Serendipity 3

[[James, Luke, Jake, Ashton, Antonio, Lola from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

"Dude, I have wanted to eat here for ages," Luke was saying to James while they waited for everyone else to arrive. Luke had placed his [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] to James on the spare chair beside James' at their long table.

At that moment, Luke looked over and spotted Ashton entering with Lola, and right behind him was Antonio. After a moment, Jake trailed in, looking like he was deep in thought. Luke waved them over.

"Happy birthday, bro," Ashton called to James, moving between the tables. He reached them and set down the wrapped [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] he was carrying beside Luke's, clapping James' shoulder. "Happy birthday, dude."

"Happy birthday James!" Lola chirped, as she sat down next to Ashton, she hadn't been sure what to get James. So instead of showing up empty handed she got him an American Express gift card with fifty dollars on it to spend however he wanted.

"WHOO! Happy birthday!!" Antonio whooped.

James laughed at Antonio's cheery birthday announcement. "Thanks dude."

Jacob forced a smile at James, "Yeah happy birthday man." James nodded a thanks to Jacob, as Jake went to take the seat next to Antonio.

Ashton had sat down nex to his twin, and then noted that Antonio hadn't brought a gift. While James talked to Jake, Ashton leaned over and muttered to his twin, "Where's your present? Please do not tell me you forgot!"

"Um no... I thought our gift was joint!?" Antonio whispered as he began to panic.

"Why would you think that?? You know I always choose tech gadgets! It'd make no sense if it came from you," Ashton pointed out with a grin.

"Shit! Ash I didn't get him anything!!!" Antonio frowned and shook his twin. He couldn't believe it! Here he was at his birthday and had no gift for the guy! Okay James wasn't his best friend but still it was the principle of the matter!

"Relax," Ashton whispered, lowering his voice. Lola was on his other side, but she and James and Luke were talking, so he was good there. Jake, however, was probably overhearing this whole thing and no doubt amused.

"You can just give him something later, say you had it on special delivery and it failed to show," Ashton suggested meekly. "Besides, I spent some time looking for those, you gotta get your own gift!"

At that second, there was a tinkle of breaking glass and then a voice boomed across the restaurant, oddly magnified.

"WHERE'S THE BIRTHDAY BOY, BROOOH?"

"Oh no," Luke muttered, sitting up.

Antonio nodded, when he heard a loud booming voice which could only be Seth.

James looked up and laughed. "Oh no."

Jacob looked up and grinned a little when he heard Seth's voice.

"SETH!" Antonio yelled to get his attention.

"Sir - " the maitr'd was saying, to the chipper blond in the entrance. Seth was wearing a bright orange and blue party hat - which was lit-up with tiny bulbs like a beacon on his already bright head. There were shiny streamers sprouting out of the top of the hat. It looked ridiculous paired with his leather jacket.

"Do you have a re - ?" the maitr'd began.

"TIGGA! THAZ MAH MAN TIGGA OVA THERE!" Seth pointed over at Antonio. "I GOT ACCESS!"

"Ow!" The maitri'd bent over, grabbing at his eye - which Seth's finger had accidentally jabbed.

Seth clumped past him, bounded over three chairs, ducked around a waitress, paused, checked out said waitress, and then leaped over another chair to land beside their table. He grabbed James in a hug, pulling him out of his seat. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BITCH!"

Ashton started laughing long before Seth reached them. "If this doesn't wake Jake, I don't know what will," he commented to Lola hopefully.

James had started laughing and hugged Seth back. "Thanks bro." He said pulling away from Seth.

Jacob and Lola both laughed at Seth.

"Geez Seth, as if your head wasn't bright enough." Lola giggled pointing out his ridiculous hat.

Seth smirked down at her and tapped his hat twice. The lights went out and half the restaurant turned back to their own meals.

Luke choked on his sip of water, sniggering. "That's sweet!"

"I know, huh?" Seth exclaimed, reaching into his jacket and yanking out a suspiciously small box wrapped in bright red with blue underwear printed all over it. Ashton stared at it in alarm as Seth placed it on the chair beside James and then walked over to sit down. He hesitated.

"Where's Evelyn and Ashlee?"

At that moment, Evelyn texted James. Stuck in traffic. D: Will be there in ten! Start ordering if you want!

"They're coming," Luke said, checking his wristwatch.

Ashton swallowed. "Oh no," he muttered, realizing what Seth was about to do. Seth was looking down at Jake and then he "Hmmphed" and took the seat next to Luke instead of the seat by Jake, sitting down across from Ashton.

He grinned at James. "Like the wrapping?" Inside was the actual [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] but since it wasn't really worth much, Seth had added a card signifying a year's membership to one of New York's prestigious fitness clubs, figuring James as an athlete would need that.

"Yeah its very you." James snorted, eying the gift. He was a bit nervous as to what Seth could have possibly gotten him but at the same time excited.

James opened the menu, "Hmm I wonder what they have I'm hungry." James announced as he scanned it.


