Moon Child

By:Hitanner85

Chapter 4: The best spot in the whole world

The truck was oddly silent. I didn't like it. Times like these my skin seemed to literally jump around my bones and cause friction inside my ribcage. Jared sat in the middle, an odd occurrence for our usual "Bailey sandwich," that I was accustomed to. He was sticky with sweat, his right arm pressing tight against my left. I took in a shaky breath. "You good, Bails?" Jordan had asked. The words seemed to echo out through the pressing silence, jutting off the dashboard before sticking to my ears and sliding down my chin. I nodded, glancing out my window. I didn't even need to think about it before my answer rang out. "It doesn't matter. He doesn't even matter," I found myself saying. I didn't care as much as he'd hope but more than I should? My brain bumped along with the ridges in the road, clank clunk clammer. My heart sped up and then back down again.

It did matter though. It mattered enough to get me shaking, to steal my words right off my tongue, to have me doubting whether or not I was what Dustin said I was. I wouldn't have to be arguing with myself if it wasn't so important. I wouldn't remember every single moment we'd spent together and how it all came crashing down in minutes. Four years and then nothing, I was absolutely nothing to him. "I'm great." I replied. Jordan nodded, as if convinced that my lame answer was honest. Jared stared straight ahead. My eyes filled to the brim. I didn't blink, scared I'd spill those secret tears all down my cheeks. I sucked in a calming breath and watched for our turn.

"You're lying," Jared's voice was deep, somber even. I shrugged, managing a withered smile in his direction.

"How you figure, Jared? I think I'm doing just fine."

"Nope. You should've just let me beat the shit out of that little bitch."

"Language," I tutted, shaking my head at those words. He cursed all the time and it didn't bother me, but right then it seemed different. He seemed to pulse with rage. I glanced down at his hand, now wound in a tight fist at his knee. The veins bulged under his skin. Those clenched white fingers didn't even look like they belonged to him. Jordan made a face at his brother, the baffled sort of expression he saved for girls. I placed my hand over Jared's.

"I told you before, Jared. I can't have the world knowing my business. If you lay a hand on him, he'd spit it out so fast... well, I'd never be able to shut him up."

"Bails," Jared's fist crumbled under my fingers. His palm rested flat against his leg. My own breathing calmed further, as if I was getting ready for a long nap. "He wouldn't be able to say a thing if I did it right and you know I would."

"You can't," I interrupted.

"I could,"

"You shouldn't," I bit. "He said some shitty things but he didn't physically hurt me. He didn't REALLY hurt anyone. I should just get over this. I'm really good at getting over things."

"Holy hell, Bailey! He has belittled you and made you into this scared little mouse. Look at you, not letting me do what needs to be done just because you're scared some backward hicks from bum fuck Louisiana will think you're boring in bed? What the fuck, Bailey? Who gives a shit what people in this town think of you?"

I felt my face got warmer. My ears were on fire. I was going to cry and there was no stopping that. I couldn't reply. I moved my hand away from his and let it rest on my own shaking leg. Jordan cleared his throat and took a left. I could take the world thinking bad of me long before letting him. He knew that much but there was so much he just couldn't understand. He would never get how bad this made me feel. This wasn't the same as everything else, I wanted to scream. This was completely, opposite end of the spectrum, agonizing embarrassment sort of different.

It wasn't all black and white like he thought it was. Some things were worse than others. Some things you got your hopes so high about, it was just too much to let the world know how much of a disappointment you'd been hit with. He didn't get it and I didn't think I could show him into my head. I couldn't let him know just how much of an impact that ass hole had made on me. Jared's eyes were dark and sharp like the edge of a dagger. I didn't want to talk to him and he knew that.

None of us said a word for the rest of the trip. I willed my face to stay dry. Jared stared straight ahead. I didn't look at Jordan. I couldn't force my line of sight that far over.

When we arrived at the small patch of land that housed our secret place, Jordan and Jared shared an odd look before the quieter sibling vacated the car. I was going to get a talking to, and knew it well. I was scared though. I didn't want to hear anymore truths that day. I wanted to forget everything, but Jared was having none of that. He reached over me and locked the door.

