“So…” I start, “Justin Bieber’s your jam, Heidi?”

They both laugh, and the awkwardness leaves the room for the moment.

“It’s kind of an inside joke,” Heidi says through giggles.

“Not really,” Lucy smirks at Heidi. “Heids here had a wee little obsession with the Biebs when he first blew up. She went a little too stalkerish when he was in town once, his security had to detain her and her parents had to pick her up.”

“No way!” I say, eyes big in disbelief.

“Yes, way.” Jake interrupts, as he walks in with drinks for all of us. He places the tray on the coffee table between us.

“The next day at school everyone knew about it, people were calling her ‘wannabeiber’. She didn’t care though, she wore it proud, like a badge. I still see Dylan's eye twitch whenever he hears Justin Bieber.”

Our laughter fills the room.

Talking about this reminds me of Emily, so I tell them about it.

About how my dad tried to dance ‘The Dougie’ to Emily’s version of ‘Baby’. About how they followed me around belting, ‘Penis, penis, penis ohhhh’.

When the laughter fades, a sadness washes over me.

“I can’t believe it was just last night,” I say to no one in particular. “It feels like so long ago. This day has gone on forever.” I look at Jake next to me. “Is this like, the longest day in history? What is with today?” I ask seriously.

He puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses the side of my head, I love when he does that.

“We’ll let ourselves out,” Lucy says, halfway out the door with Heidi.

“Let’s get you to bed.” He helps me to my feet.

***

I’ve been laying in bed for 2 hours and I can’t seem to settle. I’m exhausted and restless, and devastated. I don’t have words. I want to go home, and I don’t. I guess I won’t be able to tell how I feel until I’m faced with the opportunity.

An hour later I’m still wide awake. I need to get out of this bed, out of this room. I head downstairs. I can hear the murmurs of a TV running, but stop in my tracks at the bottom of the stairs when I hear my name, conversation’s coming from the kitchen.

“Does Mikayla have nowhere else to stay?” Jake's dad, Nathan, asks.

I freeze, my stomach drops to the floor.

“Dad, Seriously?”

A moment of silence.

“I’m sorry, son. That came out all wrong.” Nathan's voice is softer now, more sympathetic. He doesn’t have an accent either, come to think of it, neither did Julie.

“Look,” Nathan continues, “it’s not that we don’t want her here, you have to know that, but you need to understand that we’re just worried about you-"

“Dad-"

“Hang on, Jake. Just let me finish… What you guys experienced, it’s a lot to take in, even if you had known each other for years, it’s still would have been… I don’t know. It’s just that, well, your mom told me that you guys met last night, and we’re not blind Jake, I see the way you are with her, the way she is with you. I know that there’s something there. But, I guess we just worry, and not just for her, for you too, Jake. This is a lot to take in for someone your age, for anyone, regardless. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we, your mother and I, are just afraid that she’ll depend too much on you, and that you’ll take it as more than what it is. She has no one else?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Dad.”

“I don’t want you to say anything, I’ve said what I need to,” Nathan sighs. “Now that that’s out of the way, we also want you to know that we’re so proud of you, Jake. You’ve changed and grown up a lot in the last year or so, you’ve turned out to be a good man, and we love you. Just remember that you’ve worked hard to get to where you are, all of us have. Just remember that, and your mom and I, well… we trust you to make the right decisions, not just with this girl, with everything.”

“Thanks, Dad.” his voice breaks.

I hear footsteps heading toward me and panic. I can’t run back upstairs, I’ll look like I’ve been listening in on their conversation. Idiot.

“Kayla?” Jake says.

I turn around to face them both, they have to know I’ve just heard everything they’ve said.

“Goodnight, Mikayla.” Nathan brushes past me to the staircase and gives my shoulder a little pat.

I struggle to find my voice. “Goodnight, Sir.”

“Can’t sleep?” Jake asks.

I shake my head.

He’s in sweatpants, and nothing else. His broad chest and shoulders are on display, his stomach muscles ripped and defined, down to the V that leads to his… I’m staring.

“Watch some TV with me?” He holds out his hand. “Nothing like infomercials to make me wanna crash.”

I take his hand as he leads me to his bed on the sofa.

Once were seated, he turns to me, “You heard that, huh?”

“Yeah, I’ll organize somewhere to stay as soon as possible, I’ll make some calls in the morning.”

“Kayla, that’s not at all-"

“Let’s just not talk about it tonight, okay?”

He nods, then looks away from me.

“It’s Mom’s birthday today,” I say quietly.

“Christ, Kayla.” He rubs the side of his face.

Silence fills the space between us.

“Megan hasn’t tried to contact me once,” I tell him.

His arms wrap around my shoulders and adjusts us so I’m leaning into him, my head on his chest under the crook of his arm, the heat from his bare skin is overpowering. “I hate to state the obvious here, but Megan’s kind of a shitty person.”

I let out a tiny laugh.

His hand is stroking my hair, from roots to tip, it’s making me drowsy.

“You know who isn’t a shitty person?” I say through a yawn. “You, Jake Andrews, you’re not a shitty person. Not even a little bit.”

“Thanks,” he chuckles.

My eyelids are getting heavy. “Mmmm,” I hum. “My mom used to do this when I was little, when I couldn’t sleep, play with my hair I mean, it always helped.”

“Go to sleep, baby.” It’s the last thing I remember before he kisses the side of my head and I give in to exhaustion.

Chapter 12

*Mikayla*

I’m woken by the sounds of a feminine throat clearing.

My eyes snap open and Mandy, Jake's mom, is standing in front of me, hands on her hips, except she’s sideways. I take a few seconds to get my bearings and work out what the hell is happening.

Then there’s a moan and movement from underneath me. I sit up quickly, too quickly, and the room begins to spin.

“Shit,” Jake says, from next to me. “We must have fallen asleep.”

I feel something wet on the side of my face, my hand reaches out to touch it. Drool. I’ve fricken drooled, on him. My eyes automatically go to his lap to see if there’s evidence. I instantly regret it.

He’s got morning wood.

Shit.

I immediately look away, but not before a tiny squeal escapes my mouth.

“Shit,” he mumbles as he stands up to hide/adjust himself. He must know I’ve seen it.

My eyes dart to him again, I try to avoid that area but I can’t. I squeal again. Because I’m a 12 year old virgin girl.

His mom is giggling.

He picks up a cushion from the sofa and covers himself.

“Aawww, Jakey, don’t be embarrassed, it’s a nat-"

“MOM!!” he yells, interrupting her. “Stop, please. Just get out!” His hand not holding the cushion points to the door.

She’s all out laughing, as she exits.

It’s just the two of us in this, what feels like, tiny, room.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” he sighs, shaking his head.