The Taste of You and Me

"Victor! My bro!" Jaime yelled as the door swung open. A young attractive man opened the door, waves of chocolate hair surrounding his tanned face. He hugged Jaime, then Tony, before noticing me.

"This," Tony nodded over at me, "is your new neighbour Maya. Maya, this is Vic Fuentes."

Vic smiled openly at me and shook my hand, ushering me in at the same time.

"Hey, nice to meet you. So, I take it twenty-three is yours?" he asked, voice sweet and musical.

"Yep. It's a really nice place you got here." I replied, taking in the interior. It was identical to mine in layout, but evidently a home; lived in and comfortable. Vic lit up at me comment and beckoned me over to the open kitchen, where Jaime and Tony were taking seats on barstools by the worktops.

"Thanks! Well, you're a cute little thing, aren't you?" he said, opening the fridge.

"Who's a cute little thing?" Someone shouted from the corridor. "Cause it sure as hell isn't Hime."

Vic sniggered, along with Tony, making Jaime scowl.

"That's my brother Mike," Vic explained, handing out bottles of beer to everyone; he offered one to me, and I shook my head slightly with a "No, thanks."

"Hey, catch, Mike!" he said, tossing the bottle across the room. A tall, thin guy darted out of the bedroom corridor and caught it, diving onto the sofa in the process.

"Safe!" Jaime yelled, throwing up his hands. I snickered, leaning back on the stool.

Mike lifted his head, grinning goofily, flashing perfect teeth, just like Vic's. His grin faltered a little as it fell on me. Scrambling up, he cleared his throat.

"Oh," he began, "hey."

I looked from him to Vic to Jaime and Tony, the latter three wide-eyed and suppressing torrades of jibes. I turned to Mike, nodding slowly.

"That was smooth, man." I said, choking back giggles. The guys exploded with laughter, and Mike smirked, cracking open his beer.

“Cheers to that.” Mike replied, raising his bottle. Jaime swivelled my stool to face him, holding my shoulders with a serious look on his face.

“You’re my new best friend.” he said, looking me dead in the eyes. I deadpanned back at him, with a reply of “Right back at ya, sexy lady.”

Vic and Tony snickered, and Mike made his way over to the place we were seated.

“Hang on, I have a question,” he said, leaning against the worktop next to Vic. I nodded at him to go on, taking in his thin, handsomely structured hace as he spoke. “Where are you from? Originally, I mean.” he asked, sipping his beer.

“Well, I’m from England, and so’s my mum. My dad’s Malaysian, though.” I explained, taking the Twizzler Tony offered me and smiling at him. “But I’m officially a citizen of both the States and the UK now, so I can move between places, if I wanted…” I trailed off, watching Jaime fight Tony for a Twizzler.

“Do you want mine?” I said, offering it in his direction. The two stopped grappling each other, and Jaime jumped forward, a big ass smile on his face, flashing dimples.

“That’s cool,” Vic remarked, “do you think you’re going home soon, then?”

I shrugged, smiling at Tony as he handed me another Twizzler.

“I don’t know. I’m not so sure yet - my family and I don’t get on particularly well.” I mumbled.

“I want pizza.” Jaime demanded, thumping the worktop. Mike elbowed him and Tony chucked a Twizzler in his face, making Jaime tackle them both. My eyes widened slightly and I looked over at Vic.

“Yeah, actually, I owe them a pizza for helping me move my shit. I actually came to say you’re welcome to join us, if you’re not homicidal, a sociopathic psycho or a pervert.”

Vic looked at me, a smile appearing on his face slowly. Creepy.

“I’m totally a sociopath. It’s the only way, of course.” he said. I quirked an eyebrow and bit my sweet.

“Of course. So. Are you joining us?” I demanded, brandishing red candy under his nose. Spluttering with laughter, he nodded enthusiastically.

“Definitely. Shall we stay here? I’m guessing you haven’t had a chance to unpack proper, seeing as you’ve just moved in.” he said.

“I haven’t.” I agreed, resting my elbows on the worktop and my chin on my hands. He copied the gesture, a grin to match mine.

“I think we should definitely get rid of them, though,” Vic said in a dramatic conspiratorial whisper, pointing at Jaime and Mike (Tony had managed to escape to the sofa). I sat up straight, struck with a genius idea.

“I know how to get them to stop fighting.” I piped suddenly. Vic looked at me as if to say “Go on.”

