Thrive (Addicted, #4)(70)

“I think you dislike types of people,” I tell her, “both men and women. The TV just shows parts of us. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

She nods, and after a brief minute, she focuses back on the television. Our rare, honest moment ends just like that.





{ 32 }

0 years : 08 months

April





LILY CALLOWAY


Lo found the best way to stick it to production: barricading ourselves in our bedroom. Scott wants footage of us; well, now he has none.

Seven days into our protest and cabin fever starts setting in. I’m used to holing up in a house, but holing up in a room is quite different. For one, Lo and I have agreed that we’ll only sneak out for bathroom breaks.

We’re waiting for Scott to apologize for all the mean things he’s said plus altering footage of us. It’s different than handing me porn and passing Lo a bottle of alcohol. He’s actively trying to turn our friends and family against us. That’s a new low.

However, I think it’s more likely that we’ll die from starvation up here. Our only source of food comes from my youngest sister, who smuggles us bagels and cookies whenever she’s home—which isn’t often.

I’ll be back in 10 minutes. Taxi got lost. – Daisy

I groan as Lo does pushups on the floor. He had to skip the gym a few times this week, which helps take his mind off drinking and alleviates stress. “We’re going to starve,” I tell him. “Maybe I can convince Connor to bring me a Pop-Tart.”

“No chance,” Lo says, his chest lowering to the ground. “I texted him to bring me a Fizz, and he started lecturing me about anatomy and how bipedal mobility works. All in a damn text. If I wasn’t so irritated, I would have been impressed.”

“Yeah, but Rose is my sister. He has to be nice to me.”

I quickly compose a text. Connor, I need food. I’m dying. SOS! I hit send.

Too bad Rose and Ryke have bonded together to denounce our protest. They think hiding out in a room, isolating ourselves, will cause us to regress. But we’re not having any more sex than we usually do. Mostly, we’ve spent our time bingeing on Netflix and reading comics online.

I flip open my laptop just as my phone pings.

The refrigerator is stocked. If you’ve lost mobility in your legs, Loren can carry you downstairs. And you know how I feel about hyperboles. – Connor

Ugh.

I close my phone. “He’s on Team RoRy. Mission aborted.” I sit on the edge of the bed, typing on my laptop, and Lo rolls onto his back to begin sit-ups.

“RoRy?” he questions with a grunt.

“Yeah, also known as evil siblings Rose and Ryke,” I tell him. “They needed a name.” I start scrolling through Tumblr’s #PoPhilly feed. Most of the comments are essay-long paragraphs detailing how they love the show.

Secretly, I just like looking at the gifs. Many people have created them from videos of Lo kissing and flirting with me. We’ve been called OTP (one true pairing) so many times that I literally have to stop myself from producing happy tears.

I never thought we’d make it into a fandom. It’s not something I sought, and now that it’s happening it feels more surreal than anything. I have to admit, I love this side of pop culture much more than the paparazzi. Maybe because Lo and I have always been fans at heart.

I click the #Caballoway tag and find gifs of Connor’s arched eyebrow and Rose’s brutal stare in reply. I instantly smile.

“Are you on Twitter?” Lo asks as he blows out a heavy breath. He lowers his back to the ground and stops just before it touches the floor. When he rises, he gives me a look like we talked about Twitter. We did. It’s not a healthy place for me.

“Tumblr,” I reply, my voice small.

He freezes mid-sit-up. “Lily,” he says my name in warning. Tumblr is worse for me.

“I’m looking at chaste gifs,” I blurt out. “The kind with you and me kissing.”

“You can’t even watch us making out on TV without getting wet,” he reminds me and resumes his workout. “You shouldn’t be looking at gifs of it either.”

“I’m getting better at it,” I admit truthfully.

“Okay,” he says, “but what happens if you stumble onto gifs of naked men and cocks. You’ve abstained from porn for so long, Lil. You don’t want to ruin that by accident.”

He’s so right. But I glance back at the computer screen and see a gif of Connor wrapping his arms around Rose’s waist, his eyes lighting up with desire, possession, and love. I’m so touched that we’re all a part of a fandom. It’s going to be so sad to abandon this. To never see it again.

“Lil.” Lo sits up, his arm on his bent knee. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll sit beside you and we can look at them together. I’ll cover your eyes if I see any penises. How’s that?”

I smile. “What if there are boobs? Can I cover your eyes?”

“Sure,” he says into a laugh as he lowers back to the ground. I log onto the Marvel website, a safe place, while he continues his workout.

The door swings open a few minutes later, and Daisy stealthily glides inside on her skateboard…okay, not so stealthily, but it’s a pretty cool entrance.

And her appearance triggers a bright feeling, like Christmas morning. I rush her before she gets far. “What’d you bring?”