Pause

by CJ Adler

  “You and me both, my man,” Jay adds, his hand now in mine as he absentmindedly plays with the tips of my fingertips.

  I frown up at Jay. “My boyfriend is supposed to be on my side.”

  “Always am,” he replies in conviction.

  “So, she just popped them?” Bells, still on the balloon thing, asks again. She's always been particularly uptight on birthday traditions. “Just like that?”

  “Yes!” Max, Jay and I all groan simultaneously, trying to move away from the topic.

  “All of them? Pop? They all went pop?” Bells continues on.

  I nod in order to confirm it yet again.

  “I'm going to kill that girl!” Bells huffs in fury as it finally dawns on her.

  “Damn straight I'mma kill that girl!” She stands up but Max quickly places his hand on her shoulder, forcing her back down into her seat. “Let me go, Max! I have a murder to commit!”

  “If I knew that you'd finally turn against Melinda through balloon popping, I would have made sure she did this ages ago,” I tell Bells, not at all surprised by her reaction. She's overdramatic when it comes to friendship things.

  “Relax, babe. It's just balloons,” Max tries to soothe his girlfriend which only results in her slapping him through the face.

  “It's not just balloons, Max! It's birthday balloons!” She glares at Max as he rubs at his cheek. She automatically expects Max to get it, not that any of us do. “Melinda has crossed the line this time.”

  “Shut up and give me my presents already,” I divert her attention before she makes a scene.

  Bell squeals in delight, as predicted, and claps her hands at the reminder.

  “Oooh, yippee, present time!”

  You'd think it's her birthday.

  “Here we go. I think you'll like it.” Max hands me his present first.

  I open the gift, my eyes landing on the purple beret with the words 'You Looney Tune!' imprinted on it.

  “I know you like hats. I had it custom-made and added your catchphrase to it,” Max explains.

  “Aww, Max, so thoughtful! I love it!” I say gleefully.

  Bells hands me her present next. It's a new camera. She knows how much I love photography. Along with the new camera are two shirts, one for me and one for her. On the back of the shirts are the words 'best friends for life' with a date below the wording—the exact date when we first met. On the front of my shirt is a picture of Bells and on the front of Bells shirt is a picture of me.

  “We can wear the shirts on the same day!” Bells chirps with excitement.

  “Well, nuh-duh,” I tease before smiling at her. “It wouldn't make sense if we didn't.”

  “This much is true,” Max backs me up, not knowing when to shut up. Bell tosses him a look over her shoulder.

  “Thank you,” I say to Bells, distracting her. “I think it's all awesome!”

  “Oh, and before I forget…” She hands me another gift. I glance at her with a perplexed expression. “From my brother,” she explains.

  I wasn't expecting a gift from Troy. This is new. I open it to find that his gift is similar to his sister's. It's also a shirt, except, Troy's shirt is a bit different. On the front, there's a picture of him, and on the back, there is wording saying 'Troy is my Hero'. Below the wording is a stickman's head with his hands in the air as if praising the name Troy.

  “Yeah, I'm probably never going to be caught dead wearing this shirt,” I tell Bells truthfully.

  “Figured as much,” Bell replies, flashing me a grin as she takes a bite out of her apple.

  I'm about to take a bite out of my own apple only to have Jay reach over me and snatch it from me. “Hey! That was mine!” I whine, pouting, as I swat at his chest.

  He merely smirks at me before taking a slow bite out of my apple as if to taunt me. “The keyword here being was.”

  “As birthday person, and you as one of my subjects, I demand you get me another apple,” I order Jay, playing the powerful 'birthday card'. It only comes once a year.

  “Fine,” he caves, unwinding himself from me before standing up from his seat. He leans back down to me when something occurs to him. “Anything else you want while I'm there?”

  I shake my head in reply.

  “You sure?” he asks playfully.

  I nod.

  “Sure, sure?”

  “Yes!” I exclaim, exasperated. “I'm sure. Now be gone!” I shoo him away with my hand.

  “M'kay,” he chimes, taking me by surprise when he suddenly bends down and catches my lips with his own for a short kiss. Before I can even respond, he's already off to fetch me that apple.

