Right... This is an awkward situation if I've ever seen one. I thought as I took a sip of tea. 

On my left Daniel on my right Micheal, next him, Victoria, next to her, Joseph, next to him, Lola, next to her, David and then he was sitting next to Daniel. All of us were holding hot mugs of tea Lola had prepared beforehand.

It was completely and utterly silent, apart from the cool breeze that was blowing throughout the room as the window was open.

When we agreed the day before Joseph was going to bring Micheal with him I didn't think David would come along for the ride and I never imagined it to be this awkward. I mean, we all sort of just showed up the next day, sat down and Lola made tea, all done pretty much in silence as well. It was beginning to make me uneasy. 

We had planned for Micheal to help us out with refurbishing the room but that plan had flew out the window sometime along the way and now we were all just sitting there. 

Daniel quickly nudged my shoulder and looked at me anxiously while in his own way gesturing to the rest of them. Looking around, everyone's expressions were blank as hell, the only person who looked normal was Joseph, but that was because he always had the same blank, uninterested expression every day. 

I didn't need Daniel to signal it, I could see everyone was feeling just a little bit out of their comfort zone and so I was going to have to make the first move. 

"Ummm, so.... Lola the tea's great, as always?" I blurted out, it didn't matter if it was kind of not related to what we had come to do, I just needed to get a conversation going.

"...Yeah, it's really... tea-like," Daniel said. 

The room turned to look at him, in silence. 

"Tea like!?" I whispered to Daniel, "What hell was that supposed to be?" 

"I don't know OK, I just said the first thing I could think of!" He whispered back. 

"Well, you'd better think harder then. The situation is awkward as it is without you adding to it!"

Then I saw Daniel's eyes light up and a grin tug at his lips.

"Well... I do have an idea, but you're not going to really like the end result," He smirked. 

"At this point, I think we'll take anything we can get, just as long as it gets a reaction." 

"Oh, it will," he smiled. 

For a few seconds, nothing happened, but then...

A loud sound filled the room and continued for what seemed like minutes before it finally stopped. Then, when it did, all of our noses were greeted by the foul after stench. It was pretty obvious what had happened. 

Finally, we had a reaction, but not the kind I was expecting. Everyone all started coughing, some gagging. Meanwhile, all Daniel could do was laugh uncontrollably at what he'd caused. 

"Damn Daniel! When you said you were going to get a reaction I didn't think you were plotting to gas us to death!" I shouted desperately trying to fan away the stink lingering around me. 

"Eeew Daniel!" Lola and Victoria shouted together. 

"You're disgusting!" David yelled but I could see the smile he was trying to hide, "I think I'm going to be sick!" 

That only made Daniel crack up even harder and through all that he coughed out, "Sorry guys, you all looked so tense I had to do something to lighten the mood." 

Over in the corner, I could see Micheal seriously having a private little laughing fit and with both of them laughing like that, I couldn't not laugh too. Then, Micheal's and I eyes met. It was a weird feeling, looking into my previous sworn enemies eyes. It wasn't particularly hateful though traces of malice were definitely still lingering. The point was, we weren't at each other's throats, which was good. 

For a second, we just looked at each other. Slowly but surely we began to smile and before we knew it, we had burst out laughing. 

Everyone was looking at us like we were complete and utter idiots but none of us could give a damn. Our laughing was contagious and soon, one by one, everyone was cracking up with us. Sounds of laughter filled the air around as and finally the awkward tension between us had been lifted. All by a single fart, who would have guessed? 

Once the laughter had died down a little I got up and opened one of the windows letting that horrible smell leave the room. 

"Daniel, but seriously what the hell!" I chuckled, "I mean, it got rid of the awkwardness but, where did that even come from?"

He strolled up to me, hands deep in his pockets and shrugged, "A magician never reveals his secrets," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Right..." 

Everyone had gotten up from their seats and there was finally some conversation going, we weren't doing too badly so far. But, just then, Victoria shouted over all the noise.

"Right now that we've finally let all that tension go, literally," she looked at Daniel and laughed, "let's get to work you guys!" Victoria called. 

"Work?" David frowned.

"Mmm hmm, you don't think we call you out here to just drink tea, do you?" Lola smiled. 

"This here's our club room and we thought you would help us decorate it and become our official newly joined members." 

"But Joesph said we..." David looked over at Joseph, he and Micheal were chatting happily and it was one of the first times I'd seen Micheal with a smile that wasn't all high and mighty. He looked basically like a normal student, it was a bit weird. 

David watched them for a second and didn't say anything, but then I saw something that I'd never though David could do. He smiled, kindly. It seemed so warm and comfortable like the smile a mother gives her child. Which only made me realise there was still a whole lot of stuff we still didn't know about the three princes. 

