All In | ✓

Thirty-four

"Achilles, Achilles, Achilles come down. Won't you get up off, get up off the roof?"

"Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths!" Eli exclaims. Felix sighs and adds another point to Eli's total.

"That brings the score to Eli and Isaac at fifteen and the rest of us at four."

"Hell yeah!" Isaac and Eli high five without looking at each other, grinning. "Next song!"

"This next song was released in 2014." Felix hits play and some instrumentals start.

"This sounds familiar," I mutter, tapping my shoe. "I know this song."

"Play us like pawns and relentlessly confine into living up to gender roles and having absent minds."

"Little Game by Benny."

"Sixteen for Eli and Isaac," Felix mutters. "Nice job babe. You might win."

"They aren't even trying anymore," Eli remarks. "I want to go against just Isaac."

"You guys have visitors!" Dad yells. Multiple pairs of footsteps hit the stairs and Darren, Brendon, and Chase burst into the room.

"What's up fucks?" Darren grins. "Hey Eli."

"Why does Eli get special treatment?" Jaxon whines. I roll my eyes at him, then do a double-take when I realize he and Hudson are still holding hands.

"Looks like everyone's in a relationship now," Chase comments, sitting down next to Eli. "Felix and Isaac, Eli and Jack, Hudson and Jaxon. I need a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. Or a theyfriend. I'm lonely. What're we doing?"

"Having a party."

"I think we should leave so that Jack's parents can have some alone time," Eli says, standing up and dusting off his hoodie. "This many teenagers cannot be good for their health."

"Yes!" Jaxon jumps to his feet and pulls Hudson up with him. "C'mon!"

"Where are we going?"

"To Darren's house."

"Wait, I never agreed to this." Darren stands and frowns at Jaxon, who shrugs.

"Too bad."

"How do adults put up with you?" Isaac questions, standing. "Y'all are one big ball of chaos and bad ideas."

"They don't," Eli answers. "We're put on separate sides of the room."

"You're not." I tip my head.

"I get to sit with whoever I want because I don't act like this in class."

"So you're the dad of the group," Felix jumps in. Eli snorts.

"God no!" Eli flaps a hand. "That'd be Jack."

"How am I the group dad?" I stand and rest my head on Eli's shoulder.

"You just are," everyone says. I sigh and shake my head, watching silently as they all stand.

"It's alright." Eli pats my face. "It's better if you accept it now."

"The only position I accept in this group is the position of being your boyfriend."

"Nope." Chase shakes his head violently, his hair falling into his eyes. "I will not hang around you two if this is how you're going to act."

"If you think we're bad, you should see Hudson and Jaxon," Eli replies. "It's bad."

"Gross."

"Agreed."

"We can hear you." Jaxon swats Chase's shoulder. "Stop telling us we're too lovey-dovey."