What Makes It Wrong for Us to Fall in Love?

"What are you doing?" I turned my head around to face him.

Stephen put on a smirk. "Trying to tickle you."

"Well," I turned my attention back to the television. "It's not working."

"Oh yeah?" He stopped tracing circles on my knees.

I sighed. "Yeah."

"Well, what about now," He pressed his lips onto my neck, then slowly started to nibble on a soft spot on my neck, and the way he was doing it made me feel nostalgic.

"Stephen, stop--" I let a giggle out.

"Ha!" He mumbled. "I know how to tickle you now!"

"Stop it, Stephen!" I jumped off his lap.

He pulled me back. "You mad, Jess?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. "You're gonna leave a hickey, I don't want that."

He pushed my bangs out of my forehead. "I'm so fucking happy right now."

I tilted my head wonderingly. "So you finally find out how to tickle me after six years of being best friends, what's the big deal?"

"No, Jess," He locked his arms around me. "It's not just that. I don't know," He stuttered. "I just get so fucking happy when I'm with you."

"Awh, Stephen." I kissed his cheek. "You're such a fucking dork sometimes."

"But you love me anyway." He kissed my cheek in turn.

I felt my cheek flushing with color. "Uhuh," I rested my head on his shoulder setting my eyes back on the screen that stood a few feet away from us.

"Hey, Jess." He quietly said.

"What?" I asked, not even looking back at him.

"I love you." He mused.

"Love you too--"

"Hey, guys!" Brian yelled, making both of us jump a little, but still able to keep ourselves on the couch.

"Fuck, Brian, you wanna give me a heart attack?" Stephen complained.

I turned my head to behind the couch where Brian was standing tall and proud.

"No," Brian looked at me. "But guess what."

I glanced at Stephen who was rolling his eyes. "What?"

"No, you have to guess." Brian beamed at me.

"There's nothing to guess, this is the last day before we get on tour again." Stephen muttered.

"You have to be a fucking pessimist at everything, don't you?" Brian rolled his eyes, his tone solid.

"Fuck off, Brian--"

"Okay, so is this about the tour?" I cut Stephen off.

"Yes!" Brian excitedly assured me I was correct.

"So what's up," I widened my eyes at him.

Brian gave up the guessing game and just went on with whatever he was saving up. "Well, since we're gonna be with The Maine for the next few weeks, I decided to set up a The Maine - The Summer Set date for us to get to know one another and stuff, sort of a tour kick-off party, you know, them being rad guys and all--"

"Date?" Stephen shook his leg up and down, making me settle back onto his lap. "That doesn't sound gay at all."

"Okay. Fine." Brian leaned back onto the wall. "Let's call it a party." He squinted at Stephen. "It's tonight."

"Tonight?" I jumped off of Stephen's lap.

"Jess," Stephen stood up and took my wrist.

"So what if it's tonight?" Brian raised his eyebrows.

"N--" I stammered. "Nothing."

"John, get off!" Josh's voice flooded the room.

All of our attention directed to John who was on Josh's back. He was giving Josh rough punches in his face. "Make me!" He yelled.

Stephen scrambled away from me, towards the two boys. "Seriously, guys?" He forced John off of Josh. "Seriously?"

Josh ran his fingers through his hair in the attempt to make it look presentable again. "Tell your brother to fuck off, Stephen."

John fixed his fake glasses onto his nose while pulling his pants up a bit.

"John, fuck off." Stephen jokingly told his little brother off.

"So, I'm grabbing a snack in the Gomez fridge," I laughed trying to get rid of the awkward atmosphere. I started walking my way out of the living room.

"Count me in," Stephen followed me.

"God, are they ever gonna grow up?" I groaned on the way to the kitchen.

"Yeah, just not anytime soon," Stephen pointed out.

Then we walked towards their refrigerator.

"So," He opened the refrigerator, letting the both of us feel the cool air seeping out. "You're upset. Why?"

I held the door open for him while he picked up a couple of pudding cups. "Nothing."

"Seriously," He exchanged my hand on the fridge with his as I bent over to look for the small plastic spoons the pudding came with.

I took a couple out and took his hand off the fridge door, soon closing it. "I'm just not in the mood to interact with people right now."

"Guess I'm not a people, `cause you interact fine with me." He laughed.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "What was that? Why'd you laugh? Was that a joke? Because that was a terrible joke, Stephen Gomez," I said, a sarcastic laugh soon following.

"I'm a bassist," He pulled the plastic foil top off the cup. "Not a comedian, Jess Bowen. Fuck off."

"Right." I pulled my lips in. I handed him one of the small white plastic spoons while I opened my own cup.

"Seriously, Jess, is this about.. Him?"

I sighed. You know me too well. I scoffed in my head. But I decided to be nice. "Yeah."

"Jess--"

"It's just.." I scratched my head leaving the spoon in the cup. "I'm not ready to see him. I mean.. I sort of saw it coming, I mean.. When it was announced we were touring with them. But come on.. Just.. Mm, I don't.."

"It's been three years," He tilted his head. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

I shrugged. "Hopefully," Then I dug into my pudding. "Oh gross," I looked down at my cup realizing the pudding was pink. "I got strawberry. Fuck."

"Wanna trade?" Stephen showed me his cup of brown and probably chocolate pudding.

"Is it okay with you?" I shyly asked.

"Yeah," He took the cup off my hands and replaced it with his. "There you go, baby."

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

"Sure thing, I don't mind strawberry." He looked down on the strawberry snack. "Besides, I have no choice but to eat it, it's already open and I can't put it back in the fridge. No one wants to eat this crap."

"You should bring me next time you go grocery shopping or something," I took a spoonful of chocolate pudding into my mouth.

"Yeah, I definitely should." He agreed.

Suddenly, I felt two arms wrap around my waist out of nowhere. It made me jump a little, then I turned back to see who it was. "Hey, John,"

"Don't you have to talk to Josh about something or some shit?" Stephen coldly questioned.

"Dude, sorry for ruining your moment, okay, but Josh was being a dick." John let me go.

"When is he not a dick?" Stephen rolled his eyes with a 'Duh!' expression. "And there was no moment. Plus, if there was, Brian ruined it, not you." Stephen glanced at his cup and showed it to John. "You want some?"

John stared at it. "Fuck, no. I hate that shit, I like chocolate."

"You picked this out when we went grocery shopping, you eat it." Stephen forced it into his little brother's hands.

"Well maybe we should just bring Jess next time we go grocery shopping." John looked at me.

"That's what she said." Stephen nodded.

I rolled my eyes then quietly grunted at the thought of Stephen and John taking me grocery shopping. It was a joke. Then the more I thought about it, it didn't sound like a bad idea at all. I wouldn't mind hanging out at a grocery store with my best friends.

"Well, Jess, I think you gotta go home and get ready for that fucking date Brian set up." John told me. He sneaked a kiss on my cheek then ran off to the living room to join Brian and Josh.

I tossed the cup and spoon into the trash.

"Brian's gonna pick you up at your house, okay?" Stephen gave me a peck at my cheek. "I'll see you later."

I gave him a peck back. "You too." I started my way out of the kitchen. "You too, John. And don't jump on Josh again."

"Whatever." John chuckled.

I looked at Brian and Josh. "I'll see you guys later,"

"I'm picking you up at about," Brian looked the clock on his phone. "Seven? Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure." I gave a small wave as I held onto the front door doorknob. "Later, guys."

"Later!"

I walked out of the house onto the yard into my car.

Tonight's gonna be awkward. I thought.