FicWad

The house became quite clouded with an uncomfortable feeling as everybody came back from their Thanksgiving breaks. It seemed the only people who were left out of the odd feeling were Gabe and Grace who were stuck in their own little world. Ali had learned from Grace that her parents were abundantly thankful that she had gotten back with Gabe, a man who ‘always knew how to treat her right’. Ashley had hit a wall, so to speak with Joe, who had reverted back to his old ways after getting ‘the talk’ from Ashley’s father. She pleaded and prayed, but no godly power could shake the scared man again. Ali also learned that Dirty had pretty much ruined Thanksgiving at Andy’s house, breaking the table in an attempt to show off his ‘skills’. Andy’s parents had kicked Dirty out of the house after that but allowed Jenn to stay since they were convinced that there was something going on between her and their son. Ali herself had been feeling quite down, and what was worse was that Travis didn’t seem to care much at all about not taking her on Thanksgiving. Worse yet, Patrick was avoiding her, and when they would run into each other, he would always be holding the same knowing look. Currently however, Ali was trying to figure out the obvious friction between Izzy and Pete, who had returned in dramatic fashion; yelling and screaming at each other about God knows what. The minute Ali tried to talk to Izzy however, she was met with anger and decided to let her figure things out for herself.

Things pretty much stayed like this for the next few weeks, most of the house becoming outsiders to their own lives. Though, once all together, they ignored what was happening to get along, even if it was for a little bit. Tonight was the last day of school before Winter Holiday break, causing Jenn to go into party mode, suggesting that the group go out to the clubs to loosen up and have fun, for once. Ali agreed the moment she spoke to her about it, and the only people that stayed behind were Gabe and Grace, explaining that they wanted ‘alone’ time. So, as the sun set, the rest set out and upon finding themselves in the darkness of the club, let new sides show up.

Feeling the burden of Thanksgiving still heavy on her back, Izzy traveled alone to the bar, not caring that Pete was following closely behind her.

“Vodka, two shots, no chaser,” she announced, the bartender giving her a strange look before nodding and turning around to prepare it. She breathed out, but rolled her eyes and Pete appeared next to her, a curious glance on his features.

“Iz,” he started. Izzy flattened her eyes, feeling annoyed still.

“Do you even know my full name?” she cut in, changing the subject from whatever Pete was about to bring up.

“Excuse me?” he yelped, a little taken back. Izzy raised an eyebrow, and glared at him again.

“You heard me, Pete, I’m just trying to figure something out about us,” she explained, malice in her voice. Pete frowned and lowered his eyes, feeling extremely guilty at the fact that, he simply did not know.

“Uhm,” he gulped and raised his eyes to his girlfriend, moving a hand to rub along his neck nervously. “Isabel?” he guessed. Izzy’s expression flattened and Pete instantly knew what was coming, but was met with surprise when Izzy just turned away and grabbed her two shots, throwing them down in record time.

“Nice try,” she muttered. Pete leaned towards her a little bit and tried to catch her eyes, but was met with her hand, pushing him away.

“I’m sorry, Izzy,” he spoke, trying to use his grin to get her attention. Izzy rolled her eyes and sighed, shaking her head.

“It’s Elizabeth,” she whispered. Pete raised an eyebrow and leaned towards her again.

“What-”

“Elizabeth,” Izzy spoke again, turning her expression soft, and hurt. Pete gulped yet again and sighed as they shared a look.

“You can’t let this upset you, I’m sure I’m not the only one who doesn’t know this…” he trailed off and noticed Patrick coming towards the two, him looking just as somber. “Trick,” he called. Izzy looked back at Pete questionably and sighed when Patrick shared the same look at his friend.

“What do you want, I’m not in the mood for your shenanigans!” he pushed at his chest but Pete pleased with him and held his shoulders to keep him in place.

“No, what’s Izzy’s full name?” he asked, holding a desperate look. Patrick rolled his eyes.

“Elizabeth, you dumbass,” he muttered. Izzy smirked at Pete’s expression as it faltered but Pete held Patrick still as he tried to get away.

“Ok, well then what’s Ali’s full name?” he tried. Patrick’s eyes flattened and he sighed again, shaking his head.

