It's the Mess That Feels So Right...

“So, what do you reckon? The taller yet skinnier jar of mayonnaise or the shorter yet wider jar?” Caleb pondered, holding up each jar to the light to see if the answer was any clearer. I rolled my eyes from where I sat in the trolley, amongst Pop tarts and packets of jelly babies.

“It’s still mayo, is it not?” Caleb just stuck his tongue out at me and chucked the wider jar into the trolley, mainly aiming at me, but his shit arm saved me once more.

“Besides, why do we need mayo? Why do we need any of this stuff, you just went shopping!” I questioned, grabbing some grapes from the small pile of fruit Caleb had allowed me to get, and chucking one in my mouth.

“I might need to make a sandwich! Besides, we need yummy food for our epic movie night! By the way, did you text the crew?”

“Yes indeed, they should be over there soon. Wait, why are we heading back to the lolly isle?” I asked, as Caleb grabbed the trolley handle and started racing up and down the aisles, threatening to bang into people if they didn’t move out of the way.

“Oh my gosh, that was freaky, you douche!” I said, despite laughing and Caleb smirked. The scary thing was, I had my back to the direction we were heading to, and when Caleb took his feet off the ground and onto the back off the trolley, my life flashes before my eyes like nothing you could imagine.

“Marshmallows!” Caleb called in triumph, chucking the marshmallows at my head as I arched an eyebrow. “To play Chubby Bunny with,” was all I got for a further explanation.

“To the check out, and away!” Caleb pushed the trolley down the remaining runway of the aisle before skidding to a halt suddenly, making me choke on the grape I had been enjoying seconds ago.

“Oh my gosh! Look at that kettle! It changes colour when you boil it!” Caleb was flouncing around on the spot before picking up the packaged kettle and studying it closely. After a minute, his mouth was pulled back in a wide smile before he tried to wedge the box into the trolley.

“I don’t think so mister. Gabriel said that if I let you bring home one more kitchen appliance, he’s going to start leaving the toilet seat up again!” Caleb pouted like a little kid and pushed the colourful box into my face.

“But just look at it!”

“No! We have enough kettles at home already! Why don’t you buy one for your house? You have hardly any kitchen appliances there.”

“That’s because my mum’s idea of cooking is picking up a phone and dialing the nearest delivering fast food joint,” Caleb said with sigh, and I nodded sympathetically. I had been there the day Caleb’s mum tried to brave the kitchen and make us cookies. Caleb held funerals for the burnt oven, the burnt cooking trays and most of all, the little pile of ashes that had once been little piles of cookie dough.

“Fine. But for my birthday, you know what to get me. Right-o, let’s go get some jelly beans for the milkshakes, and let’s get out of here!”

I grinned. “Finally!”

-X-

“No! You can watch it after!”

“I want to watch it now!”

“Well you can’t, Gossip Girl is on!”

“Gossip Girl is always on!” Caleb said in annoyance, his face pushed into the carpet from Gabe’s tackle.

“Because it’s a series, dumb ass!” Gabe retorted, smirking at his own little victory. Vicky turned to me with an eyebrow raised, and I laughed, watching a similar fight between Ryland and Alex, the only difference was that it was over a jelly baby.

Nate, Vicky and I, pajama clad and cupping hot coco made by the kitchen whizz Suarez, were huddled up on the couch together, the events on the floor much more enjoyable than the scandal on the television, all laughing between ourselves until the fighting just got annoying.

“All right, shut your mouths, all of you. Let Gabe watch his Gossip Girl, then we can watch Juno, deal?” Vicky yelled, and Caleb and Gabe nodded like two scolded children. To settle the jelly baby debate, Caleb swooped down and grabbed it, eating it quickly then hiding behind Nate before Alex and Ryland could go all Chuck Norris on him, well, that’s what they claimed too.

“Oh! Could we please play Chubby Bunny now?” Caleb pleaded, looking at Vicky T with his best pout, which she caved into straight away. Half an hour later, all seven of us were covered in saliva and chewed up marshmallow, laughing as Gabe, who had the biggest mouth (what a surprise!) was the winner, being able to shove eleven marshmallows into his gob.

“Oh God, that was so funny! I can’t wait to see what the fans think when I put this up on FriendsOrEnemies tomorrow!” Alex chuckled as I gaped at him.

“You did not tape that!”

“Yes I did!” He smirked as I flung a half digested marshmallow at him.

“Ew, Gabe already ate that one!”

Finally, after the sugar began to wear off, we all collapsed on the couch, watching some chick flick that Vicky had managed to con the guys into watching, as I dozed off, Caleb’s head resting on my arm and my own head nestled into Gabe’s side.

The next thing I knew, I was being nudged awake, and found myself in my own bed, Vicky T fast asleep beside me. With a groan, I rolled over, ready to bite the head off who ever decided to wake me. I was suddenly met with the musical chuckle of William, causing me to spin quickly, throwing my arms around him in a tight hug.

“Hello to you, too, love,” William said with a chuckle, his dark eyes glistening from the reflection of my moon lit room.

“How did you get in?” I questioned, as he pulled me into his chest and played with my hair.

“Caleb let me in. By the way, Ryland and Alex are in some interesting positions, I hope you know.” I laughed lightly, but looked up at his face with confusion as to why he was here. As if I voiced my thoughts, he answered me.

“Well, we are just about to leave, and I really wanted to say goodbye. I’m sorry I woke you though,” He said sincerely, burying his face in my bed hair as I shook my head.

“No, no, I’m glad you did. But, I’m really going to miss you,” I whispered, grabbing onto his hand.

“Me too, baby. But don’t worry, it’s only two weeks, and I’ll call as often as possible.” I nodded, as we both sat in silence together, just enjoying the moment, as I wished time would stay soon for just a little bit longer. But all too soon, William shuffled from under me, lying me back down in my bed besides the softly snoring Vicky and kissing my head gently.

“Look after yourself and Caleb, and stay out of trouble. I love you,” William whispered and I grinned instantly. The magic words and my heart didn’t have a cardiac arrest. Brilliant.

“I love you.” I watched as his silhouetted figure moved from my room, and then my eyes closed slowly. I realised in that fine moment between awake and unconscious, that my heart was two-faced. One side of me ached at the thought of being away from William, desperate for him not to leave me. Yet some other side, though I wasn’t sure how big it was, was glad that I could spend quality time with Gabe without William constantly hovering over me.