Best Friends With The Bad Boy ✓

26 - Songbird

JOHN'S POV

"The pizza's arrived, lads!" Ian cheered as he entered Cyrus's bedroom, carrying three boxes on pizza. I hung out at Cyrus' house more than my own, honestly.

"I'll call you back, Chinks." Cyrus said to his phone, and I assumed he was talking to Maisie cos of the nickname. I'd gotten used to their relationship so seeing them together didn't bother me anymore, although it was still a bit odd. I wasn't too aware of my surroundings; I was just trying to finish the maths homework so Chloe could stop nagging me.

She'd really been on my back about my being lazy with my schoolwork, so I decided to make the effort for her.

"Hey, Nerd, don't you want food?" Cyrus asked as he hung up. I didn't bother looking up at him because I knew he wasn't talking to me that way.

"Yo, Allen?"

"Yes?" I answered, looking up with a small smirk. Cyrus rolled his eyes and handed me a medium pizza box and I nodded in thanks, accepting it and putting my notebook to the side.

"Since when did you care about schoolwork?" Ian asked opposite me through a mouthful of pizza. I rolled my eyes at his bad manners.

"My mum's been getting calls from the school so I've decided to step up." I answered, and it was partially true. The other half to the truth was Chloe, of course.

"Sure it's not because of your girlfriend?" Cyrus asked with a knowing smirk. I smirked back.

"Which one?" I answered and he and Ian started laughing, Cyrus reaching over to slap me on the back. I was joking; I hadn't being on dates or anything since Chloe arrived. That didn't stop me from having fun though, I was a free man.

"I'm talking about Chloe, specifically." Cyrus said once he'd calmed down. I tensed slightly, knowing what was coming next. "How are things with her anyway?"

"Yeah, update us on your progress." Ian added, sitting up on the beanbag he was on. I sighed, putting my untouched pizza slice back in the box.

"Things are going good," I shrugged, trying to sound causal. "We're going at a good pace, still trying to build up our friendship."

"Still?" Cyrus asked, raising his thick eyebrows. He looked unimpressed. "It's been over two months since the bet started bro."

"Yeah, and two years of being apart." I retorted. "Rome wasn't built in a day. Her heartbreak won't be genuine if she doesn't actually like me, Cyrus."

At this point I'd accepted what I was doing and was just trying to get on with it. I didn't feel too guilty anymore, as when I was with Chloe I'd forget it was for a stupid bet and actually enjoy her company. It was like I fed off her energy, I always felt more awake and energized whenever we were together, a feeling I could get addicted to.

Sometimes the ugly truth would appear in my thoughts but I would suppress it. I had nothing to feel bad about technically speaking, since I was doing the right thing, getting justice, like Ian said. If the roles were reversed I wouldn't blame her for trying to do the same.

"It seems like there's a bit of competition." Ian said, wiping his fingers then shaking out his long hair. His curly dirty blond hair reached his shoulders giving him this whole rock star look instead of a homeless one you'd expect.

"You need to get a haircut man." I said, distracted from his question. He shot me an incredulous look.

"No way, this hair is what pulls the girls!" Ian exclaimed. "It's part of my image."

"What image?" Cyrus snorted.

"The whole mysterious, good-looking delinquent image I have going on." I let out a loud laugh at that.