One In The Same - Jess Mariano

Public Enemy Number One

- Third Person POV

A loud thud pulls Jess and Y/N out of their slumbering, and they separate from each other akin to how matching poles of magnets repel. They don't remember falling asleep on the couch, but the screaming of their muscles are enough to fill them both with regret at the carelessness.

"Oh, sorry to disturb the very bizarre cuddle fest, or whatever the hell was going on there, but now that you're up could you both lend me a hand with the boxes here?" Luke asks, but it sounds like more of an order.

"Pain," Y/N groans, rubbing the tension in the back of her neck.

"I wasn't asking,"

"Quick note, don't pose something as a question if it is not a question, makes things confusing," Jess snarks, roughing up his bed hair slightly.

"Can you both just play the roles of helpful teenagers for five minutes instead of being your average taunting selves?"

"I think putting the words 'helpful' and 'teenagers' in the same sentence is oxymoronic," Y/N replies, but pushes herself up off the seat anyway and takes mental notes of the state of the apartment. "What is all this crap?" She notices a semi-open box labelled 'clothes', and she pulls out a faded graphic tee from the top. "The Ramones? Luke, I think I've grown some more respect for you,"

"In what world could you possibly think that the shirt you are looking at could be something I'd ever spend money on?" Jess snatches the article of clothing from the girls hand, and shoves it back into the box.

"She finally sent my stuff over, huh?" His morning voice is gruff, manly.

"Isn't Liz just the best? I mean, of course she would go weeks on end without sending a single box over, and then bam!" Luke kicks the box by his foot in frustration.

"Well, since it's Jess' stuff, and Liz's fault, and I have no relation to anyone in this scenario, how about I just get a jump start on my day and head to school early?"

"You're hilarious," Jess scoffs, and ruffles her hair as he walks past her, on his way to the door, "The rest of them downstairs?"

"The other million boxes of junk, why yes they are. Y/N-"

"Yeah, yeah, I was just about to go help. God, patience is a virtue Luke," He gently smacks his palm upside her head as she walks to follow Jess down the steps.

-

"I think making a child do strenuous manual work at the asscrack of dawn and then sending them off for a full day of school has to violate some sort of child labour laws, right?" Y/N huffs, adjusting the strap on her bag while keeping in stride with Jess' fast pace.

"Maybe there's a number we can call to get that instated," He quips back. They both notice Lane sitting in wait of Y/N's arrival on a bench by the doors of the school, and Jess bids Y/N a farewell, wandering directly inside.

"I didn't know Big City had a genuine smile to give, what have I missed?" Lane pries, emphasising it with a couple pestering pokes to the other girl's arm.

Y/N swats the finger away, letting out a breathy laugh "Well, this morning you missed out on a particularly shocking wake up call,"

Lane gasps loudly, pulling the attention of many fellow students, "Oh my God! Is this something dirty, did he wake you up by-"

"Please, I don't want to know how you are planning on finishing that sentence, but I already know my answer will always be no," Lane pouts comically, disappointed at dampened prospect of hearing something salacious for once.