‹ Prequel: Dear God
Status: ACTIVE
Almost Easy
Turn out the light, don’t try to save me.
Matt’s POV
“Liz? What-“
Before any other words could leave my mouth Michelle had me by the arm and was attempting to drag me in to the kitchen. Shaking my head, I gave in and let her. The look in Liz’s eyes was enough to know there was an explanation behind Michelle’s actions.
“Fucking… Brian was supposed to catch you when you got here and tell you she was here.” Her fingers brushed away the hair falling in to her face, “Zack didn’t think you were showing up for real or we would have told you-“
“Why does everyone think I was bailing on this? Last I knew there was no potential for running in to either of my exes tonight so.” I threw my hands up with a chuckle as she nodded, “What’s up? Why isn’t she in Europe?”
“Uhm, there’s a lot… a lot you don’t need to know, I guess, just that she’s not there.” Michelle shrugged, I nodded at what I was assuming was the only explanation I’d be getting, “I don’t really know much either, she is… well, I don’t think that matters-“
“What? She’s what? Is she ok?” I asked, peeking around the corner to the living room where Jacky was excusing herself from their conversation, “Shit, Jackys coming over.”
“Oh good, maybe she knows more than I do.” Michelle got quiet as Jacky entered the room carefully, “So?”
“What?” She asked, hands resting on her stomach as she shook her head, “Oh, Liz? I have no clue. She’s being evasive and silent.”
“About what?” I tried prying again.
“Why she’s not on vacation, why she didn’t bring Sam, there’s a laundry list neither of the Baker siblings are answering right now and I’m over trying to open that labyrinth. I’ve been all over Zack about it since he got back from her house the other day when he suddenly had to rush over with zero explanation, which is far from unusual to be honest but he was odd when he got back.” Jacky shrugged and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, mumbling to herself for a few seconds before looking at me, “Don’t be drama though ok? She seems pretty well off on the whole keeping her hormones in check thing so don’t fuck that up.”
“You two have been a hormonal wreckage since you arrived.” Michelle put her hands on her hips and laughed, “Zack mentioned one thing about their mother and she was in tears, we had to redo makeup, then she cried over having to redo her makeup, you cried because she was upset, don’t even start on the hormones being in check bullshit.”
“So in essence, I should just leave before she really even notices me?” I laughed a little, “Listen if it’s going to be an issue-“
“It won’t,” Jacky shook her head, “We were actually just talking about you before you walked in, she was saying how eventually when someone got a hold of you she wanted to talk to you-“
“But I doubt that meant tonight.” Michelle warned, I put my hands up.
“Fair enough. I’ll steer clear of confrontational conversations tonight, I promise. Now point me in the direction of the booze because I need to challenge someone to a game of beer pong.”
:.:.:.:.:
Liz’s POV
Per Zack’s instructions and advisement I had worn a long sleeved dress tonight, apparently the bruises on my arms in the shape of Sam’s fingerprints were still very much visible. So somewhere in my closet I managed to find a dark green long sleeved dress that fit over my just-showing bump of a stomach. I was nowhere near showing as much as Jacky considering she was three months ahead. I paired that with, none other, than a set of black heels and some bright red lipstick, and enough foundation to cover up the surfacing bruises on my cheek and neck.
Jacky had insisted on doing my hair and thanks to her it was down, extra coverage, but straightened out so it was much longer than I had thought it was when it was in it’s natural curly state. All together myself, Zack, and Jacky had cleaned up nicely and I felt nervous. For what? I wasn’t sure, but my stomach had been in knots more than just because of the small human growing inside of me, all night long.
Then Matt walked in, and I felt them grow worse, much worse. Zack coerced me to come on good faith Matt wouldn’t unearth himself from his hole of epiphany of Zack called it, but here we were. Zack still being the only one who knew what happened with Sam, and the only one who knew I handed the vacation tickets over to Val because I had no use for them now. I wasn’t going to fly pregnant or alone for that matter.
But before Matt could utter more than the shock of his eyes meeting mine, Michelle dragged him to the kitchen and not long after Jacky followed.
“Probably threatening him.” Zack nudged the good spot on my arm, I chuckled under my breath, “Relax, he won’t be trouble I promise.”
