✱Blake's POV✱

Waking me up is a crime, everybody knows that. I'm not a morning person and I will never be one. So when Emma Sparx woke me up at 7 in the morning by opening the blinds, letting the harsh sunlight in, and yelling my name, I was pissed. Okay, the sunlight wasn't that harsh because it was still early in the morning, but I had a hangover and that should be explanation enough.

"What the fuck Blue?" I groaned, squinting whilst holding my head. I, hangovers and early mornings don't go well together.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine?" She said dryly.

"Forgive me if I don't wake up at 7 am like every other decent person on this planet." I snapped, glaring at her but when I felt the horrible pain in my head, I realized my mistake and went back to squinting and holding my head.

She laughed at me and said, "I'm going out on a run, I've kept some lemonade on the island, freshen up and drink it. It'll help"

"Yeah fine," I said groggily, ready to go back to sleep once she left the room.

"Once you're done drinking the lemonade, you can eat breakfast if you feel hungry. I've set that on the island too. Don't wait up for me."

"You've made pancakes again?" I asked, hopeful that at least something about this morning could be good.

She gave me a look and said, "Breakfast is cereal. Don't expect VIP treatment every time you eat breakfast here"

"Don't you dare go back to sleep. Your first class begins at 8:15."

"Ugh," I groaned and fell back on the bed.

"I mean it, Theo. Don't go back to sleep. You can't skip first hour. We have Dance and she's gonna give us our topics."

"But my head is aching..." I whined, clutching my head.

"That's why I've kept lemonade for you on the island. Drink it, you'll feel better. Now I have to leave, I assume you'll wake up and not go back to sleep?"

"Fine, I'll wake up." I groaned with my eyes shut. I heard her laugh and walk away.

I don't know how long it took me to get out of bed and drag myself to the washroom to freshen up. After drinking the lemonade set on the kitchen island, I felt much better. Without even seeing what cereal it was I put it in a bowl, poured some milk, and started munching on it. While I was eating, I got distracted by the photos on the wall and went to look at them. All of them were of Blue and her friends. Some with just a few of them and the others of all of them together. I tried to put names to the faces I remembered from yesterday. I could easily make out Tony, he hadn't changed much except for the drastic weight loss and the blonde guy as Carter. I couldn't recognise the redhead though. But I remembered a girl from the other day when she was talking to them in the car so I assumed that the girl was her.

"Done looking at the photos?" I jumped slightly at Blue's voice behind me. I guess I was so engrossed in looking at the photos, I didn't hear her come back.

"Yeah," I shrugged.

She laughed and went back into the kitchen.

〰️✱〰️

Blue and I were still discussing which classic we'd do a modern remake of for our topic for the dance assignment when we joined our friends for lunch. As soon as we sat down, Sophia asked us what topic we'd received.

"We got 'A modern remake of a classic of your choice'," Blue replied.

"That's cool! What about Olive and Ben?"

"Ours is much less interesting than theirs. We got 'portray a poem of your choice'." Olivia said while pulling out a chair for herself.

"That is a beautiful topic. Just because you don't read or understand the depth of poems, doesn't mean they're not interesting." I said, looking at her with challenging eyes. Nobody gets to disrespect literature of any form around me. Nobody.

"Gee sorry Mr.Literature. Didn't mean to offend you." She defended herself with raised hands.

Everyone laughed at her antics. After a while, we'd all decided what we wanted to eat so we sent Ben to go to the counter to order the food and get it. As soon as he left, Sofia leaned in and said, "Guys what's the plan for Saturday?"

"Saturday? What's on Saturday?" Blue asked.

"Saturday is Ben's birthday. Every year on his birthday we have a not really a surprise but a surprise party. It's not like a huge party or anything, it's just the five of us gathering with some drinks, food and a lot of board games." Ryan answered.

"Cool. Enjoy!" Blue said with a chuckle.