"David?" Lola waved a hand in front of his face and called out his name. 

"...Um, oh. Yes?" 

"Sorry you looked like you were seriously spacing out there for a second," she laughed. 

"Was I?" he smiled slightly dazed. 

"Yeah, you were." 

Just then David seemed to have snapped out of his little moments and a his signature frown appeared on his face once again, "Anyway, I never signed up to work for you. Who said I even wanted to join your crappy club in the first place and besides..."

He was stopped when Lola placed a finger to his lips and clamped them shut for a second. 

"Geez, no need to be so hostile, I was just asking. Look, I know you guys have had some setbacks in the past but the past is in the past, and look," she pointed to Joseph and Micheal in the corner, "Your friends are having fun, they're enjoying themselves and, for once, you guys aren't fighting, at least try and enjoy the moment while it lasts."

"But.." he tried to continue but was stopped yet again. 

"No buts. Now come with me, someone has to help me wash up the tea mug and you're the guy for the job!" Lola laughed and started pulling Davids arm towards the table where the cups were left. 

"Hey! Wha-What the. I never agreed to-Hey! I said stop!" David protested as a blush crept onto his face, but, in the end, still ended up helping her clear way the cups.

We all got to work we still have some cleaning to do plus the wall was going to need painting but we still hadn't found the equipment for that. So, we all got to work making the place as clean as possible and no one complained or made any commotion. Not David. Not Joseph. Not Me. Not even Micheal did anything to mess up what was going on by bringing up the past. We all looked like a group of friends, at first glance you wouldn't have thought that we were once all enemies. 

I was mopping the floor when Micheal came over with his sponge. 

None of us said anything to the other and it was nice that way for a while. We didn't really need to speak to know we were somewhat cool with each other now. Now I knew his backstory and he finally stopped acting like an asshole, we were civil. 

"I'm sorry," he muttered suddenly. "I was a bastard, wasn't I?" 

That surprised me. I mean, we all knew Micheal was a bastard, and I knew he knew it as well, but I never thought he come out and say it. 

"Yeah." I said. "A really fucking annoying one too."

"I thought so... I didn't mean too-" 

"OK, Micheal, stop with the apologies... let's just drop it OK," I sighed. 

He didn't answer for a while but soon enough, he whispered, "So, we're cool now? Even after everything, we're just gonna make up, like that?" 

"Unless of course you don't want too, in which case fighting fine with me. I'm still not completely over everything you know. But, I heard about what happens at home, with you and your brother Henry." 

Micheal's eyes widened, "But how?" 

"Joseph told me. He really cares a lot about you, you know. He came and joined this club because he wanted you and I to stop fighting and be friends. He thought maybe since I've been through some rough stuff as well, I could understand you more and help. And I, like the chump I am, gave in and let him join..." I sighed. 

Micheal chuckled and continued scrubbing the floor, then for a split second I saw his eyes wander to the two of them, David and Joseph. 

"Idiots, the pair of them..." he smiled.

I chuckled under my breath. When I first came to this school, I never once thought I could part of a situation like this. I didn't think I'd ever find friends, I didn't think I would ever have a best mate, I didn't think I'd have any enemies either. I came to this school expecting to be ignored, to be in the shadows. 

But then that all changed with the arrival of her. My saviour. Victoria. If I had never met her, if I had never had that dream about her, if I had just decided to not talk to her, I don't think I would be witnessing this scene right now. It was all thanks to her. 

Just in the middle of that thought, the bell had rung for the fifth period.

"Right, good work today everyone, lets all come back here tomorrow!" Victoria shouted and I was pulled out of my thought chain once again

Not too long after that, Daniel came and tapped me on my shoulder, "Josh. I need to speak to you." he said. His voice was unusually serious for Daniel's bubble persona. 

"Sure, OK, go ahead," I replied. 

"No... I mean, when everyone's gone," he said, keeping his stern tone. 

So I waited as one by one everyone left the room. David, Joseph, and Micheal all left in their group, while Lola and Victoria left together not long after. No one seemed to notice that Daniel and I had stayed inside. 

I was slightly anxious as to what Daniel wanted to tell me, he was unusually firm today which was totally out of character for him. But, hey it was Daniel, it couldn't have been too bad, right? 

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked. 

"OK, Josh, I'm going to keep it real with you. I really wanted to see what you thought since you're so closed to her and all so you may not like me doing this..." He started, blushing a little. 

"What, what is it?" I asked. 

"Let me keep it simple. I love Victoria. I want to confess to her at the end of the day, and I want to know if you're OK with that."

Keep reading for the next chapter... 

Chapter 25 - Love triangle