"I can just as easily unlock it, Jared." My voice was stronger than I thought it'd be. I hadn't looked at him but spoke toward the window. My own faint reflection looked week and sad. I hated feeling so young sometimes.

"We need to talk about this."

"No we don't," I interrupted. I felt the tears returning to the ridge of my lashes. They would jump. They would all die painful deaths down my cheeks.

"Bailey I just don't get what's gotten into you," he sounded old and wise. He sounded like a teacher I'd had back in junior high, giving me a lecture on how I should apply myself more. 'whats gotten into you, Bailey? I know you can do better' I shivered. "You're all pitiful around him like you've got nothing. The Bailey I've known forever wouldn't take shit and she'd let me help her out if she couldn't handle it herself. This is bigger than you. I want to help."

"Well maybe I'm not the Bailey you know then," I snapped."And whether or not I've changed means nothing. You can't go around beating up people just cause they hurt my feelings. You..." I lost my breath. Counting to ten didn't help. I was lost and hurting and so scared. I'd buried it under all these busy days with my boys. I hadn't realized just how bad I was feeling until Jared pushed me to it. I was unhappy, completely miserable in every way.

"You don't know how I'm feeling. You just don't get it." I sucked in a breath of air. Tears fell down my cheeks and onto my shirt. Jared reached for me, I ducked away toward the door. It was locked but that didn't stop me from leaning into it.

"Tell me how you're feeling then, Bails?"

"You won't get it and you can't get it, Jared." My lips shook. "I gave him something so fucking special and he just threw it away like it was nothing and I guess... well I guess it was nothing really. I don't think you'll ever get how completely... embarrassing this whole situation is."

I brought my hands up to show him my open palms but the gesture fell flat, right back on my thighs with a light slap.

"Its like I tried so hard at making life good and I'm failing miserably and I can't control anything. I just can't have you beating someone up for me, not for this. This is too big. It's going to get around and I'll be that girl... I'll be the girl everyone knows for the wrong reasons. I don't care what most people think of me for most things. You know that. This is just different... This was supposed to be exciting and beautiful and private. It never really was. It was always like I was doing something wrong..."I sighed, pushing my sweaty curls from my forehead, shaking my head with the realization of what I'd just said. "It was always wrong."

Jared was so quiet then I forced myself to look over at him. He was looking at me, really looking at me, as if he couldn't quite figure me out. I wiped my face with the bottom of the old t-shirt that covered my swimsuit. Jared picked me up so fast I let out a squeal of shock.

"It's bad enough me knowing what he said," I sighed. "I just can't let them all know..."

"I think you thought I was talking bad about you just now, Bailey." I looked up into his face. "I wasn't. I don't think bad of you... ever. You are the most genuinely nice person I've ever come into contact with. I just don't like the way this boy's making you act. I never have."

"He's not making me act any particular way, Jared."

"Yes he is." I was sitting on his lap, my eyes lined up directly with his jawline. "He makes you unsure of yourself. All those years that Jordan and I spent toughening you up just seemed to fly right out the window with that jackass."

"It's not like that," I bit my lip hard. "I can't blame him for me acting a certain way. You can't either. I do have a mind of my own, after all."

Jared was pigheaded and I knew somehow that he wouldn't be able to accept the fact that I was weak on my own. Sometimes I would mess up. Sometimes, I might not be exactly who he wanted me to be.

"But I'll try and be more myself now," I winced at the complexity of the sentence. "I guess..."

"I don't mean you're not you, Bails." Jared leant back, sighing loudly through closed lips. I watched him. "I just meant-" he ran a spastic hand through his already mussed hair. "I just meant you're better than him. You can do better than him."

"You're not going to be okay with anyone I date, Jared." I laughed. He smiled, pleased with my abrupt change in mood. I was done crying though. My internal faucet of tears was officially turned off, at least for the day. "You will find something wrong with everyone when it comes to me. You're too protective."

