If You Do

SAM

"Did they fight again?" I frowned.

"It wasn't loud enough for them to fight," Jae shook his head.

"Thea probably told him to leave," Charlie added.

"Can someone please give me a hand?" Thea asked hobbling down the hallway. Jae started clapping.

"I have no problem throwing the rest of the food in the bin," she warned.

"Are you okay?" Jackson asked.

"I'm fine," she nodded.

"I'll help you," he smiled at her.

"Clearly, BM opened his mouth again," Jae commented.

"When does that idiot speak when he shouldn't?" Charlie commented.

MARK

It was pretty clear that Sam had a huge thing for Charlie, I wasn't sure she had any idea about it though, I think she might have been to preoccupied with her jealousy over the girl Sam had brought over. Whether that meant that she also liked him back or just didn't like to share her toys was another story.

"You should see how much she cooked," Jackson stated bringing in plates of food, followed by a hobbling Thea who also had plates of food.

"You think this is a lot of food?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Cooking is basically the only thing she is good at, next to causing harm to herself," Jae shrugged.

"I'll hurt you in a minute," Thea frowned at him.

"Scary, what are you going to do? You're crippled and tiny," he seemed to be baiting her.

"Dude, stop," Charlie frowned at him. I think maybe she noticed the uncomfortable face Jackson was pulling.

"You're so lame," he sighed but stopped making fun of Thea.

"So," Jae stretched the word out once everyone was finally seated.

"What?" Charlie raised an eyebrow at him.

"Did you really make BM leave?" Jae asked.

"What?" Thea asked.

"Is that what he said?" she frowned, clearly confused.

THEA

"No, he just said he was leaving, but I assumed that you two had another fight," Jae shrugged.

"Well, you know what they say about assuming," I shrugged.

"I also know that BM has been an a.s.s lately and no one would really blame you if you did kick him out," Jae retorted.

"Ew, are you siding with me?" I pulled a grossed-out face.

"What? Gross,"

"Sure sounded like it," Charlie muttered.

"I was just saying, you know what? Whatever," he rolled his eyes.

"Look, I didn't kick him out, I told him that he was welcome to stay, all I did was tell him that I was done with fighting and that I was tired of putting you all in a situation where it seemed like you had to choose sides. So, maybe it was better if we just stopped talking to each other," I said, even as I was saying it I was regretting it, it made me sad to think that BM and I were no longer friends, it was upsetting that we ever came to this point, but it did and this was the better choice than destroying the group completely.

"You broke up with BM?" Sam sounded shocked.

"We're here to eat and play games not discuss my relationship with BM,"

"Okay grumpy," Jae rolled his eyes.

"What should we play first?" Jackson stepped in before I could make a retort.

"Your mum," Jae retorted.

"What?" Jackson frowned.

"Ignore him, his mouth isn't actually connected to his brain,"

"And what's your mouth connected too?" he shot back at me.

"Jenga!" Sam stated, I think he was just trying to resolve the bickering, probably for the sake of his new side piece which he hadn't noticed was missing yet.

"You want to play Jenga?" Charlie frowned.

"Why not?"

"Maybe because your shoulder is still in the recovery stages and you're probably going to be the first to lose," she shrugged.

"No way, Thea has terrible hand-eye coordination, and we don't know how well the newbies play," Jae took the opportunity to attack me again.

BM

"So how long did it take you to figure out Sam's in love with Charlie?" I asked breaking the silence.

"Almost as soon as we walked in, you can tell by the way he looks at her,"

"Most people can," I corrected.

"Most? It's not like he's doing a good job at hiding it,"

"Charlie is oblivious to his feelings,"

"Seriously?" she frowned.

"Yeah, or at least that's the way it seems. Honestly, I think she knows exactly how he feels but she likes the attention and doesn't want to share him with anyone but at the same time she doesn't want to date him so she just strings him along,"

"That sounds a little harsh," she continued to frown at me.

"Her and I have never really seen eye to eye," I shrugged.

"Is that because you have a little thing for her?" she raised an eyebrow.

