"So how long did it take you guys to make this?" I asked, referring to the stack of papers I was holding.

I was sitting on a very comfortable leather armchair in Starbucks. The Three Musketeers, who are none other than Bennett Frazier, Jordan Wallace, and Declan Lynch, are sitting right across from me in the same comfortable leather armchairs. The kicker is that the Starbucks is empty with only the four of us in it, and right now we're having business negotiations.

The thing is, the Three Musketeers want to make a contract with me, called The Contract of Starbucks. Yeah, I wonder who was the genius who came up with the name too. Anyway, for some reason they want to become my... friends. They don't see the unpopular, nerdy, defenseless girl I see.

I mean they do, but that's not the point.

They say that they see something more in me. How I stand up to my bullies, how I put up with them, how I survive the hits I get everyday. And they somehow get me since they're also outcasts of the school, for a different reason though. While I'm the outcast of the school because I'm a nerd. They're the outcasts of the school because they're bad boys. And because of that everyone avoids them, doesn't stand up to them, and girls can't flirt them. Life sure must be tough for them.

But maybe I can cut them some slack. They're seen as monsters you could say, they're feared. Maybe that could be just as bad as the treatment I'm getting. Sure I get a couple of bruises and hits, I've been going through with this my whole life. But imagine you're new to the school with your two other friends and the whole school is scared of you. Of course it's not as bad as the situation as me, nothing could be as bad as mine, but it's close to it. The four of us get how cruel society can be, and somehow that brought us to now.

Jordan answered. "About a day."

I blinked. "A day?" We've met just yesterday at Friday, and here's the contract on Saturday. There's proof, but I just don't believe it.

He shrugged, doing his best not to make a big deal out of it. "It was no big deal, it only took me-"

"Wait you did this?" Waving the contract in the air.

"Yeah I-"

I looked at Declan and Bennett. "Are you serious? He did this? The two of you, I believe could do it, but Jordan?"

"Hey! I'm right here y'know!"

Bennett shrugged. "He's the fastest typer out of the three of us."

"The guy can be a geek if he wants to."

Jordan gritted his teeth. "As I was saying, negotiations and all of that stuff is up to me. The contract has a couple of sections and articles with a couple of facts to know."

I looked at the contract more closely and saw there were more than a couple of sections, and with each section has a couple of articles under it. "But this is so thorough, are you sure it only took you a day to make this?"

"Well today is Saturday, and yesterday is Friday, and I met you on Friday. I don't like math, but I think that equals to one day," he said, with a grin. "Anyway, the contract is free to have any amendments though all four of us must agree to the said amendment."

"Amendment?"

"You know the Constitution of-?"

I rolled my eyes. "Who do you think I am? Of course I know the Constitution of the United States, it's the-"

"Then you gotta know the amendments, any add-ons or improvements to the Constitution. Well let's say I forgot something or we thought of something to add to the contract, we can make an amendment."

I laughed. "Wow, I really underestimated you. You're smarter than you look."

"Thanks, hey, wait!"

"So all I got to do is sign it, right?" I said. 

"Yeah, Jordan already got us to sign everything, but we don't know what's in it as much as you do," Declan said. "Except for Jordan, he made it."

"So we'll read this over together?" I asked, making a face. "As much as I love to read, this is not my type of genre to enjoy."

"I'll just point you to the important ones. You can read the minor parts later, this is the original, I'll give you a copy later. Just read and sign." 

He sat at the edge of his seat and showed me his hand. Then he moved it behind my head and a pen was in his hand. 

"Ta da!" He said with jazz hands, the guys clapped weakly at his trick.

I chuckled, shaking my head and plucked the pen out of his hands. Then I turned to the first page of the contract. I know what I was expecting. The usual "sign here" and "initials here" or "just skip that, it's not important". Jordan was the one who guided me through the contract that I still don't believe he made. The words are too adult to the vocabulary Jordan has from what I know. The sentences are so thorough, well presented, and well written. I glanced at Declan and Bennett time to time who weren't as surprised at I was, and just shrugged at the questioning look in my eyes. I turned the next page after I sighed my initials again when-

"Just skip that!" Jordan exclaimed, trying to turn the page.