Lola noticed what Seth had done, and wasn't sure if this had been a good idea at all but then she remembered that Seth hadn't been at the dorms when any of that happened. Hopefully Ashlee would end up sitting across Jake, or near him instead of Evelyn when the girls arrived.

Jacob didn't seem to notice this as he looked through his menu although nothing sounded appealing since he had no appetite whatsoever.

Ashton was cursing mentally. There were only two seats left, one right by Jake, at the other end of the table opposite James, and the other right across from Jake.

Both, if Evelyn sat in them, would put her in too-close proximity with Jake. But Jake didn't seem to have realized this yet.

The waiter came over to take their order.

Ashton grinned. "I just want any meat. Doesn't matter which. I have a crazy craving for veal, for some reason." He checked out the prices and then gave his order to the waiter along with the others.

"I was turned off crabs after Spongebob," Luke murmured.

Seth was frowning at Jake across the table, wondering about the odd air the Spaniard gave off. Seht looked over at James. "Soooo, when do we have cake?"

"Well I want a cheeseburger and fries, I've been wanting one for awhile now." Lola said to the waiter handing over the menu to the waiter.

"I wanna a burger too, I don't like crabs or lobster on the account that I've been attacked by both before." Antonio grinned to Luke handing his menu to the waiter.

Jacob ordered pasta, from the menu, as did James. "Um after dinner?" James shrugged.

The waiter took their menues away and Luke grinned. "You were attacked by both? You're serious?"

"He's Tony," Seth said, beside him. He drummed his fingers on the table and the cutlery rattled. Ashton kicked him under the table.

"Owww!" Seth glared at him. "You hit a blood vessel!" Ashton smirked and Seht pulled a face at him.

"So did you tell everyone yet?" Seth asked him smugly. Ashton frowned. Seth's eyes flicked to Lola. "I mean, I see you - "

"No," Ashton said hastily, with a half-glance at Jake. "Nothing to tell!"

"What, are you still weirded out by the thing Ash - "

"Seth," Ashton hissed, furious. He'd regretted accidentally spilling to Seth about what Ashlee had said to him at the law office. Ashton turned to James. "So, dude, are we doing anything after this or you got class tomorrow?"

"I have class bright and early tomorrow morning, but maybe go out on the weekend. So just dinner for tonight." James told Seth, as he took a sip from his Coke.

Lola eyed Ashton, "Tell everyone what?" She asked curiously.

Antonio just laughed as he bopped his head to the song playing overhead, waiting for his food.

Jacob tried to get interested into the conversation, or even contribute. But he really didn't want to be here. He just wanted to leave, but he was already there and he felt like it would have been rude to just up and leave like that. Not that him being all silent and sulky wasn't rude enough, but he figured he could try and fake it for a couple of hours.


Ashlee and Evelyn had finally arrived at the restaurant, the both of them walked in giving James' name and coming over to the table. Ashlee saw Seth's blond head and she waved at everyone. "Hey sorry we're late! Traffic! Happy birthday James!" Ashlee chirped excitedly walking over to him and giving him a hug.

"Thanks Ash." James smiled, hugging her back. Ashlee took off her coat hanging it on the back of the seat next to Seth, sitting down by him.

"Hey Ashlee," Ashton greeted her, before catching Seth's smirk and looking away hastily. His eyes landed, instead, on Ashlee's escort and his eyes widened.

Hey, he wasn't gonna deny free eyecandy, even if it came in the form of a leggy redhead showing off more leg and cleavage than Ashton had expected from her. He was still a very heterosexual guy. By the look on Seth's face, he was thinking along the same lines.

Evelyn had taken off her outer coat at the door, holding it over her arm. She kept her black cardi-coat on, however, following Ashlee over to the table.

As was not unexpected, the eyes of many of the younger males in the vicinity were fixed on her low-cut neckline and just as high hemline. Lace or not, Evelyn was glad she kept her coat on.

She flashed James a slight smile after Ashlee had greeted him. "Happy nineteenth, Dorko," she chirped, leaning down and kissing his cheek.

Seth suddenly choked and had to sip a gulp of water. He leaned over to Luke and muttered, "Let me guess, her present is a free peep down her front?"

Luke was frowning at Evelyn, baffled. What the hell was she doing? Sure, he knew she and Ashlee liked dressing up, and many people here were wearing cocktail dresses far fancier than Evelyn's jacket and dress, but...

James' eyes widened, Evelyn looked great! And hey who was he to deny how great she looked. "Wow, um thanks Ev. You look great." He complimented her, unable to keep his eyes off of her.

Ashlee bit her lip, trying to ignore this as she was handed a menu. She took out her phone discreetly and texted Luke. Told you.

Lola wanted to kick Seth under the table for that remark, but her legs weren't as long as Evelyn's to do that.

Jacob heard that, he flinched. He saw Evelyn and she looked beautiful as always. He figured she was probably doing this to get back to him, no other way. He dropped his eyes down to his phone as he watched her kiss James on the cheek. Now more than ever he wanted this night to be over. That was when Jake noticed there were only one seat open, the seat right next to him.

