Love In The Balance Ch 08

Hey guys, here's Chapter 08! I hope you enjoy it. As I've said before, this story was supposed to be a one-off contest entry. It got away from me and took on a life of its own. The first few chapters started slow partly because this was supposed to be one big story. I went back and did some edits and additions. With this chapter, we're caught up to where I was when I decided to make this a series.

I also apologize for taking time away from Birthday Pool Party, but I hope anyone who likes both stories enjoys some of the parallels and references. This series definitely won't be as long as Birthday Pool Party and I hope to learn from past mistakes.

From feedback I've received, some people want this story to be all about Steven. I understand that. I'm hoping the other members of The Gang of Eight will get more interesting to you. If not, well, you might not care for this chapter!

My original plan was for Love in the Balance to be its own standalone story/series. I was hoping you could read the entire story without ever having read Birthday Pool Party. Especially since I know Birthday Pool Party has elements some readers might not enjoy. There are definitely crossovers and Easter eggs, but the story should still make sense. I'm curious how that's going, so if you're only reading Love in the Balance, please let me know!

Comments and feedback are always appreciated! I read every single one. Also, please let me know if you spot any mistakes. Errors bug me, and I make sure to upload revised editions whenever I find any. Please note that this story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental. As always, this is a world without STI's, and everyone involved in sexual activity is at least eighteen years old.

-Witty

~Sunday June 22, 2025~

Sienna and Theo were in a family restaurant famous for their southern comfort food. The cozy dining room was designed to give the feel of an old-fashioned general store. Candles and vases of white flowers were on the tables. Old-fashioned lamps hung from the ceiling and the walls were covered with decorations. The full-length windows were open, granting a nice view of the porch at the front of the store. One wall was dominated by a large brick fireplace.

It was a very busy day for the restaurant and there were people waiting outside for a table. A few families with kids were out for brunch, as well as several older couples and a handful of people on dates. Most were dressed casually and the entire place was filled with the low hum of multiple conversations.

Theo was beyond ecstatic to be on a second date with Sienna; he had even put on suit and tie before Noah stopped him from leaving and called him an idiot. Theo ended up dressed in slacks and a button-down. It was slightly formal while still having a casual feel. Noah had recommended not tucking the shirt in, using the look as an attempt to conceal Theo's gut.

Sienna was the most beautiful creature Theo had ever seen. She was wearing a light-green sleeveless sundress with forest green patterns on it. The shoulder straps were thick and the dress only showed the slightest hint of cleavage. Her auburn hair was braided into adorable twin pigtails.

"Sunday brunch was such a great idea!" Sienna gushed, looking around happily.

"I'm glad you think so," Theo smiled, glad she was enjoying herself. "Jane suggested the restaurant."

"Jane's a smart girl," she nodded before taking a sip of her juice.

"If Jane was so smart, she would have chosen Steven over that pretty boy, Logan Barrett," he grumbled.

"Jane isn't dating Logan, they had two dates and nothing happened yet," Sienna rolled her eyes. "Are the guys at the office still making stupid jokes about calling immigration?"

"No, he's too charming," Theo sighed before muttering under his breath. "Stupid English accent."

"Mm, that accent is so yummy," the redhead closed her eyes and sighed happily. "And those dimples. Oh, and that cleft chin!"

"Forget immigration, I'll corner him in the elevator with a stapler," he deadpanned.

"You're fine," Sienna giggled. "If it makes you feel better, I'd rather be here with you."

"Yeah, right," Theo snorted.

"No, I mean it!" she insisted. "I was just teasing. Yes, Logan's cute, but so are you. And I feel a connection with you. It's like you finding other women hot. It's always gonna happen. Have you ever had a girlfriend mad at you for checking out a girl's butt?"

"Nope," he responded immediately.

"Seriously?" Sienna asked incredulously. "You've never gotten scolded for staring at a cute waitress with big boobs or a beach babe in a thong bikini?"

"I've never had a girlfriend," he admitted.

"Well, maybe I'll be the first in the not-too-distant future." Sienna winked. "Now, stop worrying about some random guy from work who doesn't matter."

"I can do that," Theo nodded.

Once Sienna said she might become his girlfriend, Theo forgot all about Logan and everyone else. He was thrilled, and giddy, and oh so nervous. He was afraid he'd do or say something stupid to convince her to change her mind. His nervous mind kept going over all the tips he had gotten; don't force humor, nothing inappropriate, don't complain about previous screw-ups and bad dates.

