Love Drunk Sims 4 Style: Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Cyberlove.

Despite having his own problems, Ashton Maloney noticed a change in his little brother. When they were performing around the clubs and festivals, Ash could see Dexter scanning the crowds.

He wasn't sure who or what he was looking for, Roxy had already told him that Lainie was no longer attending their shows. There was still an atmosphere between her and Dexter that you could cut with a knife, but Ash was surprised to see that Dex was neither up nor down over it when he should have been devastated.

Big brother decided on that Monday morning it was time for a heart to heart, since Roxy and Lainie arrived a few weeks ago they had barely uttered a word to each other that didn't involve band talk. Dexter was holed up in his room, something he'd been doing for the past fortnight, with his nose pressed up to the screen of his computer chuckling away to himself.

"What's up little brother?" Ash called to him as he switched off his computer and jumped out of his seat to face the voice.
"Uh...hey there Ashy I..."
"Ashy?" Dex hadn't called him by that pet name in a loooong time. "Okay what have you done? What are you going to do? And what are you up to?"
"Uh...which question do you want answered first?" Dex was extremely sheepish as he stood looking guilty.

"Bro, seriously?" Dexter's shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes.
"Okay if I tell you, it goes no further, you can't even tell Drew! I don't wanna jinx this!"
"And now I'm worried, what hair brained scheme are you involved in now? After those glow in the dark guitar plectrums..."

"Nonono!" Dex shook his head excitedly, "No, I'm...I'm talking to somebody!"
"And..." Ash shrugged and wrinkled his brows in confusion.
"On the internet!" Ash still looked confused, "You know forums and..." And then the penny dropped.
"Ohhhhhh you on that Tinder thing? Dayum are you that desperate?" Ash could barely control the laughter bubbling at the back of his throat, but he held it in, he hadn't seen Dex so happy in a long time. This was important to him.

"What's her name?"
"CookieGurl!"
"What kind of name is that...ohhhhhhh! Is this some kinky site bro? Are you into that shit?" Ash tried to hide the disgust in his voice and expression, he was straight up vanilla but each to their own, he tried not to judge even though Dexter would tease him for being a prude.
"No, it's her forum name. We've chatted a bit and we emailed too, I had to set up a fake account cuz I do not want her to know who I am just yet."

"Dex that's crazy! Is this the band forum? Dude no to fans! We made a pact." As it left his mouth, Ash blushed at his own hypocrisy. But Dex didn't know about Erin, yet!
"Look I didn't mean to...she was there and I just felt drawn to her."
"How do you even know it's a her? Could be a guy trolling or..."
"No trust me she's a girl!"

"How do you know?"
"I know okay?" Dex was getting extremely defensive, was he starting to doubt the identity of this mystery person now too?
"Look, just be careful okay? I don't want you to get Lainie'd again!" Dexter winced at the mention of her name, yep he still liked her. Which made Ash even more concerned, he was worried that this was a distraction and that Dex would really get hurt this time, or he'd end up hurting this Cookie person through his selfishness.

"I will dear brother, I will be cautious and prudish just like you. When I finally meet her, I'll converse, and at the end of the date a peck on the cheek only. I will be Victorian Dexter emulating stiff old Ashton Maloney!"
"Yeah okay, that's enough! I just worry! Gimme a break here!" Ash huffed and headed for the door.

Dexter called out to him as he was leaving, "Ash?"
"Yes Dexter!"
"Thanks, for bein' a cool big brother!" Ash felt his heart swell.
"No problem, I'm always here for you. Please remember that!"

Dex stood alone in his room, smiling like a loon over his amazing brother, he always was there for him and he was so lucky to have him. Where Ash was the quieter more sensible of the two, Dex was the one always getting into scrapes and being bailed out by either him or their mother. As he was caught up in his thoughts, he suddenly remembered he'd left his CookieGurl hanging. "Oh shit!"

She had sent him an email that morning, he'd been reading it when Ash came in, and he had yet to reply to her. He read it again, smiling like the Cheshire Cat, she really made him laugh.

They were calling each other by their forum handles, she still didn't know she was talking to the Dexter Maloney and that worried him. Would she be put off by this? Although they weren't nationally or globally famous, they were a big deal in the club and festival circuits. They were close to securing a record deal with a major label after being spotted at GeekCon last week.

CookieGurl was smart, funny, sensitive and a good listener. He could just chat with her all day long. They would talk about his songs and she would attempt to interpret their meanings, she was 99.9% right about them and it freaked him out a little. She was so perceptive, did she have a psychology degree or something? It didn't matter to him if she did, he was enjoying her online company very much.

