The excitement was wearing off as Aletheia sat waiting. Her phone was checked for the millionth time and it was almost an hour till she was hoping to be home and it had been an hour since she had hoped Laura would turn up. The bar was full and Aletheia felt lost in the crowd. So many people had been all alone for that hour as well.

"Hello." A slurred voice spoke from her left as he took another shot and smiled a little too much. His teeth were all rotting and not in a good state. His hand moved to her back and Aletheia stood up, making him fall to the floor. She just walked out and didn't say a word to anyone. Anger began to boil at the audacity of Laura to not even phone and give one of the many excuses a person could give. Will had some amazing excuses.

When she got back a pair of dungarees hung tightly onto her body. The long trousers had worked like skinny jeans. Thia was finally out of the awful dress she had worn all day and it was comfortable.

"How did it go?" Lilly asked as she slowly emerged from her room in her pyjamas and no makeup. She was ready for bed and it was half nine.

"She didn't turn up. Now, go get ready to be in public. Chuck on some jeans or something, not those pyjamas." Lilly shook her head but saw her sister was pissed off. Aletheia was mad and her voice showed it. A bitterness hung when she admitted that Laura didn't turn up.

"I am staying here. I am tired. The timezone is still getting to me." Aletheia nodded and moved her foot from the chair where she had it propped up so she could roll up the base of the dungarees. Slowly, she walked over to her little sister and kissed the top of her hair as a goodnight.

"Don't do drugs. Don't sneak out and if you drink my alcohol I might just ship you off to Australia and you can fend for yourself. I'm going to need it." Lilly laughed and nodded as she walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Oh. Put your washing in the tumble dryer. I was going to but I don't want to anymore. I love you." With that, she left and locked the door behind her just in case and then Thia turned to the door beside her own. The knock was a quiet one and she wasn't sure if he heard but only a moment later it was swung open and there he was.

"Lilly is tired so can't come tonight. Sorry if I am a little too early." He shook his head and moved so she could come in. This was done quickly and the two sat on the larger sofa. They moved to face each other and then only a quiet moment passed when Jaren spoke.

"How was it? Meeting your old friend." She sighed and looked rather awkward. Her eyes lingered on the floor for a moment longer than they should have and finally, a response was formed.

"She didn't turn up and then some drunk man touched my back so I up and left. That was as successful as it could have been. Half of me wanted to stay to see when he would pass out but the bar could be sued for that. Letting him get that drunk so they probably would have stopped serving him long before then." Jaren had no clue as to what to say. Clearly, there was a bit of bitterness but he left that alone.

"Oof," He let out and she laughed with him. The ordeal becoming less and less of a focus and more of something that had happened. The two had no intentions of doing it, but they had moved closer so that they had their legs folded and knees touching and fingers close together as they rested their hands on their knees.

"What do you want to eat?" Jaren finally had the ability to ask when he heard a phone vibrate. Aletheia tried ignoring it but they had rung multiple times.

"Whatever is in your cupboards." She gave as an answer and the pair jumped into life, heading towards the kitchen to cook, Jaren handed her the phone and she knew it had to be picked up and answered but she didn't want to.

"Hello. No, it's fine. That is the past. There is no need to apologise. I will be there next week. In four days. Lilly will be with me too and you got along with her. Look, you just ran a house where people lived to have safe and protected sex unless both parties had given full thought and it was written in your book when that happened. You have broken no laws. Yes, your nonprofit whorganization is legal. No laws were broken you just gave out free sex. You are all legally working and contributing citizens. Love ya. Bye." The phone was put down and a smile met Thia as she walked into the kitchen.

"Chicken? I don't know many recipes but I'm sure we can manage something." Deciding to play with him she bit her bottom lip and let her eyes move about as if in thought. Slowly a finger lifted and she replaced the lip between her teeth with her finger.

"Fine. I know a Korean recipe if you like. We need tomatoes and herbs. Preferably some spice as well." He looked around and then opened a cupboard. There were spices and the two set off. Aletheia was vaguely giving directions but she knew he was doing what he felt like. That was quite standard for him and she rolled her eyes as he blatantly did the opposite of what she had said.

"Why is it doing that?" Just as Aletheia had turned around, she saw the chicken burning. Laughs were kept in but eventually, she stopped and turned the hob off.

"It's all done. Come on. Let's eat." Aletheia handed him a plate and he put food onto it and she brought the other to him. Soon the pair sat at a table and began to eat. Aletheia folded her legs on the chair and Jaren was watching closely. His eyes scrutinized every move that she made. Seeing what she would be doing next.

"What? You keep judging me. The last person to do that was the bartender tonight and that was because he assumed I was too drunk." He shook his head and began to eat slowly until the pair had finished.

"Nice," Jaren commented as he lifted both of their plates and walked into the kitchen. As he stood at the sink the door opened but when he went to speak she spoke instead.

