Page 111 of Scrimmage

“Everyone good?” Ashland asks. When no one says anything she presses play.

It takes twenty minutes for us all to be engrossed. This shouldn’t be as captivating as it is.

“I think I’m in love with Barbie,” Alexi muses.

Penny throws popcorn at him. “Show Barbie some respect.”

They start hurling insults back and forth, completely forgetting that we’re watching a movie, and decide to go shot for shot. I notice Ashland isn’t partaking. Even though the blanket is wrapped around her head, my hoodie has ridden up, and her ass cheeks are hanging out of her boy short underwear. I can’t stop staring at the flesh, itching to grab it. It’s like she knows I’m looking at her because she glances back and sucks from the straw giving me fucking bedroom eyes, daring me to touch her. I glance at Penny and Alexi. Their view of us is blocked. The volume is turned up so loud that they’re practically shouting at each other.

I take my palm and lightly slap Ashland’s ass, grabbing a fist full and squeezing. She shudders, pretending I’m not even there. I keep massaging the flesh, moving closer and closer until I’m basically on her inner thigh. Penny starts coughing and gives me a pointed look, slurping from her straw. Ashland shoots her a glare and Penny turns back to Alexi to continue their breakdown of the movie. I don’t go any further, just squeezing her ass over and over like it’s a stress ball. And I’m fuckingstressed.

When Nutcracker Barbie ends, Ashland rolls onto her back. She’s definitely drunk, and she lights her second blunt with Penny.

“See,” she says slowly, laughing. “Nutcracker Barbie is the best!”

“They haven’t even seen Swan Lake yet.” Penny rolls her eyes.

“And we won’t until I have fucking cake. I know you got a cake, bitch.”

Penny laughs and tries to stand, tumbling down on top of Ashland.

“Where is it?” I chuckle.

“Top of the fridge,” Penny slurs.

I step over them. “Why did you put it up here?”

Penny starts laughing harder. “Because Ashland can’t reach it.”

“Fuck you!”

I grab the box and pull the top off. The cake is definitely homemade. Probably Penny, but it looks really really good. The black frosting is accented with pink and scrawled across it, it says ‘Happy 4th Cuntsgiving! Glad you’re dead’ with a heart at the end. I’m not an expert on birthdays, especially when it comes to Ashland, but there is clearly more to this than Ashland just hating her birthday. I sigh and grab the candles, sticking in the twenty-one that have been set aside. It strikes me that I don’t know how old Ashland is. I wouldn’t have guessed that this is how she would spend her twenty-first birthday. I light them all and carry it over.

The two of them hold each other as Penny grabs her phone. “Shit! The song!”

Her phone rings with a video call, and she rolls over so that she’s facing Ashland. There’s a bunch of incoherent shouting on the other end and Ashland blushes, grinning in a way I’ve never seen before.

“Oye! Let’s go ya fuckin’ wankers,” someone shouts in an accent. “The Cunts are calling.”

There’s tons of screaming, I mean, insane amounts. It sounds like there’s an entire crowd of people screeching. Alexi stands behind Penny, watching whatever is unfolding on the screen with wide eyes.

I hear a door slam, but it only muffles the chaos. A few people are arguing and talking over each other into the phone. I can’t make out what any of them are saying, but they become quiet as someone starts playing guitar. It sounds just like a rudimentary happy birthday.

I crouch down next to Ashland, holding the cake in front of her, because this is important. I can tell.

“You’re both a cunt,

You’re the worst when you’re drunk,

Happy Cuntsgiving you reckless bitches,

We hate your guts.”

Ashland blows out the candles and gives the camera the middle finger before shoving her hand in the perfect cake and smashing it directly into my face. I hear the call end, but Ashland has declared fucking war.

I grab a handful and smash it into Ashland’s mouth. “Sorry, Penny.” Penny descends into a fit of laughter before grabbing some and shoving it in Ashland’s face, too.

“Hold her down, Alexi!” Penny commands, and he jumps on top of her.

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