Chapter 15

I wake up late on Saturday. I only need to work at like eight at night. I'm the one closing the Subway today with Frank and we're open till four in the morning.

I can already feel this is going to be quite painful.

So I wake up around one in the afternoon and stay in bed.

I got home late yesterday.

I had fun. A lot of it. It's so strange to think about the fact that a couple of months ago, I didn't care about Nine Knots, like at all, and now I've spent a whole evening fangirling about them with three other girls, and... I had a really good time.

I don't want to let myself think this because I don't want to be disappointed but, they feel more like my friends than the people I went to school with in Yaoundé.

It makes no sense, but it's the truth.

I wonder if it's all Nine Knots' magic, or it's because those girls just click more for some reason.

Or maybe it's just because I'm actually kinda almost letting myself open up with them, and letting them in.

They were there during a rough time. And they've supported me when they didn't even know me.

That definitely counts for something.

My phone dings.

I grab it. It's a random notification, but while I have my phone in my hand, I realize that Tenth Knot wrote to me.

What? What happened? I check Instagram and see that there's a live there. The boys are practicing their choreography for Red Flags and at the end when they're all standing around, and Luan is talking, Jae in the back sort of leans forward grinning at Matias like he's about to kiss him and Matias just grabs his face and kisses him back with the proudest grin I've ever seen on anyone's face ever.

Jae looks like he just got slapped.

And no one in the room seem to even care about it.

I've seen a lot of random ship edits. It's not the first time they kiss.

I'm a little disappointed I missed that live though.

I kinda just stare at my phone. What is it with the Toronto air and collecting friends suddenly?

I'm about to close the conversation but Tenth Knot sends me a link to a video. I click on it.

"No, but like why am I the one with the crop top again?" Kiaan whines.

"You're so tiny. You need to show abs so our fans know you're an adult," Jae-sang says in passing.

All the guys the you can see on camera are nodding in agreement.

Kiaan looks like a pissed puppy. "You guys are always doing this to me. I always end up with the skimpy outfit."

"Skimpy?" Xufeng says, looking at Matias.

Matias just shrugs and shakes his head. "Skippy?"

"Skippy, Skippy, Skippy the bush Kangaroo. Skippy, Skippy. Skippy, our friend ever true," Aleksey starts singing.

"Wait you watched Skippy?" Matias asks.

"What's Skippy?" Xufeng asks them.

"Can you guys focus for one second? I'm not wearing the crop top," Kiaan whines.

Jae-sang passes again and pats Kiaan on the back. "You're wearing the crop top."

Kiaan glares after him, and then like a light bulb turned on in his head, his whole face lights up and he points to Luan. "Luan used Pierre to wipe a mess he made on the floor!"

Luan gets up from the chair he was sitting on glaring at him. "KIAAN! I have nothing to do with this, why are you saying this?"

Too late, the damage is done. Jae-sang looks completely appalled. "YOU DID WHAT WITH PIERRE?"

"It was just water," the leader of the group tries to defend himself.

"Pierre, that we all kiss before our show for good luck? Pierre that I sleep with, hugging lovingly?" Jae-sang is saying, panicky.

I'm laughing at his expression. He really looks like this is the end of the world.

"Kiaan, do you see what you just did?" Luan says, glaring at him.

"Luan should wear the crop top. He's the leader. And he's got good abs," Kiaan is saying to Jae, ignoring Luan.

"But he doesn't look like a fucking toddler," Matias mumbles from behind. He's sitting on a couch looking at videos on his phone with Aleksey and Xufeng. Skippy maybe?

I love these chaotic boys.

And Jae is not done. "YOU WHIPPED THE FLOOR WITH PIERRE?"

"Who's the child now, huh? Who's crying over a plushie?" Kiaan taunts him.

I laugh alone in my bed. I totally get why Kiaan is her bias today.

If I'm being completely honest, I don't understand how anyone can only love one guy in the band though. It makes no sense. They're all so unique but also fit so perfectly together at the same time.

I check on the suggested video, no ready to get out of bed just yet and click on another one.

It's one of Ibrahim's fake cook show videos. It's like less than one minute long. I wonder what happened.

Ibrahim and Kiaan are at a counter, their phone obviously hazardously set up.

"Gentlefolks, welcome back to Let's Just Wing It, our famous cook show," Ibrahim announces.

"Where we look at a random recipe and realize half the ingredients will kill the members so we just wing it," Kiaan explains.

"Today we're making koshari. I've eaten it often, but I've never made it. I called my mom beforehand actually," Ibrahim admits.

"Wait, you called Mom and you didn't tell me?" Kiaan asks, looking betrayed.

I chuckle.

Ibrahim just grins, unbothered. "She says hi."

Kiaan narrows his eyes at him. "Traitor."

"So!"

Kiaan interrupts him again. "Wait, wait, wait, are we doing the version with like the French fries on the side too? That we got at that restaurant?"

Ibrahim rolls his eyes. "Do you want that version? Or are you spitting on my mother's recipe?"

"I'm not spitting on Mom's recipe, I'm just saying. I kinda want French fries," Kiaan admits, making a face.

"French fries would be good," Ibrahim agrees, a little completive.

"Koshari means work. French fries mean instant gratification."

"French fries take a little while to make too."

"Not if we Uber Eats some," Kiaan points out.

"Just fries?"

"Maybe some pie?"

"Oh, should we go to the Cheesecake Factory?"

"Yes!"

"Perfect, well this concludes this week's episode of just wing it. Goodbye!" Ibrahim says, with an evil grin and just shuts own the video.

I laugh in my bed again.

_____________
Hello my little Pretzels!

I bought a pretzel plushie this weekend. I'm thinking about making shirts. I will legit buy anything with a pretzel on it at this point! XD

How did we like this chapter? Naree is getting to know Tenth Knot slowly. hehehe

Sooooo sorry for uploading late in the last weeks. I'm so out of it, and I have so much to do! :') I need to sleep for three days. XD

I shall upload the next chapter tomorrow! Thanks for putting up with me. This is my NaNoWriMo project this year, so you won't be getting late uploads like this unless something weird happens. XD

Byyyyyyyye! LOVE Y'ALL