Their food soon arrived, with Theo eating lunch while Sienna had breakfast. The redhead had a full breakfast with two eggs, smoked sausage, bacon, hash browns, and a biscuit with gravy. Theo's meal was breaded chicken with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli.

"This place is known for their breakfast, why did you get lunch?" she asked after swallowing a bite of bacon. "Mm, bacon."

"I don't really care for breakfast foods," he shrugged. "I'm never really hungry in the morning. That's why I suggested brunch when you said you loved breakfast."

"Oh, very smart of you!" Sienna grinned. "Although, it's dumb that you don't like breakfast. Who doesn't love bacon? Bacon is proof God is real and that he loves us and wants us to be happy."

"You are quite passionate about bacon," Theo laughed.

"And you're passionate about video games," she reasoned. "We're both a little strange."

"A lot of people play video games, it's pretty normal," he countered. "If I ask someone what their hobbies are, 'video games' isn't a strange answer. Bacon connoisseur isn't a hobby. Even I know that."

"I didn't say bacon was my hobby, dummy!" she exclaimed. "I just said bacon is amazing. It's like guys and beer. Guys find an ice cold beer relaxing, I find crispy greasy bacon relaxing."

"Food like that is why I'm fat," Theo sighed.

"You're not fat, you have a dad bod," Sienna argued. "I like it. You're like a big cuddly teddy bear I wanna snuggle up with."

"Anytime you want," he smiled.

The two continued talking while enjoying their meals. Sienna consented to a bite of Theo's chicken and acknowledged the cream gravy was really good. The redhead playfully refused to share her bacon, making both of them laugh. Anyone watching would see two people on a very nice date.

When the bill came, both of them tried to snatch it up. They playfully argued for a few minutes before Theo emerged victorious and got to pay for the meal. Sienna blew him a kiss and promised a real one later. Then the two of them finished their drinks while relaxing for a bit.

They talked about their friend group; both of them were looking forward to the gender reveal for Leslie and Conner's baby. Theo did joke about a gender reveal party being a little ridiculous, but he agreed it was a great way to get The Gang of Eight together to celebrate. The four girls were especially excited.

The conversation continued, with the two of them discussing what all their friends were up to. Camilla was really getting into her influencer side hustle. The sexy Latina loved all the attention and constantly announced how many followers she had. It wasn't just the guys who teased her about selling nudes if she wanted millions of followers. She had even gone on a couple of dates with guys who recognized her from local social media. Like Camilla, Noah was also enjoying his youth by playing the field.

"So, last night I woke up dying of thirst at three in the morning. I stumbled out into the kitchen and ran into a naked coed digging in the fridge. Half-asleep and I got the full moon," Theo chuckled. "I stood there like a deer in the headlights as she straightened up, showing off her, uh, headlights."

Theo blushed as he remembered the awkward encounter. Sienna's musical laugh was ringing in his ears, keeping him in the present. Theo couldn't help but smile as he admired her face while she expressed her mirth. Her laugh, full and unashamed, was sexy as hell.

"You just stood there drooling over her tits?" Sienna eventually asked.

"I didn't mean to! I mean, I wasn't drooling, I was paralyzed. It took her a couple seconds to notice me, and that I wasn't Noah. She squeaked, grabbed her boobs, then ran into Noah's bedroom and slammed the door behind her," Theo wasn't sure who had been more embarrassed. "All I could do is just stand there with my mouth open."

"You didn't say anything to her?" the redhead giggled.

"What was I supposed to say?" Theo countered. "I was half-asleep, I walked into the kitchen because my throat was dry and there was a naked blonde!"

"Hm, how about 'Hey, nice tits, we still have any juice?'" Sienna suggested, waggling her eyebrows.

"I couldn't do that!" he gasped. "I have enough trouble talking around women. And you think you'd be more sympathetic, considering how mortified you were when you found out I saw your 'girl parts.'"

"You did see my playground, didn't you?" she blushed. "Not really fair, but it's my own fault for getting drunk and naked. She must have been embarrassed. She didn't even know you."

"Her entire body was turning red she was so embarrassed," Theo sighed. "She could barely look at me the next morning."

