Plus One - Chapter 2: Bad ideas

[deedee_sims]

Warnings: Lots of blushing, mentions of alcoholic beverage, running as an exercise, even more jumpscares, wedding dresses, thirst traps



But maybe it wouldn't be the best to start our relationship with rejecting a friendly invitation.
"Um… why not?" I mutter hesitantly.



He claps his hands happily. "That's the spirit!" He seems to have finished his ice cream already. I quickly slurp the remnants of my lemonade, while trying to decide if that was a good decision.
"I'll go now, to buy some stuff!" he announces. "We could drink something before we go? You like tequila?"
"It's... fine."



"I'll buy a bottle, then! See you later!" He jumps up, finger guns me, then leaves.



Watcher, what have I gotten myself into?

***



I spend the rest of my afternoon trying to psych myself up for that clubbing thing. I almost manage to make peace with the thought, when I look at my assignments.



Damn.
Do I really have an assignment due tomorrow? Watcher, I'm such an idiot.
I start to do it as quickly as I can. Somehow it looks more complicated than I remembered. I mean I didn't even remember it at all, for a start.



"Heya!" Rhett peeks into my room. I'm not even surprised that he didn't knock. "I have the tequila!" he says cheerfully, while he lifts up a bottle.



"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can go now," I admit. "I totally forgot that I have an assignment due tomorrow."
He shrugs. "Nah, don't worry," he says, the smile fading on his lips, "education is important."
"I'm sorry," I repeat, feeling freaking awful about the whole thing.



"I said it's fine, we can go at another time. But I'm keeping the tequila. For darker times." He waves the bottle around. "Anyway! I'm going to go now."
"Okay, have fun!"



"I will!" He winks mischievously. "See ya later!"



Did he really just wink at me? I shake my head and sigh. Time to get back to this damn assignment.

***



It's well into the night when my little program that I've been suffering with for hours finally decides to compile without throwing a bunch of errors in my face. Thank Watcher. I have no idea how I managed to forget about this assignment, but at least I can blame it on the moving.



I turn off my laptop, sighing. I could fall asleep right here and now. To be honest, it's a miracle that I haven't dozed off already.



When I start to climb into bed, I hear a bang and some giggling from the living room. I guess Rhett came home, and it's - I look at my phone - almost two.
The noise makes me curious about what he’s destroyed, so I sneak to the door and take a peek outside.



Well, it seems like he's going to destroy at least one more thing tonight, as he's currently in a heavy makeout session with some blond girl he probably just met. Suddenly, I'm glad that I didn't accompany him in his clubbing activities.



After I close the door, and finally get to bed, I can't help but feel a bit lonely.

***





I would like to say that next day I wake up with the birds, but no. It's my alarm that wakes me up, rudely, at six. I let out a groan as I stretch, and roll off the bed.



Thank Watcher, it's Friday already.



I decide to make an omelet, hoping that it will affect my mood positively. I'm almost done, when Rhett appears at the kitchen door. He wears…



…rather interesting things as a sleepwear.
"Something smells really good here," he notes, before he sits down.



"I'm making an omelet. You want one?"
"Yeah, thanks! You're very welcome to make me breakfast every day!" he teases which makes me chuckle.
"You wish."
"Worth a try."
I serve the food, and he starts stuffing it into his mouth.



"Is she gone?" I ask curiously. He stops in the middle of a bite, and looks at me innocently.
"Who?"
"The girl you brought home last night?"
He rakes through his hair with a sigh. "Fuck. I thought you wouldn't notice."
"Well, you weren't exactly quiet," I point out.



"Fuck. Sorry," he apologizes. "I hope we didn't wake you up. I was trying to be subtle, but then I tripped on that coffee table, and knocked down a mug, but fortunately there wasn’t anything in it, but I really need to learn to put my things away. And then she started laughing, and I said to her that she should be quiet, because you're probably sleeping, and Watcher, I'm talking again." He stops for a breath. "Anyway, she's not here anymore."



"O... kay." It's too early in the morning for my brain to be able to process all the things he said. "I was up anyway, doing that assignment thing."
"Ah, right. I'll be more careful next time. If there will be a next time. Maybe I shouldn't bring people home now that you live here."
I shrug. "It's your place, you can bring here anyone you want."



"I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"It's fine, I was just surprised, that’s all," I admit.
"No. I'm not going to bring anyone here."
"Alright." I surrender, because I really don't want to argue with him about this.
He finishes his breakfast quickly, then leans back in his chair.



