"I texted Paul. He says that Evie has already delivered the precious cargo." Zeth said, checking his phone. It was almost time to leave the strip club, "Now all that's left is the show. I'm thinking of doing something big! Pirouettes! Ice! Sparks! Lots of dancers!"
"Do you think we can put together a good show overnight? Quite literally?" Finn cocked his head.
"We will use any show we already have ready. Our concerts have always been complex, one act will suffice." Zeth winked. "Maybe we just need to add a few things here and there and boom! Monster Mash rules the world!"
"Zeth," Finn said, "This whole idea is ridiculous"
"It's not, we just have to..."
"The polyamorous idea," Finn corrected, "It is ridiculous, let alone something as serious as being a couple of seven could destabilize our band."
"Or make us get closer," Zeth winked. "And there's no such thing as a couple of seven, Seamons. But come on, even Jade thinks that it could work!"
Jade grumbled. She hadn't accepted it as such, but the idea of sharing Zeth with Finn... She felt conflicted. On one hand, it was a good thing that they were so open-minded. But on the other hand, was it right for her, as an inexperienced girl? Would she ever be enough?
The question nagged at her.
And the more she thought about it, the more she realised that she was not ready to answer it yet. She needed time and space to consider it. She had time, but maybe she didn't have space. Maybe she was too young to decide whether it was okay or not.
Maybe it would be better to wait until her emotions grew more mature before she decided if she was willing to risk everything for something that was almost certainly going to blow up in her face one day, or if she was willing to risk something else entirely and throw caution to the wind.
Or maybe the question was too difficult to answer.
"Are you in love with me, Zeth?" Finn asked, but Zeth shook his head.
"I have feelings for you that I cannot name, but I don't see why that would be a problem, Seamons."
"I don't want you with me just for the sake of it," Finn said, his voice softening. "Even if I wanted it, I'd never ask for it. If we become something, I want it to be because there is love and not an obligation."
"The choice is yours, Seamons," Zeth grinned. "And I expected you would say that. Don't get me wrong, if you want to, we can try."
"I don't think this is a good idea, Zeth." Jade stood straight, and Zeth made such a strange face, so... Worried?
"Are you serious?" Zeth gasped. "Do you think I'll overshadow everyone else too much and get all the attention?" Zeth turned to Finn, who was already ogling him.
"The problem is that maybe a girl doesn't want many men, just one, someone who is not as..."
"Perfect as me?" Zeth interrupted Jade, "Oh fuck! Or maybe I'm not perfect enough! Is it my hair? I can dye it! If it's because I'm bossy, I can correct it... Though I don't promise anything. Or is it that any girl would be terrified of being with someone as famous and graceful as me? Trust me, I can..."
"Zeth, stop," Jade held up a hand. He looked desperate. It was like discovering a being that never existed.
Zeth begging for a girl? That was impossible!
Impossible!
Jade sighed.
Maybe she was being unreasonable.
Or maybe this was the only reasonable thing she was doing with her life.
"Zeth, if someone dares to tell you no, it's for the same reason as Finn," Jade said, "You want a girl to be with you, but to be with you she must date your friends too? If she doesn't love them, then it can't happen."
Zeth frowned.
"Wait. But what if the girl loves everyone?" Zeth looked genuinely confused.
"You have no way of knowing if the girl loves everyone," Jade replied.
"Ummm, actually she does. That's already confirmed."
"No, Zeth. It's one thing to be a fan and another thing to be in love," Jade rolled her eyes. How could he be so old and not understand something as basic as her not wanting to date all of them at once?
Jade loved him, but she could not deny that the feelings for his friends were non-existent beyond friendship.
There was definitely nothing romantic going on between her and them, but the fact that they all wanted to be with her did wonders to her stomach.
"Zeth, you and the boys are amazing, but you can't say it's love when you don't feel like it." Jade smiled gently. "For now, don't risk anyone's heart."
"Okay," Zeth sighed.