As he read the email over for the third time, he smiled broadly to himself, they could just chat for hours and hours, she was so easy to talk to. He'd decided that they would get along even better in the flesh. He'd looked out for this new fan in the crowd but he could never make out anyone in the sea of faces and the bright lights.  It was time to bite the bullet, no more pussy footing around. He gave himself a mental shake, and began a reply.

Hoping that he could finally be honest with her, and also hoping that she wouldn't be mad that he didn't mention who he actually was. He couldn't lie to her any longer, if he had any chance of this relationship working, he had to come clean!

Dexter went for a strong cup of coffee while he waited for his CookieGurl to reply. Lainie was in the kitchen and she'd just made a fresh pot, obviously gearing herself up for a busy day at work. He wasn't sure if he should speak to her as she just stared into space with a goofy expression, was she smiling? "Hi!" He mumbled, and she squeaked like a startled little mouse as if she just noticed he was there.

"Oh, um, hi!" Lainie's cheeks flushed and she smiled awkwardly at him, yes she smiled.
"How's it goin'?" Dexter grabbed himself a cup and smiled nervously.
"Good, um, you?" Were they actually having a conversation? Didn't she tell him never to speak to her again?

"Yeah..." Dexter took a long sip of coffee, "...good!" The silence engulfed the kitchen like a cold breeze as they both didn't really know what to say.
"Any word on the label yet?" Wow, she was chatty today.
"No, not yet. Honestly I'm not sure we ever will hear from them but it was a nice dream while it lasted."
"Oh don't give up, someone out there will see how great the band is and sign you up in no time!" Was she actually engaging in a civil conversation with him? The prick? The freak? Too good to be true, he thought to himself, where's the catch?

"Anyway..." She cleared her throat as he cleaned his cup in the sink, heading for the door she said, "...have a good day Dexy." DEXY??? WHAT THE FUCK??? No one had ever called him Dexy!

"Yeah, you too freckles!" Ha! See how ya like them apples blondie!
"Bye then!" Oh mama wanna play huh?

She was long gone by the time Dexter realised the extent of their chat, and the fact that they had casually nicknamed each other out in the open and they both had all of their body parts. She seemed different, like she was content with him being in the same room as her. Had she finally accepted that he wasn't the big bad wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood after all? She sure liked to demonise him, did she see a human being now when she looked at him?

Who cares? He thought, I've got my CookieGurl so fuck you! He didn't mean it, he still adored Lainie despite their differences. He hoped that by the time he got back to his room, he would have a reply and soon he and little Cookie would be meeting for real!

While Dexter waited for an answer from his dream girl, Drew was trying to pluck up the courage to ask Charlotte to the awards ceremony as his plus one. They sat together in the dining room while she chatted away about leaving her two cats at the sanctuary so that they didn't get in the way. It hurt to think that Jeremy had made her feel like her pets were a nuisance when nothing could be further from the truth.

"Char, don't worry about it. Me and the other guys don't see a problem with them, it's their home too and if they wanna wander around the practice room then I don't mind."
"Oh Andrew, I know that, it's just...oh is that the time? I'm going to be late and mother will totally freak!" She shot up and headed for the door as Drew started to panic.

"No wait!"
"Andrew I'm late, and you know my mother is Lucifer in an old lady skin suit!" Drew laughed out loud, she really didn't know how funny she was, and she often came out with gems like that.
"It's not funny Andrew, I swear she is the devil!"
"Well, why don't you try and put her to the back of your mind and come out with me on Friday night?"

Charlotte blinked and stared at him as if he was an alien from outer space, "Out with you where?" She looked him up and down as if she was sizing him up for something.
"To the Inventor of the Year awards, I've got one to collect and I really don't want to go alone so...what do you say?"

Charlotte smiled shyly and kicked the floor with the toe of her shoe as she giggled, "Will there be vol-au-vents?"
"Well if there aren't any we can go get some afterwards, so?" Drew gave her his sweetest, most convincing smile as she nodded and let out another adorable giggle.

"Yes Andrew, yes I would love to. Is it formal dress?"
"Char, you dress how the hell you want! I have to wear a suit but you do you!" Drew really didn't care if she came dressed as a clown, as long as he was with her that was all that really mattered.
"Right, I'll see what pretty things I have, or I could borrow from one of the girls. Oh Andrew no one ever asks me anywhere! Thank you! And now I really must go or it will be my funeral on Friday you'll be attending instead of your award party!"

Oh Char you're so precious, Drew thought as he watched her run out to work. He didn't have to go anywhere to work, his workshop was in his room and he invented things for money to get by while he and the others worked on making the band a success. But his biggest success right now was having a date...with Charlotte!