  Bells waits for Jay to be out of earshot before speaking her mind. “Stealing food is how true love begins,” she gushes just like I'd been expecting her to do. She's so predictable.

  Stealing my food ranks you at no.1 on my 'to kill' list.

  “Why is your name on your apple?” I ask, intrigued.

  “I mark my food 'cause Max eats everything. I do it to ward him off,” she

  answers.

  “Doesn't seem to be working,” I point out, gesturing over to Max who has already eaten half of the food that was on her tray.

  Bells follows my gaze. Her jaw drops at the sight. “Max!” she shouts as she clouts him over the head with her spoon.

  Max, with cheeks puffed up like a hamster, gives her a sheepish look at being caught red-handed. He attempts to answer her through his mouthful, “What?”

  Bells crosses her arms, unhappy, as she turns to me with a frown. “You somehow manage to land the perfect boyfriend while I get stuck with…” She trails off and motions to an unfazed Max stuffing more food into his mouth. “That.”

  Before I can reply, Jay returns. He hands me my apple and takes his seat beside me again.

  “So, Jay, have you told Aqueela what you have planned for her birthday yet?” Bell asks Jay knowingly.

  “Keep it PG please,” Max teases.

  I throw a french fry at him for that. He shrugs and eats it.

  Jay's hand settles on my thigh as he turns to me with a smile. “Well, for starters, I organized a round of laser tag for all of us.”

  My expression falters at his words before a full-blown smile takes over my features. “Are you serious?!” I question in disbelief. “That's amazing!” I conclude, satisfied with Jay's gift—best present ever.

  “Everyone will meet us there after school. We'll split into teams,” Bells explains, having known all along. “Your boy's idea. All credit to him.”

  “I don't care whose team I'm in, so long as I get to destroy and conquer!” Max finally decides to contribute to the conversation before he goes back to wolfing down all of Bell's food. “Just want to shoot people for the hell of it,” he adds.

  “He's not well,” Bells covers for Max, embarrassed by him.

  I grin at Max. “I like the way you think, Max. It's decided, you are one of the few who has definitely qualified for my team, Team Elite.”

  “Hey!” Bells interjects. “What about us?” She gestures from Jay to herself. “I'm your best friend and Jay's your boyfriend.”

  “Bells, you suck at aiming and anything to do with shooting. As for you, Jay,” I turn to face him, “you're just too soft—probably can't even shoot a fly nowadays. I'm not willing to compromise for your good conscious,” I openly insult them through the powerful force of truth.

  Max bursts out laughing at their expense. “Suck it, you two! I was chosen. I got mad skills.”

  “I can't wait to shoot you both,” Jay mutters under his breath, glaring at the both of us.

  “Oh, is JT jealous that he's in Team Defeat and not Team Elite?” Max mocks him.

  “Yup. Definitely shooting you first,” Jay tells Max before quietly adding, “in the head.”

  Chapter 55

  Do or Die

  “How are we going to split us then?” Bells, always the organizer, asks as she glances at all of our clueless faces.

  �
�Put all the badasses against the weaklings,” Max pipes up, voicing his amazing opinion.

  “How is that fair?” Bells questions him as if this is an interrogation.

  “Fairness is for losers,” Max chimes with a smirk on his lips. “And weaklings,” he adds, winking at Bells as if she is a weakling herself.

  “I don't know why you're getting so cocky all of a sudden. Is over-competitive Max coming out to play so soon?” Bells places her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes at her boyfriend. Like she has any place to speak. “Get your head out the clouds, Max, we need proper teams. You're such a dreamer,” she lectures.

  “Bells!” I click my fingers as an idea comes to mind. “Have I ever told you that you're a genius?”

  She shakes her head with a hopeful look to her blue-green eyes. “No. You haven't.”

  “Well, I wouldn't hold your breath!” I squash all hope in her eyes as I go on to elaborate my plan.

  “But we can break into groups of dreamers and realists. That way, it's fair. Plus, we can finally see, once and for all, which group is stronger.” Grey scoffs at my words. “Well, obviously the realists will win. I root for them. Dreamers are delusional idiots.”

  I scowl at Grey. “I'm a dreamer.”

  Grey flashes me a devious grin, in turn. “I know.”