"Thank you, that was very good! I'm keeping you!" He flashes his radiant smile at me.
"I have a contract anyway."
"I'm going to tell my dad that we have to put in the contract that you must make me breakfast every day!"
"Anything else?"
He licks his lips theatrically. "I have ideas."



Damn.
"I'm going to class now," I announce with an eyeroll.
"It was a joke!" he says, confused.
"I know, but I really have to go to class!"



"Ah, right. Have a good day, Olls!"



I look back at him from the doorway. "Yeah, you too."

***



Saturday afternoon starts as planned, with a visit from Lainey.



"You got here!" I smile, and give her a hug. She's famously bad at finding places.
"Yeah, bless Google Maps," she giggles.
"C'mere, let me show you around!"



I do as I say, and guide her around in the apartment (except Rhett's room, of course). She seems impressed.



"You were very lucky to find this place," she points out as she sits down on the couch.
"Yeah, I'm glad too." I take a seat as well. "Anyway, what's up? Have you started to plan your big day?"
"Ah, yes, I can't think about anything else these days," she says, smiling. "We thought about doing it in summer! But maybe it'll be too hot? Would it be better in September?"
I shrug. "Dunno, weather's unpredictable."



"I think we have to decide where, first. Then look for date options. There are so many of them! But if we keep just thinking, the spots will all fill up, and we'll have to get married in the middle of a snowstorm!"
"I doubt that there will be a snowstorm here, even in winter-"
"You know what I mean! I don't wanna get married in winter!"
"I get it," I say, poking her shoulder. "You're already stressing yourself out, and you’ve hardly even started planning it."



"Eh, I know. Just wait until you get there, you'll see."
"If I get there." I really can't imagine myself getting married, ever. To anyone. Maybe if we stayed together with-
"You'll get there, don't worry! Who wouldn't want to marry you?!"
"Well, I can list a whole bunch of people-"



"Oh, shut up!" She covers my mouth with her palm, preventing me from finishing my sentence.
That's when the front door bangs open, and Rhett starts shouting.



"THEY CAN CALL ME WHATEVER THEY WANT CALL ME oh, sorry, I didn't realize we have guests."



Lainey slides her hand off of my mouth, dumbstruck. I stand up and clear my throat, and motion him to come closer.



"So, she's my best friend, Lainey." Hearing my voice, she finally overcomes her initial shock, and stands up too. "And he's... Rhett."
"Nice to meet you!" He shakes her hand excitedly, then extends his hand towards me.
I look at him, confused.
"Oh, wait, I already know you!" he laughs. "Look, I bought new shoes!" He points to his new footwear, which looks rather hideous.



"It's very... interesting."
"You like it? I think it's very cute!" he beams, moving his feet around. "Okay, I’ll stop bothering you two. I'll be in my room!" he announces with a wave, and skips towards the aforementioned place.



After the door closes behind him, Lainey sits back, with a suspicious smile on her face.



"Ollie?"
"Hm?"
"No way this guy is straight."
"He's not," I admit.
"And you didn't even tell me?!"



"It's not a big deal!"
She shoots me her most disapproving look.
"He's not my type."
"Last time, you said he's handsome."
"Well, ‘handsome’ and ‘my type’ are different things, you know!" I just want her to drop the topic already, before I start blushing. Because I already feel it's coming.



"Okay, whatever!" She waves, and produces an imitation of my iconic eyeroll. "But I wanted to ask you something. Would you come with me to try on some wedding dresses? I mean I try on the dresses, and you tell me if I look awful in them!"



"Yeah, sure," I say, although I'm pretty sure she'd look stunning in any dress. "When?"
"Next weekend?"
"Deal."

***



I only have a few classes on Wednesday, so I boldly decide, it's time to engage in some physical activity. I need to look good at Lainey's wedding if I'm going to be her best man, after all.
I’ve never understood people who like running. But maybe I just need to give it a chance. I put on some gym clothes, grab my headphones, and head out to the street.





After a couple of blocks, I'm properly dying. My knees are sore and my lungs are aching.
I don't know who invented running, but they must've been lunatics.



After half an hour of suffering, I tell myself, that was more than enough for today. Maybe for my entire life.
I drag myself to the couch and plop down next to Rhett, who's watching some sports thing.



"Are you okay?" he asks, smiling. "You look exhausted."
"I was running," I mumble, sliding down.
"From what?"
I decide to ignore the question.



"I need to get in shape, but I guess running is not really my sport."
"You weren't afraid that you'd get sexually assaulted?"
"What?" I look at him, confused.



