Mari lay on the soft couch in the living room, hugging a fluffy blue pillow. The television was playing a cody show, and she couldn’t stop laughing. The characters on the screen were acting so silly, and every ti one of them said sothing dumb or sarcastic, Mari howled with laughter not caring that she would be disturbing anyone.
She kicked her bare feet in the air and wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh my God," she giggled. "How stupid can you be, Bob? That’s the third ti she tricked you and you keep falling!"
She wished she was watching the show with soone. Movies were always more fun when watching with soone else, cause then they could laugh together and critic or applaud the actors together.
She sighed, missing Emily even more now. She wondered how Emily was coping with Callan. She also wondered how Jamal was holding up.
It was what she hated the most about this arrangent. Not being able to reach her friends or parents to know how they were doing.
Everyone was struggling with one thing or the other and she was holed up here like so Disney princess being shielded from the harsh realities of life.
She didn’t mind being there anymore since she got to enjoy Jax’s company, but she would feel better being able to communicate with her friends to offer them support however she could.
Maybe it was ti she opened up to Jax that she knew the truth and ask him to let her talk to her parents. She missed them. Especially her mom.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming from the hallway, and she turned her head quickly. When she saw who it was, a wide smile spread across her face.
"Chad!" she said, sitting up and patting the space next to her. "Finally soone is here to save from this terrible, terrible boredom!
He walked in with a slow grin. He had on a loose white red and white shorts. His hair was a little ssy like he had run his fingers through them a lot. "Terrible boredom, huh?" he teased. "It didn’t sound like it when I heard you laughing a mont ago. It sounded like you were having fun."
Mari rolled her eyes and leaned back on the couch again. "Laughing at stupid TV is fun, but it’s not the sa as having soone to laugh with."
He chuckled and flopped down beside her. "So, where is Jax?"
She gave him a playful side glance. "Your cowardly brother ran off. I have no idea where he went."
He raised a brow and turned to face her. "Cowardly? Why are you calling him that?"
Mari tilted her head and crossed her arms. "Because he has an annoying habit of running away from every little misunderstanding. One mont we’re talking, and then poof— he’s gone."
He raised a brow and grinned. "Yet you like him?"
Mari gave a shy smile and shrugged. "Yeah... I do."
He laughed louder this ti, amused by the shy expression on her face. "So, you’re saying you like a cowardly guy who keeps running away from you? Why?"
She nodded and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "He’s just so... endearing. I don’t know how to explain it. He’s really sweet, even when he’s trying to act all tough. And when he tries to sound an, it just makes him look so hot."
He covered his face and groaned with laughter. "Wow, you’re really weird. How can you call your kidnapper ’hot’ and ’sweet’?"
Her smile softened. "Is he really my kidnapper, though?"
His smile faded a little, and he sat up straighter. "Why are you asking that?"
She bit her lip and shrugged. "Does this really look like I was kidnapped? I don’t think so. Yes, I was brought here against my will, but I just don’t think it was to hurt . I think it was to protect ."
Before he could say anything, Mari turned to face him more seriously. "I heard sothing. About my father... that he might have caused your dad’s death. Is that true?"
He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "Don’t bother your head with that."
"Why not?" she pushed gently. "Why is everyone being so secretive? Why won’t anyone tell what’s really going on?"
He raised a brow and gave a half-smile. "What kind of kidnapper gives their hostage information about their kidnap?" He asked, trying to throw her off.
Mari frowned. "I thought you were the cool one, Chad," she said, poking him in the arm. "But here you are, being all tight-lipped like Jax."
He chuckled again. "Sorry to disappoint."
Mari eyed him for a mont. "So, what do you think about Diva and Jax? Do you think Jax loves her? I an, I don’t think so. I’ve seen the way he talks to her and I really think she’s better off without him. But do you think maybe there is sothing serious between them?"
He looked at her for a mont and raised his brow, "Why are you asking? Will you leave Jax alone if there’s sothing serious between them?"
Mari shrugged. "She seems to really like him a lot, but I’m not sure how he feels about her. You know so tis people never really know how much a person ans to them until they lose them. It’s possible he just might realize that she ans a lot to him after so ti apart. I don’t want to get in the middle of their chasing her back romance story," she said, and he laughed.
"There will be no chasing her back story, don’t worry about that," he said, and she raised a brow.
"Really? You sound so confident. Does that an it’s really over between them?" Mari asked, and he nodded.
"Good!" She said with a grin, clapping happily, "so, you’re not like team DIJA, right?" She asked, and he frowned.
"What’s that?" He asked, and she laughed.
"Team Diva-Jax. You don’t mind that they broke up, do you? Cause I’d like you to be team MAJA or JAMA. I think ours sounds better. What do you think?" She asked, and he laughed out loud.
"I don’t know. It depends on what you want," he said and she smiled as she leaned closer.
"I want Jax," she said, her voice dropping into a whisper like she was sharing a secret. "So, tell what Jax likes."
He raised a brow. "What?"
She pulled her knees up and smiled. "What does he like? You know... what makes him laugh, what food he enjoys, what kind of music he listens to? What does he do in his spare ti?"
He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Are you really into him? Or are you just bored and trying to pass the ti while you’re stuck here?"
Mari shrugged. "I think I am into him."
"You think?"
"I don’t know," she answered honestly. "But how am I supposed to find out if I don’t get close to him? I want to know and understand him better."
He gave her a long look. "And how do you plan to do that? In bed or out of bed?"
Mari laughed, rolling her eyes. "Both, maybe. I don’t see why not. I can know him in the normal sense of the word and in the biblical sense."
He shook his head and laughed. "What about ? Aren’t you interested in at all?"
Mari leaned closer until their shoulders touched, then whispered, "I like you, Chad. You’re funny, and you’re sweet in your own way... but it’s Jax I want. So, maybe you can help make him jealous. You know earlier I told him I was going to ask you to be my fuck buddy. That sort of got a rise out of him. I think he might be more interested if I make him jealous. He likes , I know it."
He opened his mouth to say sothing, but the front door opened before he could speak. Both of them turned toward the sound.
Venita stord in, looking annoyed and breathless. She had on tight jeans, a glittery top, and high heels that clicked loudly on the tile floor.
When she saw them sitting close on the couch, her eyes narrowed, and she pointed at him.
"Seriously, Jax? You threw Diva out because of this bitch? The poor girl has been crying nonstop and you’re here cuddling up with this brat? And where the hell is Chad?!"
Mari blinked and looked from Venita to Chad, confusion spreading across her face. Even Venita couldn’t tell her brothers apart? Really? She wondered, not minding Venita’s rude words.
He didn’t blink. He leaned back against the couch coolly and said, "Chad’s jet-lagged. He’s napping in his room. And I don’t owe you any explanation about Diva. You of all people should have known this was bound to happen."
Mari’s mouth dropped open. She stared at him wide-eyed. "Wait... what? You’re not Chad? Jax?"
Jax grinned and stood up slowly. "Guilty."
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