"What? No,"

"Right, she looks like that, if you haven't had a thing for her at least once you're a liar. Hell, I think I have a thing for her,"

"I don't have a thing for Charlie,"

"Oh come on, you have issues because of unresolved s.e.x.u.a.l tension, I think that maybe you don't want her and Sam together because you're mad that there is more of a chance of her dating him than you, it's probably been sitting just under the surface since you were in high school," she tatted matter-of-factly.

"Do you mind if I call past the bar before I drop you off at home? I just have to make sure my sister hasn't destroyed my business," I ignored her statement.

"And that is called avoidance," she commented.

"Who are you?" I frowned.

"I work as a phycologist," she shrugged as if it were nothing.

"Seriously?"

"It's not that different from being a bartender,"

"How?"

"I mean, you're basically a therapist, but you don't get the pay. But therapy and phycology aren't that different,"

"You never answered my question,"

"I think I could use a drink,"

CHARLIE

"This is really good," Jackson commented on Thea's cooking. Again.

"Why don't we change games? This one is getting boring," Sam stated at the same time.

"I think it's quite entertaining," Jae shrugged, I could hear the smirk in his voice.

The rest of the group was feeling a little tense, we were still playing Jenga, Thea had given up after the first round after she lost and Jae made fun of her, Jae lost next, of course, that could have had something to do with Thea sabotaging him but the only proof of that was him saying she bumped him and our knowledge of her personality. Jackson was the next to go followed by Sam. Which, just left myself and Mark who were not in an intense one on one and I refused to lose to this trust fund douche bag.

"Yeah, come on guys, it's just a game," Thea said cautiously.

"I'm not going to lose to this trust fund douche bag," I spoke my insult aloud.

"Charlie," Sam frowned.

"I don't have a trust fund," Mark roll his eyes.

"Sure you don't," I shrugged.

"I work hard for my money," he retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I frowned.

"It means exactly what I said, my job requires actual work,"

"You don't even know what I do for work,"

"I can only assume,"

"You know what they say about assuming," Jae commented.

"Can one of you just lose so we can stop playing this stupid game?" Thea sighed.

"You only think it's stupid because you lost," Jae stated.

"So did you,"

"Yeah, but you lost first so," he shrugged.

"Are you two always like this?" Jackson frowned.

"Yes," we all said at the same time, well, all but Jackson and Mark.

"Why?" Jackson asked.

Jae and Thea launched into blaming each other, I'm pretty sure they don't even remember why they attack each other anymore. I know the rest of us don't. Mark pushed out another block, the Jenga tower was basically a skeletal structure at this point, I held my breath hoping that what was left of the tower would fall down because I had no idea how I was going to remove a block without losing. I had to bite back my frustration when his stupid dainty little fingers managed to remover the block without so much as swaying the tower.

"This is the most intense game of Jenga I have ever witnessed," Jackson commented.

"You're an intense game of Jenga," I rolled my eyes.

"That doesn't even make sense," he frowned.

"You don't make sense,"

"Just lose already," someone mutter, I wasn't sure who it was but it only made me more determined to beat Mark.

I held my breath again as I slid a block out from the tower, it shook slightly and I swear I almost threw up, I finally relaxed when the tower steadied, there was a small jolt of victory when I saw the flash of irritation through Mark's eyes. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to beat me.

My phone buzzed in my l.a.p and I figured that it was Thea texting me telling me to stop being an a.s.s. Instead, Doobin's name flashed across my screen after the notification of a new message.

Doobin: How's game night? Fallen asleep yet? ;)

Charlie: I'm busy winning at Jenga.

Mark just sat there staring at the tower for a while. I was getting impatient.

"There is no harm in forfeiting, I mean you're going to lose anyway," I baited.

"I'm not going to lose," he stated without looking up from the tower. I watched as he pulled the block slowly the block was halfway out when my phone buzzed again.

Doobin: I have a tower you can play with ;)

I quickly closed my phone and turned my attention back to the game. Mark was sitting on the other side of the table with the biggest smug grin I have ever seen on a douche bag. He was holding the block he had been removing before I get distracted by my phone.