"I will not," he grinned.

"Yeah you will," I stated plainly, climbing off his lap, and onto the sticky plastic seat. I fumbled with the door, spilling out into the warm summer air and breathing in a good gallon of clean oxygen. Jared followed me out, slamming the tricky door shut behind us. "The only person you wouldn't find something wrong with is Jordan."

"Jordan?"

"Jordan, your brother... Jordan Pruitt..." I smirked over my shoulder at him. "He'd be the only one to slip under your radar."

"I wouldn't want you dating Jordan." I recognized the tone in his voice as serious and whipped around. He looked bothered, his eyes a darker brown than usual. His mouth quirked down at the sides.

"And why not?"

"Because, I just don't."

I felt my brow lower with his words. Jordan was long gone toward our secret place, leaving us completely alone on that lengthy patch of neon green. Small unrecognizable bugs zipped past my face, cutting through the thick scent of grass and pine.

"You wouldn't even be okay with Jordan?" I sighed heavily. "I don't know who's left then, Jared. I'll guess I'll just have to die alone. Will that be okay with you?" I challenged.

"You have me. You have us both! Bails, I don't see..."

"I don't have both of you, butthead. You seem to forget the wife factor."

"Wife factor?" He made a face.

"Yeah, as in you and Jordan finding women and marrying them... The wife factor. The factor of all factors. The queen factor as it were, the reason I don't really HAVE either one of you. We're all friends. Friendships don't always last through marriage."

"You think too much,"

"I think enough. I have to make up for all the thinking you don't do!" I pushed him, playfully, back a few steps. "If I was your wife I wouldn't want you hanging around with another woman constantly, pulling at her clothes, teasing her with suggestive comments, even if she was your best friend."

Jared smiled, leaning forward and tugging at the hem of my shirt. "Pulling on your clothes huh," I rolled my eyes. "Making suggestive comments like... what?"

"I'm not playing with you right now," I laughed, pulling away from him completely. "You get my point."

"Yeah, you'd be jealous of you if you were my wife."

"Kinda, yeah." I sighed, realizing then just how easily it would all be stripped away. I'd lose my Jared.

Jared smiled fully at that, reaching forward and taking the hem of my shirt once more. He dragged me forward, forcing eye contact as his thumb tipped my chin upward. I swallowed, curious as to why he looked different all of a sudden. My brain swam in my head. I blinked away that gooey sugar coated feeling I sometimes got with him.

"You could always marry me, Bails. Kill two birds with one diamond ring." He felt like he was leaning closer then. It would've been so easy to kiss him, so easy to push forward one tiny little bit. I forced myself away. Jared didn't seemed to fazed by my reaction, just amused. He nodded, as if talking to himself, and asked me nonverbally whether or not I would respond to his challenge.

I always did.

"You mock me, sir. Jared Pruitt, joking about marriage?! I'm shocked and amazed."

"Why?"

"You were the one that said you'd never be tied down."

"I never said that..."

"You run when a girl even mentions that she misses you, fool. I know that panicked look on your face when I see it, and I've seen it many, many, many...many times."

Jared grinned all knowingly and shaded his eyes from the sun. I made a face at him, feigning a serious face in place of my giddy one.

"So you want to marry me, Jared?" I tilted my head to the right. "Be with me and only me forever and always."

"Yes ma'am..." he paused. "Well either that or live in sin. So, what you say?"

"I say I don't think you can handle it."

"But if I could... What would you say?" He was smiling so soft I wondered momentarily what it would be like to marry him, to be with him for the rest of my life. I found my cheeks burning with the thought. It was childish and ridiculous. It was absolutely me. I glanced up at the clear blue sky and placed my heads heavily on my hips.

"Oh I'll think about it I guess," I finally answered, a teasing undertone buried beneath my words. "I'll have to talk to Jordan first." I teased.