  “I still believe in the 'Zombie Apocalypse' and 'The Rise of the Machines'. I know that one day we, as the inferior race, will be able to live alongside the Martians on Planet Sun. Surely that proves that I'm a dreamer,” Troy interrupts.

  “Nope.” Grey shakes his head, disagreeing. “Just proves that one is capable of devolving.”

  I hide my laughter behind my fist.

  “I've told you a billion times, Troy, that Martians don't exist. If they did, they wouldn't live on the sun, and the sun is a star, not a planet!” Bells argues with Troy, annoyed at his illogical beliefs.

  “Cut your brother some slack, Bella,” Jay intervenes. “Let's get back to Team A: Dreamers and Team B: Realists,” he suggests.

  I shake my head at Jay, feigning disappointment. “I really do wish you'd get along with my best friend as well as I get on with your best friend,” I tell him as I throw a carefree arm around Grey and tug him to me.

  Grey groans in distaste when I force his own arm around me. He immediately removes his arm off of me but I just place it back around me, ignoring his sigh of protest.

  Bells snorts at the sight. “Yeah right! 'Cause you two are so close,” she replies back sarcastically. “At least, Jay and I can tolerate each other. We even make small talk these days,” she says proudly as if it's a massive achievement for them.

  “Still hate you.” Grey scowls down at me before knocking my arm off of him, moving away from me.

  “Don't you have something else to say to me?” I ask him, prodding him on. Surely he'll wish me a happy birthday eventually.

  “No,” he replies back with a knowing smirk.

  “Nothing you want to get out? Nothing you want to get off your shoulders? Huh, huh, huh?” I nudge him in his side in order to get a response from him. “Perhaps something you forgot to tell me, say to me…wish me,” I hint.

  He taps his chin, feigning thought before shaking his head. “Can't think of anything remotely important or worth remembering.”

  My expression drops as I glare at him, knowing full well that I'm going to get nowhere with his attitude.

  “Let it go, honey,” Bells advises, giving me a pitiful look.

  “She's right, hon, let it go,” Troy copies his sister, wanting to be involved in the conversation, as always. He can't stand being ignored.

  “I want to blow some heads off. Can we please get into teams already!”

  Max, inappropriate as ever, complains impatiently. He's really 'amped' for this. I'm just glad he's on my side or I'd be afraid.

  “Blow heads off ?” Benley finally speaks up upon hearing Max's comment.

  “Dude, I really don't think you get laser tag. It's not a video game where killing people is acceptable.”

  Max waves the matter off with his hand and shrugs impishly. “Details, details, details.”

  “I want to be in Aqueela's team! But definitely not Max's! Max is actually scaring me for once,” Susie informs Laiken, enthusiastic as ever.

  “I can't believe I'm participating in this.” Laiken rubs at his temples before giving his baby sister a look. “You owe me for this, Luce.”

  “The more the merrier!” Troy says all too happily as he picks up Susie and places her on his shoulders.

  “Agree to disagree and shoot Susie.” Max frowns, sending Susie a glare.

  Bells knocks him on the chest. He has no filter on his mouth. He lets out a quiet groan of pain as he rubs at his chest, sending a scowl to his girlfriend before redirecting it back to Susie.

  “I'd just like to say that Simo and my mother are officially dating, no thanks to Aqueela. She hooked up my best friend and my mom. Thus, I will do everything in my power to destroy Aqueela and I will show no mercy,” Blubber announces as if it's all my fault. Simo could have said 'no', but I get blamed for everything with this kid.

  “I doubt you'll last in the game long enough to even find me,” I mock his skills, subtly taunting him.

  “Right. Moving on swiftly then.” Bells coughs on purpose, catching all of our attention again. “Team A, the dreamers are as follows: Aqueela, Max, Simo, Jam, Lucy, Oog, and Gland.”

  “Whoo!” Max and I high-five each other, buzzing in excitement. “Never saw that coming,” Grey mutters sarcastically under his breath. “We're going to dominate!” I say to Max.

  Max nods. “Annihilate!”

  “Facilitate!” Gland tries to fit in. My grin, along with Max's, drops at Gland's words. Gland clears his throat awkwardly, instantly regretting it. “Too much?” he queries.

