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"Favourite number?"

I padded through the snow clad streets with Edvin by my side. His hands were stuffed deep into his coat pocket and his chin buried inside his muffler. His hair fell over his face as he made a game out of jumping onto the spots without snow.

I looked towards him, "27."

"Why?"

"Just because."

"I don't have a favourite number. How can you like a number?" he pondered.

"Important dates probably. Or memories," I said.

"Does 27 carry a memory?"

My cheeks heated up and my eyebrows furrowed, "It carries a person."

He shrunk back and gave me an all knowing look, "Is the person still in your life?"

I shook my head, "Hasn't been for a long time."

He decided not to pry further, "Your turn, Jamie."

I scrunched my nose and pouted. I was feeling cold inside my nose. It was the strangest feeling ever. I looked over at him, "Favourite animal."

"No!" he groaned stretching the syllable, "I can't pick one!"

I laughed and grabbed onto his arm which he tangled with mine, "Of course you can."

"You first."

"Nope," I said, "I just answered you. It's your turn."

"I bet your favourite animal is that piece of flesh."

"I told you to stop calling him Fles-"

Edvin muttered a curse as he reached into his pocket and took out a phone. I wasn't really paying attention to it originally but when it came out of his pocket, it really was a sight of sore eyes. Under the white street lights, the pink thing was sparkling wildly. I bit my lip to stop from laughing and he hit me on the arm as he opened it and mumbled, "Shit, how do we fucking work this?"

I laughed and he scowled, a button finally managing to work.

"Hullo?" he said into the phone.

I liked how he said hullo. The syllable curled in his accent which made me smirk. What? It's hot.

"Mum!" he exclaimed, now pulling me closer so that he could tangle our arms again, "I'm sorry. I know, I wish I could do something about it.......... Yeah, well now I'm out of there...... Oh, I'm just crashing with a girl I met....... it's a university dorm! It's safe!...... Jesus, mum I'm eighteen........ Well, yeah........ No....... Hmm...... Yeah, I know, I should've bought my phone, it was a stupid decision. Omar's already lectured me about it...... Oh, he called you, did he?...... Her name is Jamie."

I laughed softly and he grinned at me and rolling his eyes, mouthed, "Mothers."

"I know," I mouthed back, slightly amused.

"We're headed to a party, actually........ Oh, we're walking...... Yeah, she's with me, of course, I don't call myself we....... You can't do that!...... Mum, come on....... Oh my god, fine."

Edvin handed me the pink flip phone, "Well, go on."

"Me?!"

"She insists."

I raised my eyebrow, "What's your last name again?"

"Ryding."

I kept the phone to my ear, "Hello?"

"Oh, hello, are you Jessie?"

I grimaced, "It's Jamie, Mrs. Ryding."

"Ah, lovely, how are you dear?"

"I'm good and you?"

"I'm good too. Now, I just want to thank you once. It's nice to know that he's not alone. Terrible thing."

"Of course, it's alright. Really. I feel the same way because of similar issues so it goes both ways."

I heard the woman sigh on the other end, "He doesn't do very well on his own. Needs people around him to function properly. Likes conversation."

My eyes found Edvin's and he gave me a curious look.

"I understand. I'll take good care of him," I looked at Edvin and winked.

He scoffed and nudged me, a smile falling on his lips.

"That's good to know, dear. Now, I won't disturb you further. Tonight. But I'm afraid I don't trust that thing he's meandering around with."

"What thing?"

"That phone you're talking on, of course."

I laughed, "Would you like my number, Mrs. Ryding?"

"That would be wonderful!"

I laughed and helped her note it down and after assuring her that her son was safe, I handed the phone back to Edvin.

"Sorry about that."

I chuckled, "It's alright, she's sweet."

He smiled fondly, "Yeah...... where is this place anyway?"

"Oh, just 2 blocks away from here."

"Is it going to be a big thing?" he asked.

I shook my head, "It's just 9-10 of us."

He hummed, "Do you all hang out there a lot?"

"No, not really. Why?"

He shrugged, "Seems like you know your way around."

"Yeah, my ex boyfriend and I, if you can even call him that, used to come here and make out."

He looked at me, "Oh."

"We broke up two months ago."

"I'm sorry."

I furrowed my brow, "Nah. It didn't mean much, honestly. Went out for a month and then got bored with each other. He likes this girl Bea, I reckon she's invited to the party too. I think they're sort-of dating?"

"Oh well, it must suck a little though," Edvin started, "I mean, when your ex dates someone else and you don't."

I took a moment to ponder it and then laughed airily, "I mean it's a little off putting but that's just human nature. I never liked him too much. He didn't kiss nice. And Bea's mad cool."

He was still looking at me and I grumbled, "Okay it sucks a little."

He laughed.

