” I smiled back at him, feeling my heart sink a little.

He leaned in and kissed my nose softly. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Jayce Lynn.” I bit my bottom lip and looked down as my cheeks blushed.

“You’ll full of shit, John Oh.” I giggled and looked into his eyes again, seeing him smirking. “But you’re sweet so I guess I’ll keep you.” He chuckled again as he kissed my lips slowly.

He rested his forehead against mine and sighed as he pulled away. “I love you.” He whispered the words and I closed my eyes as my heart gave a little again.

“I love you too.” I reassured him and put a fake smile on as I partially sat up. “Now how about we go out for breakfast? I’m hungry and I don’t feel like cooking.”

“Mmm, strawberry cheesecake pancakes.” John hummed as he flipped onto his back. I slapped his arm playfully.

“You jackass, now you’re definitely taking me to breakfast.” He laughed as I sat up fully and put my legs over the edge of the bed. “Get up and put some clothes on, jerk.”

“Let’s just stay in bed for the day.” He suggested as his hand grazed my lower back. I looked at him over my shoulder and arched my eyebrows. He rolled his after a few seconds. “Okay, I’m going.” He got up and this time I laughed.

“Thank you very much, sweets.” I called after him as he went toward the bathroom. He mumbled something back but I couldn’t understand what it was so I shrugged it off. I slipped into some pants and changed my shirt before running a brush through my hair and throwing that up too.

John came back into the room with wet hair and a towel around his waist. I kissed him again, a little more passionately and sloppy, as I left the room for him to change in. I found my cell in the living room and checked the new messages.

“John?” I yelled as I replied to a message of Gemma’s.

“Yeah?”

“Did you know there’s a party tonight?”

“Nope.” He sounded almost happy as he came down the hall.

“Well, there is.” I frowned a bit as he seemed to care less.

“And?” He leaned on the back of the couch and raised both his eyebrows.

“And Gemma and I are going shopping with Nat and baby Gomez’ new girl after breakfast and then you and I are going to Scottsdale to party for the night.” I watched as he made a face. “Please, John? You skipped movies last night and,” I paused and raised my hand to his arm. “I miss you, John.”

Oh how twisted my words can be nowadays. Sure, I missed John in the sense of what we used to be, but truth was I was terrified if I went to that party alone I would do something more with Nick. And I’d be drunk which means I’d be sloppy. It would just be an accident too big to bear with what’s going on now.

John smiled a little and squeezed my hand in his. “I’ll be right there with you, baby girl.” I scrunched my nose as his smile widened.

“You know I hate it when you call me that.”

“Come on, let’s get some pancakes.” He nodded toward the door as he helped me up.



“So, no offense Jayce,” Gemma started and I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the rack of dresses she was looking at. “But what the fuck is up with John? He’s had a stick up his ass for days now. It’s quite annoying.”

I smiled faintly. “Well, you know we can’t all be peaches all the time Gems.”

“True, but John always has that happy-go-lucky attitude.” She pulled a dress out and held it up to her.

“That looks real cute, Gemma.” Sophia, John Gomez’ new girlfriend, gushed as she and Natalia came closer to the rack I was leaning on.

“Eh, I really don’t do cute. Here, why don’t you try this, Nat?” Gemma smirked as she handed the dress over. Natalia smiled and took it, but her nose scrunched up the second she actually looked at it. “All I’m saying though, is that John has been a real downer lately, like depressing and shit. It just doesn’t feel right.”

“I know.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I wish I could just make him feel better, but whatever’s bothering him, he doesn’t really want to talk about it.” I shrugged and noticed Natalia staring at me with wide eyes.

“Something’s wrong with John?” She questioned as her eyebrows furrowed with concern.

“Haven’t you noticed?” Gemma raised her eyebrows and then shook her head. “I guess you haven’t been around long enough to notice, but lately he’s been an ass.”

“He’s been moody and withdrawn.” I corrected Gemma and she placed her hand on her hip.

“Like you were a few weeks back?” She smirked again and I swallowed hard. My head spun. I had been driven into my odd behavior because of my guilt over the things I’d done. What could possibly make John act like this?

“Is he coming to the party tonight? Your John?” Sophia tilted her head with an innocent smile, cleverly changing the subject.

“Yeah,” I nodded and tried to focus my attention to the clothes around us. “He promised he’d come and not be a spoil sport.”

“Thank God.” Gemma muttered and then giggled. “Alcohol should loosen him up a bit.”

“John Oh is always the life of the party.” I mumbled with a slight sarcastic tone. “Anyway, how excited is Kenny about tonight?” Gemma groaned and Natalia frowned.

“The baby won’t stop whining about how much he doesn’t want to go. He’s being ridiculous.” She pulled another dress off the rack and stared at it.

“Kennedy does kind of have a right to be anxious or whatnot about tonight.” Gemma gave me a stern look before she started for the fitting room and the three of us just kind of followed her.

“I would be worried if I was him too.” Sophia spoke up and then grimaced. “Stephen was talking to John the other day, and, well, more or less his words were ‘I’m not giving up so easy’.”

“Stephen’s big on talk.” Gemma shrugged.

“Did I completely miss something?” Natalia crossed her arms and frowned.

I bit my bottom lip. “Stephen and Kennedy are sort of fighting for Gemma’s attention.”

“And all they’re really doing is making me angry.” Gemma shouted through the closed door. “I mean, honestly, they’re idiots.”

“Stephen really loves you, if it’s any help.” Sophia pouted slightly. “You’re right about the big talk thing. He really won’t do anything. His friendship with you means more than breaking you and Kenny up. I think tonight he’ll see how happy you are with Kenny and he’ll get over himself.”

