I CAN FIX HIM ! by KissLeclerc
September 11, 2022 # "The Truth Hurts."

GATHERING DRINKS in the kitchen, Adeline made sure she had accommodated to each of her friend's favorite beverages as they gathered for their usual Sunday night hangouts. A tradition they had been doing since the age of 13, continuously rotating houses and who hosts, but everyone unanimously agreed that the Huang household was the best place to hang.

Strolling back out to her patio where a cozy conversation pit sat, a clear necessity as to why her home was the most loved hangout spot, Adeline carefully set a tray down with a satisfied nod, presenting an array of drinks for her friends to enjoy.

Among them all, Paul's iced tea sat untouched as he was yet to arrive.

"Placing bets as to why Paul is late. One, two, three, go." Genevieve spoke up as Adeline took the vacant spot beside her.

"He finally died." Joslyn said. Sprawled out against the cushioned seats as Ollie was sat beside her head. "In a terrible, terrible, ceiling fan accident."

"Where do you even come up with these?" The brunette beside her laughed. "It's kind of impressive, actually." His gummy smiled shined ever so slightly.

"The psychiatric ward." Genevieve said with a laugh as Joslyn was quick to chuck a pillow full throttle at the girl. "You're waking up with no limbs."

"Again, emphasis on the psychiatric ward."

"Ohhhh-"

"I'm here!" Paul suddenly interrupted, drawing everyone's attention. They all turned their heads to glance at the blonde, bags of chips sorted in his arms as he grinned happily.

"Okay. Don't get too excited." He scoffed at everyone's dead silence, tossing the bags of snacks at the center of the table.

"Well, I guess you're not dead." Joslyn huffed as Ollie laughed under his breath.

"What?" He tilted his head. Grabbing his iced tea before taking a seat on the cushioned seats.

"They were trying to figure out why you were late." Kimi explained. "Jos said you probably died." Ollie added with sarcastic enthusiasm.

"Why do you want me dead so badly?" His voice was laced with a playful but hurt tone.

"Many, many reasons." She exhaled through her nose as Adeline chuckled. "Why were you late?" She quirked a brow.

"Why? Did you miss me?" Paul cockily smirked as Adeline rolled her eyes with a disgusted frown. "Why are you such a boy."

"But to answer your question though, I stopped by Viv's place." He explained as everyone nodded with raised brows.

"Seeing her after the first date? That's impressive!" Joslyn laughed as the others momentarily chuckled along. "What happened to ghosting after the first date? Not your thing anymore?"

"Ha. Ha." Paul rolled his eyes mockingly, his voice nearly taunting as he exaggerated his tone.

"He's just in love!" Adeline teased with a desired sigh. "Would do anything for his precious, most dearest Vivienne." She snickered as the boy quickly hit her face with a pillow.

"OH!-" She was quick to block his next attempted strike. "You really wanna do this right now?" Adeline quirked a brow as he loosened his grip quickly.

"That's what I thought."

"Is it really that hard to believe I have genuine feelings for someone?" He asked. "Even if I've only known her for a week."

"Yes, and yes!" Genevieve happily replied. Her boyfriend laughing at her swift responses.

"How was the date though?" Kimi asked.

"Any kissing involved?" Ollie smirked knowingly. "Anything more than that?" He cheekily added as Joslyn scoffed at the question.

"Boy, much." She muttered before beginning to mindlessly mock Ollie with muttered words. His hand soon reaching forward to cover it shut.

"You never stop talking." He grumbled as she was quick to smack it away. "Get your grimy fingers OFF MY FACE." She quickly sat up from her laid position, shoving Ollie in a playful manor.

"Thanks to you, I'm gonna get an infection-"

"Oh, SHUT UP." Ollie laughed before he grabbed a pillow to throw as Joslyn did the same. The two now beginning to stir up a violent pillow fight.

"NOT with my mom's silk pillows... Thank you very much." Adeline was quick to snatch the cushion out of Joslyn's grip before handing her a basic and white wool one instead.