"No you don't," Jared then swooped me up and threw me over his shoulder. I laughed at the awkward, though not unusual, angle I found myself in. I allowed my hands to press against his back, managing just enough leverage to twist around and see the back of his head. I allowed myself to plop back lazily against him, giggling quietly at the weird butterflies fluttering around my lower belly.

"Put me down, lug-head. You know I don't approve of being held upside down." I huffed. "It's barbaric."

"Me man, you woman, mean you shut the fuck up." His thick southern drawl showed up in the last bit. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that, slapping him hard on his butt. He allowed me to slide down then, his chest for two full seconds pressed firmly against my own. I sighed as my feet made contact with the ground, my hands still perched atop his t-shirt covered shoulders.

Without thinking, my right hand had come up and gently cupped his left cheek. He didn't seem upset by the action or even confused. He seemed thoughtful. I admired the stubble from his jaw, and how it scratched my palm. I didn't know why I didn't jump when he reacted the same way, bringing the opposite of his hands up to touch my face. It was an odd movement. It was out of the ordinary and completely foreign, yet absolutely necessary to my curious hand.

The field was quiet, nothing but the sound of trees rusting in the distance to interrupt our strange encounter. The pad of Jared's thumb ventured across my lips, dragging painfully slow against my mouth. I sighed, my own stomach warm with thoughts. That's what stopped it all. That's what made all that sense and common decency slam back into my brain. That tingly forbidden feeling now budding along my gut.

"I'm sorry about embarrassing you back there, if I did..." I took a couple steps away, ridding myself of that excitement now fading into a foggy memory. Jared's hand, still raised from his previous position at my lips, fell silently to his side. "I mean with Dustin and those guys. I know I might've been out of line. Hurt your manly pride and all that...."

"You didn't," he replied softly. "Takes more than that to embarrass me."

"I know..." I scratched the back of my head. I was uncomfortable with the route things had taken. "I just didn't want you to..." That was definitely going nowhere. "I didn't want it to be..."

"You have a butterfly on your head," I thanked God for his interruption.

"A what?" I shrieked.

"It's just a butterfly," Jared walked over and took the tiny creature in his hand. It didn't try and fly away, merely opened its wings to reveal a turquoise and yellow swirl pattern twisting around its magenta backdrop. I smiled, looking up at Jared and giving him a curious grin. He seemed fascinated with the tiny bug, open palmed, pensive pout on those comfortably thin lips of his.

"You look serious," I stated. He looked up at me and smiled, though it never really fully reached his eyes.

"You know the stories behind these little guys?" I shook my head. "It's said that in Greek mythology that every time one makes the change from a caterpillar to this," he gestured toward his open hands, "a child is born. The Japanese say that its a sign of happiness and joy. But then there are those that see it as... well as someone who's passed on that now lives on as this..."

"A soul with wings?" I smiled.

"Exactly, a soul with wings, here to tell us something maybe?"

"Or maybe just visiting..."

"Or that," he nodded. "So what is it? Is this a pleasant visit or are you trying to tell us something?"

As if the little guy were listening to our conversation, he took off toward the sky. Jared and I both watched his graceful journey away from us.

"A sign of good luck though, thats another way to take it." Jared's voice woke me from my daze. I glanced back at him from over my shoulder. He was still staring off into the sky, eyes loose with thought. "An answer to a question."

"An answer?" I was intrigued.

"A butterfly always means yes, no mistaking that..." he finally let his eyes gaze line up with mine. I found myself smiling without real reason. Jared nodded, returning my soft grin.

"And what means no?"

Jared paused, ripping up a piece of tall grass and tearing it in two. "Don't remember."

"Sure you don't," I laughed.

Not long after that did we decide to make our way toward Jordan. So on we went, through the small patch of wild flowers, past the veil of trees, over the tiny man made bridge we'd fostered as children. We walked all the way to our creek, our own little private heaven, our own little universe, where nothing existed but us.

The spot that I'm talking about is a small creek that curved around four huge trees. The water was icy and almost unbearable even on the hottest of days. When we walked up laughing Jordan was sitting on a nearby log, the tips of his toes just barely grazing the frigid water. He threw us both a questioning look upon entering. I answered with a tipsy looking smile. Jared's head bobbed up once in a military style nod. I didn't care to ask.

