best around.

“i don’t think i used the word joke. i used a lot of words, mostly swear words, but i don’t think joke was in there. i distinctly remember liar, fake, vain, egotistical, follower…. but not joke. jokes imply that something is funny and nothing about what you did was funny.”

“ oh come on, babygirl. “ jaiden could already feel his stone cold self freezing over again, the mask sliding on perfectly. “ all i did was tell the truth, lies hurt, right ? “ he chuckled, a smirk playing on his lips as he dared to step in the room.

“it’s called a joke, don’t know if you’re familiar with them.” she didn’t know why she was talking to him at all nonetheless to make a joke, but here they were. she stood there, letting the awkward silence linger for a minute.

just seeing her was a bit of a surprise, if jaiden was ever honest with himself. it had been a bit, and he knew it him to blame. he pretended as if he didn’t regret it, as if it was all some 8 step plan to break her heart. he had to keep the mask up. “ well, according to you, i am one, so i should be familiar, right ? “ he didn’t mean for the words to sound so harsh, honestly it was meant as a joke.

sometimes, people got weird about having pip around when she didn’t drink or do any of the hard stuff. especially before new ham, when she could’ve been a narc or just… didn’t fit the vibe. but she could bully her way into a get-together just as well as she could charm. maybe better.

she hadn’t needed to bully jay. “mm, ‘cause you’re so good at reading the female body.” pip could go back and forth all day—and usually did. she narrowed her eyes. “two packs, and if you reach for them, i will chop you in the goddamn throat.”

jaiden wasn’t exactly one to judge, he liked drugs, others didn’t have to. just politely decline the blunt and move on, that simple. it’s those that berate him for his hobbies, his down-time requirements. it was only then that he got mad, and that didn’t end well for anyone.

“ i know my way around them, yeah. “ jay chuckled low, his lips curling into a sly smirk while hazel eyes peer up at her. his hand was on her thigh, wrapped around her waist. a few mere inches, and he could grab the pack easily. his hand moved, trailing gently across slightly exposed skin, fingertips trailing against the nerves of her skin, but they stopped just above the waistband of her pants. yet another low chuckle fell from his lips. “ why would i grab them when you could so nicely offer me one. “

“jesus fuck, jaiden! are you trying to kill me? actually, don’t answer that.” she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “vegan? in this economy? i don’t think so.” she didn’t know why she even bothered to bless him with an answer. probably because her brain had turned to cheese from inhaling it’s fumes all day.

her reaction almost had jaiden questioning if she knew, but he scrubbed that thought from his mind immediately, determined to keep his cool. curled fists twitched with a squeeze as he stayed frozen in his spot, shoulder still perched upon the doorway. “ economy ? right, like we still have that. “ he laughed, gaze falling to the floor.

will rolled his eyes. of all the houses to have open doors and warrant his concern, it had to be the one that jaiden resided in. “fine.”, he shrugged. he knew that there was no winning in a duel of how difficult one can be when in a battle with him. “but that attitude isn’t going to work forever. eventually you will need rations. which means, you will need to work. so…” he looked over at him. “i’ll be seeing you very soon.”

she crossed her legs on top of him, leaning into the crook of his arm. the only thing stopping her from stubbing that joint out was how pissed she’d be if someone did it to her weed. she didn’t care if he got high, whatever. it was the stench.

but it was nice of him not to blow in her face. she wasn’t so courteous. smoke coiled out of her mouth as she replied, “i could find better somewhere in this shithole.” she raised an eyebrow, always ready to get offended. “um, no fuckin’ way. i said my cigarette for a reason.”

the smoke that trailed from her lips crinkled at his nose, a small huff, but he wouldn’t say anymore about it. he smoked, so it wasn’t as annoying as it should have been. instead, he drew yet another drag, the burning paper singeing the tips of his fingers as it neared it’s end, but he took his final puff and scrubbed it out on the shingles of the roof. 

“ yeah, you say that but i don’t see any physical complaints. “ his eyes flickered between her position, curled up in the crook of his arm, to her stern gaze. “ like you don’t have a pack shoved in your pocket. “ he chuckled. 

“don’t have such low standards. anyone and everyone is better than that little worm.” she shook her head at his smooth demeanor though her lips were pressed in a slight smile. “oh please. that excuse may work with some other west ham girls, but you don’t fool me jaiden vince.”, she sing-songed a pout.

“yeah, i think i’d rather die than have her know we even left her out in the first place so… she can-” he tapped his chin, thinking of the thing she’d like least. “- stand there and look sexy. that’s a good job, right? super easy, doesn’t get her hands dirty. she’ll hate it,” he smirked, mischievously.

“ she’s already pretty good at that job, she’ll do perfect. “ he chuckled, taking a puff before handing it back to his friend. it was almost gone now, smoked down to the end. “ oh, she’s definitely gonna hate it, but god is she hot when she’s angry. “

pip loved nothing more than smoke curling in and out of her lungs. she also liked watching other people smoke… but the overwhelming smell of his weed was enough to make her want to toss his joint off the roof. but instead she took another drag and basked in the smell of her own cigarette.