"Oh no Young Lady, you're joining us. Don't you dare say no. You're a part of the group now." Olivia said with narrowed eyes, wiggling her index finger in front of Blue's face who let out a loud laugh and pushed her hand down, "Okay then."

"Perfect. Now, where are we having our 'party'?" Ryan asked.

Everyone except Blue who was engrossed in her phone turned to look at me.

"Nope. Not at my house."

"Why not? Your house is the only one big enough to play a good game of treasure hunt in." Olivia whined.

"My grandfather is in town."

"Nevermind. Sophie! What about you?" See, everyone hates that man. Not just me.

"You know I can't," Sophia told her, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're right. I can't either though. My mom's sister and her family are coming over for the weekend."

"Ugh. Then what do we do? It's not like we can have it at Ben and Ryan's apartment."

"What about you Blue? Can you host it?" I asked her. The girl didn't even look up from her phone.

"Blue!"

"Huh? What were you saying?"

"You would know if you weren't so engrossed in your phone."

"Yeah, sorry work stuff."

"What I was asking was, do you mind having Ben's birthday party in your house?"

"Of course not! I'd love to host the party!"

"Yay! Sophie is going to bring the food, Ryan you are going to bring the drinks, I'm going to keep Ben busy and Blake and Emma are going to set up." Olivia said, excited.

"Babe, for how long have you been planning this?" Ryan asked her, slinging an arm across her shoulders.

"Not long... Just a week... Or maybe two..." All of us laughed at her. We were still laughing when Ben joined us with our food which made him ask us what we were laughing at.

"I was just telling everyone about how I had to deal with this idiot's drunk ass for the second time yesterday." Emma lied. That statement caused several questions to fly around.

"You just had to throw me under the bus right?" I hissed at her.

"Yup! The bus looked interesting so I thought you'd be interested in its underside." She replied with a wink.

I hate this girl sometimes.

〰️✱〰️

Today is Saturday. An important day for two reasons. Firstly because it's Ben's birthday and secondly because today is the day I'll finally be able to explain everything to Tony. Blue and I were moving around stuff in her living room to make it more spacious when the doorbell rang. Blue went to open the door and came back with Ryan and Sophia behind her.

"The kitchen is there. You can set the food on the island and the drinks in the fridge." She said while pointing towards the kitchen.

Once they were doing that, they joined us in the living room. The four of us were putting up some decorations when Emma's phone rang. Her face twisted into a scowl when she saw who the caller was.

"Ugh. What the hell do you want Ethan?..... What do you mean?....... What? He went to my apartment? What did he want in there?..... Oh shit. Which drawer did he open?.... Why it matters is none of your business! Just tell me which drawer it was!..... You don't remember?! Well, use that tiny thing you call a brain for once in your life and remember!"

Woah, she clearly doesn't like the person she's speaking to.

"Oh fuck. I have to go look for him... Yes, I do know why he walked out of there angrily with a file in his hand..... Of course I'm not telling you, you idiot!... Why do I have to go with you?.... I don't care if you get fired!.... Okay fine whatever. Just get here with your freaking car so we can look for him... Again, none of your business! Take my address from Mike." With that, she cut the call angrily.

"Careful there. Your phone is going to get cracks on it if you tap on it that hard."

"What will it take for you to shut up?" She glared at me.

"Somebody is angry," Getting her aggravated is so much fun.

"Theo, unless you want another bruise I suggest you shut up."

"You aren't angry, you're worried, aren't you?"

She sighed. By now, we were alone in the living room. Halfway through her phone call, Ryan and Sophia went to his car to bring the games.

"It's nothing big. I need to go, do you think you guys can handle it here?"

"Yeah, we can manage, but I'll be leaving in a while too. Today is Saturday remember? I'm meeting Tony today."

"Tony?... Oh, Noah! Okay. Can you please tell Ryan and Sophia then? I've got to go and change. One more thing, please keep everyone out of the basement, including yourself. There are still a lot of things that are yet to be unpacked so the basement is a mess. If you don't find anything you need, just call me. Okay?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your orders will be followed. Anything else you need me to do?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, "Yes. Grow up."