"Fuck you." She was light and joyous as she spoke and as she walked up the dishes were pulled from his hands and then she began to do the washing. "You never rush to do dishes. What are you up to?" Clearly, she had clicked on quicker than he expected. He thought she wouldn't have noticed.

"I wanted us to do something after and then I don't have to do the dishes later as well." At this, Jaren began to dry and put away the dishes that had been cleaned.

"What do you want us to do then?" Was all Aletheia could think to ask as she dried her hands and emptied the sink.

"I want to see how good you are at playing games. I mean, Mario Kart." Aletheia nodded and agreed to it. She had never played but it was going to be a fun thing to try.

"Mum and dad thought games like that melt our brains so we never even had a computer until I left home and got one myself. Mum only has a phone to call me." Jaren laughed and guided her to the sofa where he set up the console. A red controller was handed to Aletheia and a blue one was used by Jaren.

"What does what?" As the game loaded up he turned to Aletheia and moved right next to her. His fingers pointed to buttons and he gave basic instructions. Then the object of the game was given.

"Do you mind if the boys play?" Aletheia had a moment and agreed. His phone was pulled out and in seconds it began to ping. The game had a globe but then he came off and went to create a person.

"Design yourself." Aletheia laughed and made the tallest person with a black top, she was bald and had eyes nearly on top of one another. She smiled at it and finished it off with the nickname 'Smelma Hyneey'. A look that was far too proud covered Thia's face and they set off to play Mario kart again. The globe returned and a few others walked on. No headset was worn so both could hear it all.

"Who the fuck is that spaz?" Tyler was as kind as usual. A laugh only Anthony could produce was given and ChilledChaos joined in.

"Fuck off," Was shouted as Mini had thought it was about him but then he saw it.

"Oh, no. Who that?" He asked in a far kinder and gentler way than Tyler had.

"Oh, so you can have your dolphin looking ass but I can't have eyes? You people who put the minority down sicken me. You know it is not okay to judge. Smelma Hyneey is a sexy woman. Her lips are fat and cover her double chin that she is sensitive about." The call was filled with silent laughter as only a few gasps of air were heard. A few loud sets of bangs were heard as desks were punched. The pure anger that had been forced into speaking was unbelievable.

"Can we just start? Anthony, you sicken me, dude." John perked up as his character had walked onto the scene. A small laugh had escaped but it was covered up and the three races were visible.

When the race finally began the three was visible and a creature on a cloud was seen to be holding it. "What do I press again?" Was asked in the mad rush of people shouting and swearing at someone else.

"I told you. 2." An oh sound was made and the karts moved on. Some a little slow but they gathered speed. The joystick was used to move and soon the laps began.

"Who the fuck picked rainbow road? You sick fuckers." Jiggly let out and a gaggle of 'Smii7y' was sent out. Aletheia was driving in one direction but she was clearly missing something as she didn't seem to be in any sort of control.

"You have finished. You can't control your kart anymore." Aletheia made an 'O' shape with her lips and put the controller down as she felt embarrassment seep into her face and head.

"The fuck. I have only just started my third lap and I am in. Third." Anthony complained some more and Aletheia looked confused as to how she had done that.

"Oh, what button do I press, oh, I can't play it. I don't know how to. You focken bitch. And Anthony, if yer weren't so shite you would almost be finished. That focking map." Nogla complained as he drove in second. Mocking her voice. He wasn't far from the finishing line but still, he got enraged. The three red shells had poked a bear and he wasn't about to forget it.

"Mum thought they killed brain cells. We had no modern technology at my house. The most modern technology was electricity and washing machines. Not even a tumble dryer or dishwasher." That led to more scenes of anger and mocking as they came close to the end of the map.

When it had ended the next map came up. It was rainbow road again but it looked like some rocks with faces were there. Constant complaints were made and they all shouted at Mini for picking it.

"Screw you guys I am first all round and then at the end I get blue shelled and go into last. Oh, I am Mini and don't understand that half of the first lap isn't most of the lap. Fock you too Mini Ladd. You cock sucking cunt." The people on the chat laughed so loud that it had surely been heard by Lilly next door. Aletheia was laughing and nearly crying at Nogla. He was in last as Aletheia had hit him with four of her red shells.

"You're just a bad loser you Irish cunt." John had pushed him further and more insults hit the group as the game continued onto all new laps with more swearing.

"How the hell are you first? I threw a blue shell." Aletheia laughed and said that she hit the back button when it got near and some box got rid of it. They shouted some more, Nogla far louder than any other person and he kept going until the race finished.

"I feel like I have done more damage than I have helped. Should I go?" The question was filled with uncertainty and also humour as shouts of anger filled the air.

"Yes." Was all Nogla could say but the others wanted her to stay. Telling Nogla to leave as he was a bad loser who was annoying them anyway.