Matthew was still trying to win Roxy over. It was proving to be an impossible task, as every time he tried to make conversation with her she either growled at him or told him to shut up.

But he wasn't giving up just yet! He really liked Roxy, work was always his first love and he would often have relationships with people in his circle of business. Or women his parents set him up with, this time he had fallen all by himself...

...and for him she was a keeper! And she was going to be his! She just didn't know it yet!

Lainie arrived back from her shift that evening to a very quiet house. The restaurant had closed early as it was so quiet that Monday afternoon. Everywhere was quiet, was it a bank holiday or something?

After changing out of her work clothes, she thought she might watch some television before finding Charlotte and collaborating on something yummy for dinner. She heard Dex and Ash talking, "I'm sure she's just been at work or something..."
"No Ash she got scared and just...she doesn't wanna see me!" Suddenly Ash looked over and called out to her.
"Oh hey Lainie!"

Dex followed his older brother's gaze with a sad expression on his pretty little face. She wanted to say something but wasn't sure what. "How was work?" Ash continued as Dex looked positively miserable.
"Oh it was...quiet...I got off early, is everything alright?"
Ash slapped Dexter on the back and let out a forced chuckle, "Ach women troubles, lady killer here.." Dexter growled and slapped Ash back, but harder and across the chest with a backhander. "HEY!" Ash winced.
"Shut it Ashton, confidential remember?"
"Oh...yeah...no it's not women troubles it's...well it is women troubles, Dex has a stalker..."

Dexter stared incredulously at him, what the fuck Ashton? "...yeah real nutter she is! Selena, gawd certifiable she is!" Please stop talking, Dexter thought to himself, but he was actually grateful that he had recovered so smoothly from almost letting the cat out of the bag.
"Oh that sounds pretty annoying, but I suppose it comes with the territory. Maybe you should call the police if she's causing you so much grief."

"Yeah Dexter, call the fuzz and have her sectioned, good plan Lain, excellent!" Ash nodded awkwardly and shuffled out of the room with his head down, leaving Lainie alone with Dex for the second time that day.

"I'm sorry you're having problems..." She looked sincere.
"Thanks, yeah she's a piece of work but nothing I can't handle."
"Well, I was going to watch a film on Netflix, do you want to help me choose one? Then maybe you can take your mind off of this stalker and watch it with me?" What was going on, was it a full moon or something?

"Yeah, sure. Got nothin' else to do!" Easy Dex, don't fuck this up.
"Great!" She beamed, "Oh and you're quite safe, I won't force you to watch a chick flick!"
"I don't mind!" He shrugged as they sat down together. The truth was that he still hadn't received a reply from his CookieGurl. Maybe Ash was right, maybe she was at work and would answer him tonight.

Or maybe she just didn't want to meet him, maybe this was all just a bit of fun for her, maybe... "How about The Breakfast Club?" Lainie cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips in concentration as she flicked through Netflix.
"Um, yeah, classic!" He nodded half-heartedly.
"Right then!" Dex should have been happy that Lainie was finally speaking to him, that they were being friendly, but all he could think about was his new friend...

...and how he wanted more!

Ash was trying to keep his mind off of his own radio silence. Erin was ignoring his calls and texts. He fully understood where she was coming from, he would feel the same if the roles were reversed. But even though she was 21 years old, he still felt like he was doing something wrong, she didn't act 21 and she was so clever and mature that it was easy to forget that he was a teenager when she was born.

Finally, Ash had lost count of the texts he sent in a matter of an hour, but they had got through to her as his phone rang. "Erin, thank God!"
"What do you want Ashton?"
"I want you! I want you and it's killing me! Erin please just give me a little time, there's something I need to tell you and it will hopefully explain a lot. But..."

"Ash I'm hanging up!"
"Don't please Erin, I'm opening up my heart to you here!" He could hear a sigh on the other end, but it was a sad and tired sigh. "I will tell you everything, and then you can decide whether I'm worth waiting for or not." Another sigh, and a long pause, "Erin?"
"Okay Ash, this had better be good, because I hate sneaking around like this!" So that meant she wasn't giving up on them, Ash felt a wave of relief...

...and then panic, because he wasn't ready to relive what he needed to tell her.

To Be Continued...

Only one boy is happy right now, that's Drew! Ash has a secret to tell Erin, Dex is still waiting for CookieGurl, and Matthew is yet to break Roxy down! Next chapter Charlotte enlists the help of Lainie and Roxy to make her look the part for Drew's awards ceremony. What will she wear? ;)