"So the tension is gone and now we can sit here and pretend like we're getting in," I declared, taking a precautionary step back from the stream. Jared laughed as I bumped right into him, pressing his hands on my arms and holding me steady.

"I know at least one person who's getting in whether she likes it or not," he whispered directly into my ear. Shivers wracked my spine. I blamed them on the thought of all that water. Jordan laughed out loud, jumping away from the water and coming over to where we stood. With a mischievous glance at his brother, he reached down and snatched up my feet. I screamed, pulling against my captive limbs, whining to my favorite people about my hatred for them.

"Please don't," I hiccuped a laugh. "I don't want to be cold."

"We have to though, baby," Jared looked solemn.

"We always do," Jordan replied, just as grim. "It's the way of the world."

"If I could lift either one of you monkey's, you'd be going in too." I gasped a bit as they dropped me just low enough for my bottom to graze the water. "Oh shit that's polar."

Jared's laugh was hard and real, as if he'd been saving up. Jordan joined in and soon I felt them wade into the deeper part of the water. They didn't seem to mind the icy cold around their calve muscles. It was all in pursuit of the greater good, Jared had stated once years ago. Them being the least bit uncomfortable was worth me being totally enraged.

"I feel a good cry coming on," I stated to the sky. It was perfectly blue in our heaven, not touched by even a wisp of a cloud. I blinked a few times, the trees blowing in and out of my vision. The cold would be epic. I knew this much.

"Don't forget to breathe," Jordan smiled. I caught a glimpse of his perfect pearly whites before they disappeared behind his teeth.

"Yeah, baby" Jared tacked on. "Don't come up all gasping and dramatic like you always do. Pace yourself."

"Yeah, Bails..." Jordan's soft voice sounded almost sincere. "Just pace yourself."

I rolled my eyes at them.

"Just drop me for shit sake," I huffed. "I don't have all day."

And with one more chuckle and a clever comment from Jared, they did. The water wasn't unbearable as it usually was, just jarring. I sat up and pushed the drenches tendrils from my forehead, spitting out a mouth full of creek water. Jared and Jordan stood side by side, watching my reaction. I shivered a bit with the cold. I stood up soon after, wringing out my hair, and giving them my most charming smile. Then my mind went blank and only one thing shone out from the darkness. So I ran. I pounced on Jared and sent him flying back into the water. Jordan side stepped my actions, thought he wasn't the true target. I had built up enough momentum to actually get Jared off his feet. He landed back in the water with a satisfying splash, my knees wrapped securely around his waist. He sat up, using his elbows for leverage, a goofy smile gracing his perfect face.

"Feeling better?" He asked, cocky. I rolled my eyes, smiling nonetheless. His skin was still abnormally warm, even under that water. I didn't get off him as soon as I should.

"You're an asshole you know that? Can't you at least even look a little bit aggravated?" I pushed his forehead back, as if I'd dunk him all over again. He allowed the back of his head to dip into the water but not fully.

"I would, but I'm too busy being proud of you." He sat up fully and I fell into his lap. He squeezed the outside of my legs with his palms. It was delicious, thought calloused fingers easing the cool out of my shaking legs. I swallowed, my eyes fighting to keep away from his. I was uncomfortable with my own thoughts. "That was amazing, baby. Just amazing." He smirked. "Didn't know you had it in you."

He had dropped the Bails, I noticed right then. It was the third time within an hour he'd referred to me as 'baby', rather than my usual nickname. I didn't ask him why though. I didn't want to answer him when he asked if I liked it or not, because I think I did. I think I liked it a lot more than I should.

I laughed and rolled off of him. Jordan was still there and something about that moment felt weird and private. It shouldn't have though. It was Jared, for shits sake! I couldn't afford to start being ridiculous with them, with my boys, my best friends. Jordan didn't look too bothered by our interaction, but that was just like him. He'd bring it up to Jared later, if it was worth mentioning at all.