"Poor girl," Sienna pouted in sympathy. "I get it, I'm very conservative with my body. She really should have put on a robe before wandering into the kitchen. She had to have known Noah had a roommate."

"The worst part is, I told Noah about it this morning after she left. He laughed and asked how I thought Karen looked," he sighed and shook his head.

"What's wrong with that?" she frowned.

"I talked to her for a couple minutes while Noah was in the shower," Theo explained. "Her name is Keri."

Sienna and Theo stared at each other for a full five seconds before they both burst out laughing. It wasn't long before their faces were turning red and looking at each other just made the giggles return. Sienna actually snort-laughed and Theo thought it was the most adorable thing ever.

"Oh God, I can't breathe," she said between bursts of laughter.

"I'll probably tell that story again next guy's night," he added.

"Is that what you boys do when you get together; talk about all the titties you saw and pussy you got?" Sienna questioned.

"Not really," Theo shook his head. "It might come up occasionally, but we really just like hanging out."

"I'm not sure I believe you," she cocked her head to the side. "If things progress do I have to worry about you telling the guys all my dirty little secrets?"

"No, no!" he quickly exclaimed. "I'd never do that. I didn't tell them anything about the Red Dragon thing, or about how, you know, amazing your body is. Um, not that I looked. Uh..."

"You're too fucking cute for words," Sienna giggled, blowing him a kiss. "Don't worry, I know my secrets are safe with you."

"They are, I promise," Theo vowed.

"And I won't tell anyone what you told me," she nodded. "Although, I still say you should tell the others yourself."

"Maybe, but I'm just not ready yet," he replied.

"I understand," Sienna smiled softly.

"Thank you," Theo responded, grateful she wasn't judging him.

There was a lull in conversation and they found themselves just looking into each other's eyes. Sienna felt her pulse speed up as her mind started to drift, thinking about other things they could be doing instead. She brought herself out of her fantasy with a gasp.

"So, axes, huh? Was that weird or cool or what?" she asked suddenly, mentally kicking herself for being an idiot.

"It was fun!" he exclaimed, completely missing Sienna's blush as she looked at him. "Conner suggested it."

"How did he come up with ax throwing?" Sienna wondered.

"He mentioned going with some friends in college," Theo answered. "They compare it to a rage room; it's great for stress. We suggested Steven imagine the target was actually Logan's face."

"Oh, stop," she giggled. "They went on two dates and hugged. I think Steven's okay."

"Jane's still dating someone else," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but it really is for the best," Sienna sighed. "Jane's pretty messed up. They both need to date other people. For now, at least."

"I think Steven should ask out Megan," Theo commented. "Even I can tell she's hot for him."

"She is crazy about him, you're right about that," she quickly agreed. "But, he can't just fuck her. Megan Bauer is, well, she's the daughter of one of the richest people in the world. And she's the boss at Sphinx."

"It's just money," he shrugged. "If they like each other, why not?"

"I agree, it should be that simple," Sienna replied. "It just rarely works that way. I know you sometimes see celebrities with regular people, but it's rare. She's high society, she's going to be jetting all around the world closing deals. I don't know, it just seems too tough to work out."

"Sounds like Steven's got a lot to figure out," Theo observed. "Maybe he'd be better off finding someone outside of Sphinx."

"Yeah, probably," she nodded. "I just hope The Gang of Eight will be okay. Jane and Steven seem fine now, but who knows?"

"As much as I hated being alone in high school and college, I am kind of glad I didn't have to deal with all the drama of dating," Theo mused. "If it's hard now, I imagine it was much worse when you were also growing up and figuring out your life."

"Oh, you have no idea," she groaned. "It was a fucking nightmare."

"Jeez, that bad?" he asked, surprised by the intensity of her reaction.

"Yes!" Sienna exclaimed. "Sex is great, but it complicates everything. All those emotions. There was a time where I could barely go two weeks without a friend having a break down. Thought she was in love, got humped and dumped, got cheated on, got drunk and did the cheating, the list goes on."

"Well, that's terrifying," Theo gulped. "I would not have been able to handle all that stress and still manage to graduate. Probably for the best that I was an outcast."

"I think it's hard either way," she said. "Being lonely sucks, but so does being heartbroken. One of my friends thought she was gonna marry her high school sweetheart. Until she caught him getting his knob polished out in the garden during prom."