"Your turn," he smirked.

"Tool," I sighed.

I decided on a block and started to pull it from its place, I was almost there, I almost had it and I was sure that there was no way that Mark was going to be able to pull another block from this tower without it toppling over. Then, my phone buzzed again and the nervousness and let's be honest, excitement that Doobin brings me, hit me all at the same time and I jumped, block still in had. The sound of the blocks crashing on the table replaced the nerves and excitement with pure irritation and the look of triumph on Mark's face had me seeing red.

"Shit," I heard Sam and Thea mutter.

"Well, that was unexpected," Jae commented.

"New game?" Jackson suggested.

"I win," Mark gave a small shrugged like it was nothing but the smirk on his face said something else.

SAM

Charlie glared at Mark and looked like she wanted to leap across the table. She opened her mouth to speak, I was sure that when she started it would only escalate and then it would be likely that the night ended early.

"Hey, where did Oliva go?" I frowned. I hadn't noticed she was even missing until that point.

"Dude, she left with BM," Thea stated.

"Yeah she's been gone for over an hour," Jae nodded.

"Seriously?" I frowned.

"Yeah,"

"Why would she just leave without saying anything?"

"Maybe because your attention was elsewhere?" Jae suggested.

"I was just talking to you guys," I shrugged defensively.

"Sure," Thea nodded.

"Who cares why she left? She's gone, BM's gone, and there are a few other people I wish were with them," Charlie glared at Mark.

"Are you leaving?" Mark raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, enough," Thea sighed.

"He cheated," Charlie muttered.

"How exactly did I cheat?" Mark looked amused.

"Because of your dainty girl hands," she shot back.

"You have actual girl hands, so would that just even out the odds?" he questioned.

"You're girl hands," she huffed.

"Right," he rolled his eyes at her.

"Okay, seriously, new game," Thea interjected.

"Like what?"

"Umm," Thea took a deep breath then made a pop noise. She froze, Charlie, Jae and I looked at her as she continued to hold her breath and think of a word.

"Hurry up, you don't want to pass out again," Jae commented.

"What is she doing?" Jackson frowned.

"Thinking of a word that starts with pop," I stated.

"Why?"

"Because she just made the pop noise,"

"I'm confused,"

"Shh, if she doesn't think of a word she has to keep holding her breath and she'll pass out,"

"Padom," she finally breathed.

"Poppadom is not a word," Jae frowned.

"Yes, it is,"

"No, it's not, you just made it up,"

"Look it up, it's a word, maybe you should expand your vocabulary," she shot back.

"What does it mean then genius?"

"It's Indian flatbread," she stated matter-of-factly.

"You're Indian flatbread," he rolled his eyes at her.

BM

"I don't think that is really your fault," she agreed with me.

"That's what I thought!" I almost yelled. Finally, someone was on my side.

"But it's not her fault either, and honestly it sounds like you were kind of a jerk about it. I mean it's one thing to attack her for sleeping with your friend and keeping it from you, but I mean he was also her friend so it wasn't really as bad as you make it sound. Also, the second friend she slept with she didn't know he was your friend, I mean if you really think about it, it kind of sounds like she has fallen victim and that your friends have a habit of manipulating her into bed," she continued.

"She doesn't really need that much manipulating," I shot coldly, I hadn't actually meant it but I was sick of people defending her and attacking me.

"Yeah, see, saying stuff like that to someone who is supposed to be your best friend, I'm not surprised she doesn't want to be your friend anymore, and I'm also not that shocked that everyone is siding with her instead of you,"

"I liked you better when you were agreeing with me,"

"I'm not disagreeing with you, I think that it's possible that you have other things going on in your life and you're using this as a way to get all of your frustration out,"

"You got all of that from this conversation?"

"No, I got that from the flash of guilt that goes through your eyes when you insult her," she stated downing half her beer.

"How do you know it's guilt? You don't even know me," I raised an eyebrow.