So there we sat, two drowned rats and one perfectly dry boy, all joking around and talking about the past. Four hours of splashing and finally giving up on Jordan getting in, we'd settled on the side to dry.

"Your birthday is coming up," I'd mentioned to Jared. He was shirtless, hair shiny in the late afternoon sun. He nodded at my comment but didn't look nearly as pleased as a normal person would be. Jared and Jordan didn't like birthdays, even when they were younger. Jordan cleared his throat the mentioning of it and gave his head a gentle shake. I didn't take the hint.

"I know you two are freaks and don't like to celebrate but couldn't we do something for it this year?"

"I don't know, Bailey." Jordan sat up a bit form his reclined position on the ground, tearing up a piece of grass with his right hand.

"Just go out and get some drinks or something, since we ignored your 21st," I felt my eyebrows go up in a hopeful arch. "It doesn't have to be anything special, it just seems like..."

"Probably not," Jared grunted, interrupting my clamoring with an alarming tone. "Drop it-" he stated, sitting up and moving a few steps away. I watched him carefully, feeling my own feminine pride pulse with rage.

"Fine," I rolled my eyes, shunned. Jordan reached over and patted my shoulder.

"There's nothing cool about birthdays, Bailey." Jared wasn't looking at me, but still, my name sounded like poison off his lips. He sounded as if he were talking to a foolish child. I winced with the realization of this.

"You do realize you're just just getting older and older and closer to death with every single one. I don't understand the urge your kind has for celebrating these-" he had stopped but just a bit short of where he'd wanted to. Jordan's hand that was on my back had stopped it's comforting and had froze mid motion.

"My kind?" I asked, confused. I wasn't offended. I was far too confused to be offended, at least yet. "What are you talking about, my kind?"

"Girls," Jared spit out, turning around and throwing me a grin far too friendly for the conversation. "Women. Females... your kind."

"Girls aren't the only ones that celebrate birthdays, Jared." I made a face. "Last time I checked it's just you and Jordan."

"I think he just slipped up, Bails" Jordan's voice was calm. I wanted to believe him. "I don't think he meant that your kind thing, you know how much of an idiot he is when he's mad."

"Yeah," Jared shrugged, still smiling. "It was just a slip up."

I looked back and forth between the two. They were trying to seduce me into believing them with their stupid charming smiles and shiny eyes. I narrowed my gaze at the both of them, even more irritated than seconds before.

"Right..." I wasn't convinced.

There was definitely something going on. There was something different in the air and the way they looked at each other just then. I was ready to go home. I didn't like not knowing everything about them. When I woke from my thoughts I saw them both sharing a look. Jordan looked irritated, almost livid. His eyes were alive. Jared was looking apologetic. It was as if they had switched minds. It was so very disconcerting to see them so opposite of themselves.

"I want to go home."

Both looked over at me when I said this, with equal parts confusion and shock. I stood up, pulling the damp t-shirt over my head and took off toward the truck. My boys followed, close behind, but not close enough for me to make out their mumblings.

"Are you sure you want to go home?" Jared asked when we'd reached the old truck. I nodded, curt, climbing inside. He didn't bother asking me again, just started up the truck. Jordan crawled in on the other side. The door clicked shut behind him. We took off down the dusty dirt road.

To my surprise we didn't go straight home. We dropped Jordan off first, before making our way toward my quiet property. The sun was setting by this time, leaving the world a burnt orange. Jared didn't try talking to me, which I was thankful for. I felt I might bust with aggravation if he did.

When we did pull into my driveway, I noted inwardly that my mom wasn't home. I cringed at this. I knew best, that when mad at Jared, it was best to spend some time away from him. I didn't want to have a heart to heart with him. And I knew it was something he'd felt necessary as of late. So as soon as the truck came to a stop, I opened the door and hopped out. I didn't give him time to barricade me inside. I didn't even mumbled a goodbye. I struggled with the key at the door. It had a tendency to stick. I groaned, refusing to slam my head into the door like I wanted to. I wanted to admit defeat. Especially when I heard the old truck turn off and Jared's calm steps following me up the porch steps.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He whispered directly into my ear. I shrugged him off, ignoring the chill bumps going up and down my arms. I glared at him from over my shoulder, before pushing the door in. The house was so muted inside, dark and cool. I flipped on the lights and made my way down the hall toward my room. He followed close behind.