"Oh, really?" Jade looked surprised. In fact, she was.
"Are you serious?" Finn asked, more surprised than Jade. "Are you going to let her go? After so much time we can finally love without fear and now you're going to let it die? You gave us all hope and then you took it away from us."
"I can't make her do anything she does not want to," Zeth grunted. Then his phone rang and he answered it, moving away a little.
"Fuck, Zeth," Finn said, "You haven't even asked her if she wants to date all of us and you're already assuming things. You're so controlling!"
"Seamons, we'll talk about this later, this call is important and just so you know, I did ask her," Zeth said, walking away with the phone.
"Don't worry, Finn. I am gonna be around for a long time," Jade reminded him. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Wait, what does that mean?" Finn looked confused.
"Well, you asked if Zeth was thinking of letting me go, but no, I'm going to be around here a lot."
"Wait," Finn shook his head, "You think we're talking about..."
"I know this is not the end," Jade said with her arms open, spinning on her heel like a passionate princess, "There will still be plenty of opportunities to hang out with you guys again, and fall in love with each and every single one of you!"
"Jade, I think you're misunderstanding everything," Finn said, "We're not talking about..."
"Everyone is competing for the same girl, I get it," Jade said, very self-assured, "Oh! The downsides of being a book protagonist!"
"Jade, I think..."
"And it's not just a wolf and a vampire, no!" Jade said way, waaaaay too excitedly, "It's six monsters competing for the love of one girl!"
"Yes, Jade," Finn said, "But that girl is not..."
"Compete for woman's love?" Everett asked, stepping out of the locker room. "Hell yeah! With knives, axes, and swords, just like back home. Death Match!"
"Oh My God! No!" Finn yelled. "You can't be proposing death matches for every conflict, Everett!"
"But that's how it was done back home," Everett bumped his hand into his fist. "We fought for what we wanted."
"Nobody's going to fight anybody, because I think we all agree that I would win," Zeth said while hanging up.
"Then we should ask woman who is best man for best boyfriend," Everett said, "Whoever loses will be decapitated."
"Guys!" Alex opened the door of the locker room with a bang, with his purple tank top backwards, "Draco! Where's Draco?!"
"In the alley," Finn said.
"AAAARGH! You guys are the worst friends in the world!" Alex shouted, looking at Everett, "Frank was being bullied by his own hand and I had to save him because you didn't do anything, Frostakov!"
"I got no memo," Everett grunted.
"And how could you guys let Draco go out alone?!" Alex yelled at everyone, "You're all idiots! Doesn't anyone care about everyone but me?! Carajo! Me cagan la madre!" And then he ran out through the back door.
"Dramatic," Everett said.
"Yeah, overly dramatic," Frank said, coming out of the locker room, punching Everett on the shoulder.
"Ouch!"
"Thanks for saving me from my hand by the way!"
"I didn't notice."
"You were in front of me, Everett!"
"I noticed but I didn't realise."
"That doesn't make sense!"
"It does to me."
"Why didn't you help me, Everett?!"
"I panicked."
"That's not true!"
"This is drama. You are dramatic."
"My own hand gave me a wedgie!"
"Atomic or regular?"
"Could you please stop?!" Finn yelled, "Guys, I think this whole poly relationship thing has Jade a bit confused."
"Oh! Jade! I was actually going to ask you favour!" Everett said with a creepy smile, "How about you and I..."
"Not now, Everett. I just want to go home," Jade said. "Sorry, guys, today has been fun but, I think I need some sleep, considering I didn't sleep at all last night."
"Yeah, fine," Zeth agreed. "But we'll catch up tomorrow."
"Until then... Good luck with the show, and whatever you do, don't let Anton win!" Jade winked.
"I'll take you home," Zeth said, pulling out his phone. "I'll tell my chauffer we'll take you..."
"I'd like to walk," Jade said. "My dad lives nearby, about ten minutes away. I need some time alone."