"Okay. Proceed." She said happily. Joslyn taking her chance to quickly lunge forward to hit Ollie repeatedly.

"OH- NOT FAIR." He complained as menacing giggles escaped her lips. Trapping the boy into falling back onto the couch as little laughs escaped while he held his hands up to shield himself.

"You two might as well just kiss already." Paul groaned. Making Joslyn freeze mid strike as she turned to face him instead.

"IT WAS A JOKE-" The blonde quickly held his hands up in defense as she aggressively gave him a pillow smack of his own. "Idiot." Joslyn grumbled.

"Such a ray of sunshine you are." Kimi smiled sarcastically. Joslyn giving him a glare before Genevieve held her hands up to protect him from a pillow headshot of his own.

"You two are so, so abusive." Ollie jokingly cried as he pointed at Adeline and Joslyn. "It's getting out of hand."

"And all of you are pains in the ass." The duo argued.

"Are you guys done?" Paul groaned as Adeline and Joslyn shot him a glare. "Kimi has a question that I've yet to answer." He sighed as the two rolled their eyes.

"Just go for it. But I want you to know that we do not care." Joslyn mumbled as the blonde shook his head with a small smirk graced on his lips.

"We did kiss." Paul said shyly. "Many, many times." He smiled as the three girls groaned out loud, receiving laughs from the other two.

"And other things..." He laughed cockily.

"Nice going, mate!" Ollie gave the boy a celebratory dap up. Kimi reaching forward to give him one of his own.

"I don't understand how I'm friends with you guys still." Adeline mumbled in disgust, staring at the boys who were hyping up their boyish antics.

"Because we're awesome." Kimi defended.

"And cool..."

"And hilarious..."

"And fit..."

"And awesome..."

"How about fucking obnoxious." Genevieve interrupted their train of compliments. Ollie, Kimi, and Paul staring it with offense.

"What about incompetent?" Adeline added.

"Add awful at football to the list too?" Joslyn tapped her chin knowingly as that was the breaking point for the trio of boys.

"Now WAIT A SECOND." Ollie scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Said what I said. Don't regret it." Joslyn reached forward for her Dr. Pepper.

"And if we said you were a terrible musician?" Kimi crossed his arms as his girlfriend elbowed his side. "Then you'd be lying." She defended Joslyn.

"Date me instead at this point."

"I might just." Genevieve winked, making Kimi sigh in defeat once again. "But now, Paul." She decided to go back to the subject at hand.

"Is a second date in the works orrrr...?" She quirked a brow.

"Taking her out again after school on Wednesday. Probably going to the cinema." He smiled.

"And this is when he scares her away." Joslyn sighed. "Thank God." She mumbled to herself. Adeline being the only one to hear her mindless muttering.

"What?!" Paul scoffed. "I am not going to scare her off."

"Call it the freak theater the way you-Ugh. I can't even say it." Genevieve grumbled through a short laugh, pausing her initial and dirty thought, but it was the wholehearted truth.

Paul was a pig! Therefore they chant; oink oink!

"Oh, come on." The blonde huffed a breath. "I actually like her. I don't want to move too fast with her." He explained as Adeline, Gen, and Joslyn exchanged faltering glances.

"Is that so?" Joslyn quirked a brow as he nodded.

"Pfffttt-As if you didn't just say you did 'other things' with her." Genevieve scoffed. Emphasizing her words with finger quotes. "Boys." She said, shaking her head.

"Look, the problem is that I don't really know how to take things at a slower pace." Paul vented. "All I'm really good at is... well you guys know how I am." He shrugged.

"A professional bop, essentially." Joslyn snickered before she immediately stopped. Quickly sensing the immediate mood switch of the conversation, but she still couldn't help but think what she said was undeniably hilarious.

"Sure..." Paul grimaced at her words before slouching in slight defeat.

