Brontide

I have decided against the blue one Rae typed out on her phone, then she decided that she was going a bit overboard on the whole texting thing and decided to just surprise him. The one that she had actually bought (thanks to Jeremy's rich catholic parent's credit card, and yes that's why he's still got an arm and a leg in the closet) was black and draped in so many layers that it weighed probably half as much as she did. It was strapless and made of silk-chiffon. Jeremy and Marcie had quite literally squealed when she put it on. She had almost put it back and gone back to the blue one, since this one far exceeded her allotted budget, but Jeremy had slapped her hand and he payed the difference.

"I'm so damn excited for you," Jeremy gushed. "Oh, god you have to let us take pictures. I just want to put him inside me. Not in a weird way. Like I want to eat him. Okay that's weird. But still."

Rae and Marcie just kind of looked at Jeremy, who shrugged as if he had said nothing. "Okay," Marcie said. "Go get changed."

"Yea..." Rae retreated back into the changing room. In a few minutes she was back in her regular person clothes.

.::.

That night, she was alone at work with Alex again. This kid was cute and sometimes he was funny in an awkward, gangly, pre-teen way. But sometimes he was downright obnoxious. Like when he called her Baby in front of the customers. She would glare at him, but it just seemed so out of place coming from his lopsided mouth that she had to laugh, making him think she thought it was cute. It wasn't, but she decided she would let him know when it stopped being funny. Her mood lightened, though, when she got a text from Chris.

So I meant to ask you...
-Chris

What?
-Rae

That Jeremy guy. Who is he?
-Chris

I was wondering when you would ask(:
He's a friend. And a fruit.
-Rae

Like... gay?
-Chris

Yup. Don't tell him I told you, though.
Unless you're gay. In which case, he
asked me to set you up.
-Rae

I don't think I'm gay...
-Chris

Rae smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Alex asked, flipping a rag over his shoulder in the same manner that Chris did, yet not achieving the same sexy bartender effect.

"My friend. He's just funny."

"Which friend?"

"His name's Jeremy."

Alex narrowed his eye. "Oh." She gave him a pat on the shoulder and went to serve some customers.

.::.

"Gorgeous," Lucy said.

"If only I were straight," Jeremy sighed, putting a bite of cup noodles in his mouth.

Rae frowned at her appearance. "I'm nervous."

"Fuck, I'd be, too," Marcie said, fixing the curls on Rae's head. "This huge ass party with rich people and not to mention sex demi-god Chris Butler and probl'y his ridic stuck up parents and family and-"

"But don't be scared," Lucy joked.

"I just want to put you two in my cup noodles and eat you with chopsticks. I just want to eat pretty people. That's all i want to do with my life. God, if pretty people were edible, I'd be a fat ass," Jeremy went on, not even paying attention to the other conversation. Meanwhile, that conversation had halted and all participants were looking at Jeremy like he was insane. And he probably was. Just sitting there with Murphy the Canary preening himself on his shoulder, talking about eating pretty people and stuffing his face with cup noodles.

"What is up with you and eating people?" Marcie asked. "Is there something you need to tell us?"

Jeremy looked at her, horrified. "Oh, god, you know don't you," he wailed, his emotions legitimate. It scared everyone a little bit, thinking he was actually getting a taste for human flesh, until he went to pull up the leg of his skinnies. "I got another one," he pouted.

"What the fuck!" Marcie yelled. "I thought we said no more!"

"But it's so damn pretty!" In the weeks since Rae had last seen it, he had gotten it finished, and it truly was magnificent. Marcie seemed to disagree and went off on him.

Everyone went silent when there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Rae said quietly, picking up her sweater and purse. She opened up the door, knowing her friends were hovering expectantly a few feet behind her.

Chris turned to look at her, his mouth opening slightly. He finally managed to say, "Cool."

"Cool?" Jeremy said loudly from behind her. "How about fucking brilliant? Splendid? Smashing?"

"Thanks, Jer," Rae said, closing the door behind her.

"Cool," Jeremy scoffed. "Who the fuck does he think he is."

"He's fucking adorable," Lucy whispered, hand to her chest and a look of wonder on her face. Marcie shared a similar expression.

"And he's goddamn lucky," Jeremy said. "Cause if he wasn't, no one would want him."