Jordan was calm and keeping it cool through the contracts, and told me to skip a few pages time to time telling me it's boring and not important. But this time he said it like he really didn't want me to read it.

I snatched the contract from him. "Tell my why first."

Jordan tried to reach for it but I hugged the contract to my chest. 

"No I can't-"

Bennett blinked. "Wait, is it..."

Jordan nodded, then hanging his head in shame.

Declan cursed, and tried to read for the contract. "Just give us the contract, it really is not important."

I eyed them and turned my head. "No."

"Get it!"

Declan lunged for me and I ducked out of the way, rolling on the ground. Jordan started to chase me and I hoped on the tables and began to hop table from table. I kicked tables in his way to buy some time.

"Naomi, give it back!"

"What does it say?" I demanded.

"Nothing!"

I was at the last of the tables and Bennett was waiting for me. He looked a bit bored, though his eyes proved it wrong like he was enjoying it too. He tried to read for the contracts, but I lifted my foot and kicked his hand out of the way. Then I hopped on his shoulder, which was surprisingly broad and strong, and jumped over him. I landed on the counter and hopped behind it. I waved the contract over my head in triumph and laughed.

"Beat that suckers!"

Declan crossed his arms. "She sure is something."

"Yeah, sure is light," Bennett muttered as he rubbed his shoulder.

"No!" Jordan cried, falling to his knees, acting melodramatic.

I looked at the contract, and read the contents of the page. I was silent as I read it, probably speechless. The guys were looking at me nervously, not knowing what my reaction will be. And a reaction they got.

I slammed the contract on the counter. "What the hell is wrong with you guys!"

"I-I..."

I jumped over the counter effortlessly. "Section 15, Article five," I read aloud. "Naomi is off limits. None of the Musketeers are allowed to have any romantic feelings for her at any cause. If such thing would happen, it would ruin the friendship for the other two, ruining the purpose of the contract. There would be no: longing looks, nice comments, flirting, sighs, stalking (creepy, pervert-in-love stalking), attempts to stop her from making a relationship, and etc. Naomi is none other a friend in a friend zone, nothing more, nothing less!"

"It's not as bad as it sounds," Jordan assured me, trying to calm me down.

"Yeah it isn't," I said, sounding for a moment I'm calm, "Too bad it is! What is this? Off limits? Romantic feelings? Flirting? Friend zone? It's like you want to die!" 

Jordan sighed. "Like you said, I'm thorough. I just added that article just to be safe."

"But really?" I asked, annoyed. "You really had to write it like this?"

He shrugged. "I'm just the negotiator."

"What does that even mean? You said negotiations are up to you. Why?"

Jordan's Adam's apple bobbed, he scratched his neck. 

"Well?" I demanded, walking towards him.

"Section Nine, Article 17, Bullet 3!" Jordan blurted out.

I blinked. "What?"

"Read!"

I went over the contract and read Section Nine, Article 17-

"Bullet what?" I asked.

He sighed in exasperation. "Three."

-Bullet Three. 

I muttered the words on the page. "Naomi is to be protected from the "should not be known" life of the Musketeers. She is to not know the jobs of the musketeers, the other life of the musketeers, and so on and so forth. She should not see the injuries or the musketeers if for some "unknown reason" they are hurt from some "unknown way". At all cost she must be separated by such activities of the musketeers, for she must never be mixed in by them. Naomi cannot be injured for the same "unknown reason" from the same "unknown way." If such a thing happens, she will be protected at all cost for she was never in the life at the first place..." I looked at them, then back at the contract.

"Please don't be mad," Jordan squeaked.

"Unknown reason, unknown way?" I asked. 

"Read the sentence after that." Bennett said, leaning against a table.

Jordan cocked his head. "Why?"

"I've read the contract back to front when you weren't looking at the computer," Bennett stated. "I added a little thing."

"You did what!" Jordan demanded. "You can't do that! That's my job, remember?" He ran towards me and snatched the contract out of my hands. His eyes scanned the page and then widened. He cursed and pointed at Bennett. "What the hell is this? We can't-"

"You said that you can add some amendments if you forget something or we thought of something else to add," Bennett explained calmly. "You forgot to add something, and I added it."

