A Veiled Perception

Defibrillator- Chapter 20

Chapter 21

MJ POV

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry I thought you were Dari!" I said in between laughs while concurrently wiping the residue on my jeans. I can't believe that I just flour bombed my best friend. Wait! Secret almost-kind-of boyfriend? 

"Yo! What are you doin here?" Darian questioned Jake as he made his way out of his hiding spot behind the counter. Darian's clothes were still flour free; meanwhile, I'm covered in it and so is the kitchen. I bite my lip; we haven't all hung out since the party, and a lot has changed. I need to talk to Jake about keeping whatever we are a secret at least until Darian has moved on.

Jake wipes his face and shakes out the dusting of flour. Running his fingers through his shaved head. Even antiquing Jake couldn't make him look bad, instead he looks like a statue of a Greek God. My Greek God. He needs to be locked up in a museum so the world can admire him. 

Or just in my room.

"Courtney let me in, are we cool?" Jake searched Dari's face for a response.

"Yeah, sorry. I shoulda called my bad. I was bein a dick. I was dealing with some shit."

Darian and Jake both turn and look in my direction. As if to say, I was "The Shit" Darian is referring to. And blood rushes to my face, and I take off my hoodie because suddenly it's way too hot and I'm feeling sticky, sweaty and the flour drifts in the air. Removing the hoodie didn't seem to melt the anxiety of having them both in the same room together.

My two best friends and the only two guys that I've ever made out with and they're both still staring at me.

"Dari got a tattoo" I blurt out, Deflect. It's the only thing I could think of at the time to get the attention off me. And besides, I want to see it.

Darian winces, and I gave him a wry smile.

"W-what, you got a tattoo?" Jake stammers, his stammering began after Chris died, and now it's pretty much is non-existent, but on the rare occasion when he's nervous or upset it makes its appearance. He's really self-conscience about it, and it's probably why he's so quiet and always thinks about everything before he says it.

Darian shakes his head in disbelief. "Yeah, no big deal, MJ was making me pancakes want some?"

Darian's trying to change the subject, which confuses me because as long as I can remember Jake and Darian talked about what tattoos they would get when they graduated. I'm shocked he isn't showing it off.

"You cook?" Jake questioned me mockingly.

I shrug my shoulders "Better than you make garlic bread. I'm making Pancakes."

Our eyes locked on one another. There are so many questions in Jake's eyes.Questions he can't ask me in front of Darian. He understands we can't tell Darian about us. We haven't talked about it, but we both love Dari so, it is something we don't have to say.

Darian breaks our gaze with the clearing of his throat "I beat her in 21, the loser had to cook breakfast" Jake drifts his attention back towards Darian.

I roll my eyes "He cheated."

"Obviously" Jake teased Dari.

Darian's eyebrows furrowed together in a frown "Hey!" Darian yelled out defensively. I round my way into the kitchen, grab the batter and mix it once more for good measure as Darian and Jake argued about who is the better basketball player. They both know I am.

"What, Dari, you're not that good." Jake laughs and takes a seat on the barstool.

Darian slides onto the stool next to Jakes on the other side of the island. "Yeah, well, the shock clock says I am. And I wouldn't be laughing; she said she could beat you too."