“Alexandra,” he replied and then raised an eyebrow. “How long is this going to go on?” he asked. “Grace is Grace, Jenn is Jennifer and Ashley is Ashley,” he said quickly. Pete frowned even more and finally let Patrick go, watching him walk around him and to the other side of the bar where Joe and Ashley were sharing a drink. Pete looked at Izzy and offered another grin.

“Your point?” Izzy asked, sarcastically. Pete breathed out again and lowered his eyes to her hands on the bar, letting them trail up until he looked at her, but avoided eye contact. “Pete,” Izzy called. He grunted in response and looked off, making him appear to be watching other people. “You know what?” she started. Pete glanced back at her, his mouth askew.

“What? You done acting weird?” he joked. Izzy held a disappointed look and pursed her lips before moving around Pete, trying desperately to get away from his stupidity. “Izzy,” he whined, walking after her and gripping her wrist. She snapped herself around and stared dead at him.

“What?” she hissed. Pete stepped back but then raised his hands up in question.

“What is with you, Izzy?” he paused and creased his eyebrows together. “You’ve been acting like some crazy girlfriend ever since Thanksgiving, what’s up?” he peered at her with a harder look. “And I know it goes beyond the whole kid thing,”

Izzy relaxed her shoulders, feeling the pressure coming from his diction.

“You’re right,” she spoke, locking eyes with him, but only finding him breaking it the instant she did. “It goes beyond that,” she reached to his face and moved his head back so that he was forced to look at her. “For starters, why can’t you look me in the eyes?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. Pete gulped and shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he mumbled. Izzy rolled her eyes.

“Then forget it,” she creased her eyebrows together again and looked to Pete who was now glancing away, and when Izzy watched his eye line saw a girl dancing on a table, rather sultry like. “Figures,” she spoke under her breath. Pete looked back at her.

“What?” he asked. Izzy shook her head and frowned.

“I said…” she felt her heart beat pick up at what was about to come but shook her head in a small movement before continuing. “We’re over,”

Pete’s eyebrows shot up and he leaned forward, gripping Izzy by the waist. She fought against him and stepped backwards, shaking her head with a solemn look.

“Why?” Pete pleaded. Izzy closed her eyes tightly momentarily.

“Because you never seem to get your shit together, and I’m sick of the confusion,” she pointed a finger at his chest. “You tell your parents that you want us to last forever and that you want me to have your kid but then you flirt with girls at parties, nurses at blood banks and more girls at clubs,”

“But I wasn’t flirting with her!” Pete yelled, acknowledging the girl still dancing on a table. Izzy threw her hands in the air, even more fed up.

“That’s not the point!” she fought, shaking her head wildly. “I swear sometimes that you are just in it for the sex,” she muttered. Pete flattened his eyes and instead of using that filter that some people called, he let it slip through his lips.

“So what if I am?” he responded. Instantly, he felt his tongue retreating to the back of his mouth, almost as if he was trying to swallow it in regret. Izzy just skewed her mouth to the side, trying to look angry, but Pete could tell by the glint in her eye that she was more hurt than anything.

“Wrong thing to say, Pete,” she whispered, loud enough for him to hear. She turned and lowered her eyes, shaking her head. “Just try not to get in my way at the house,” she looked back up to him and glared again. “Enjoy fucking around with other girls,”

With that, Pete rolled his eyes, watching as she walked away. Though, even if for a moment he thought he would do just that, he couldn’t help but feel a little pain in his chest as his heart faltered, it falling slightly. He held back the feeling and instead turned to the bar where he instead chose to ‘fuck around’ with alcohol instead.

Back on the other side of the bar, Patrick was trying to have a good time, taking back an occasional shot with Ashley and Joe, who had seem to finally loosen up since the trip to Ashley’s parent’s house for Thanksgiving. She was still worried that he would be a little apprehensive when it came to the bedroom, but Patrick did his best to encourage her to just get the boy liquored up.

“Good idea,” she laughed, looking down at the three new shot glasses on the bar. She raised her own up and Joe laughed as he gripped his own, looking at Patrick to grab his own.

“No more for me, I’d like to be coherent tonight,” he explained. Joe just smirked.