"But the four of us have to agree-"

"Then let's read it, and agree." Bennett offered.

I looked over Jordan's shoulder and read it out loud. "But if Naomi is ready to join this life, that will be decided by the Musketeers, she will be able to know everything."

Declan shrugged. "I'm up for that."

"Well I don't!" Jordan exclaimed. "This is stupid! I'm not going to "decide" if she can join it with you guys. It's too dangerous, I'm not allowing this."

Bennett face showed a rare smile. "First page of the contract, where the disclosure is."

Jordan's eyes narrowed at Bennett. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well when you weren't looking..." He began.

"You added another thing," Jordan guessed. "Great, just great." He turned to the first page. "I don't see anything."

"Read the fine print."

"Fine print? What fine- Oh, that fine print." He read it and gritted his teeth. "Oh, you suck Bent, you really suck. I'm so going to put a password on the computer."

"What is it?" Declan asked, finally interested in the conversation.

"Ha, like I'm going to actually to tell you the password-"

"Not that, what's in the fine print?" Declan asked, annoyed now.

"It says that it could be put into vote," Bennett answered. "The three of us will decide, Naomi will be the tie breaker."

"That's totally unfair," Jordan growled. "She's obviously going to vote yes."

"And if "she" does vote yes," I said, before adding. "Which I do by the way. Why are you so against me on learning about this?"

This was the first time I saw Jordan speechless. "I... um, but-"

Declan cut him off. "He's just unfair like that."

"So that's three to one, Naomi will learn when she'll learn," Bennett said. "Can she finish the contract now?"

Jordan composed himself again. "Yeah, she needs to only sign one more thing now."

"Finally!" I yelled in exasperation. "My hand is cramping. The last time it hurt like this when I decided to finish a whole week's homework and projects the day I got..." I faltered when I saw the guys staring at me. "What? Call me a nerd."

They all laughed along with me. It was the first time I laughed with the Three Musketeers, much less anyone. 

Declan grabbed the contract out of Jordan's hands. "Let's get this over with." He said as he flipped through the contract. "Where's the stupid page? I can't-"

Jordan plucked the contract out of Declan's hands as he flipped it to the right page. "That's why you're the brawn and I'm the brains, therefore brains over brawn."

"Why you- Take that back!"

He rolled his eyes and tossed me the contract. "All you gotta do is sign it and you'll be ours, and we'll be yours."

I turned to the last page and read the last paragraph out loud.

"This will be the final signature that will complete the Contract of Starbucks." I said. "After that you will officially be the bad boy's good girl, and they'll be the good girl's bad boys." I looked at Jordan with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

Jordan shrugged. "It was a last minute, er- last day contract, I was in a bit of a hurry and wrote what came to my head."

I sighed. "Okay."

I sat down and set the contract before me. I stared at the contract, sighing under my breath.

"Why are you hesitating? You've already signed the pages before it, this is just the last one." Bennett said.

"Yeah I know, but those are just little things."

"Hey!" Jordan said, offended.

I ignored him."But this is the real thing. My final signature will be what-"

"Enough with this stuff. Just sign it already!" Declan said. "I finished my drink a while ago."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah sure, just making a life changing choice right now, no big deal."

With one final sigh, I signed my name at the end of the project.

"It's official!" Jordan exclaimed as he snatched the contract off the table and tucked it into his leather jacket. 

"Yay," I said, with no energy. "Now what?"

"Well we could go to a party..." Bennett offered.

I blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, in Facebook, this guy named Rider or Rodney something is throwing a party at eight tonight." Declan said.

"Facebook?"

"Yeah, you know Facebook," Jordan said. "The social networking website, theme color is blue, has a huge "f" as the-"

"I know what Facebook is!"

"Well, weren't you invited to-"

I looked at them like they were stupid because they are. "I don't have Facebook because I don't have a death wish for cyber bullying at school, if you must know."

Declan grinned. "Well, maybe since you're with us now, you don't have to worry about stuff like that anymore."

He had a point. I got three bad boy, bad ass bodyguards. I don't have to worry about bullying at school like before, because I now got these guys. My life really will change...

"I never thought about it." I muttered.

Jordan put his arm around me. "Well think again, Naomi Lorraine. Cause you're coming with us to the party."