"I wanna get better at this romance thing... just for Viv? you know?" He sighed before taking a sip of his iced tea. "I just don't know where to start."

"Well, I fear you're a loss cause, bud." Adeline pat his back before mindlessly snacking on the chips laid out on the center table.

"Maybe you just need-" Genevieve stopped as she came to a momentary realization. "You need guidance! And there's actually a perfect person to help you out."

"What? Who?" Paul's tone was laced in clear confusion. Patiently awaiting for who Genevieve was going to suggest.

"Adeline!" She exclaimed as the girl in question choked on the chip in her mouth. Quickly leaping forward to sip on her beverage to wash down the crumbs.

"What?!" The girl quirked a brow, coughing out as she nearly choked. "The hell you mean by me?"

"You're the one that said you can fix him..." Joslyn crossed her arms, making Adeline glance at the now confused Paul.

"You did say that actually..." Kimi mumbled. "Loud and proud, you did." Ollie snickered.

"It was just a joke-"

"What do you mean by fix... me?" Paul asked.

"Like if you fixed your awful behavior as a man, learned how to respect women properly and make sure you're not doing anything too fast pace...." Genevieve explained. "Some things like that."

"So basically... the impossible!" Adeline taunted making Joslyn and Genevieve snicker in response.

"Oh yeah?" Paul furrowed his brows as he let out a small scoff. "If you can, so call, fix me apparently. Then do it." He insisted. "I'd like to see you try."

"Oh, come on?" Adeline grumbled. "It was just a joke. Paul, honestly you're a lost cause." She sighed. Her words slightly cutting harshly.

"Yeah, mate. I don't think this thing with Vivienne would work out for you anyways." Kimi admitted as Genevieve raised her eyebrows in shock. Not expecting her boyfriend to add on to the Paul flames.

"Wow, thanks guys! Makes me feel so good." He said sarcastically.

"Not so confident anymore, Adeline?" Ollie chimed. "You were so set on attempting to make Paul more appealing as a guy... And you did say; 'I can fix him!!' Just a reminder."

"Nobody can fix THAT." She grumbled, making the boy huff in irritation. "It was just a joke, guys please."

"No, I'd like to see you try, actually." Paul quirked a brow as she just rolled her eyes in irritation. "Anything to be perfect for Vivienne."

"God you're so down bad, it's making me sick." Joslyn nearly gagged. "It hasn't been a full fucking week. Like you genuinely need to stand up."

"Ugh, try what?" Adeline questioned. "Turn you... a certified man whore into a loving boyfriend?" She snickered. "Yeah right, there's no fucking way."

"i cAN fiX hIm!" Ollie mocked her words from days before as she grumbled in annoyance.

"Ever heard of a joke, dingus?" She shot back.

"Well I don't remember laughing, so it wasn't a joke." He replied as Adeline narrowed her eyes. "Smart ass."

"That is you, yes." He shot back.

"Oliver, I will end your entire bloodline." She argued once more. Irritated at his little jabs and comments that seemed to be never ending.

"Addy, you've never even had a boyfriend. How are you, of all people, even capable of making me 'better,' or whatever you wanna call it." Paul questioned.

"Oh my god." The girl groaned. "First and foremost, I've never had a boyfriend because I'm too good for everyone in this godforsaken continent and I know what I deserve!" She said confidently as Joslyn and Genevieve applauded her. "And second! It was a JOKE." She emphasized her words by extending the 'O' sound.

"And quite frankly Paul, any guy is way more boyfriend material than you are."

"Ouch." The blonde scoffed. Crossing his arms as he began to register and think about every way he has treated a girl in his life.

It wasn't good! That's for sure.

"The truth hurts. Sorry, Paulito."

VERA'S VOICE!
hello. !!!! 2k+ words!!!!!!!!!

sorta kind of a cliff hanger
bc my thumbs hurt. but u
get the idea.

okay bye.

hi belle. hi elena. hello!!!!!
- vera.