“More for me,” he hiccupped once and shot back the first one with Ashley at the same time, before grabbing Patrick’s and throwing it back as well. Once he was done, he peered a little off in the distance and raised an eyebrow. Ashley seemed to occupy herself with getting the bartender’s attention, but Patrick followed Joe’s eyes to where the two saw Travis obviously hitting on a girl who was not Ali and instantly, Patrick let the rare jealous side of him flare up. Joe nudged him as Travis and the blonde came closer.

“Say something dude, isn’t he with Ali?” he questioned. Patrick glanced at his friend.

“He won’t be for any longer,” he paused and jumped off his barstool before walking over to catch up with Travis. “Travi,” he called. The taller man turned around, and Patrick observed the way his arm was wrapped around the girl’s waist, a bright smile on her face as she looked up at him.

“Yeah Trick?” he voiced, perking up an eyebrow. Patrick gulped but crossed his arms.

“Where are you going?” he asked. Travis rolled his eyes.

“Her place,” he spoke, rather quickly. Patrick’s eyebrows shot up and watched as Travis turned around and walked out of the club, blonde in tow. He shook his head and turned back to the bar, and before he was about to go back to where Joe and Ashley were, he saw Ali leaning against the railing of the stairs that led down into the dance floor, a solemn look on her expression. He neared her and licked his lips nervously before resting his own body against the railing, moving slightly when people brushed by to get though.

“I already know, Patrick,” Ali spoke, looking at him for a second. He raised an eyebrow but then sighed, knowing.

“How?” he asked. Ali sighed, gripping her drink more and twirling the stick inside it.

“I let him,” she simply explained, knocking her head back to drink some more of the red liquid. Patrick frowned and inched closer to her as the music in the club became louder.

“Why?” he questioned. Ali looked at him fully, turning her body to stare.

“He was flirting with her all night, so when he came up to me I just told him to go and he did,” Patrick creased his eyebrows together, confused.

“Yeah, but why did you tell him it was ok to go?” he pushed. Ali skewed her mouth to one side and flicked her eyes up to his own, frowning.

“I was testing him,” she whispered. Patrick sighed but then switched his gaze to the dance floor as an Usher song started he reached out for her wrist and pulled her a little closer, nodding his head to the staircase.

“Forget it,” he chewed on his lip for a second but then smiled softly. “Dance?” he asked meekly. Ali copied his grin and nodded, leaving her drink on the table that was next to her before following him down the stairs, letting his arm curl protectively around her waist as they made their way into the pit. She turned once he stopped and closed her eyes contently as her back met his chest, his hands on her waist as they grinded slightly to the beat of Yeah. She leaned her head back and smiled, letting the emotions she used to feel come back. Though, she could only allow it due to one thing: alcohol. Patrick glanced at Ali’s content smile and sighed, knowing she was still confused about what might or might not happen between them. Figuring though that this would be the last chance to be near her in a while, he took the close proximity for granted.

But I gotta keep it real now, 'cause on a one to ten she's a certified twenty

*

With the whole house forced onto either team Izzy or team Pete, Christmas day was an awkward one. Both of them proceeded to throw each other’s gifts into the bin on Christmas Eve, and Pete spent the better half of the day following Ali around the kitchen as she prepared dinner.

“Can I mix the cranberry sauce, thing?” He asked politely, and Ali glared at him slightly before shaking her head.

“No. Go away.” She muttered, and Pete stuck his bottom lip out and stomped out into the living room.

Opening the presents was more like a task to a lot of them and the girls forced smiles when typically, the boys all bought them present that wouldn’t have made it onto the girl’s wish lists even if they were free. The boys were all happy with their presents and the girls felt more than a little upset about just how little the boys in the house knew about them. Admittedly they had only known them coming on half a year, but even so, when the girl’s presents were opened large smiles were found on a lot of their faces. Ashley raised an eyebrow when she picked up the present from Joe, eyeing it and frowning.

“It’s a star wars figure,” She muttered, and Joe smiled happily.

“Yep, see, and its arms move... look,” He wiggled it slightly and Ashley widened her eyes. “Just because I don’t get many presents doesn’t mean I can’t get you the most awesome one ever,”

“Oh, wow...” She looked pointedly at Izzy who stifled laughter that was quickly demolished once Pete walked into the room. She glared slightly and folded her arms, and Pete rolled his eyes.