I smiled. "Okay."

"Let's ditch this place," Bennett said.

"Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea." Declan said, peering out of the window shutters. "There's a huge crowd outside, and they look pissed."

I eyed the clock. "We've been here way more than an hour."

"I guess that manager guy decided not to take his chances to remind us." Jordan said with a shrug.

"Let's go through the back door," Bennett suggested. "We'll avoid-"

"The zombie apocalypse, agreed," Jordan finish.

"I wasn't going-"

"To ever get laid, agreed."

"Jordan-"

"Is sexy, agreed."

"Stop-"

"Being awesome, agreed."

Bennett narrowed his eyes at Jordan but said nothing

"Let's go," he muttered, passing by us.

We sneaked out of the deserted Starbucks through the back door. Bennett held the door as we shuffled out, I met Bennett eyes who looked blank again, and he turned away again.

"So where's the car again?" Jordan asked in a chirpy voice.

"In a block or two," Bennett answered calmly.

He groaned. "We have to walk!" Jordan exclaimed. "Ugh."

Declan smirked. "You need the exercise."

"Hey, just because I'm not a sports freak like you doesn't mean-"

"Who are you calling a freak!"

"Me, that's who!"

"Are they always like this?" I asked Bennett quietly.

He shrugged. "They're nicer than usual since you're around. But it's actually much more physical than-"

Jordan tripped Declan and he fell on his ass. Declan started to spout out cuss words at Jordan that could make a sailor blush, but then he turned to me and blushed.

I shrugged. "Go ahead, I already have more words to add to my vocabulary."

Declan turned back to Jordan and started to cuss at him again. He then stood up and started to chase Jordan. They ran out of the alley and around the corner.

"Ah look, they ditched me again," Bennett said with a sigh.

"We should go follow them before they get into any trouble."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Let's go before we lose them."

We walked down the alley and turned the corner. It was easy to follow of them because they left a trail of breadcrumbs for us. As in breadcrumbs, I mean leaving a mess on the streets. Flipped chairs, dazed people, upside down garbage cans, upside down mailboxes (that was surprising), and they shouts of their threats and cuss words in the city air. I passed an annoyed parent covering his child's ears and tried to stifle a giggle.

"Jordan!" Declan's voice roared a few blocks away. "Give me back my shoe!"

"How did Jordan get his shoe?" I asked incredulously.

Bennett shrugged. "He has his ways."

"Now that I can believe," I agreed. Compared to him being a fast typer with a vocabulary more advance than I thought he has is less believable than him being able to steal Declan's shoe which I found out was also unbelievable.

"So do you regret it?" Bennett asked me, as he walked in a slow pace with me.

"Regret what?"

"Signing the contract, joining us?" 

"I don't know... should I?"

"Maybe," he paused. "And maybe you shouldn't. There's pros and cons to this."

"Like what?"

Bennett shrugged. "You can check several things off your bucket list, you'll have many stories to share, you can be more than a carefree teenager with us."

"But," I offered.

"But, you can get hurt, sometimes way worst," he said, looking down at the ground. "That's why Jordan was pretty against it. Because..."

"Because of what?"

"It's not my say to tell you," Bennett said.

"Um, okay."

"Oh look, we're here."

I looked around to see what he was talking about. Then I followed the direction he was looking and recoiled. It was bright red car that passerbys knew wasn't common around here given it was an Ashton Martin.

I turned and yelled. "Hey guys, Declan, Jordan, you passed it!"

Jordan and Declan froze in their chase a couple of blocks away. I didn't know if they heard me, but they yelled something back to me. Then they started to walk back to us.

Jordan laughed. "We passed it? Ha, I didn't notice."

Declan grunted. "Yeah, because you were too busy running away with your tail between your legs." He was panting from the chase.

We all stared at each other, Declan, Jordan and me. It was bit of a staring contest, maybe an intimidation challenge. We were edging each other on, daring each other to do it. What felt like hours were only seconds, minutes. Until-

"I call shotgun!" I exclaimed.

Jordan and Declan cursed at the same time, making me laugh. The car was a two door, with four seats, so the two unlucky people have to climb over the front seat to go to the back. Declan grumbled at he opened the door and climb to the back. Declan was quite big, so he looked like he was really struggling. I turned away to keep from laughing at him.

