Due to Cal's loss of pool, we had all piled into the Van and were on our way to a day rave…

Yes. A day rave. I like colours, but I seriously reckon those smiley kids take it too far.

Anyway, we pulled up in a car park next to the street that featured all the joy of the clubs in the area. The day rave was in a large warehouse on the corner of the street, intersecting with a lane that featured all night cafes.

I sighed. For some reason, the entire Jai thing was wearing me down. Damned dancing jester. He was sticking my mind, the beats of his tap shoes, the eyes, the ex-girlfriend (is everything green here or is that just me?) and the entire rose thing…

Plus, he was drawing attention away from Will and I wasn't sure if I liked that… Or even if I hated it.

No matter.

Said jester had jumped out of the Van first, before offering a hand to Celia.

"Milady?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Dude, Lesbians don't really believe in chivalry."

Jai grinned back.

"Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it doesn't believe in you."

I turned my head to look at him. His eyes flicked once to me, before going back to Celia, who was too busy laughing to notice. She took the hand and jumped out of the Van. I felt Kent's hand on my shoulder.

"He looked at yooooooooooooou, Arty," he whispered, excitedly.

I shoved his hand off my shoulder and fought to hide a blush… and failed.

Goddamn body not obeying my goddamn commands.

Kent laughed and clambered over me, extending a hand to Jai.

"Willst thou help me, kind sir?" he asked, in a false female tone.

Jai smiled charmingly and inclined his head a little, taking Kent's hand. Kent gave a false high-pitched tittering laugh and descended from the van with a poncy posture. Jai removed his hat with one hand and gave a low bow.

"Forgive me, milady, for I did not see thy person, who is such a strong and powerful figure, in need of any assistance a wretch like I can offer…"

I swear, for once in my life, Kent actually blushed. His tanned cheeks went a flaring red and he looked at his sneakers briefly, before clearing his throat.

"Um. Thanks…"

Finally, Jai tilted his head my way, his eyes laughing at me, waiting, just watching to see what I would do…

So, will all the grace I could muster, I pulled myself out of the combi van, ignoring the hand offered to me by Jai and sent a glare in his direction.

"Not everyone needs your help."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Help is offered to those with me, not only those who need it."

I sneered, suddenly feeling anger again.

"Maybe you should have offered help to me after mother dearest left…" I hissed.

Jai's eyes widened in shock, before softening until they seemed warm and comforting. He placed the hat back on his head and sighed, shoulders heaving. I bit my lip. Maybe I had gone too far. They guy was in a completely different place…

But lord of heavens above, Jai replied. As always.

"I'm sorry."

He turned and walked towards the door of the club

…

And THAT was not normal. Jai would normally have retorted something logical and smooth and damned flirtatious…

"Arty, you fucking silly bint." Ari's voice was stern and disapproving as she descended regally from the van. "Have you not a bloody clue what that man gave up?"

Huh?

Inside my head, a bright light beeped. It was a strange light. There was a large CONFUSION sign over it. Not very helpful, but still, it helped with my reply.

"Eh?"

Very sharp Arty, very sharp. I'm such a moron…

Cal walked over and placed comforting hand on Ari's shoulder.

"Not our place, Ari."

She sneered and leaned back into him.

"If you weren't such a handsome dog, I'd castrate you for trying to placate me."

Cal grinned.

"What is with you and your fascination for my sexual organs?"

Celia squealed and placed her hands over her ears.

"TMI!"

I winced. Yes, it was a little too much information. The entire idea of Cal and Ari in the bedroom made sex seem less like sex and more like a battleground. And that. Was. Something. I. DIDN'T. Need. To. Think. About.

Dude.

Kent suddenly looped his arm with mine.

"So shall be go into the rainbow centre of doom and see what we can find, dearest Arty Artemis who has a really hot brother and two gods interested in her?"

I scowled.

"You just had to add that last bit, didn't you?

Kent nodded vehemently and led me towards the door, Celia bouncing along in tow. As we reached the door, I noticed Jai leaning against it, holding it open letting the 00tz 00tz music spill into the street. He peered into the building, hat tilted back, before his eyes widened in shock again.

Celia slid past Kent and I and jogged over to him.

"What? What have you…"

She followed his gaze and grinned evilly.

"Target spotted…"

Suddenly taking on a ravers pose, she used a kind of foot shuffling movement in time with the beat to enter the rave. I turned to Ari, who was half a step behind me.

"You didn't tell me your sister could dance like THAT!"

She laughed.

"I do not count that overexertion of muscles as dancing. I'd say it is a fucking martial art…"

Jai spun around to me.

