"Are these okay?" Karan sheepishly asks Veronica, holding a tray of giant balls of cookie dough.

A giggle escapes her and when the others catch sight of Karan's doings, laughter scatters in the kitchen.

A couple of weeks had passed since Veronica's and Sakura's outbreak at the cafe and neither girl had made any sort of attempt at peace. Along with other friends they'd all made time in their busy schedules to have a game night at Noel and Anastasia's place.

"Here, let me help." Picking up the huge chunks of dough, Veronica instructed Karan on making the cookies a lot smaller.

Everyone was gathered around the kitchen, making treats and mostly a mess. Veronica even met Sakura's eye once or twice, laughter bubbling up at her chest. Being around this specific group of people always made her feel at ease.

They didn't meet up as regularly as they would like and most of the time not all of them could make it, but on the occasions they did, some of the weirdest and laughably absurd moments occurred.

They'd always end up reminiscing on their times at high school, the crazy situation usually Karan and Noel would get them into and how Anastasia and Odeta would progress them into being wilder than anticipated.

Sakura would always be up for a challenge only to remind them of the consequences halfway through but Veronica would be the one to never let her back down, no matter how scary.

"Remember that time when Ana made that God awful shirt and we gave it to Ver as a gag gift."

They were at the point where anything they'd say would be immensely comical.

Anastasia's face is scrunched up in laughter as she nods. "Oh my god yes, Sakura guilt tripped her into wearing it to school."

At the mention of her name Sakura snorts because it sounded like her and only her. "Of course you listened." She turned to Veronica, fondly remembering those times.

Veronica's lips widen and she throws the blanket off her shoulders, reaching for the last chocolate fudge cookie before breaking it in half and offering it to Sakura. They were the only ones who ate them anyway.

"And then she ended up driving up with-" But Noel stops himself from finishing the sentence, making Veronica frown.

Ace had been apart of their friend group too and he wasn't here tonight. They'd simultaneously avoided these get togethers after their break up before mutely agreeing that they'd alterante each time the group would make plans.

He hadn't been able to make it last time when they all decided to go bowling and took a rain check last minute. That meant he'd have to sit this next one out because it was Veronica's turn.

"And I drove up with Ace to get the helium balloons because we were decorating for homecoming. I was completely utterly mortified." She laughs in a lighthearted manner, making it known they didn't need to tip toe around her.

An almost sad smile graces Karan's face. He hated what happened between the two of them. "Yeah, you looked ugly Ver." He scrunches up his nose teasingly.

The night continues on musing over ancient memories, giggling over the wreck that was middle school where they barely knew each other. They spoke about their bitchiest college professors and how if they all went to the same university, they'd undoubtedly raise hell.

The doorbell rings and Veronica's quick to stand up and answer it, being the only one who passed up on mushroom vegan pizza.

As she slowly nears the door, there's a scream and then a snort heard behind her and she just smiles at the shenanigans.

Opening the door, she's shocked to find the tall muscular guy standing in front of her, two styrofoam boxes in hand.

Her eyebrows furrow after she takes a step back.

"Kai?"

Kai, the last piece of their puzzle, whom she hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

Odeta, Sakura and Veronica all were one year younger than the rest of the group. So even when they all graduated high school, keeping in touch and getting together every once in a while was something that positively stuck.

Kai was the guy who made quiet insanely hilarious comments under his breath and only the ones who were lucky enough to be near him, got the pleasure of cracking up. He was adorably shy around new people and might even give the impression of being a little rough around the edges. A little antisocial. But what he needed was people who stuck around long enough to discover how precious his soul was.

Kai was also the guy who had slowly distanced himself from them, opting out to hardly show up to any of their planned activities after their last summer together. The only person he'd maintain contact with was Ace and that was only because they were on the same team in college.

So, when Ace and Veronica had broken up, he'd had quit cold turkey and couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his old friends all together.

"I brought Chinese," he grins, holding the medium sized boxes as a peace offering.

Veronica deliberately takes the take out from him and remained staring at the boy in front of her. What was he doing here after so many months of radio silence?

She swallows thickly. "Yeah, thanks," the brunette narrows her eyes for a moment as he gently steps inside. "Yo guys," she shouts but her dirt colored orbs don't leave Kai who's fidgeting under her gaze.

A mixture of light and heavy footsteps are heard across the pale wooden floor and all her friends come into view.

None of them speak for a beat but a jumble of words are flown into the air shortly after.

"Hi guys." A weak wave from Kai does nothing to ease the tension.

"I invited him." Anastasia keeps a tight lipped smile on her face as she nears Kai and Veronica.

"And he showed up? Damn Kai, one for one." Odeta's bored tone makes the tiniest amount of embarrassed blush rose up in his cheeks.

"Hi Kai." Karan's voice isn't as friendly as one would hope but the greeting is enough seeing as Noel didn't even spare him a glance before retreating back to the kitchen.

"There's more space in the living room, let's bring the food out here." Sakura cheerily suggests, placing a calm palm on Odeta's shoulder before shaking her up a bit.

"Or what's left of it." Odeta's smile is nothing but bitter.

But no one moves to do what Sakura proposed because a second pair of feet are heard from the hallway since Veronica hadn't closed the door yet.

Eyes are trained at the entrance of the apartment where the soccer player gently knocks on the opened white wood door.

"I brought beer." Ace's eyes are brightly lit, not even noticing all the suspenseful hostility.

"I invited him too." Anastasia's smile doesn't waver, inside she's hopeful all of her doings will have a beneficial effect.

"Well, let's all get comfy. This is aboutta be a long night." Leave it to Karan to be gut wrenchingly honest.

None of them would usually use the word tension or rigid to describe their crowd. In fact they'd laugh at those definitions because it never suited them.