"That's nice coming from you."

"I don't have time for this. We'll continue this argument after I'm back." After she said that, the biggest idiot in the world went upstairs.

〰️✱〰️

"Sir, what will you be having?" The waitress asked me with a bright smile.

"I'm waiting for someone, we'll be ordering once he's here."

"Sure Sir," She said and walked away to another table.

After Blue left, I too soon left after telling Sophia and Ryan everything she told me to tell them. Now here I am, at Rosa's Diner, which was where Tony had decided we would meet. Apparently, this diner was close to where he lived. When I asked Blue about this place, she said that they served one of the best cheeseburgers she'd ever eaten and that it was one of the places she and her friends often came to. That explains why Tony wanted to meet here.

I don't think I've ever felt as nervous as I'm feeling right now. The fact that I was going to speak to the person I thought I'd never see again was overwhelming. I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the sound of an incoming message from my phone.

Tony: Hey Blake, I'm so sorry, but I won't be able to make it to the restaurant. Something important popped up and I need to be there. I'm so sorry for cancelling last minute.

Great. Just great. I came all the way here for nothing. I calmed myself down and replied,

Me: Hey, it's alright. We can meet up some other time.

He immediately replied,

Tony: Yeah, we can do that. Sorry again.

Me: It's okay. Actually, how about you join us tonight? It's one of our friend's birthday and we're having a small get together at Emma's house. It's just the bunch of us.

Tony: Sure! I love parties! I'll see you there. Go to go now. Cya!

Me: Bye.

With that, I put my phone in my pocket and left the diner. A part of me was glad that the conversation had been pushed ahead. I don't think I was ready to see the disappointment on his face when I explained my ridiculous excuse. Then again, I don't think I'll ever be ready for that.

〰️✱〰️

"Why can't you just let this one place go? You already have so many places!" Olivia whined.

"Anyone who plays Monopoly knows that Mayfair earns you the most money. There's no way I'm giving it up!" Blue defended herself.

Emma and Tony had joined us earlier in the evening, both of them sporting disappointed looks on their faces. Currently, we were all in an intense game of Monopoly in which Olivia was trying to convince Blue to give up Mayfair, the most expensive place on the board.

"Yes, but you already own so many places!"

"Olivia, I'd give up if I were you. Emma always buys Mayfair." Tony told the brunette.

Olivia frowned and was about to respond when we heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. Blue and Tony looked at each other with alarm.

"Are you expecting anyone?" He asked her.

"No," she replied before they both made their way towards the door and we followed them.

Why are they behaving as though they can be attacked any second? Weird kids...

The two of them were standing against the door slightly crouching. "Check the peephole," Emma whispered to Tony. Before he could do that, a voice from outside yelled, "Emma you bitch! I hate you!"

I didn't think that anyone would be pleased if someone told them that they hated them, but for some reason, Blue heaved a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Carter! We were so worried!"

"Don't you dare pretend like you care!"

"Carter, I can explain," She said, walking cautiously towards him.

"You can explain?! Then please do explain why you hid something so huge from me!" He yelled, waving something that looked like a file aggressively.

"Carter, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But please listen to me, you don't know the whole thing,"

"There's more?!"

"Guys, what's going on?" Tony asked slowly, looking between the duo.

"You haven't told him either?!"

"Haven't told me what?"

"Well, our dear friend here-"

"We have an audience. How about we take this to the terrace? I promise I'll explain everything. Please..." Blue said with a desperate look in her eyes.

After a few seconds of consideration, he nodded. "Fine," He grunted before pushing past us and walking into the house, Tony following soon after. Blue came to us with a guilty look on her face, "I'm sorry about that. We'll be back in a while."

"It's alright Emma. You talk to your friends," Olivia told her softly.

Blue, smiled sadly, "I should probably go now. Those idiots seem to have forgotten that they don't know their way around the house," She said before walking into the house.

What the hell just happened?