"Art, are you sure you want to go in here?"

Ari and Cal looked at him. he looked panicked and worried. Kent suddenly unlooped his arm with mine and walked over.

"What's the big…?" he looking into the room. "Holy shit, isn't that like…"

Jai quickly placed a hand over Kent's mouth before whispering something in his ear. Kent's eyes widened.

"You moron, why would you make a… yeah… what? YOU'RE SHITTING ME… Ok, ok… But that's… How is that our responsibility!"

Jai rolled his eyes.

"If you reply any louder, there won't be a damned POINT!"

Kent's eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Ok, Jesus, chill out gothy god. Don't get your bondage gear in a knot…"

I heard Cal sigh.

"Jai, what is the issue?"

Jai looked at his best friend.

"Italian it for you?"

Cal gave a curt nod and Jai replied in a stream of quick Italian. I felt my nerves suddenly sizzle. The language was amazing, fluent and gorgeous. I knew Cal spoke Italian, due to his grandma living there, but I didn't realise Jai had gone to the trouble to learn it.

But whatever Jai was saying certainly had less of a shiver effect on Cal and more of a 'you-have-got-to-be-shitting-me' one, because his expression was one of complete disbelief.

"No shit," he murmured once Jai had finished. His boots clomping, he walked to the doorway and looked in. Eyes wide, he turned back to Ari.

"Ari. Call your sister off."

Ari scowled.

"No. She's here for a reason. And it doesn't matter who it is."

Cal winced and looked desperately at Jai. By this point you could imagine I was pretty damn frustrated.

"What the fuck is going on!" I cried. "Let me see what's getting you all so FUCKING bad!"

I pushed forwards and shoved Jai aside, looking into the Rave. It was all dark, with lots of lasers, flashing lights and smoke machines. The music was so loud I believe the door was going to rattle off it's hinges at any moment…

Then there was a blaring flash of bright white light and I spotted Celia dancing… well, more grinding a girl in front of her. The girl was wearing those large camouflage cargo pants with reflectors on them and a tight belly baring t-shirt that looked as white under the light as everything else did…

Her hair was looking white, though it could have been any colour but the dark streaks showed well…

Huh? So Celia was getting some. What was the big…

Suddenly, a hand sort-of-gently-ok-roughly grabbed me and pulled me out of the doorway.

"What the fuck is she doing here, Jai!"

I jumped out of my skin as a very loud very strong slightly Irish very MALE sounding voice resounded behind me.

"Barrett?"

The man in question glared at me.

"Yes? What the hell are you doing here! This isn't the place for you!"

I scowled, feeling pissed off BEYOND belief.

"Why isn't anyone else getting this "go away" treatment?"

Barrett's lips twisted and for some reason, I realised he was trying not to smile at my tone.

"Because Kent knows a lot more about Homosexuality than you do, Aribeth's sister is directly involved, Cal is the boyfriend of Ari and best friend of Jai, so knows all and Jai has a promise he has to ensure he keeps…"

He cleared his throat and took on a serious face again.

"But YOU need to get away from here. I'll take you to Will's, that'll make you feel a little better about being left out of the loop, right?"

I looked back at the Goths and Kent and scowled. Kent grinned weakly.

"I'll come?"

I sighed and nodded curtly.

"Fine, Whatever. Barrett, when I tell Leah about this, she is going to KILL you for being such a prick."

Barrett's green eyes suddenly shifted, before returning to their normal "me-alpha-male-me-throw-ball-good" light.

"If you say so. Come on, the car is over here."

He waited for us to walk in front of him, before he started skulking alone behind us, big hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.

"What's his big deal anyway?" I muttered to Kent.

Kent smiled cheekily.

"You wouldn't get it yet. Maybe in time you will. Maybe you'll have the brains to figure it out."

I gave him a death stare and punched him in the arm as hard as I could.

Fucking smug bastard.

A/N: Ah yes! I'm back, I'm alive, so are all the characters… Hurrah, Hurrah…

You'll have to excuse the inactivity, I'm working pretty full time now and yeah. Things get in the way. So this is a DOUBLE POST as a reward for all of you being so patient with me, which means I have twice as much work to do for the next two chapters… Silly meThe song in the last chapter was "My Alcoholic Friends" by The Dresden Dolls. For some reason, Jai and The Dresden Dolls works together.

Thank you to EVERYONE who has been favouriting, alerting and reviewing this. In all honesty, this isn't my usual style of writing, both in Genre and Tone, but it's a fun way to express the more obtuse parts of my personality.

Ahem. Enough wanking.

Please, review. It makes my day to see all the people in the world who find similar things amusing.