I slipped off the stool and darted out of the room, across the hall and into my apartment. I amongst one of the cardboard boxes and collective random shit, I found one box marked “cool shit” in capitals.
Picking out what I needed, I ran back out and headed into Vic and Mike’s apartment.

“Check this, bitches!” I shouted, pressing the button; the lightsabre lit up, coming to life in my hand, and I marched over to where Mike and Jaime were still wrestling on the floor. I smacked Jaime’s arse with it, making him yelp.

“Get up and fight me like a girl!” I demanded. All four guys turned to face me, and Jaime lept to his feet. I tossed him the other lightsabre and he pressed the button; the plastic shot to life, bright red.
Jaime squealed in delight.

“Why do you get the blue one?!” he yelled.

“Why do you own lightsabres?!” Mike shouted, stifling laughter.

“Turtle, she owns lightsabres!” Vic said, looking over at Tony. Tony nodded slowly, rolling his eyes.

“I know.” he stated.

“Tony loves Star Wars - he’s even got tattoos!” Vic added, turning to me. I fake gasped and and winked at Tony. He grinned at me impishly and I turned back to Jaime.

“Well, come on, then!” I said, waving my lightsabre in the air. Jaime froze, weapon still in hand, mouth hanging open.

“I can’t fight a girl!” he protested.. Mike jumped up, palms open and reaching for my lightsabre.

“I’ll fight Jaime!” he said, fingers wrapping around the handle. I pulled it out of his hands and pointed it at his head.

“Uh, I don’t think so!” I replied, quirking an eyebrow. “If you break this, I’m going to have to kill you.” I stated. He grabbed it, hands clasped over mine, leaning in to grin.

“Chill out, I won’t break it!” he said. I frowned at him. “Promise!” he insisted.

“Fine.” I muttered, letting go; he let my fingers slip through his and grinned wider.

I ducked out of the way as Jaime swung at Mike’s head, darting over to the sofa and flopping down next to Tony. Vic bounded across the room, squishing himself on the sofa on my other side.

“Show me your Star Wars tattoos, then.” I said, poking his ribs. He tickled my knee, making me squirm and squeal, smacking his hands away.

“What You wanted to see my tattoos, didn’t you?” he laughed, pulling me into a hug. I wriggled out of his grip and Vic chuckled. Tony raised a fist and held it out for inspection. It read “STAR” across his knuckles. I smacked it away and he held up the other, that read “WARS”.

“I’m jealous.” I stated, crossing my arms over my chest. Vic stretched his legs out, throwing them over mine and Tony’s laps.

“I think you mean ‘well jell’.” Vic piped. Tony karate chopped his leg and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“I think you should shut up so we can get a pizza.” he said, dialling a takeout number.

“I think Tony’s right.” I giggled.

*

A while later, all four guys had been sucked into a psychological wormhole of motion picture stupidity.

They were watching Ocean’s Eleven.

I sighed and checked the box that had the pepperoni pizza in: there was none left, and I really wanted more. A quick glance around the room let me know there was still a slice in Mike’s plate - I just really wanted the pepperoni…

Jaime and Vic were sat on the sofa; Tony was besides me, sat on the floor, and Mike was on the other side of the coffee table. I crawled behind Tony and under Vic’s legs which were propped up on the table (tut tut, bad manners).
I quickly pulled the topping off Mike’s pizza and popped it onto my mouth, then crawled back under Vic’s legs and Tony’s back.

That was too easy.

A few moments later, the movies came to an end, and Mike picked up his pizza. Crap.

“Uhh...what happened to my pizza?” he demanded, holding up the pepperoni-less cheesy triangle. I blinked innocently and shrugged. The other three looked bewildered, and slightly braindead.
Mike caught my gaze and I pointed at Jaime. “You!” he said, turning to punch Jaime’s leeg. Jaime yelled.

“What the hell was that for?!” he demanded.

“She said…” Mike turned to scowl at me. “You!”

“Innocent until proven guilty!” I shouted, ducking behind Tony. Mike stood up, striding around the table. From on the floor, he looked twice as tall and intimidating.

Reaching over my head, he picked up the blue lightsabre and pointed it at me, then the pizza.

“I’m keeping this until I get another pizza.” he stated.

“Jeez, grumpy pants, don’t get your knickers in a twist.” I muttered.

The other three just laughed.