His eyes are fixated on my thighs, and I suddenly am very aware of my legs.
"Your pants are very short."
"Yeah, that's why they're called shorts," I explain grimly, and he finally averts his gaze.



"IT WAS AN OFFSIDE!" he shouts, which startles me and I almost fall off the couch. "Fucking Gnomes! I demand a video referee! You saw it was an offside, right?"
"What's an offside?"
"When the blue players are in front of the yellow ones," he explains, pointing at the tv.
"But the goalkeeper is always-"
"The goalkeeper doesn't count!"
"Mmhmm." That was probably more information that I've ever wanted to know about soccer.



Rhett starts a cursing spree after the referee decides that it was, in fact, a valid goal. He has such a dirty mouth, but it's somehow entertaining.



"Are you sure you're okay down there?" He looks at me again, amused.
I just notice that I’ve sunk even further down on the couch.
"No, I want to die," I whine. My legs feel like they're made of concrete. He pats my head.



"Please don't! You're too cute for an early demise!"
Oh Watcher, he really called me cute. I feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and I let out a groan, which makes him draw back his hand. Maybe it was a mistake.



"PENALTY!" he screams, startling me again.
I was wrong, I'm not going to die from muscle pain, just his freaking jumpscares.

***



As the weekend rolls in, Lainey and I visit a wedding dress store. Or whatever it is.
Upon seeing the tons of dresses, in every shape, size, and color, I’m already thinking this probably wasn't the best idea. I assume it'll take long, long hours to find the perfect dress. If she even finds it today.



First, she tries on a... white dress. Do these have names or something?
"What do you think?" she inquires, checking herself in the mirror.
"It's pretty. A bit simple, maybe." That's the only thing that comes to my mind.
"Doesn't it make me look fat?"



"You're not fat." I can't stop myself from an eyeroll.
"Uh, I'll try on another," she announces, and I check my phone while she's in the fitting room. Mom sent me a cute sticker. Bless her.



Lainey comes back in another white dress. It has a bigger skirt, though.
"What about this one?"
"It looks good on you," I state.



"Anything else?"
"Um, I hope you're not gonna trip on that skirt?" I say cautiously.
"Yeah, maybe it's too large."
As I wait for her to change dresses again, I end up on Rhett's Simstagram. Looking for pictures of his dog. Obviously.



I end up finding a picture of him in a pool. He's sitting on a ridiculous flamingo float, with his radiant smile plastered on his face. He has dark, thick chest hair, and the water drops are shining on his tanned skin.
Hot damn.



I hear Lainey approaching, so I quickly exit and put down my phone. She appears wearing yet another white dress. I don't think we're going to argue on the color.
"What do you think?"



"It's... cute." It's very frilly. Of course she looks perfect in it, but it's not really her style, in my humble opinion.
"And how do I look like in it?" she pushes.
"Great!"



She lets out a desperate sigh. "Aw, c'mon! You say this to all of them!"
"Because that's the truth?"
"No, Ollie! Answer honestly, which one do you like the most?"



Ugh.

---

Oh, hey, I lied, we're not going clubbing (yet). But no worries, Rhett won't forget that Oliver agreed on it once (and will drag him with force if necessary) :P
Although it seems like the majority didn't want to see how Rhett tries to persuade Oliver to go clubbing, y'all give out our boy too easily XD

By the way! We have a new voting! Please VOTE HERE, about what should be Oliver's reply! I'll close it on the 15th of February! And don't forget, not always the better looking answer is the best, and not always the right answer is the left! XD

The song Rhett was "singing" is Crazy by Lost Frequencies & Zonderling, if you haven't recognized it! (I don't blame you, Rhett's voice is... not the best, but he's enthusiastic XD)
Also, I know he's kinda defying the laws of gravity on that flamingo float, but he's just that magical XD

Again, many-many thanks to Anachronisims for weeding out my weird English, and fixing my commas!

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think! Should Oliver try another sport? Should Rhett post more thirst traps? Will any of the chapters end with anything else than Oliver's suffering face?
(and please vote!)

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I love the build up of this relationship AND love the Laney/Oliver friendship! Her expression when Rhett bursts in is perfection!!!

I also love the slow slog running pics. He starts off strong, and just starts to droop! Great work on the snaps! Can't wait to keep reading! -NikkaSimms

[deedee_sims]

Lainey is the MVP! (even though she likes meddling too lol)
That's me if I tried running lol! Ollie started with enthusiasm... didn't last long 😂