Tonight, however was a completely different story.

Veronica had been quick to volunteer to make more cookies so she could stake out in the kitchen with an upset Noel while the rest all settled overly casual on the couch. His sadness however quickly turned into red blood anger that was useful in mixing the dough. At least Veronica could be grateful for that.

"We don't see or talk to him in months and then he shows up here like it's a family reunion and nothing's wrong? News flash, the band isn't back together again!"

But the the young woman's mind was thoughtlessly elsewhere. Every part of her brain was desperately searching for a way to make this unbearable night routinely sane.

Veronica seriously hopped Anastasia knew what she was doing when she made those particular two invites.

Her movements slowed down as Noel rambled on. "Yeah, it's pretty shitty from his end."

"And why aren't you bitching about Ace being here? It feels good let me tell you." Noel's eyes seemed like they were going to pop out of his head and the tightness of his grip on the wooden spoon appeared to intensify.

Veronica reaches to grab everything out of her friend's reach after quickly finishing up with baking. She gives him a pointed look after throwing a handful of chocolate chips down her throat, offering the bag to him afterwards

"I can't complain about Ace being here. He's a part of this friend group. I'd be the bitch." She reaches up for the cupboard breathlessly where Anastasia and Noel kept their dark liquor.

Popping open a bottle of ginger ale because it was the only sort of soda she could find in their fridge and use as a chaser after the shot of tequila, she motions for Noel to do the same.

"You really think drinking is what we should do?" He asks as Veronica hides all the alcohol back in its place after their names are called.

She wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her crew neck. "Honestly?" Her mouth forms a straight line and she doesn't meet Noel's eyes. "No," she smacks her lips. "But it gave me a boost and you needed one too."

With those last words, she slings an arm around his narrow shoulders, synchronously grabbing the pear shaped timer and musters up the courage to waltz into the living room as if she didn't have a small mental crisis in the kitchen.

The latina's exterior appears calm and cool while Noel has a remark for every sentence that leaves Kai's mouth, but Veronica's pleading puppy dog eyes make him stop after a while.

There's still undeniable tension in the air that everyone loathes and severely tries to subside. Anastasia and Sakura are the ones who smoothly and effortlessly make sure everyone is included into the conversation. Odeta and Noel seem mutely synchronized on fiercely ignoring their old friend. Karan is questionably collected seeing he normally would be uncomfortably sincere on how weird all of this is

Ace is as usually charming and attempts his hardest at making their situation conveniently enjoyable.

Veronica is quiet.

Her head shoots up at the sound of the timer's ding loudly going off. "I'll go get the cookies!" Her voice is a little too pushy to sound nonchalant.

"Oh, I can get them Ver." Anastasia's words are choppy as she narrows her bright eyes at Veronica's odd attitude.

"No, I'll get them Ana." She tries her best at sounding cheery but everyone could tell she was desperate to run and hide.

"Okay, if you're sure." A trembled forced laugh escapes Anastasia.

But it does nothing to ease Veronica's visible jittery nervousness

"Just go get the cookies Veronica." Noel's rushed tone and sassy behavior make everyone laugh and even get a sliver of a smile from Veronica.

She heads back to her trusty hide out and carefully reaches for the blazing hot tray of delicious sugary treats.

As she transfers them to a polka dotted plate, her actions become heavily leisured. She felt like the embodiment of misery.

Not because of Ace's presence or if it effected her. That's not why the energy got sucked out of her soul.

It bothered her why she was all of a sudden anxious and irritably fussy. It bothered her why her reflex was to hide in the other room. The mature side of her desperately wanted her to behave regularly because she could.

But why didn't she want to?

"Hey, you good?"

The breathy words make Veronica jump and the pad of her finger brushes against the blistering metal in the process making her hiss out profanities.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She speaks while running her thumb under the cold water, wondering what Ace was doing in the kitchen.

Everything had been normal between the two of them from anyone else's perspective, the disorderly chaos was only happening inside of Veronica's head.

Maybe Ace's too.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable." His eyes try to follow her line of vision that was anywhere but him.

"All is good Ace. Super neat." There wasn't any sarcasm lacing her words but she did regret sounding as lame as she did.

"You're sure?" He pressures, noticing Veronica's shoulders tense in annoyance at his question.

"Yeah," she huffs. "Exceptionally sure." Throwing the wet rag to the side, she gives up on the attempt at tiding the dishes and grabs the plate of cookies.

"Couldn't be anything less than exceptional even if you tried." Ace tries to lighten the mood, having no idea how the female in the room will take his endeavor.

Veronica's steps draw to a halt and lips purse up in irritated frustration. "Yep, that's me." Her back is towards him now as she actively strives to leave the kitchen.

"I can leave if you want."

Ace knew her. He knew when she was uncomfortable. When she was inadvertently awkward and wanted to find the nearest escape. He knew when he was a bother to her.

"God damn it Ace. That's not what I want." She places the plate back on the island and the ceramic meeting the marble make a sound that instantly causes Ace to wince.

"I'm just saying Ronnie," his eyebrows shoot up. "It's okay with me, I get it if you want me to leave or if you're upset about me being here."

He never wanted her disturbed.

"I'm not upset. It's fine. Let's just all go hang out like old times." She dismisses him.

"Except it isn't like old times now is it?" His voice now holds a malice edge.

"Ace, let's not do this tonight." She bites her tongue and looks at him pointedly.

He always needed to cause a scene. He always wanted her to have a reaction.

"When should we do it Ronnie? You decide yet?" He wickedly challenges.

"Grow the fuck up."

Her hand swiftly snakes up and retrieves the plate of cookies because that was the damned reason she came here in the first place and with a last sneer thrown at his direction, Veronica finally exits the fucking kitchen.