“My presents for you guys are under the tree,” He said and Izzy huffed while everyone grabbed theirs. After the unwrapped and much concealed hatred amongst people in the room, Ali walked in and announced that the dinner would be ready in a few hours, and she watched as people scattered. A few people walked outside and she noticed a few others head upstairs and she sighed as Patrick walked up to her.

“Er, happy Christmas,” He mumbled, and Ali nodded.

“You too...” She sighed, looking down at the floor slightly.

“So, whatcha’ cooking?” He creased his eyebrows as soon as he heard what he had said, and Ali looked confused.

“Er, Christmas dinner?” She said, and Patrick nodded.

“Yeah, I know. I just,” He shook his head and shrugged. “Never mind.” He turned around and Ali sighed, not bothering to call him back, purely because she wouldn’t know what to say.

*

“Can we pull the crackers yet?” Joe smiled, and Ashley rolled her eyes.

“You know Joe, for a Jewish person, you’re enjoying the Christmas thing way too much,” Joe shrugged.

“What can I say, I don’t get this with family, it’s nice.” Ashley smiled nodding and Joe repeated himself. “So, crackers?” He asked, and Travis nodded.

“Here,” He said, and pulled one with Joe, the toy in the middle of it flying across the table and landing in Patrick’s dinner. Patrick looked up from his potatoes and tilted his head, annoyed at Joe who shrugged.

“Sorry,” He mumbled, and Patrick sighed. Joe, who was unaware of the awkwardness at the dinner table proceeded to fling turkey at Patrick using his fork. "Cheer up," Patrick glared again and took a deep breath and picked up his plate, walking into the kitchen and leaving the rest of them at the table. Joe looked confused and looked to the rest of them for an explanation.

“What’s up with him?” He asked, and a few people ignored him and rolled their eyes, following Patrick in the task of putting their plates in the kitchen. Dirty turned to Joe and smiled slightly.

“Dude, you’re more clueless about everything than I am, and that’s saying something...” Joe sighed as people walked back into the room, and Patrick shuffled his feet, pointing to the seating area next to them.

“Guys, I er, I have a song to sing for, well, all of you,” He said, and most people looked excited. Grace smiled, poking him in the shoulder.

“What’s it about, musical genius?” She giggled and Patrick blushed slightly before pointing to Pete.

“Well he wrote it, but it’s a Christmas song.” Grace smiled happily and led everyone over to the seating area, people taking positions on chairs and on the rug, Patrick sat in front of everyone and smiled sheepishly before strumming the guitar a few times and coughing.

“Er, it doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s a Christmas song, like I said,” He took a breath and started to play the guitar, making people smile at the small amount of effort he put into it.

“These are your good years, don't take my advice, you never wanted the nice boys anyway... And I'm of good cheer 'cause I've been checking my list. The gifts you're receiving from me will be one awkward silence and two hopes you cry yourself to sleep, staying up, waiting by the phone. And all I want this year is for you to dedicate your last breath to me before you bury yourself alive...”

Izzy snapped her head to Pete at this point, narrowing her eyes at him and folding her arms, watching as he noticed her staring and smirked smugly, looking back at Patrick. He missed the hurt look that Izzy threw to him and listened to the rest of the song, impressed by how quickly Patrick put the music to it. As Patrick carried on with his rather depressing Christmas song, Ali sighed as she listened to his voice, a voice that she knew she wanted to sing her to sleep. She couldn’t help but smile at him and the way he could make Pete’s incredibly depressing lyrics sound beautiful. After he finished the song people seemed to either stare at him, Izzy or Pete. Pete looked happily back at Izzy who looked very pissed off, and Patrick looked a little embarrassed to have sung such a hurtful song to her. Pete frowned a little when Izzy stood and looked hurt, but smiled when she gulped.

“I need a drink,” She muttered, and Ali sighed when she excused herself from the room. She glared pointedly at Pete who shrugged and patted Patrick on the shoulder.

“That was awesome dude, the song sounds great.” Patrick frowned.

“I don’t think Izzy thinks so,” He mumbled, and Pete shrugged, rolling his eyes. The rest of the people in the room gave each other looks and were all thinking the same thing; that it was going to be awkward in this house unless their friends kissed and made up.