"You could say I'm your date, if you want," Edvin offered.

"Thank you, Edvin but I'm not pathetic."

He grinned, "Fair enough."

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Hudson Davies' house was painted black. Just fully and completely black except for the large windows on different levels. No one really knew why it was black but it just was what it was. There was a satirically yellow door at the entrance but that was about it. Edvin's eyes popped out a little as he scanned the place, quietly making mental notes.

Lil Nas X could be heard thumping from inside and I rang the doorbell thrice for good measure. After a few moments, the yellow door flew open and I saw a boy with a pair of unreasonably happy blue eyes and a tuff of brown hair. He smiled widely when he saw me and opened his arms, perfectly imitating out ongoing charade of posh greetings, "James! Absolutely splendid to have you here, old bean."

I laughed and jumped onto him, "Louisa, darling! How marvellous indeed!"

I heard a soft chuckle behind me and Louie curiously backed up and looked at Edvin, "And who might this be?"

I coughed , "This is Edvin. My..... friend. Edvin, this is Louie."

Edvin stepped forward and offered his hand to Louie, who enthusiastically shook it. Both boys smiling politely.

"Hey. How are you?" Edvin asked.

Louis snorted, "Oh, you know.....stoned."

Edvin threw his head back and laughed. He looked quickly at me and whispered, "Only weed though, right?"

I whisper yelled, "Obviously, Edvin. We're not junkies."

Louis chuckled, clearly hearing the small exchange, and patted him on the back, a sign which indicated that he approved of Edvin, "Good to have ya, lad. Come on, come in! Leave your coats in the back room!"

Edvin helped me get my coat off and quickly excused himself to deposit the coats, saying that he'll manage.

"So," Louie began with a smirk as we walked, "Where did you make this friend?"

I rolled my eyes, "We just sort of took up at Sal's and he's alone for the holidays and so am I, you know, he had to go to back home Sweden but now he can't.....flights getting cancelled and stuff. So he's staying with me."

"Like in your dorm?!"

I glanced at Louie and he had one of his broad, silly smiles plastered on his face. I pushed his arm and protested, "It's not like that!"

"With guys who look like that, it's always like that," Louie mused as Edvin came back out.

"Shut up," I mumbled and he laughed again.

The three of us headed into a dimly lit yellow room where all my friends were casually seated. Hudson, Charlie and John were standing around the pool table with beer bottles in their hands, focusing steadily on Bea, who was taking a shot. Cassie was sipping onto her red wine listening fixedly to something Adam was saying and Lauren, Stella and Kacey were surfing movies and smoking a joint.

It wasn't until Louie dramatically called out, "Ere' Ere', our American friend finally decided to grace us with her presence," that everyone decided to look up. There were choruses of hoots and hellos and curious glances directing themselves towards Edvin, who casually stood next to me, completely at ease.

It was Cassie who decided to say something first, mockery laced in her tone as she passed me a smug look, "Who is this?"

Louis decided to answer, "This is Edvin, Jamie says he's her special friend."

I snapped, "I said no such thing."

There were a few laughs and another round of choruses of hello, which were directed towards Edvin who somehow, gracefully managed to wave at everyone with both of his hands.

Stella threw her head back on the couch and said, "Jam, could you please suggest a movie to watch."

I grinned and after a few seconds said, "Pulp fiction. That shit hits different under the influence of cannabis."

"I don't need cannabis to enjoy Quentin Tarantino," said Kacey, "But you're right, it sure does hit different."

Lauren started giggling as she took a puff, "I heard he's in the illuminati."

Adam got up from his seat with Cassie and decided to plop down on the couch with the three girls, "Tarantino? No way. Beyoncé on the other hand, definitely is."

I laughed and then looked at Edvin, who had his hands in his pockets and was grinning at the room. Louie pointed towards the pool table and then looked at Edvin, "You play?"

"Yeah. I suck at it but I can play."

Louie shrugged and pointed towards the game at the table, "Bea there, she's a genius."

"I'll bet, she has all those guys on their toes," commented Edvin, pointedly examining the game going on.

Louis hauled Edvin by the arm, "Come on, then. You play with us next round. And we'll make you try Irish Guinness."

Edvin looked back at me for assurance and I flapped my hand and mouthed, "Go ahead."

He did.

Now came the not-so-fun part.

I nonchalantly flumped down on the couch beside Cassie and put one leg over the other. Kacey, who seemed to have left the telly, came and sat beside me simultaneously handing me a can of beer.

Cassie looked at me expectantly and I pretended to not notice as I opened the can of beer.

Kacey snorted.

Cassie pinched me.

"Ow! Cass, your nails are too fucking sharp for this shit."

"You got him to come to the party!" Cassie exclaimed pointedly.

"Certainly."