Gemma stepped out of the fitting room with her eyes wide. I could see her panicking inside so I tried to lighten the mood some with humor. “Well it’ll be hard for anyone to pry their eyes off you if you wear that. You look stunning, Gems.” I winked at her and she smiled faintly.

“I’m going to die tonight, girls. I can feel it.” Her eyes started to water. “Those two boys are going to tear me apart.”

“Gemma,” I whined as I went to hug her. Sophia joined in and then Natalia, making Gemma giggle.

“Thanks guys.” She wiped at her eyes as we all pulled away. “Now let’s finish this shopping trip before I have a meltdown.” She grinned and finally returned to herself.

“I’m totally ready to just go to the food court and get a bit to eat.” Sophia stuck her tongue out as she clutched her stomach. “John kicked me out this morning before I even got breakfast.”

“I’m not really hungry.” Natalia spoke up and shifted her weight.

“Me either.” I shrugged and then patted Gemma’s back. “Why don’t you and Soph go and Nat and I’ll keep looking. If you leave that dress in the fitting room, I’ll even buy it for you.”

“You don’t have to do that, Jayce.” Gemma shook her head as she glanced down at the dress.

“I can spoil my best friend here and there.” I winked at her and pushed her back to the room. “Now go change. Frozen goodness waits for you in the food court!”

Sophia laughed and soon she was guiding Gemma out of the store. I hadn’t really processed that sending Gemma off meant I was to be alone with Natalia. Great, Jayce. Make the girl hate you more why don’t you?!?

I glanced at Natalia and gave a small smile. “Did, uh – did you want to look for something to wear tonight? I don’t, um, well – I don’t mind buying you anything if you want something.”

Natalia smiled a little back. “You’re really not such an awful person, Jayce.”

I was taken aback by her statement but it made me grin. “Thanks?” She rolled her eyes and unfolded her arms.

“Well, I figure it’s time to be honest.” I cringed.

“Right.” I bit my bottom lip as I slipped into the changing room and grabbed Gemma’s dress. It wasn’t until I was on my way out that I stopped abruptly and turned to her. “You know I’m not seeing Nick anymore.” I just kind of blurted it out and then winced again. “I mean, not since the accident. And … yeah.”

It was quiet for a while. “I know.” Natalia sighed. “Nick’s … upset about it.”

“I’m sure he’ll find someone else who’ll make him happy in the right way.” I chuckled bitterly. I didn’t want anyone else to make Nick happy. I wanted to make him happy.

“Yeah, we all hope so.” Natalia muttered and then frowned. “You know, maybe you could help me find something to wear tonight. Something pretty?” She fidgeted and it was easy to tell she didn’t put too much effort into what she wore often.

I grinned. “Something special for Halvo?” She blushed instantly and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Exactly.” She nodded after a bit and we both kind of giggled.

“I can definitely help you with that.”



John and I rode with Eric, Nick, and Natalia over to Scottsdale. It wasn’t until we pulled up to the familiar house that I realized where the party was. “Oh dear Lord.” I muttered as I stared at the Gomez’ place. “Is someone trying to start drama?”

“My bets are on Stephen.” Eric chuckled as we got out of the car.

“It’s not funny.” Natalia elbowed him and frowned as he put his arm around her.

“Poor Gems is probably already having to pry the two away from each other.” I frowned too as I crossed my arms. Tonight was supposed to be fun and relaxing.

“Well, we’d better get in there to help.” John smiled tightly as he placed his hand on my lower back, gently pushing me toward the house.

“Tonight, I’m going to get drunk.” Eric declared in a somewhat excited tone that made all four of us look back at him oddly. “What? Just being honest.”

“You are so weird sometimes.” John shook his head and laughed as he seemed to relax some more.

“I think I’m going to join him in the getting drunk area.” I’m pretty sure those were the first few words Nick had spoken since we’d met at the car. “It’s been a long fucking week.”

“And there’s only six days left till tour starts up!” Eric high-fived Nick as Natalia rolled her eyes between them.

“Meaning only six days left until I get to home.” She sing-songed and Eric’s face fell immediately, along with John’s.

“You don’t have to go back to boring Massachusetts just yet.” Eric pouted. “You should come on tour with us; there’s plenty of room, right Nick?”

“She’s not coming, Halvo.” Nick shook his head and laughed as Eric glared at him. “I’m just being honest like you, man. I had to drag her ass here. You really think she’s just going to hop on a tour bus with us because you bat your brown eyes at her?” Nick smirked and I had to lean into John’s side to keep from falling.

Six days until I wouldn’t be able to see that face anymore.

“You know, now that you mention it,” Natalia smirked back at him as she put her arms around Eric and cuddled up to him. “Going on tour with my boyfriend doesn’t sound all that bad.” All three boys mouths fell open while I giggled into John’s shirt. It seemed like a little bit of confidence had rubbed off on Nat during our girl’s afternoon.

Nick recovered first. “As long as there’s no sex on the bus, you are all the more than welcome my dear sister.”

“Can’t promise anything, dearest brother.” Natalia winked and then looked up at Eric with a devilish smirk. Eric grinned giddily before crashing his lips down onto hers. One hand was at her waist and the other behind her neck, making the kiss a little more passionate than I would have suspected her to be okay with in public.

Nick looked horrified at first, but after the two pulled away from each other he managed to relax his features into another tight smile. There was too much tension in the air.

I cleared my throat and threw on a fake grin. “Okay, why don’t we get off the lawn and into the house so we can find those drinks?” I teased and Eric hurriedly agreed, leading the way in.