"No It's 1588! Dude we learned this at the beginning of the year!"

"It's 1688!" My brother argues with Ty.

"Y'all lets take a vote. When was the Spanish Armada?" Co yells out over all the voices. He was holding the flash card so he knew the answer.

It was 1588 during Queen Elizabeth's rule.

Ace and Wes were the only two to vote for 1688.

"And survey says," Co announces before flipping over the card, revealing the 1588 answer.

"SUCK IT, I WAS RIGHT BITCH," Tyler yells at Ace as he hops up, earning laughs from everyone and an eyeroll from my brother.

"Then what the fuck was in 1688?" Wes yells out

"Glorious revolution Wes," Arrex grins "When James two was kicked out and William and Mary of orange took power in England with no bloodshed"

"Just a year prior to the English Bill of rights," Em adds

"Yes ma'am," My brother just grins at her

This is better. Beck decided not to hang out tonight, I think two nights of seeing all of his friends together and being the only miserable person in the room is wearing out on him.

"Okay okay, next one," I call out

"Alright, this is a good one, who wrote 'Leviathan' and when was it published?" Co reads out the card

I write both the answers on my white board before flipping it over and being the first one to hold up my answer

"Bails gets that one, the answer was Hobbes 1651," Co grins at the group "Arrex, Amy and Ty you all had Hobbes, but wrong date Em, And Wes you had right year wrong author,"

"I call bias!" Tyler yells out

"Dude look at the card!"

"Damnit!" Amy yells "I loved that book too,"

"Okay, Last one," Co grins "Name your favorite three influencers of the enlightened period and one book of the period. Said book does not have to be by one of your influencers,"

I instantly write down my three- Voltaire, Rousseau and Thomas Paine. And then 'Candide' by Voltaire.

Ace and Wes both beat me to revealing my answer though and got the point.

"Damn!"

"Hehe Bails look we wrote the same thing!" Ty grins looking at out boards

"We got good taste," I laugh, high-fiving him.

"Okay, and the winners tonight are Ace and Wes, tied for first" Co announces, looking at our scoreboard. "And that concludes our final Ap study night of the week. All of our tests start tomorrow and go until Friday.

"Damn," Ty huffs, I was looking to win two nights in a row

"Sorry dude, I own Euro," my brother just smirks at him with a cocky smirk on his face. Ace was really good with history. Don't get me wrong, I love history, it's always been one of my favorites but It's been Aces subject since we were kids. I'm more science, hence how I won our Ap chem/bio night.

"He really does," Caleb grins, sitting laughs and he sits back down on the floor next to me, draping his arm around me as he does so.

My brother smacks his arm in an attempt to knock his his arm off me, however, it remains in its place while Co simply flips A off. Which then results in Arrex tackling him and the two begin their wrestling match on the floor.

"I think this might be the new normal," I laugh, looking at Em

"This has been our normal, what're you talking about," Co grins from under my brother who was now sitting on his chest with a victorious smile.

"Yep,"

"I'm happy y'all are friends again," Ty smiles, watching all of us "It feels like we're all together again,"

"Yeah, we just need Beck now," Wes adds

"That one might be a little while, he's still mad," I say, the smile fading from my face

"Well if Arrex is fine with it, Beck should be too, he's being a bitch," Amy huffs looking down at the floor

"Beck can be a little more hardheaded than Arrex sometimes," Co reasons somewhat defending Beck "He'll come around,"

"I hope," I mumble

"We'll be good B," Co whispers before kissing the side of my head "We always are,"

"Thanks Co,"

"Okay, can we get food? It's almsot ten and I haven't had dinner yet," Tyler questions, breaking the soon to be sad energy in the room

"Yeah, where to?" Ace questions sarcastically like we don't go to the same place every week.

———————————

As soon as we got home, Ace and Arrex went right up to bed. We'd stayed out later than expected and the three of us had an eight am test. I was going to do the same until I heard my twins tv still on as I pass his room.

Deciding against my better judgement , I walk in.

"Don't want anything Ace," he calls out, obviously grumpy

"Not Ace," I say, learning agaisnt the door frame.

"We all miss you tonight,"

"Yeah well, wasn't feeling like socializing," he states after pausing his game and turning around to look at me "Do you need anything or are you just trying to annoy me?"

"I'm trying Beck," I state "So is Co,"

"Well you're wasting your time, you both are," he snorts

"Are you seriously going to stay mad at us for this?" I question. He's never stayed mad at me for this long. It's been almost three weeks.

"Yeah I am," He states like I'm stupid.

"I'm sorry for breaking your rule." I say quietly after a second of silence. "And I'm sorry for not telling you right away," I was defeated.

"Yeah, well, that's nice to hear, you should go to bed the euro test is tomorrow," and with that his back is turned to me and I'm being shut out once again.

"Beck I'm serious," I say

"I'm sure you are Bailey," he used my first, first name. He never calls me Bailey.

"Can you at least talk to me? Please Beck, I'm trying here,"

"I don't want to talk. You chose Co, he chose you and that's that." He says "Plain and simple,"

"So what? Now your gonna ostracize yourself from the group?" I questions "You're gonna leave Ty, Wes, Amy and Em, plus the twins cause of Co and I?"

"No Belle. I just need a minute, finding out your two best friends have been sneaking around behind your back for almost four months after they've promised you multiple times nothing would happen isn't the best news to fucking find out," Beck states

"It's not like we aimed to hurt you Beck! Do you really think we'd risk all this shit for nothing? I'm sorry that we went behind your back, I'm sorry that we ended up together but Beck, I'm not sorry for what I feel for him."

"You know as well as I am he's a fuckin player so don't fall for that lovey shit," he rolls his eyes

"Really? When was the last time he slept with someone? If he such a player, as far as you know when's the last time he slept with anyone. Cause Jordan told me it was August. That doesn't sound too player-like to me." I state "When has he ever hurt me?"

He just stays silent as he looks at me

"Exactly. You know as well as I do that that boy would do anything for me, even if we weren't together. He always has. Fuck, I'm the same, !" I reason "Beck, I love him. I really really do, he's one of my best friends, he's always been there for me and he's never intentionally done anything to ever hurt me, am I wrong?"

"No." He states

"Exactly, do you remember how scared you were to talk to me about Amy?"

"Yeah yet I still did before actually doing anything. More than can be said for you two,"

"And I'm sorry. That is completely on me. But do you remember how she made you feel when you guys would talk? And how happy she'd make you whenever she was around? How much you'd laugh with her?" I question and he just nods

"Exactly. Now put that into a whole lifetime, that's how Co and I have been. Literally our whole lives, we've always been able to be ourselves around eachother, we can laugh and joke around and are just happier when we're together. How often do people find that? How you feel with Amy, is how I've felt for years with Co. Can you please at least try to understand?" I plead trying to find some reason within him "Please, Beck,"

"Bailey, I just need some time, okay?" His demeanor seemed to shift. He seemed softer and nicer I guess, which is progress.

At this point there wasn't anymore I could say so I just sigh and nod.

"Okay," I nod "There are wings in the fridge from Kane's, I didn't know if you'd want any," I add quietly

"Thanks B," he responds at an equal volume, sounding just as defeated as I was

"Yeah"