CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
( RELAX )

     CARMEN LAYS BACK on the couch. The events of the previous day had taken a toll on her, of which she didn't want to discuss with anyone. And as far as Carmen knew, she would spend the day relaxing in the Why Don't We house, trying to forget the event that will forever haunt her; Jackson was back.

Zach joins her on the couch, giving her a smile as he hands her a cinnamon roll. "I know you're supposed to be on a soup diet, but I think you should at least try to eat something else."

"Why?" Carmen furrows her eyebrows, glancing down at the roll in her hand.

"It's obvious you're losing weight, Carmen," Zach says, frowning at his own words as he looks down at her flat waist. "Please just try, for me. And if you can't, I understand."

The girl smiles at his care, nodding as she takes a small bite from the cinnamon roll. She automatically moans at the familiar taste that she had been yearning for- something other than soup. Zach chuckles as she lays her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," She says, taking another bite. "I will never eat soup again."

"Anything for you," Zach says lacing his fingers with hers.

Eating with her broken arm- of which she felt was getting slightly better- Carmen looks up at him, pausing. "Anything?" She raises an eyebrow as he nods. "Could you pretty please go get me some Starbucks?"

"Don't you want to go with me?" He furrows his eyebrows.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving the house . . . " Carmen trails off, clearing her throat as she looks to the floor.

"Don't worry about it," Zach shakes his head, standing as he gives her an assuring smile. "I understand. I'll be back, okay?"

"Caramel mocha frappuccino," Carmen reminds him.

"I already knew that," He winks, grabbing his car keys. "Daniel! Take care of Carmen while I'm gone, please."

"I don't need a babysitter," Carmen insists, watching as Daniel moves to sit next to her, tossing an arm over her shoulder. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Safety precautions," Zach says, opening the front door. "I'll be back soon."

After his departure, Carmen turns to Daniel with a pleading look. "You're not really going to watch every move I make, are you? Because I really don't need a babysitter."

"Well, you are the youngest here," Daniel points out. "So technically, being in the same house as you is considered babysitting."

"Thanks," Carmen says, finishing her cinnamon roll off.

"STUPID BITCH, COME BACK HERE!" Aurora yells just as Jack sprints into the kitchen. "I SAW YOU WITH MY CHEESE-IT'S, YOU STUPID WHORE!"

Aurora chases after him, throwing a pillow in his direction. Callie and Jonah follow suit, yelling for Aurora to stop. Carmen chuckles as Corbyn moves to sit on the other side of her, a bucket of popcorn in his hands.

"I'LL GET YOU, AND IT'LL LOOK LIKE A BLOODY ACCIDENT!"

Carmen grabs a handful of popcorn, shaking her head as she looks between Daniel and Corbyn. "Honestly, how did I live before I met you guys?"

---

"Where did Zach go?" Aurora questions Carmen, holding her puppy close to her chest. "Could he not take anymore of Jack's shit?"

Jack glares from across the room, Callie placing a hand on his shoulder as he does so. Dobby sits in Carmen's lap, curled into a ball as he sleeps soundly.

"He's getting me Starbucks, he left around twenty minutes ago." Carmen explains, petting the puppy gently.

"Why don't you get me coffee?" Aurora asks Jonah, looking quite offended. "Am I not good enough for coffee?"

Jonah sighs, placing his face in his hands. Callie tries hard to hold back a giggle as Jack pulls a cheese-it from him pocket, shoving it in his mouth quickly.

"Jack?" Daniel asks, leaning forward. "What did you just put in your mouth?"

Jack stops chewing immediately. "What are you talking about? There's nothing in my mouth."

"Prove it."

"Jack," Aurora warns, sitting her puppy aside as she stands. "Open your mouth."

The boy shakes his head quickly, scooting farther into the couch as she moves closer. "No! Leave me alone!"

"YOU HAVE CHEESE-IT'S!"

It's then that Aurora takes charge, tackling the boy to the floor. Cheese-it's dump from his pockets, lying on the floor as Aurora tries to swing at him.

Carmen hums, laughing slightly as she leans into Daniel's side. "Here we go again."

"I'm out of popcorn," Corbyn sighs.

The door swings open, revealing a confused Zach. He stares down at the two brawling at the floor, and Jonah and Callie- who seem to be yanking Jack and Aurora apart.

"SHE BIT ME AGAIN, JONAH!" Jack yells out, gripping his arm.

"I can't help it, you stole her cheese-it's," Jonah gives up, taking his spot back on the couch. "I tried."

"What did I miss?" Zach asks, moving over to the couch. He shoves Daniel off the couch, taking his seat next to Carmen again.

"Aurora and Jack fighting over cheese-it's," Carmen replies as he hands her a caramel mocha frappuccino. "Nothing else, really."

"Rude," Daniel narrows his eyes at Zach. "You could've asked for your spot back."

"But what's the fun in that?"

"TOUCH MY FOOD AGAIN, BITCH!" Aurora grits her teeth, standing as she gets off of Jack. "Try me. I fucking dare you."

"I swear, this never gets old," Corbyn grins.

"I feel like binging Harry Potter," Carmen comments as Dobby opens his eyes, wobbling on his legs.

"Did someone say Harry Potter?" Aurora asks, her head snapping in Carmen's direction. "If I heard correctly, the rest of our day will be based around a marathon of all Harry Potter movies."

"I have no problems with that," Jonah shrugs.

Carmen smiles, laying her head in Zach's lap, and legs on Corbyn. "Someone put in the movie."

Daniel obliges, flipping off the light switch. But as Dobby cuddles into her chest and Zach places his arm around her, a buzz sounds from her phone. Seeing as it was from an unknown number, Carmen furrows her eyebrows.

Opening the text, she notices it wasn't an unknown person at all. She knew exactly who had sent the text, yet she hid her phone before Corbyn or Zach had the chance to realize she was on it.

Unknown number - Three days.

But Carmen didn't realize that Aurora was staring at her from across the room, noticing the terrified look that grew upon her features.

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