`

❝ yeah, one thing before, ❞ she shifted her gaze, still ashamed of what she did. ❝ what about you? ❞ she wanted to move the focus from herself, in attempt to avoid any questions about what she had to do. ❝ oh, ❞ she didn’t expect ezra to take seth’s rejection so hard since he seemed so indifferent about it when they spoke, ❝ maybe he just needs a week or two? ❞

❝ what other surprises are there? ❞ she pressed her lips together as she glared at him, ❝ don’t you fucking dare. ❞ she wasn’t surprised he chose mars since she seemed to follow him around the most, especially to cooking club. ❝ i’ll go with zie. ❞

“Surprise gifts? Surprise visits? Surprise tests—oh, but I don’t like those either,” he joked, finding amusement in her reactions. “Ah, the twin. How did I know you were going to go with her?”

brooks: i mean, do YOU ever delete your sexts?

brooks: because i doubt it lol

seth: that's personal and private information

❝ okay, then, tell me about a surprise party you’ve gone to that wasn’t? all the ones i’ve gone to were recorded. ❞ she also found it annoying to hide before the surprise. ❝ we can each choose one person and then kings can be the neutral judge. ❞ 

“Okay, but when I said surprise, I wasn’t limiting it to just parties. Unless you want someone to throw you a surprise party and that’s your way of saying it to the world.” He hummed before he nodded in agreement. “I choose Mars.”

she honestly didn’t know what she should be doing. all she knew is she felt bad and wanted to apologize to everyone involved. ❝ i still feel bad dragging you into this, ❞ she sighed, ❝ not yet. i’ve called and texted him but he hasn’t replied. what about you? ❞ seth already told her they weren’t talking but she hoped that it changed from the last time they spoke.

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about that, Mars. You didn’t drag me into anything.” If anything, he’s already been dragged into whatever madness was plaguing his friends. “Has D asked you to do anything else?” He tried not to look too disappointed when she asked her question. “No. I haven’t heard anything on my end either. He’s really shut me out.”

“Wait, what dare are you talking about?” Brooks asked, giving the other a puzzled look. Most of that night was just a blur to him. “I’m sure it will be alright, Seth. And even if it doesn’t… I mean, there’s plenty of fish in the sea, right? It would be Ezra’s loss, not the other way around,” he tries his hardest to cheer his friend up, because seeing him so upset break his heart a little bit. “I… No, I guess not, but there’s like, a part of me that feels bad for her and wants to help her.” 

“The one… where we had to kiss?” His tone is reluctant, unsure if he should have brought it up if Brooks had forgotten. He didn’t want to make things more awkward between them. He needed his best friend. He nodded. It was hard to believe that it would all be alright at this time, but he didn’t want to make Brooks feel helpless. “Thanks. You’re probably right.” He tries not to react too quickly when Brooks mentions feeling bad for Araminta. There’s a dissonance in Seth whenever someone mentions feeling sympathy for her. “I know it’s probably fair for you to feel bad and want to help her. I’ve… shared that mindset before, but I can’t be in it for too long.” Not without feeling guilty at some point. “I know that’s probably unfair and I don’t really like it either, but…” He trailed off, hoping Brooks would understand without more elaboration.

brooks: i just don't really delete texts?

brooks: i don't want to delete stuff i might need later.

brooks: wow i kinda sound like a hoarder episode....

seth: sounds like you're saying you might need past sexts later even if i know that's not what you mean

brooks: good news! i got my phone back!

brooks: and not so good news, i'm pretty sure jody and cody muldofsky went through eight months of my sexts, yikes! 🤢

once mars heard her name, she immediately turned to face seth, ❝ hey, ❞ she smiled, or did her best to do so. ❝ right, uh, ❞ she had to think of the situation like a band-aide and just needed to rip it off. ❝ so, around the end of school d had me send you webcam pictures of ezra and i just needed to tell you that it was me. i got scared. ❞ she kept her eyes down as she spoke, too ashamed to look at him. ❝ i’m sorry. ❞

He was silent for a moment. All he could do was stare, blink a few times—he definitely did not see this coming, nor did he know how to react. He still hadn’t gotten around to talking to Ezra about it. Hell, he and Ezra still weren’t talking and it felt like an eternity since they last did. “I… don’t know what to say,” he admitted. “I don’t know if you should be apologizing, not to me anyway—have you told Ezra?”

nie rolled her eyes. ❝ adults who enjoy surprises are in it for the clout, they just want good videos to show off, ❞ she explained, as if she didn’t do the same with her social media. ❝ what do you think? there’s nothing we both can make to make it fair. the judges can give give a number rating and we can add them up. ❞

“You sound so jaded, Malannie. Have you forgotten the pure joy of a good surprise without video documentation?” Seth said with a laugh. “There are a few ways to do it, but a number rating sounds good as well. It’s on.”

“No, I get it. I know she’s like a touchy subject, because she’s been a total nightmare to you ever since you slept with her boyfriend and stuff,” Brooks sighs. In hindsight, the jock wonders if their fake relationship was just another ploy to get back at Seth, though it makes no sense to him that anyone would go that far to get their revenge on someone. “Did you talk to Ezra yet?” he asks, tilting his head slightly to one side as he listens to Seth. “Um, well… she’s just not letting me break up with her? I mean, I tried to, and she basically just tells me no?”

He cringes slightly when Brooks puts it so plainly in words, but Seth knows it’s also the truth. He did ruin a relationship and it doesn’t sit well with him whenever he’s reminded of it. He’s tried making amends, but Araminta’s made it clear that she won’t forgive and forget. He dips his chin slightly at his friend’s question. “No, I haven’t. The closest thing to an interaction was that game of truth or dare at the party, I don’t know why he chose that dare,” he says with a frown. “I don’t know if he was trying to say something.” His brows knit together as he hears about his friend’s predicament. “And you have to follow what she says? Besides the money, does she have anything on you?”

Ezra believes him. Despite all the drama, the fights and the leaking of certain compromising pictures, the blonde is positive that Seth would want to play the hero, and selflessly come save him. Ugh, could this asshole be any more perfect? He hated him. No, he hated the fact that he couldn’t hate him. Shortly after he hung up the phone, Ezra passes out again on the dirty, sticky floor tiles, until a familiar set of arms pulls him close. Brown eyes flutter open slowly, meeting his gaze. Seth looked genuinely concerned about him, and it was making him feel even worse than he already did. He should have just called someone else. God, even his mother would have been a better idea.  “Can’t walk. I’m too dizzy,” he mumbles, squeezing his eyes shut again, because the walls surrounding them wouldn’t stop spinning. “Can you…” he hesitates for a moment, because the awkward tension between them was already unbearable, but what other choice did he have? “Can you carry me?”

He wonders if the other’s just been partying too hard, or if there was a reason why he looked like such a mess right now. Seth just wanted him to be alright. Clearly the other needed a glass of water and some rest. At Ezra’s question, he doesn’t even hesitate and he responds with a nod. Forget the unspoken feelings that still needed resolution—for now, at least, Seth’s priority was to get him out of here. “Here,” he said, guiding Ezra with steady hands before he bent down slightly. “Get on my back. You can close your eyes. My car is just out front.”