A Very Starkid Holiday

Chapter Four - The Triangle

Everyone sat with candles and flashlights in their laps, but no one had spoken in the last 30 minutes. They all just sat there, silent, unsure of how to go on with the night.

Jeff stood up, "Jesus, I cant take this silence anymore." He chuckled and left the room, heading into the kitchen.

It was silent for a moment longer after he left, "I have no clue what to do." Brian shrugged to the group.

Everyone just sighed as response with inaudible replies of "me neither".

"We can play board games or something?" Meredith suggested, then turned to Nick, "do you have any?" She weakly laughed.

"I think I have 'Heads Up'?" He laughed.

"Fine by me, at least we're doing something other than just sitting here." Rachel sighed, everyone nodded with light laughs to her comment.

"I think I'm going to take a nap." Lauren laughed and walked over to the long hallway.

"I'll come with you, Lo." Walker laughed, following after her as Nick ran to the closet and grabbed out the game everyone wanted to play.

Lauren sat in the hallway where no one could see her and put her head in her hands, she groaned.

"Hey, Lo," Walker said once he arrived at her side, "You alright?"

She looked up to her best friend standing there, "Oh, yeah." She let out a weak laugh, "I'm just... tired." She shrugged as he sat down next to her against the wall.

"Well, then go ahead and take a nap right here." He smiled at her.

"Thanks Joe," she sighed, laying her head down on his lap, "love you."

"Love you too, Lo." He smiled at her. Being her best friend was the greatest and hardest thing to him. He loved her, but in more than a best friend way. After her breakup with Joey, Joe was the only one there to help her and understand, listen to her. Walker knew that if he ever was with Lauren, it would break not only their friendship, but also his friendship with Joey, and he couldn't do that. So, he accepted the friend-zone, but loved it no matter what.

Once Lauren laid on his lap, she was practically out. Her breath was calm and her head moved slightly as she slept.

From around the corner, a concerned face appeared, "Joey, go play with the others, she's fine." Walker lightly chuckled.

"I'd rather not be a-" he pulled the card off the headband he wore for the game and looked at the image, "a table." He scoffed as he squatted down.

"She's fine, Joey," Walker sighed, "no offense, but you're probably the last person she wants to see when she wakes up."

Joey sighed, "I know." And sat next to Joe, "I just- I can't believe I fucked up so badly, you know?" He shook his head at himself, "I just can't believe I did that to her..."

"Hey," Walker laughed, "though you did cheat and lie..." Joe shrugged, "at least you're still friends." He tried to cheer him up, but it probably only made it worse.

"...she was the best thing that happened to me." He sighed, "and I just-" he paused for a moment to let out a shaky breath.

Walker lightly nodded, "I'm sorry, buddy."

"I did everything wrong... I wish I had a second chance."

"Someday."

"Well, I'll take my leave before she wakes up..." Joey sighed as he stood, he turned and started to walk until Joe quietly called out to him.

"Hey, Joey?" He turned around to face his friend, "You guys will work this out, you will be okay." He sighed with a small smile on his lips.

Joey sighed and lightly nodded, "I can hope." He smiled and headed out the doorway.

Joe looked down to the sleeping girl on his lap. He had wished that they had worked out so he didn't have to deal with both of their feelings, he was the middle man, and it wasn't his favorite place to be.

She lightly breathed, he smiled looking at her, man, she really was tired, he thought to himself, but maybe because of the jet lag... I know I'm tired.

He continued to sit and let Lauren sleep on him. shit, he thought, I really have to pee. He started to look down the hallway to see if anyone could see him, if he could signal to anyone, I can't move!

He looked around lightly whispering to himself, "gotta pee, gotta pee" repeatedly.

Suddenly he saw figure pass the doorway, "PSSSHHH" he called out to the figure, "Hey! PSSSHHH!!"

"Are you talking to me?" The boy laughed.

"Yeah, shh, be quiet, she's sleeping." He whispered, after a moment he said, "get over here!" Motioning his hand, the man quickly tippy-toed over.

"Do you need something?"

"Yeah, sit here." He said.

"Huh—"

"I have to pee so bad right now." Joe's patience giving up.

"Okay, Walker, okay, slowly get up and I'll take your place."

"Thanks, Jon." Joe sighed and started to stand, hold her head, slipping out and Jon slipping back in. Joe sat her head back down on Jon's thighs, "oh, god, thank you, I'll be back in a quick minute."

"It's okay... um-have fun?" Jon laughed but Joe was already down the hallway and into the bathroom. "So, just be the pillow... okay..." he whispered to himself.

Jon now sat, watching the young girl sleep, she looked so peaceful when she slept. Her eyes started to flutter open from her 10 minute nap and Jon realized—oh shit, he thought to himself, what do I do!? This is so awkward. He tried looking back an forth from her to where Joe ran off to, but Joe didn't seem to come out of the bathroom quick enough in time for Lauren to yawn and look up to the new face above her.

She jolted up, "JON!"

"Hi..." he said slowly.

"Wha-where's Joe?" She said quickly, she rubbed her eyes.

"The bathroom... he didn't want to leave you." He shrugged.

"Oh... that's so like him to do..." she lightly laughed to herself that turned into a yawn.

"Um-I'm sorry-this is awkward-" Jon tried to laugh it off.

"No, it-it's okay..." she stammered, "uh-that's sweet, that you helped him." She weakly laughed.

"It's um-it's no problem." He weakly laughed and started to stand, "I um-I guess I'll see you out there..."

"Yeah... okay, thanks, Jon." She smiled at him. He nodded as a reply and headed out the doorway.

Joe walked down the hallway after Jon had gone, he saw Lauren's face light up after a year of sadness. He knew now that Lauren wasn't thinking of Joey, he wasn't the only one on her mind, Jon was coming into the picture, and Joe didn't know where to stand in this triangle.

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a/n: wow, I'm so sorry I posted late! But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, we're getting into the story so that should be fun :)
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—stranger_starkid !