“I thought you said he wouldn’t show?” I asked quietly as Jason excused himself for another drink, “Not that it matters, I think we can exist peacefully for one night.”
“With those hormones? I question it.” Zack winked and rested his hand on my arm, “You’ll be fine, Liz, I promise. Talk to him another day, I bet all he wants to do is have fun.”
“Hopefully.” I nodded just as the three amigos emerged from the kitchen. Michelle was uneasily adjusting her hair and Jacky made a beeline for the bathroom, gesturing to her bladder with a pained expression, “I love her.”
“So do I.” Zack laughed and gripped his beer tighter by just enough to jostle the liquid in the cup at the sight of Matt walking over, “Hey man what’s up?”
“Not much, sounds like you downplayed my arrival by a little bit huh?” Matt laughed as they hugged quickly, “Leana said you were doubtful and so did Michelle-“
“He told me you weren’t coming either.” I smiled uneasily as Matt’s eyes darted to me, “Glad you did though, it’s good to get out of the hole now and then huh?”
“Yeah, speaking of, what happened to Europe?” Matt cocked his head sideways and sipped his mixed drink, “Things not work out?”
I patted my stomach, “Didn’t want to risk flying with such precious cargo.”
“Speaking of, where’s Sammy boy tonight?”
“Ok,” Zack stepped between us and lowered his voice, “I’ll be the adult here before anyone gets drunk, and by that I mean you Matt,” He glared up as Matt rolled his eyes, “Knock off the shit. Cut the fucking shit tonight you two, both of you, be adults. Get along, don’t talk, whatever, just don’t start shit. She’s pregnant and emotional and easily triggered to lose it and you,” Zack looked at Matt, “Are you. Don’t feed off each other ok? Or I’ll fucking kill one of you and it’s most likely going to be the one who isn’t carrying a child.”
“So who wants to play beer pong?!” Matt turned away from Zack, easily ignoring his statement and walking towards the larger crowd of people as more guests began to arrive.
“Well,” I smiled at Zack as his face showed the obvious defeat, “Cheers to the start of an interesting night.” I brushed my glass of sparkling cider against his beer and walked towards Jimmy and Jason.
“Liz? What-“
Before any other words could leave my mouth Michelle had me by the arm and was attempting to drag me in to the kitchen. Shaking my head, I gave in and let her. The look in Liz’s eyes was enough to know there was an explanation behind Michelle’s actions.
“Fucking… Brian was supposed to catch you when you got here and tell you she was here.” Her fingers brushed away the hair falling in to her face, “Zack didn’t think you were showing up for real or we would have told you-“
“Why does everyone think I was bailing on this? Last I knew there was no potential for running in to either of my exes tonight so.” I threw my hands up with a chuckle as she nodded, “What’s up? Why isn’t she in Europe?”
“Uhm, there’s a lot… a lot you don’t need to know, I guess, just that she’s not there.” Michelle shrugged, I nodded at what I was assuming was the only explanation I’d be getting, “I don’t really know much either, she is… well, I don’t think that matters-“
“What? She’s what? Is she ok?” I asked, peeking around the corner to the living room where Jacky was excusing herself from their conversation, “Shit, Jackys coming over.”
“Oh good, maybe she knows more than I do.” Michelle got quiet as Jacky entered the room carefully, “So?”
“What?” She asked, hands resting on her stomach as she shook her head, “Oh, Liz? I have no clue. She’s being evasive and silent.”
“About what?” I tried prying again.
“Why she’s not on vacation, why she didn’t bring Sam, there’s a laundry list neither of the Baker siblings are answering right now and I’m over trying to open that labyrinth. I’ve been all over Zack about it since he got back from her house the other day when he suddenly had to rush over with zero explanation, which is far from unusual to be honest but he was odd when he got back.” Jacky shrugged and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, mumbling to herself for a few seconds before looking at me, “Don’t be drama though ok? She seems pretty well off on the whole keeping her hormones in check thing so don’t fuck that up.”
“You two have been a hormonal wreckage since you arrived.” Michelle put her hands on her hips and laughed, “Zack mentioned one thing about their mother and she was in tears, we had to redo makeup, then she cried over having to redo her makeup, you cried because she was upset, don’t even start on the hormones being in check bullshit.”