"I hate this car!" Declan growled. "What kind of idiot makes four seats and only two doors on a car?"

Jordan groaned. "Looks like it's a job for-" he paused and put his hands on his hips then posed like a superhero "-Jordan!"

"No, no, no!" Declan exclaimed. "Don't-"

Jordan lifted his foot and slammed it to Declan's behind. It made him go into the car a couple of inches, making a little effort. But it also left a huge shoe print.

Declan closed his eyes and sighed. "Please tell me there isn't a shoe print on my ass." 

"Um I-"

"Please tell me there isn't a shoe print on my ass," Declan repeated.

"There isn't a shoe print on your ass?" All of us said nervously.

He looked back. "Just help me-" 

Jordan began to lift his foot again, ready for another kick.

"Except Jordan!" Declan finished. "Jordan put your freakin' foot down!"

"Aw." Jordan pouted but put his foot down.

I made a face. "Do I really have- Don't look at me like that, I mean cut me some slack. I'm a girl, remember?"

"Just do something!" Declan cried in exasperation.

"I don't want to touch your ass!" I retorted back. 

That got a few stares from people on the street.

I shrugged innocently. "I mean c'mon, who would?"

Declan grinned and said proudly. "Well, I could give you a list, if you know what I-"

Jordan suddenly kicked him in the ass. "Whoops."

"Let's just move the seat, back to help him out," I suggested.

"No!" All three of them yelled.

But I ignored them and moved forward. I clicked the button and the seat went forward, smashing into his back. Then it moved backward, leaving Declan lying on his back on the back seat.

"Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly.

Declan groaned in response.

"Hey, scooch over," Jordan said.

Declan groaned again. "I can't feel my butt."

"You want me to kick it again?" Jordan offered. "Maybe you'll feel something."

He moved himself right side up instead and sat in one of the seats. Jordan held his hands on the rim of the car and flew at the back, feet first.

"See? How hard can that be?"

Declan glared at Jordan but said nothing. I hopped into the front seat after we put the chair to it's right position. Then Bennett walked over to the side of the car and sat at the driver's seat.

"Seat belts everyone," he said.

Jordan rolled his eyes. "You don't have to remind us."

I buckled my seat belt while the other's did the same. "Why?"

"Well let's just say that after we got caught riding the car no hands wasted, one of us flashing a police car up on the sun roof, at three times the speed limit in a free way made us learned out lesson," Jordan summed up.

I blinked. "How did you guys get away with it?"

"Bennett," Jordan and Declan answered in unison.

Declan smiled. "The guy's loaded."

Bennett sighed. "Guys, shut up."

Suddenly Bennett stopped the car, making all of us suddenly jerk forward. Everyone looked at Bennett with wide eyes. Then he slowly turned to us.

"Hey guys? Do you think we forgot something?"

There was a long silence.

"No."

"Nope."

"I don't think so."

Bennett was quiet for a moment, thinking if there was. Then he shook his head and went back to driving. Little did we know, there was a Starbucks manager, waiting outside of his own store that has been temporarily rented. The customers were starting to get impatient, making the poor man nervous. He was 200 dollars rich, but was still waiting for the other half of his pay and when the kid would tell him he can get his store back. But he didn't want to take his chances and remind him. So he just stood there, waiting.

"So we're going to a party, right?" I asked them, just to make sure.

"Yeah. Do you want to come?" Bennett asked, glancing me from behind the wheel.

"Cause if you have other plans, it's totally okay," Jordan interjected.

"No, no, it's not that, it's just..."

"You're on your period?" Declan suggested.

"I have pepper spray with me, and I'm not afraid to use it," I stated.

"Okay. I'm going to shut up now and sit here quietly." Declan said, and slumped back to his seat.

"It's just... can you guys drop me at my house?"

Jordan's shoulders slumped. "You don't want to go after all."

"No! I just want to change into something nicer, okay?"

"How come? What you're wearing is nice."

"Eyes up here," I told him.

"I wasn't-" He flustered.

"This is the first party I'm going to," I told them. "In like, ever. Even with you guys, I just want to wear something that'll fit in with them."

