Into the Shadows

Chapter 3: The Pizza

I had 3 pizzas in my warming drawer, but if the amount of pizza my younger brothers could eat alone told me anything, we would probably eat all of it between the five of us. The guys would be arriving soon and I was just waiting to buzz them in. 

I was dancing around the living room with Back Door playing from Cat's surround sound system when the buzz came from the box by the door. I clicked the unlock button and yelled through the intercom over the music, "Come on in!" 

I went to grab my phone from the couch to change the music but I couldn't find it. 

"Crap where did it go?" I looked under the couch and between the cushions but I could not find it. 

I heard a knock at the door, so I just manually turned down the volume. I would look for my phone later. I left the same playing low in the background. 

"Coming!" I yelled as I jogged over to let them in. 

I opened the door and Sam stood there with three other guys. I was hoping at least one of them would be kind of short, but they all kind of tower over me. 

"Hey everyone!" I smiled moving aside so they could come in the apartment. 

"Hey, Lia," Sam greeted as he stepped inside, "This is Colby, Corey, and Jake." 

He pointed to each of the guys as he spoke. 

Colby wore a blue sweatshirt with ripped black jeans and doc martins. Corey wore a camouflage sweatshirt and black joggers. Jake wore all black with a beanie that matched his dyed hair. 

"It's nice to finally meet you all!" I smiled, shaking their hands, "I'm excited to be a part of your project!" 

"Nice to meet you too," Colby smiled as he shook my hand. 

Jake seemed kind of shy, so I shook his hand with a smile.

"You're so nice," Corey looked at Sam a bit stunned, "You didn't say she was so nice."

"I also didn't mention there's pizza." Sam laughed. 

"You guys agreed to come here without knowing about the pizza?" I laughed, "Man, I really thought that was going to be the deciding factor for whether or not you came to a complete strangers apartment." 

"Yeah..." Colby made a face as he thought about how stupid their decision could have been, "We really didn't think about that." 

"I guess that's what a life of breaking into abandoned places and act first think later will do to you." I joked. 

"Oh, so you've watched our channel before?" Colby raised an eyebrow at Sam.

"I binged it after Sam said I got the job. I figured I better try to know a thing or two about the guys I'll be working with." I pointed at Jake, "You're much more talkative on camera, you don't have to be shy! I promise I don't bite." 

He smiled a bit, "I'm a little shy meeting new people."

"But when he gets comfortable, get ready for a whole lot of dirty jokes." Corey assured me. 

"So many..." Sam agreed. 

"Dirty, dirty jokes." Colby added. 

"From your videos, I'm just going to expect them from all of you." 

"They don't make you uncomfortable?" Corey looked a bit surprised

"They're hilarious why would they? Girls can find dirty jokes funny!" I laughed as I headed off toward the kitchen to grab the pizza. 

"Do you need any help?" Sam asked. 

"I got it!" I called. 

I turned to walk out of the kitchen and saw my phone sitting next to the glass of water I had been drinking earlier. 

"Yes! I found it! Ha Ha!" I put it in my jeans back pocket as I walked back out into the main room where they were all sitting on the couch. 

"Found what?" Colby asked. 

"My phone, I was looking for it when you guys buzzed in so I could change the music. It was in the kitchen but I was convinced it was on the couch." I laughed it off.

"Ah," he got quiet for a second leaning close to the speaker to his right, "This is a cool song, I didn't really hear it when I came in. I can't hear the words but it has a nice beat." 

"Its k-pop, you probably don't know it." I laughed, a bit embarrassed. 

"Oh, like those BTS guys?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah, different k-pop group." I said turning it up a bit so they could hear the song. 

"Cool!" Jake nodded. 

I turned it off and shut down the speaker system as I joined them on the couch, passing out plates. 

"I got one cheese, one pepperoni, and one half cheese half Hawaiian. I hope it's enough." 

"Three is definitely enough." Sam laughed. 

"My brothers could each eat a large pizza by themselves, " I laughed, "I almost bought five." 

"If I was really hungry I might be able to eat a whole one." Colby eyed the pizza slice in his hand like he was sizing up an opponent. 

"Last time you did that, you got sick," Jake teased. 

The night continued like that. We all got to know each other better, mostly me getting to know them and them getting to know me. 

When they left that night, I had a feeling that this was going to be the most fun job I had ever had.  I was honestly super excited. In a week and a half, we would all meet at LAX to start our crazy adventure.