"I've seen enough guilt in my life to recognise it," she shrugged.

"Here," I handed her another drink.

CHARLIE

"Ew, no I'm not playing that," I frowned when Thea brought the box into the room, well she tried, Jackson had gotten up to help her which she had tried to avoid but gave into.

"Come on it will be fun," she stated.

"I'm not stopping you from playing it, but my idea of fun isn't eating something I don't like the taste of," I shrugged as Mark scoffed.

"What?" I shot.

"I don't think you like the taste of everything you put in your mouth, I mean unless you do," he commented.

"I think maybe you should stop talking now," Jae warned.

"And what are you going to do you, twig bitch?" Thea shot, I think it was more to ease the tension in the room rather than actually attacking him,"

"I'll use our handy little pocket hulk,"

BM

"You can't drive home," I frowned at both of her, both of her?

"Well you can't drive me home," she giggled.

"I'll call you an uber," I blinked to try and get her to morph back together.

"Ew, no, I don't want some creeper taking me home," she stubbled backwards, I reached out to stop her from falling but I reached for the wrong her.

"Ow!" She frowned up at me from where she had landed on her b.u.t.t.

"Well if you would just stay together I would have been able to grab you, how am I supposed to know which one of you is you," I huffed defensively.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she brushed herself off.

"I'm talking about the fact that I can see two of you, no wait, three, now there is three of you,"

"You're drunk," she laughed.

"Coming from you?"

"Which one of me?" she winked.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs," I laughed.

"I am not that type of girl," she gave a flirtatious smile.

"And I'm not asking you to be, that you may be," I joked.

"That's a little forward," she raised an eyebrow.

"I was only kidding, Let's just get you upstairs so that go can sleep off some of your drunk and not put yourself in danger getting yourself home,"

"And you don't think me coming upstairs with you would be dangerous?"

THEA

"Seriously? What are we? 12?" Mark frowned.

"If you don't want to play then don't," I rolled my eyes.

"He'll play," Jackson stated.

"Says who?" Mark turned his frowned towards his friend.

"Say's me, stop being a party pooper," he huffed.

"Can we just stop bickering with each other an enjoy a nice night?" I sighed.

"Doubtful," Charlie was glaring directly at Mark who was frowning back at her.

"Okay fine, think of it this way, playing 'I Never' will give you more information to attack each other with," I reasoned.

"I'm pretty sure he can't become much more of a douche," Charlie shot.

"Funny, because I'm pretty sure I can't imagine you being more of a,"

"Stop," Jackson frowned at his friend.

"Fine, we won't play," I shrugged sinking back into the lounge.

"Now look what you've done, she was nice enough to cook you food on a broken foot and all she wants to do is play 'I Never' and you've upset her," Charlie shook her head disapprovingly.

"Fine, whatever," Mark huffed.

"Way to guilt trip," Jae muttered.

"Who wants to start?" Sam asked.

"Does everyone know the rules?" Charlie raised an eyebrow are Mark.

"Are you asking because you don't?" he retorted.

"Aright, either play nice or everyone can go home," I snapped.

"How about we get you a drink," Jae commented.

"How about you bite me," I sighed.

"Doesn't the whole playing nice thing apply to you two as well?" Jackson questioned.

"No," Charlie and Sam commented.

"Why?"

"Because if these two start being nice to each other the whole world will implode," Sam stated.

"He's not wrong," I agreed.

"Whatever, so are we going to play or not?" Mark asked.

"Sure, why don't you go first?"

"Wait, are we going with 5 or 10?" Jae asked

"5," everyone said in unison.

"Okay,"

Everyone held up their hand, all finger straight.

"I've Never had pink hair," Mark was directing the comment at Charlie, but Jae and I also put a finger down.

"You've had pink hair?" Sam frowned.

"Yeah, after Thea attacked me with bleach, the first time, and my brother decided to fix it," Jae nodded before going quiet, which wasn't abnormal for him after mentioning his brother.