“yeah, good, but not great,” she said with a grin, perching on his lap and resting her elbow on his shoulder. “i wanna smoke my fuckin’ cigarette.”

jaiden knew her deal with drugs. he didn’t get it, but he was never one to push another towards it--- if you don’t like it, cool, more for him. it was his own philosophy, but it didn’t include actively keeping the drugs out of her face. 

taking another drag, he managed to blow the smoke in the other direction, catching with the wind and whisking away. “ well, guess you’re just gonna have to deal with good company. “ he shrugged, leaning back against the house. his gaze trailed to the midnight sky line. “ you and your cigarettes. i might have to steal one from you in a minute. “

will didn’t let jaiden bother him too much. it was a skill that truly had to be acquired over time with someone who would willfully make that a difficult task. he looked away as the young man peacocked with his dramatically cool movements. it didn’t help that the things that made him seem stand-offish or intimidating to other people, will found to be attractive or at the very least alluring. “come on, you know it’s not optional.”, he hoped the other would not make this more difficult than it needed to be.

“mm,” pip nodded through her smoke, considering what she knew about miles. not much. but that was fine, she preferred not to know people. they all sucked. even jay, sometimes. and yeah, she’d tell him that to his face. “could be.”

she shrugged and let her arm fall, but her face was all smirk. “can’t i just come sit with you, bud? you’re such good company.” whether her voice was coated in sarcasm or flirtation, it was always hard to tell.

a cloud blew from jaiden’s lips, his head leaning back against the outside of the house, gaze still set on her even through the rolling smoke. they didn’t always get along, their stubborn natures colliding on random attacks, but these moments were kind of nice. he barely spent any time with people unless they were in bed, or it was with devon rolling up a long night. “ still placing my bets on him. “

jaiden’s brow lifted, his teeth peeking out in a small smile. “ good company, huh ? “ he pulled the joint back to his lips, hands gripping a bit on her thighs as he pulled her further into his lap. “ what do you want, babe ? “

“this is why i keep you around, you’re a great hype man,” devon smirked. “i think pip might be mad that we haven’t included her in our master plan. so either we gotta write her in or someone’s gotta tell her she’s out, and it ain’t gonna be me.”

“ that’s why you keep me around ? wow, and i thought it was my rolling skills. “ he played into the joke again, playfully snatching the joint from his fingers and pulling it to his own lips. “ you think i’m telling pip she’s out ? fuck that, man. i don’t care how many people i’ve taken out, that girl could kill me. hands down. “ he shook his head, smoke rolling from his lips. “ just gotta write her in, man. “ he chuckled. 

“if you acted less like a creep than maybe you wouldn’t be compared to one.”, she sassed as she gestured to the placement of his hands. although she was definitely the type of person who appreciated this kind of attention, it was totally within nina celina fashion to deny it. she spun herself around, keeping their close proximity. “what do you want, jay?”

                     Why his father chose him ?? Harry had no idea ; though he by no means didn’t try to figure it out. He’d asked his father before, only left with vague mumblings, quick brush offs. Why wasn’t he good enough ?? Hadn’t he proved himself time && time again ?? Jaiden’s work didn’t stop after his father’s … yeah either, much to his utter annoyance. Harry’s usual smirk only widened, though russet hues remained cold. “A professional athlete. Again — cute. I suppose it’s good to have dreams, especially when you don’t have anything else.” A long drag — it wasn’t enough but it was something at least. 

          “I wouldn’t say surprised.” Relieved ?? Understandable ?? Shit, maybe a mixture of everything ?? “Guess I better hope my reflexes are just a bit faster. Especially if rumors are true.” Not a drunken mistake ?? Fuck, anything was possible. “One by one we’ll be gone.”

jaiden knew the boy stayed oblivious, he had overheard him asking his father countless times about his deal with him, but he never fessed up. that was the difference between harry and jaiden--- one was strong enough for the truth about their father’s work, the other needed to be shielded from it. when jaiden’s dad told him about his job, jaiden didn’t hesitate to support him. he knew that the money from those jobs did; it got them out of the worst neighborhood, put food on their table and kept them in a decent house. it was helping towards his college fund, towards his brother’s college fund. the second their father got hurt on the job, jaiden stepped up, not a wink of doubt in his mind. he was going to do whatever it took. 

pip kicked her feet up onto jaiden’s knees, reaching for his lighter with one oustretched arm and scrounging in her pocket for her pack of cigarettes. “who do you think did it?” she asked, lighting up like it was instinct.

she didn’t much care, if she was honest. somebody was probably drunk or high and driving like an idiot. or maybe they ran those kids over on purpose ‘cause they were… an idiot. either way, everybody was stupid and all the fuss was stupid. if you were smart, nobody would want to kill you. or be able to.

jaiden let her lay up, a small roll of his eyes but a smirk stayed plastered on his lips. she snatched his lighter, and luckily, his joint was already lit. taking a long drag, jaiden looked at her. “ my best bet ? that miles freak. no one saw him towards the end of the dance--- bet he planned the whole thing. “ jaiden was theorizing, but if he was being honest, he believed it. guy seemed like the type. 

jaiden’s hand rested on her ankle, brow quirking towards the girl. “ what are you doing up here anyway ? figured you’d be passed out by now. “