Kacey put her legs up and folded them criss-cross, "Am I missing something here?"

Cassie leaned forward towards Kacey, "Oh you're missing a lot of things. We saw this boy at Sal's today and we were eavesdropping on his phone call for a while and I had to leave and then he was left with Jamie and now he's here and she's not spilling the beans."

My mouth twitched in amusement, "Well nothing happened. After you left, we just started talking and you were right, his flight to Sweden got cancelled and then somehow, he self-invited himself to live in my dorm and managed to convince me that it was for our mutual benefit. It's not interesting."

Cassie furiously whispered, "Not interesting?! Oh god, is she out of her goddamn mind?! You're living together?!"

"It's not a big deal!"

Kacey took my beer out of my hand and took a sip, "Sweet, innocent, Jamie. Text me when you have sex with him."

"I'm not having sex with him! He's just there in my dorm and we have plans to do Christmas stuff together, you know, put up a tree, watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolates, buy a shit tonne of candy canes—"

"Kiss under the mistletoe which will eventually lead to some merry shagging," interrupted Cassie and Kacey whooped out a laugh.

I threw my head back, my cheeks getting red, "Can we not?"

"You're not even denying it," Kacey teased.

"Do stop it. What I do in the future is my business. And if something happens my motor of a mouth won't be able to keep it to myself. So you'll definitely know. But as of now, nothing is happening and please shut up and give me my beer back."

I snatched it from Kacey's hand who smirked unapologetically.

Cassie let out a laugh, "But now tell me what you know about him so that I have some background."

Kacey rolled her eyes, "I don't care much about hot exotic boys. I'll get back to my joint," she got up and then pointed at me, "Remember Jam, text me when you fuck."

I threw a cushion at her.

Cassie patted my arm, "Well?"

I turned towards her, "Swedish. Almost 19. Actor. Flash-hater. That's genuinely all I have."

"Actor?" questioned Cassie, impressively, "Have I seen him somewhere?"

I paused.

Do I tell her he's on Netflix? I mean, it's not a secret. Maybe later. I'll ask him if I can tell her. People can be sensitive about this shit.

"I don't think so," I answered unsurely.

"Hm— wait did you say Flash-hater?" Cassie chuckled.

"He called him Flesh."

Cassie laughed, "Well then, I have to—"

Just then the doorbell rang and Hudson hollered, "That's Tracy with the vodka! Who's ready to get piss drunk?"

The were hoots which I joined into and I looked back at Edvin, who raised the beer in his hand and then gave me a grin. He grinned a lot.

Suddenly I felt someone sit down beside me and Cassie seemed to have vanished in thin air. It was Charlie.

He smiled, "Jamie."

"Charlie," I mocked, comfortably leaning into the sofa.

He scratched the back of his head. Oh, he wanted to talk.

"What is it?"

He awkwardly laughed, "I have a question. Um. Remember when we dated?"

"Why, yes I do, Charles," I laughed, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled hesitantly and then after a long pause, asked, "Numbers on me being into guys?"

I choked on my beer. Almost.

I coughed.

Tracy, who had entered with 5 bottles of vodka, which she had definitely stolen from her dad's shelf gave me a salute as everyone crowded around her. I smiled and waved and then looked back at Charlie, the notorious one month ex-boyfriend , who was looking nervous.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because you know stuff," he said.

I thought about it, "83%"

"That's too much!"

"Charlie, is there ever a correct answer? What is the reason behind this sudden sexual awakening?"

"I kissed John."

This time I choked on my spit.

I looked at John, who was being suspiciously quiet.

"Well, what about Bea?"

"Bea?! Oh, no, I've been hanging with her cause she wants to date Hudson and I'm setting them up."

"Oh, well."

"And I just thought I'll ask you cause I don't think I've ever kissed anyone properly, like I don't know, I kissed John and it was..... nothing like I felt before and well, we made out sometimes and did it seem like I was resisting in a way?"

I frowned, "Well, yeah. Pretty much. I always thought you were just a bad kisser but seems like there's more to it."

He laughed and ran a hand through his head, "I'm confused."

"You'll figure it out."

"Don't tell anyone?"

"Oh, no, I just overshare my own life, thanks."

He snorted, "So, what's the story with the Swede?"

I groaned, "I'll run a dagger through my chest if I have to explain it again to someone."

He nudged me, and grinned, "S'okay Jam, just asking cause he's your type."

"I do not have a type."

"You definitely have a type."

I scowled and running out of smart replies for the day, I decided to stick to my worn out phrase, "Shut up."

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Sorry if you found this chap a little messy because of the number of characters but I feel that it's important to have chapters which take off the sole focus from the protagonists and well, this is just how a well-bonded group of friends acts like. Or at least that's what my imagination dictates. Anyhoo, please vote. Hope you liked it.