"Sam, your turn,"

"I've Never had a job I needed to wear a suit for," he stated nonchalantly but at least three of us knew that it was a subtle stabbed at Mark for his attack towards Charlie. Mark sighed and folded a finger down, but so did Jae.

"You know what a suit is?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Some of us know how to dress up,"

"Oh, I bet you dress up," I retorted.

"Jackson," Charlie encouraged.

"I've never been in a band," he said slowly after thinking for a few moments. Charlie, Sam, and Jae all put a finger down.

"I've Never ripped of a ninja turtles head and flushed it down the toilet," Jae looked directly at Charlie.

"It was your own fault for liking a lame ninja turtle and for hating on Michaelangelo," Charlie defended herself but folded a finger down anyway.

"Donatello is clearly the better turtle,"

"You're right, he's a great turtle, but he's a sucky Ninja Turtle," She retorted.

"You're mum is a sucky ninja turtle,"

"No shit," she rolled her eyes.

"I've never, been arrested," I interjected, Sam sighed folding a finger down, Jae also folded a finger down but unfortunately for everyone else wasn't capable of also keeping his mouth closed.

"You liar, you've been arrested," Jae was looking directly at me.

"No, I haven't" I frowned.

"Do you not remember last year? On BM's birthday?" he stated.

"I was brought home by the police, I wasn't arrested," I rolled my eyes.

"Only because you somehow managed to talk your way out of it," Sam stated.

"She cried her way out of it," Charlie added.

"Either way, I wasn't arrested. Your turn Charlie,"

CHARLIE

It would have been so easy to target Jae so that he lost, but my pride and some of my stubbornness decided it would be a better idea to attack Mark instead. In hindsight, I probably should have just targeted Jae and been over with it, but I didn't want Mark to win again and he only had one finger folded. The only problem was that I didn't know him that well.

"I've never, left the country," I was looking directly at Mark but out of my peripheral I noticed Sam, Jackson, and Jae fold a finger. I had momentarily forgotten that none of them were actually born here. I just registered that Mark was American.

"Thanks, bro," Jae frowned at me

"My bad," I shrugged.

"Do you want to reset or just continue on until we have a winner?" Sam asked.

"Let's just continue or we're going to be playing this gave all night," Thea stated.

"Easy for you to say, you only have one finger folded," Jae commented.

"Yeah well you're out so shut up," she retorted.

MARK

It was clear that she was out to make me lose, so I figured it only fair for me to target her anyone else was just collateral damage. I thought back to her Instagram and tried to remember things about her.

"I've never quoted Lord of the Rings," I stated. Her face went from shock to looking more than pissed off.

"How do you even know that?" she frowned but folded a finger.

"You look like those geeky types," I shrugged. Honestly, she kind of looked like one of those girls who pretended to like something because they thought it was cool, or they heard someone talking about it so she clearly knows everything about it. But I figured if I said that she would just get all pissy again. Not that I think she actually stopped.

"Sam," Thea stated quickly.

"I've never owned a piece of jewellery that cost more than the average of a first car,"

THEA

Sam was clearly targeting Mark. Though I'm not sure how he would know that, anyone would tell you that he was going to take Charlie's side no matter what. Mark frowned and folded a finger, so did Jackson which surprised me.

"And you're not a trust fund douche?" Charlie raised an eyebrow at him.

"I earnt every cent," he shrugged not taking any offence.

"I'm sure you did," Charlie stated sarcastically.

"How did you even know that?" Mark turned his attention towards Sam.

"Because there is no way that bracelet didn't cost more than my car," he pointed at the diamond-encrusted chain bracelet that Mark was wearing around his wrist.

"Some people have more sense when it comes to money," Charlie commented.

"Thea can you just ask your question so that Charlie over here can lose. Again," Mark asked not breaking eye contact with Charlie. If I asked a question that had Charlie lose I was a little worried she would kill me. So rather than facing her wrath, my brain decided to expel the only question I could think of that she wouldn't have ever of done. In the process though, I didn't think of the fact that Sam might be the only person to fold a finger.

"I've never harboured feeling for a friend for years without telling them how I feel,"