Close as Strangers

Won't Give Up

Arwen walked into the lounge, carrying three large pizzas. "I got the chow!" She announced, laughing seeing them all goofing around. She set the pizzas on the table, and jumped out of the way just in time for four very tall boys to attack it.

"Well, I see someone likes their pizza!" Effie chuckled, grabbing a slice of her own.

"How about I put on a movie?" Arwen went about connecting her laptop to the tv.

She ended up putting a movie on, that no one seemed to really be watching

Effie smiled brightly, staring towards the dimpled man eating pizza next to her. Everything he did made her laugh, they hit it off so well.

Arwen smirked towards Effie, and grabbed another slice. The other boys were laughing and joking, not seeming to notice the potential chemical energy flaring alive between the two.

"Mikey." Arwen whispered slightly, wrapping her fingers around his forearm.

He looked down at her hand, then to her face. "You okay?" He asked concerned, noticing the intense look on her face.

At this point, the other two stopped joking, and looked towards her as well. Worried something was wrong.

"Effie and Ashton! They are getting along so well; they haven't even noticed we went quiet." Arwen pointed a slim, pale finger in their direction.

Effie's usually fair cheeks were tinted bright red. Tears welling in the corners of her eyes as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Oh my god. Please, please tell me he's single." Arwen looked at this with puppy dog eyes.

"Well, yeah. We're all single." Calum shrugged.

"Yes- wait, seriously?" She cut off her own cheering and looked at all of them, eye's lingering a bit on Michael. "But, like, how?" She shook her head. "Never mind, can we set them up, please? Look how happy they are!"

Luke, Calum, and Michael began to have a silent conversation with their eyes, before breaking out in grins.

"Let's do it." Michael cheered.

"Do what?" Ashton asked from beside them, finally noticing the quiet conversation.

"Nothing!" Luke tried to cover, poorly. "Absolutely nothing" he lied.

They all dropped the conversation, and decided to actually try to watch the movie for a bit. Throughout the rest of the night, Arwen kept glancing over at Ashton and Effie, as they slowly inched closer to each other. Not realizing she and Michael had been doing the same.
By the time the movie had finished, Effie and Ashton were fast asleep. Effie was tucked under Ashton's arm, her head against his chest.

"So cute!" Arwen quietly squealed, pulling out her phone and taking a picture. "God, I just love seeing her this happy with someone." She gave a small, happy smile as she watched them.

"Okay, so we're supposed to leave in the morning. How do we get an adorable relationship started between them? Especially when it'd be almost all long distance." Michael asked.

"Well, I mean, do you have to leave right away tomorrow? Or do you have a little time for Operation: Adorable?" Arwen smirked, possibly a little evilly.

Michael smirked right back. "No, no, I think we got time."