“So in essence, I should just leave before she really even notices me?” I laughed a little, “Listen if it’s going to be an issue-“
“It won’t,” Jacky shook her head, “We were actually just talking about you before you walked in, she was saying how eventually when someone got a hold of you she wanted to talk to you-“
“But I doubt that meant tonight.” Michelle warned, I put my hands up.
“Fair enough. I’ll steer clear of confrontational conversations tonight, I promise. Now point me in the direction of the booze because I need to challenge someone to a game of beer pong.”
:.:.:.:.:
Liz’s POV
Per Zack’s instructions and advisement I had worn a long sleeved dress tonight, apparently the bruises on my arms in the shape of Sam’s fingerprints were still very much visible. So somewhere in my closet I managed to find a dark green long sleeved dress that fit over my just-showing bump of a stomach. I was nowhere near showing as much as Jacky considering she was three months ahead. I paired that with, none other, than a set of black heels and some bright red lipstick, and enough foundation to cover up the surfacing bruises on my cheek and neck.
Jacky had insisted on doing my hair and thanks to her it was down, extra coverage, but straightened out so it was much longer than I had thought it was when it was in it’s natural curly state. All together myself, Zack, and Jacky had cleaned up nicely and I felt nervous. For what? I wasn’t sure, but my stomach had been in knots more than just because of the small human growing inside of me, all night long.
Then Matt walked in, and I felt them grow worse, much worse. Zack coerced me to come on good faith Matt wouldn’t unearth himself from his hole of epiphany of Zack called it, but here we were. Zack still being the only one who knew what happened with Sam, and the only one who knew I handed the vacation tickets over to Val because I had no use for them now. I wasn’t going to fly pregnant or alone for that matter.
But before Matt could utter more than the shock of his eyes meeting mine, Michelle dragged him to the kitchen and not long after Jacky followed.
“Probably threatening him.” Zack nudged the good spot on my arm, I chuckled under my breath, “Relax, he won’t be trouble I promise.”
“I thought you said he wouldn’t show?” I asked quietly as Jason excused himself for another drink, “Not that it matters, I think we can exist peacefully for one night.”
“With those hormones? I question it.” Zack winked and rested his hand on my arm, “You’ll be fine, Liz, I promise. Talk to him another day, I bet all he wants to do is have fun.”
“Hopefully.” I nodded just as the three amigos emerged from the kitchen. Michelle was uneasily adjusting her hair and Jacky made a beeline for the bathroom, gesturing to her bladder with a pained expression, “I love her.”
“So do I.” Zack laughed and gripped his beer tighter by just enough to jostle the liquid in the cup at the sight of Matt walking over, “Hey man what’s up?”
“Not much, sounds like you downplayed my arrival by a little bit huh?” Matt laughed as they hugged quickly, “Leana said you were doubtful and so did Michelle-“
“He told me you weren’t coming either.” I smiled uneasily as Matt’s eyes darted to me, “Glad you did though, it’s good to get out of the hole now and then huh?”
“Yeah, speaking of, what happened to Europe?” Matt cocked his head sideways and sipped his mixed drink, “Things not work out?”
I patted my stomach, “Didn’t want to risk flying with such precious cargo.”
“Speaking of, where’s Sammy boy tonight?”
“Ok,” Zack stepped between us and lowered his voice, “I’ll be the adult here before anyone gets drunk, and by that I mean you Matt,” He glared up as Matt rolled his eyes, “Knock off the shit. Cut the fucking shit tonight you two, both of you, be adults. Get along, don’t talk, whatever, just don’t start shit. She’s pregnant and emotional and easily triggered to lose it and you,” Zack looked at Matt, “Are you. Don’t feed off each other ok? Or I’ll fucking kill one of you and it’s most likely going to be the one who isn’t carrying a child.”
“So who wants to play beer pong?!” Matt turned away from Zack, easily ignoring his statement and walking towards the larger crowd of people as more guests began to arrive.
“Well,” I smiled at Zack as his face showed the obvious defeat, “Cheers to the start of an interesting night.” I brushed my glass of sparkling cider against his beer and walked towards Jimmy and Jason.
♠ ♠ ♠
Xxoo