Oh no.

Evelyn had flashed James a smile and then walked around his seat to put down her [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on the chair the gifts were stacked on, straightening quickly so her plunging neckline didn't give any more peepshows. She walked past Luke, Seth and Ashlee to the chair beside Ashlee - and then halted, a jolt going through her when she saw the familiar dark head she had been sure she wasn't going to see tonight.

Evelyn looked around and realized Ashton was giving her a knowing look. He pulled a face and looked away, and Evelyn cursed and slowly took the spot at the other end of the table, directly across from James and next to Jake.

Thankfully, it was at a corner from Jake's seat, but still. Her stomach twisted painfully and she felt that familiar ridiculous panicky heartbeat thump in her ears.

This was highly unplanned. Evelyn hung her coat on the back of her chair.

And then she flashed Jake a sweet smile, saying somewhat flirtatiously, "Heyyy, Jake." She walked around to his side of her chair on purpose and sat down, slowly crossing her legs and putting her bag on the table.

Ashton's eyes grew wide and he threw Lola a horrified half-glance. Seth, ignorant, said, "Man, I'm hungry!" He leaned over to Ashlee's menu and said, "Get the frozen hot chocolate!"

Ashlee swatted Seth away, "Seth I'm not ordering frozen hot chocolate for dinner."

Lola narrowed her eyes at Evelyn and leaned over and whispered to Ashton. "I swear if she does anything to him I'll stab her with a spoon."

Jake was overwhelmed by all the perfume Evelyn had been wearing, as she greeted him. He saw her from the corner of her eye, and felt his heart was racing out of control, as shivers broke out all over his body. "Hey Evelyn." He greeted her quietly trying to distract himself, from looking at her or thinking about her, but was failing miserably at doing so.

James though was doing the exact opposite because since Evelyn had arrived he hadn't been able to stop thinking about how good she looked. He couldn't stop looking at her either.

Seht frowned. "Yeah, but it's so guuuuud! OH!"

Luke kicked James under the table and cleared his throat. Just then, Seth bounced to his feet, calling over the waiter to bring them some (non-alcoholic) champagne since he refused to propose a toast with water.

The waiter obliged and filled everyone's glasses, and then Seth interrupted Luke by saying, "I propose a TOAST!" He lifted up his glass and pointed it in James' direction. "To James' nineteenth birthday! Man, I wish we were in Canada, you could get real alcohol - "

"To James!" Luke interrupted Seth smugly, raising his glass, and the others followed suit.

Evelyn glanced over at Seth's pouting face and forced a laugh. No way in hell was she letting on that she had already lost all her appetite. She took a drink of champagne and peered over at Ashlee's menu, straightening her legs out and accidentally touching someone's leg.

Whoops. It was Jake's feet. Evelyn smirked to herself and left her leg where it was brushing against his shin, as she picked out her food and gave her order to the waiter.

"Here here!" Antonio cheered sipping the champagne.

James shook his head, clinking his glass with Luke's and then taking a sip from his drink and setting it down on the table.

Ashlee had ordered her food as well, just getting a burger and fries. She toasted James as well setting her glass down. "Well James you're the first one to turn nineteen you old fart." Ashlee giggled.

"Hey I'm like wine Ashlee, I get better with age." James smirked.

Jake had his glass in his hand after toasting James, and nearly dropped his glass when he felt Evelyn's leg brush against his. Antonio saw this and raised an eyebrow. "You okay dude?"

"Uh yeah... it just, it slipped." Jake muttered nervously setting the glass down before he broke it.

"Cheap wine, James has no standards," Luke smirked. Ashton grinned.

Evelyn was now gnawing on her lower lip to conceal her smirk at Jake's discomfort. Sure, it cost her her appetite but it was worth it.

She ordered steak and potatoes and sat back, leg still touching Jake's because he hadn't bothered to move. "And like wine," she added smugly after James had spoken, "James is also best taken in small doses because he demands a hefty price."

"Nah, James only demands price if you're a cougar," Seth piped up, remembering Vegas, and Evelyn's smile faded as her mind flew back to her biggest mistake. She forced a smile anyways and leaned forwards, picking up a breadstick in baskets set along the tale. She bit off its end and sat twirling it between her fingers. She glanced up, caught Jake's eye and bit her bottom lip, flashing him a slightly teasing smile.

"Y'all are just jealous! I'm beautiful." James said as the waiter set down their food and he picked up his fork excited to eat. He had been pretty hungry.

Jacob straightened up, unaware he had sort of been slouching this entire time. His leg hitting Evelyn's this entire time, she had left it placed there, he glanced out of the corner of his eye again and saw her smiling at him. Jacob tried to remain unfazed by this, he picked up his fork and began to eat quietly at his pasta. Although he was pretty much forcing himself to eat.



You know what she's doing, don't give in. Don't let her know.