Chapter 7 – Cole's POV

Beth woke up at the crack of dawn in the morning. She had ballet practice and violin practice, and classes, so she couldn't oversleep and stay cuddled up in my arms.

I was slightly disappointed, but also understood the fact that Beth couldn't drop absolutely everything just because I was here.

She was a busy girl.

My busy girl.

But I was still Coleridge Torres and it would take me a lot to get me out of bed before ten in the morning if I didn't need to work, so I stay in Beth's bed, snuggling her pillow, cocooned in her duvet.

Beth kept laughing at me every time she would walk in the room, calling me cute.

I'd wake up early in the morning each day if it meant I would always have mornings like this with her.

Long after Beth was gone, and I finally got out of bed, I got dressed and headed out to a little café.

Today I needed to call Jayden so I'd make sure he wouldn't figure out where I was and with who I was.

So, I couldn't make the call in Beth's apartment. I was sure it would turn into Facetime, and there was no way in hell I was going to get caught by the most unobservant guy on the planet.

I did the quick math in my head, to make sure I knew what time it was back in Brooklyn, and called my best friend.

The second he picked up he yelled, "SHOW ME THAT GORGOUS FACE," in my ears and his face appeared on my screen.

I picked up the Facetime call, rolling my eyes.

The décor behind me was neutral enough that I could be in any random café back in New York.

"Afternoon, you needy bitch," I greeted him.

"Aw, if it isn't Colishoomoomoo, gracing us with a call," Jayden crooned, and Maika walked up to him, probably sitting on his lap, because now I could see both their faces on my screen.

"You say shit like that, and then you wonder why I don't call you?" I told him, not surprised by the silly nickname. I'd heard much worse. "Yo, Tiger, could you please control your man," I told my sister-from-another-mister.

"If you don't think I already got him on a leash, you really don't know me," she replied with a smug little grin, while Jayden just nodded beside her like an obedient little boy.

"Match made in heaven," I said, chuckling.

"You know it babay," Maika replied.

"So, what are you up to?" Jayden asked, getting us back on more serious matters.

I sighed, like I was tired and overworked, because this was what I wanted to sell. "I've got a shit ton of work to go over, so I've been super busy, sorry for not calling sooner. I'll be neck deep in research for a few more days too. But don't worry, I keep a set of naked pictures of you close by for motivation."

I didn't particularly enjoy lying to my best friends, but for years now, they'd been betting with our parents on when Beth and I would get together, and we would give no one the satisfaction of winning that stupid bet.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Jayden replied, satisfied.

"How are you guys doing?" I asked them.

"Fine. Maika is overworked," Jayden automatically answered, while Maika made an annoyed face.

"I'm not overworked," she whined.

Jayden was just shaking his head at her and then said, "We went to a fancy restaurant last weekend, and when I came back from the bathroom, she'd fallen asleep in the bread rolls."

I laughed at that and told him, "I don't think it has anything to do with being overworked and everything to do with being bored with you."

"He makes a valid point darling," Maika agreed.

"You're both grounded," Jay said, glaring at me and at his girlfriend. "Maika is overworked and I'm not boring."

"I am a little overworked," Maika admitted, "But Jayden is underworked."

"I'm in between two projects," Jay defended himself.

"He's been beating his meat all day long instead of beating clay," Mai added, with a smirk.

Jay grabbed her face, squishing her cheeks together to stop her from speaking. "Shut up, I have not."

I laughed at their antics. "You have any idea for a new exhibit?"

"Honestly? Not really. I was hoping you could come over soon, and be my muse." He said the last part of that sentence in a sing song voice.

"Hey what about me?" Maika complained, slapping the hand that had been holding her face.

I ignored her whining and said, "I'll be sure to bring my big ass heart necklace, and only my big ass heart necklace. But I can't guarantee to be there for the next few days for sure."

"What. About. Me?" Maika interjected.

I laughed. "Your girlfriend's funny, she thinks she's your muse."

Jayden laughed, nodding. "Hilarious."

"Adorably oblivious," I agreed.

"Fine, you won't see me naked anymore," Maika told Jayden.

I snorted. Fat chance of that happening. They were perpetually two bunnies in heat.

"I'm not scared. I think I can go longer without seeing you naked than you can go longer without getting naked in front of me," Jayden answered, challengingly.

"This conversation is not interesting anymore," I stated, rolling my eyes at their gross selves.

My two friends laughed at me, and then Jayden said, "Have you talked with Lili lately?"

Dangerous, dangerous territory. Luckily, I was getting better and better at lying.

"Oh man, you're right, I should probably call her soon. How is she doing?" I said, and was pretty sure I'd been convincing.

"She's good, super busy though. I tried calling her earlier and she texted me back can't talk doing hot girl shit just like you which I find highly disturbing," he explained.

I laughed, because I hadn't told Beth about doing that earlier, but apparently, we were sharing the same brain. "What can I say, we're two peas in a pod, even with an ocean between us."

"And when are you going to stop all the distance nonsense and do the proper thing and become Coleridge Eaton? You really need to start working on that," Jayden asked.

I assumed his betting date was getting closer and closer.

I ignored the Beth part of that comment and focused on something else. "Oh, and what? William is going to carry on the Torres line? He's a psychopath."

"Your little brother is not a psychopath," Jayden replied, rolling his eyes, while Maika just made a face beside him like she agreed with me.

"He keeps pulling off insects' legs," I reminded him.

"He's playing," Jay said.

I shook my head. "No, he's enjoying their suffering. It starts with insects. It ends with our mother."

Jayden rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, that totally makes sense."

"He's got dead eyes," I said, pointing to mine with my index and major.

Jayden chuckled. Maika was silent, kind of grinning without emotion, just like showing teeth. "Come on, he's adorable," Jay said.

Yeah no. "He tried to poison Fluffy."

"He's too young to know what he's doing," Jayden defended him.

"He's not. He's dangerous."

"I wouldn't trust him with anything small and alive," Maika finally said.

"See!" I said, glad I wasn't alone thinking this. "That's why she's my real best friend."

Jayden gasped in horror. "Bullshit. I love you more."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're my boyfriend. She's my best friend."

Jayden grinned. "Yeah, that's more like it."

I laughed, and then took a deep breath. "Anyway, I should let you two love birds alone. I still have work to do."

"He doesn't love us," Maika automatically replied.

"Clearly," her boyfriend agreed.

I rolled my eyes at them. "You're both such needy queens." They both grinned like idiots as an answer. "Alright, see you guys! I'll try to visit you as soon as I can."

"You better, otherwise we'll come to Brooklyn and kidnap you," Jay warned me.

I wiggled my eyebrows with a smirk. "I'm waiting in a thong and cowboy hat."

Jayden pouted his lips at me for a kiss. "Hot."

"Byyyyye" I said, while waving at my phone.

My two best friends waved back at me and ended the call.

Another day of lying to my friends and getting away with it... 

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Hello my little Pumpkins! Happy Tuesday!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! You got some Maika and Jayden this time around! It was fun to have the gang, even just for a short moment.

Well, time for me to go to sleep now! See you guys tomorrow! :D