"The guy sounds like a fucking idiot," he rolled his eyes.

"He definitely was," Sienna nodded. "Apparently, they had been hooking up for months. She ended up in porn, my friend ended up becoming an alcoholic in college, and I have no idea where the guy ended up."

"Wow," Theo nodded, unsure of what else to say.

"It wasn't just stress in a relationship, we also had parents to deal with," she continued. "Yeah, we were eighteen, but living at home means you still have to live by your parents' rules. Even now."

"I hope your parents approve of me," he said nervously.

"They like you," Sienna smiled. "I think you're okay. My mom said you were quiet and Dad thinks you're not comfortable in your own skin."

"Sounds like they don't like me!" Theo exclaimed, horrified.

"Nah, they like you better than my cocky ex-boyfriend," she shook her head. "And I was with him for years. They think you're nice, you won't hurt me."

"I won't. Ever," he immediately promised.

"Good, good," Sienna smirked. "It's just a shame Camilla won't get to rip your dick off."

"Tragic," Theo deadpanned. "Did you have a lot of trouble with your parents when dating?"

"Not especially," she shrugged. "I got a lot of lectures on how a young lady should behave and on how guys only want one thing. My friend Sam had it much worse."

"What happened to Sam?" he inquired before taking another sip of his drink.

"They told her she couldn't date the guy she liked and gave her a big speech about waiting until marriage to have sex," Sienna answered, a grin spreading across her pretty face. "So, she intentionally got caught by her dad having a threesome in her bedroom with guys from the lacrosse team."

"I'm surprised her dad didn't have an aneurysm," Theo snorted.

"The fallout wasn't fun," she laughed, getting to her feet and offering Theo her hand. "C'mon, we've sat here long enough and they probably want the table."

Sienna led Theo into the general store side of the building to do some shopping. It was summer, so the store had a lot of outdoor items. In addition, there were things for Independence Day as well as the usual religious items carried by the store. Theo found the frog statue especially amusing for some reason.

A blue floral embroidered top caught Sienna's attention and she held it up to admire it. The shirt was a button-down with a collar and had roll-tab sleeves. She went to put it back when Theo grabbed it and offered to buy it. Sienna protested slightly, but got very giddy when she was finally convinced to let him get it for her. The redhead hunted around the store until she found a beer stein she thought Theo would like.

"I-it's still early," Theo observed as they sat in rocking chairs on the porch outside.

"It is," Sienna giggled, the sun shining on her pale, lightly-freckled face.

"So, um, I was wondering if, ah, maybe you'd want to, I don't know, um," he mumbled nervously, his face turning red as he fidgeted in the chair, "and I'm not suggesting anything, well, anything sexual might happen."

"Theo," she stated, drawing his attention. "Spit it out."

"Do you wanna come hang out at my apartment?" Theo offered. "We could watch a movie or something. Noah will be there."

"I know you're not suggesting sex just because you invited me to hang out," Sienna smiled at him. "No need to still be so nervous; it's just me, remember? Sienna."

"I guess I'm just expecting to say the wrong thing and ruin everything," he sighed sadly.

"Well, you didn't ruin anything. Let's go!" she said, getting to her feet and offering him both hands. "Oh, and you didn't have to assure me Noah would be there. I know I'm safe with you, we don't need a chaperone."

"Maybe I'm the nervous one," Theo smirked as he took out his phone to order their ride. "Being alone with the Red Dragon? Scary thought!"

"I don't recall saying you could call me that," Sienna growled, her offered hands turning so she could show him both her middle fingers. "In fact, I think I specifically told you to forget you ever heard that."

"A-are you mad?" he stammered, the grin falling from his face.

"No," she chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest. "But, ah, maybe hold off on calling me that? Only one person ever has used that nickname and we were really serious."

"Okay, sorry," Theo mumbled.

"It's all good," Sienna assured him, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. "Now, hurry up and get us a ride!"

Theo opened the rideshare app on his phone and ordered a ride back into the city. The two of them talked while waiting for the car and were soon heading toward Theo's apartment. They held hands as they entered his building and made their way to the right apartment.

"Noah, what the fuck?" Theo exclaimed when he walked through the door with Sienna.

"Shit!" Noah jumped, grabbing a pillow from the couch and holding it over his crotch. "Sorry, sorry! Ah, hi, Sienna."