Declan snorted. "You don't have to fit in with those losers." 

"I know, I just want to wear something nice. Even if it is some party. Is it alright?"

Bennett nodded. "Yeah it's okay. You're a girl after all, no problem."

I told them my address and Bennett drove us there in minutes. We were just cruising around the town until I asked them to drop me off.

"The party will start at eight, we'll pick you up around that," Bennett told me. 

I nodded. "Okay."

"And don't think we won't leave without you," Jordan said.

"Why would you think that?"

He shrugged. "Even if you change your mind, even if your parents won't let you. We're going to burst in and kidnap you. You got that?"

I blinked, then my lips formed a smile. "I got it. See you guys later."

"Bye Naomi!" They all said in unison.

-

I went back home with the smile still on my face. It was then I realize they said it. They said my name. No hurtful nicknames, insults, not even Nerdy Naomi. They just said my name. It might not be much. My parents and teachers say my name, but no one else. So to me, it's worth something. 

"I'm ho-"

My parents were right in front of me when I opened the door. I was startled at first, I thought they would be out doing something now that they had time alone, or at least taking a nap.

I smiled. "Hey, I'm home."

My parents searched my face.

"So what did you do?" My mom asked me, leading me to the living room.

"I just met up with three bad boys at Starbucks and filled a contract to be their good girl, so people won't bully me anymore. Normal teenage stuff."

Is what I could've told my parents. If I wanted to them to have a heart attack and ground me for all eternity. So I just told them this-

"I just met up with some friends at Starbucks. Normal teenage stuff."

"Oh, did you have fun?" My dad asked.

You could say that.

"Yeah, we just talked. Nothing much."

"I see."

"So," I said, preparing for the big question. "My friends invited me to a party tonight at eight. Do you think I can-"

"Of course you can!" Both of them answered in unison without me finishing the question.

I recoiled and blinked. "I-I can?"

My parents looked at each other then smiled.

"It's just you always spend your Saturdays cooped up in your room," my mom started.

My dad smiled. "So I, we think it's great you're invited to a party."

"Um wow, thanks," I said.

After all those books I've read and movies I watched, I had expected them to give me this lecture and refuse to let me go. I didn't expect them to willfully agree to let me go. Although I was kind of hopeful I could sneak out of the house to go to the party against my parent's permission and check that out of my bucket list. But sadly my parents are too cool to be normal parents.

"But no drinking," my dad warned.

"Of any kind, don't even receive drinks from any strangers."

"No smoking."

"Or doing pot."

"You can't do pot," I told them. "You smoke-"

"Well how am I suppose to know what kids do now a days?" My mom said in exasperation.

"Or doing drugs of any kind."

"And above all," my parents said in unison.

"Don't. Lose. Your. Vir-"

"What!"

"Well from the movies we watched, sometimes the oblivious girl would-"

"Thanks you guys! I get it! I'm going to go change into something nice!" I exclaimed before they could finish.

"Don't wear anything too revealing," my dad called out.

"But don't wear anything too covered up either, my mom added.

"How come?" He dad asked.

"I don't want her to be mistaken as a boy."

"Mom!"

"I want a grandson for Pete's sake! Not right now of course, but at least for you to have a boy-"

"MOM!"

"Okay sweetie, I'll stop embarrassing you now."

I sighed. "Thank you." I got up and left the living room, heading up the stairs.

I stopped for a second, waiting by door. I wanted to listen in what my parents would say now. I waited but they didn't say anything. But just before I was going up the stairs my mom said-

"I just hope..." she began.

I froze and waited. They probably think I might get hurt again. Be unsociable in the party, and become an outcast although I was invited to the party. I waited for the blow to hit, and it came.

"I just hope she won't get drunk."

I stifled a laugh and ran up the stairs. Not what I expected in mind, but that was something.

I smiled. "Yeah, me too."

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's the second part of the last chapter, and the end of the same day. I hope you got a few laughs, jokes, and like the ending of this chapter. I enjoyed writing it. Be sure to write comments below, they all mean a lot to me. 

Thanks.

And the best is yet to come. Adventures will be made. Just right now is the stuff that needs to be taken care of first. But the good stuff will come, I promise.

RubixCube89201