38. she screamed

'Wow. Someone's looking all cozy.' Imane said as she turned towards Rae, who walked in her room with a long sleeves red sweater on her blue jeans, and a purple beanie over her long brown hair. She tugged on her sleeves as she smiled at Imane and then at the stream.

'Hiee.' She beamed at the chat which poured in tremendously now that they saw Rae with Imane, live.

'Told you, I'm going out.' She said, taking a seat on the table besides.

The chat exploded with questions concerning whether it was a date or she was going out with someone. Rae shook her head, as Imane laughed, sensing Rae more flustered than indifferent.

'No, chat.' Imane said, eyeing Rae suspiciously with a sly grin. 'Madame Rae, forgot my birthday's tomorrow and she didn't get me a gift, so she's hunting for one now.'

With the chat, even Rae gasped. 'The audacity of you to think I could forget your birthday.'

Imane tilted her head, narrowing her gaze at the overly hyped girl. 'Rae?'

'What? I didn't forget your birthday. Just buying a gift. Geez.' Rae replied, shrugging with a sheepish smile and Imane laughed, shaking her head.

The viewers quickly increased, especially the one's who missed Rae's streams for the past week. They were all glad that the girl was resting, especially with Imane and seeing the two girls on screen together, was a blissful surprise.

'Going alone?' Imane asked, sipping water from her huge bottle.

'Um, no... actually.' Rae hesitated, adjusting her beanie. 'Going with James.'

Imane choked on her water, while the chat contemplated which James were they talking about. Before Imane could even tease her about it, Rae eyed her, warning her to not say anything on stream.

Thankfully Imane was a master in reading expressions. 'Sorry, choked on this stupid water.' She said, waiving it away with her hands like it was nothing.

The doorbell rang, which indicated that James was here.

'Get me a good gift, Rae.' Imane said as Rae waved a goodbye at the chat. 'Have a good time, boo.'

Rae narrowed her gaze at her, still smiling and walked away from Imane's room, ignoring Imane's not so subtle laughter. She walked past Alex who was laying on the sofa with Mimi on his stomach, both of them napping.

'Stupid Imane. Why she's acting so weird. Argh! Stupid, stupid, stupid.'

Opening the door while cursing Imane was not a good thing, because James who stood there instantly became self conscious about himself.

'Stupid?' He said, gulping as he looked down at his attire, wishing he was in his formal ones. 'Should I change?'

Rae looked at him, he wore a white button down over his dark blue chinos and sneakers, and a grey linen blazer over his shirt. His black dark hair was like always neatly tucked and all his beautiful personality missed was a smile.

'Oh no no no.' Rae said, immediately as she smiled at him. 'No no. I wasn't talking about you. Stupid Imane...' She rambled with her words. 'No but you look good.' She pointed to him, as he straightened his blazer, nodding. 'Really good.'

'Umm.' He gulped again, nodding. 'Thanks.'

'No, I didn't intend to make it weird. I just meant you look good. Good enough to not change. Please tell me you got it?' She almost cried, looking at him pleadingly.

Why was she this way?

James nodded, a smile playing on his lips. 'I got it. You look good too.' He complimented her, while Rae looked down at her converse shoes. 'Especially the beanie, that looks good on you. I mean you look good.'

'Thank you.' Rae said sweetly, smiling back at him. 'Thanks.'

'Oh my fucking goodness.' Both of them turned their heads at Alex who was lying still with his eyes closed, 'Both of you'll look good. Okay. Now get the fuck outta here.' He sleepily grunted, Mimi still asleep on his stomach.

Rae and James shared an eyelock and chuckled together.

'Someone's not good.' James commented, tsking, as he eyed Rae.

'Definitely not good.' Rae shrugged, teasing Alex.

'I swear to God, if I hear good from your mouths once more, I will....'

But both Rae and James were out of the house immediately, before Alex could even complete his statement, both of them laughing heartily.

'You do look good.' Rae softly said as she witnessed James laughing. 'Casuals suit you.'

James stopped laughing, smiling instead. 'I guess. I'm just not used to casuals.' He looked down at himself consciously again. 'They're just too...'

'Comfortable?' Rae finished his sentence, tilting her head a bit.

'Yeah. Yes.' He said, boring his black eyes into hers. 'Comfortable.'

'There's nothing wrong with comfortable,' Rae said chirpily, pressing the elevator button on repeat. 'Is there?' She looked at him.

James chuckled to himself, his eyes on her. 'Don't wanna get comfortable with something that isn't mine.'

'What?' Rae asked, she thought she misheard.

But the elevator saved him from another painful confrontation. And they walked in with confusion.

She did. He just cursed himself for stepping out of line.

_

'These snow cones are so freaking good!' Rae yelled happily while they sat on the wooden bench, eating snow cones. James chuckled, watching her make a mess while his cone was melting away.

They were done with getting a gift for Imane and were about to leave when Rae saw the snow cones. She mentioned she never had one and James suggested she should try, and here they were.

'Oh no.' She screamed garnering attention from passerbys.

'What happened?' James asked, concerned, holding Rae's hand which she held on her head.

'I got a brain freeze.' She said, half crying, half laughing and James withdrew his hand, chuckling and shaking his head.

'You scared me.' He said, taking a bite of his cold treat. 'I thought something serious happened.'

It took a minute for Rae to compose herself, but when she did she handed James her snow cone, 'Hold this.' And he obediently held it, confused to death. 'How dare you think brain freeze is not serious, hmmm.'

James was dumbfounded, he didn't know whether Rae was joking or serious. He gulped, nervously, clearing his throat. 'It's not that serious. I mean...'

'The audacity.' Rae said, holding her smile back.

In many ways James was just like his twin, confused, awkward and super cute.

'No no. I thought you were choking or dying or something.' He meekly added, 'I just didn't wanna make the headlines tomorrow, you know, if you died or something.'

'What?' Rae chuckled, her mouth ajar. 'What do you mean?'

'I mean you're famous. If you die, I'm pretty sure I'll be held accountable.' James joked around, smiling cheekily at the still shooked girl. 'I just don't like my name tainted you know.' He winked, teasing her.

And this what made him unlike his twin. The confidence, the subtlety, the outspoken personality.

'I can't... I swear...' Rae was lost for words. 'You give me back my snow cone. You don't deserve to hold it.'

James laughed, as she yanked her snow cone from his hand, acting mad. 'Cannot believe you're more upset about your reputation being 'tainted',' She air quoted the words tainted, 'than me actually literally dying!'

'Yea. I mean. I can see the headlines tomorrow, Rae.' He said, trying to be as dramatic as she was. 'Content Creator of the Year 2020 died by a brain freeze,  sour patch gummies just laughed.'

Rae eyes him, narrowed gaze and all but broke down laughing as he smiled at her. She then furrowed her brows, realizing what he said and turned to face him.

'Shit. Sour patch gummies?' She asked as James pressed his lips in a straight line, nodding grimly. 'You did not?'

'Not all. Quite a few.' James smiled, locking his eyes with her. 'Sour patch gummies, quite quirky, I must add.'

'Argh. Kill me.'

_

A/N

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Video. Rae wants a bad boy.