Inside my room I tossed my keys on the vanity and started digging through my dresser for something warm to wear. Jared collapsed on my bed, kicking his feet up and letting his head read right where my head usually would.

"I can't help but think you're mad at me for something, Bailey?"

"Nope," I replied quickly, disappearing inside my bathroom to change. Jared didn't try and yell at me through the door, just waited patiently. I looked at my face in the mirror, a patch of black outlined underneath my eyes. I washed my face and shook out my hair before pulling a sweatshirt and pajama pants on. Jared was staring at the ceiling when I came out, mid yawn.

"Are you going to stay long?" I bit. Jared smirked, scooting over and patting the spot beside him.

"Bailey, just tell me what's wrong." He sat up.

"You know what's wrong." I let the cold t-shirt I'd been holding from the creek fall to the floor. "You and Jordan have been keeping secrets from me. It isn't that big of a deal except they just keep freaking multiplying. If you have secrets, be a fucking doll and keep them completely to yourself, would you? Don't dangle them in front of me and then refuse to acknowledge them when I ask you what they are."

Jared's smile had faded during my speech and his eyes had focused on my lips. I pretended not to notice. It was probably in my head anyway. I hated all these things in my head.

"Now if you don't have anything to say about it, you can go." I felt a little uncomfortable with him just staring. I turned my back on him and walked toward the kitchen. I needed a good cold glass of water and a bag of popcorn, a good chick flick, maybe even a nap. I could go for a nap. I mumbled these things to myself down the hall, as to avoid the sound of Jared's weight leaving my bed.

"There's really not that much to tell," he stated. We were standing in the kitchen, him on one side of the counter, me on the other. I held an empty yellow cup in my hand, a single serving bag of popcorn in the other. I slammed the cup down and threw the bag at his stupid bare chest.

"Stop lying to me," I shrieked. "I know for a fact there is tons to tell. I can read you two like a book, there is so much going on and let it be. I don't even care! I just don't want it dangled in front of me all the fucking time. I can't take it. I'm feeling left out. It feels like I'm not even apart of you boys. It's the one thing I got going for me lately. Don't think I'm so stupid as not to see it, okay? Just tell me, is there something going on?"

"Yeah there is," Jared whispered, but was quick to add on, "It's not that interesting."

He looked startled by my outburst, hands gripping the shiny blue stone that made up my countertop. "It's just a bunch of old family bullshit. We've just been overreacting and we'll get over it."

"Bullshit," I mumbled.

"That's all it is," he shrugged. "Hell, I'll even tell you all of it one day. I swear."

"When?"

"On my birthday," Jared replied. "That's what we'll do for the special day." He tone was clipped and annoyed.

"I meant something fun for you, Jared." I walked around the counter and sat down on the stool closest to his tense body. I placed a hand on his forearm. "I just wanted you to go out and have like a really good night... I don't know. You don't have to tell me anything."

"No," he interrupted, looking down where my hand pressed into his bare arm. "I want to. You are always a part of me, us... you're always a part of us." He winced. "The one person we let in."

I smiled and threw my arms around his neck. He hugged me back without so much as a moments hesitation. When I pulled back I was alarmed to see the confusion gracing his perfect face. I didn't like my boy unsure. I didn't like him anything but cocky. The look he threw me then was anything but. It was sad, as if something terribly wrong was going to happen. I didn't bother asking though, knowing I'd get the answer I'd always get.

"Not a thing, Bails" he'd grin. "In fact, if I was any better... I'd be you."

A/N: Sorry about the wait. Please stick around. I'll finish every story I have on here eventually. It's jut taking forever.