  “Just a bit, buddy,” I tell him, giving him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Bells ignores us and continues, “Team B, realists, will be me, Grey—”

  “Shocker,” Nancy teases Grey, cutting Bells off entirely.

  Bell is not impressed seeing as she hates being cut off. Plus, she already can't stand Nancy Montry as is. Nonetheless, she lets it slide and continues, “Nancy—”

  Grey cuts Bells off this time. “Shocker,” he mimics Nancy. Bells frowns before going on. “BoyBand—”

  Again, Bell is interrupted.

  “It's Benley!” BoyBand huffs, scrutinizing his first name with emphasis. Bells, now furious, waits for all of us to shut up as she begins to turn blood-red in the face.

  Troy pushes everyone back, wading us all away from his sister. “Step back, everyone. I've suffered with her long enough to know that she's about to blow the roof off this place.”

  Just like Troy had predicted, Bells erupts like a volcano:

  “By all means, just keep talking over me! Who else, huh?! Is there no one else? Who else wants to have a go at annoying me? What is it? Is it my bossiness or irritating voice that has you all interrupting me? Is it 'Infuriate Bells' day today?!”

  Way to go, Benley! Idiot ruins everything.

  “Actually, it's Flower's birthday today,” Jam corrects in a hushed tone. “I can't be sure when it's 'Infuriate Bells' day,” he says, not at all catching on.

  Jam barely gets his sentence out when Bells reacts. “Shut up, Jam, or I'll pummel you into a real jar of jam!”

  Jam closes his mouth and nods obediently at Bells like a dejected puppy. He drops his head in submission, now looking everywhere but at Bells.

  We all fall silent when she throws her clipboard aside in a fit of rage, the clipboard accidentally and unintentionally hitting Blubber in the face. He's a magnet for always getting hit with things.

  Blubber opens his mouth to let out a cry of pain. Simo is quick to put his chubby hand over Blubber's mouth in order to shush him. It's done in fear of Bells killing off his best friend.

  Benley nods at Simo with respect. “Don't risk him, dude,” he warns as he eyes Be
lls warily, afraid.

  “This is why I can never be friends with her. I'll be walking on eggshells all day,” Jay whispers into my ear as he takes my hand into his.

  Unfortunately for him, Bell hears him. “Something you want to say, Jay?” she asks him outright.

  A fearful look crosses through Jay's eyes. He quickly shakes his head and shuts down.

  “No, I insist. If you have something to say, say it. Let's hear it,” Bells presses, taking a dig at him.

  Jay raises both eyebrows as he tries to pull off an innocent look. “Mhmm?” he hums, feigning innocence while blinking at her in terror as he pretends to not know what she's talking about.

  Bells rolls her eyes at Jay, choosing to let him off the hook.

  “Get on with it already, Bells,” I yawn, bored and unafraid.

  “The rest that are on Team B are Laiken, Blubber, and Jay,” Bell finishes off as quickly as possible so as to avoid being interrupted.

  My face falls upon hearing the last name. “No way! C'mon, Jay is obviously a dreamer.”

  I nudge Jay discreetly in the side to get him to cooperate with me. He catches on and nods, clearing his throat. “Yeah. I'm a dreamer. I also believe in aliens like Troy and all that—”

  “No, you don't,” Grey interjects. “Don't bother trying to go over to their side. We need a good shot like you in Team B.”

  “Yeah, Jay, everyone already knows that you're the furthest thing from a dreamer. Give it a rest.” Benley backs up Grey.

  “He's a dreamer and that's final,” I huff, frustrated, as I stubbornly cross my arms over my chest.

  “Prove it,” Grey retorts, taking Jay and me up on a challenge.

  Well, that's just not happening.

  “Okay, fine, then I'm a realist,” I object.

  Troy and Max burst out laughing at my words.

  “Stop, Aqueela. You're too much,” Troy says through his laughter before wiping some stray tears away. “Classic!” He grins at me. “You're such a comedian.” Grey, too, grins at me. “So, you got jokes now?”

  Max would probably make a comment too if he wasn't laughing so much.

  I frown at the three of them. “I'm serious.”