(italics are text messages for this chapter)

This room was cold. Only by a few degrees though so it was cold enough to give you chills but not cold enough to use the scratchy blanket that the nurse provided you with. It’s been 4 days now. Your mom was mostly fine but the doctors were keeping her here for monitoring. She’d broken her femur in the crash so they were worried about infections but there weren’t any major complications so it an upcoming discharge was looking likely. She’d need a cast & wheelchair for a while but she was going to be okay.

You tried to get comfortable on the loveseat you’d been pretty much living on for your mother’s hospital stay. She didn’t like being alone and your dad had work so you’d been here since she was admitted. Sitting up you stared out the large window, resting your head on the back of the small couch. It was probably around 10 PM. Giving up on sleep for the moment you stretched towards the bag resting on the floor. Trying to keep an ear open for any changes in your mother’s soft snores you pulled your phone out of the bag and powered it on.

Michael had been sending worried texts every half hour; while you were touched by his concern you’d decided it best for your sanity to turn the device off to save some battery. That’s the excuse you were going to give him, at least. The man was annoying at times but he was a big mother hen underneath all that obnoxiousness.

The phone’s screen lit up and almost immediately began dinging incessantly. You clutched the phone in your hands tightly and hammered on the volume down button to silence it before your mother woke up. The beeps stopped and you held your breath as you listened for any sounds from the woman lying in the cot before you. After a moment of silence, raspy breaths sounded throughout the room and you breathed a sigh of relief. Seems you would live another day.

Flipping the phone over in your hands the first thing you saw was the missed call notifications. 14. Not surprising. Your phone has been on airplane mode for two days. With Michael it’s to be expected.

Unread messages: 30

Tapping on the message icon you saw three unread threads.

Unknown Number: 3

Krystal: 5

Michael: 22

Clicking on Michael’s name you scrolled through the texts. Pretty standard worried messages, the occasional threat on your life if you don’t text back, followed by apologies for said threats. You typed out a quick reassuring text before going back to your message threads and pressing on Krystal’s name.

K: I’m trying to get Michael to stop bugging you but it’s not looking great.

K: Jae is egging him on too so there’s that. I’m pretty sure some of those texts aren’t from Michael. These two are driving me insane.

K: Come home before I murder them.

K: Wow okay. Michael is bad alone but Jae is just as bad so their combined force is going to put me in prison. Two worried old women walking around this house annoying the crap out of me.

K: Lover Boy got a phone today and asked me for your number~

You tapped out of the thread quickly to check the texts from the unknown number, suddenly having an idea who it was.

?: I got my phone today! How is your mom doing? Is she getting discharged soon? Are you coming back to the house when she does? No pressure or anything I’m just wondering. There’s no one for me to tease with you gone. Michael is too worried to tease, I’d feel like a bully. And Krystal might kill me.

?: oh yeah it’s Jae btw. the hot guy you went on a date with~ 😏

?: that was lame and I am riddled with regret. disregard that completely.

Stifling the loud snort brought forth by the messages your eyes flit quickly to the sleeping form in the bed before tapping a reply.

That was just awful. Terrible. 😂

With a smile you locked your phone again and relaxed into the loveseat. You thought back to what happened after your date. The look in Krystal’s eyes had scared you. She didn’t have much information except which hospital your mother was at. You stood there in front of the door for a few moments thinking of what to do. You felt a hand on your elbow and had turned to find Jae looking at you with a look so much like Krystal’s. There was so much sadness and pity coming from too many directions before you’d even had a chance to process it. It was too much. You’d grabbed your keys off the table by the door and ran to your car. Voices called out to you from behind but you did your best to ignore them and drove in the direction of the hospital.

You’d called Krystal that night to assure her that you were safe and your mom was being monitored but that had been the last time you’d communicated with anyone from the house. It was nice to talk to them again. The phone in your hands vibrated strongly and you tapped on the new message notification.

J: pretty sure I asked you to disregard that… 😥

J: and you didn’t answer my question. do you know when you’re coming back?

It hasn’t been decided yet. She’s doing okay though and she’s getting discharged tomorrow. So maybe then?

J: 😁😁😁😁

Sitting there in the dark cheesing like a fool, you quickly typed up a reply.

I said maybe. 😛 Might wanna calm down. Someone might think you miss me.

J: oh I’ve given up trying to look cool. I definitely miss you.

It’s a good thing he wasn’t here to see the damn near fluorescent pink you could feel growing on your face. The device buzzed in your hand again.

J: ohohoho call me a liar because that was pretty darn cool 😏

And just like that you ruined it. 😑

You paused slightly before typing out another message. Quickly pressing send before you could talk yourself out of it.

If we’re giving up trying to look cool I suppose I’ve missed you a little too

Your heart was racing a little as you tucked the phone away to await the reply. Was that too cheesy? Was it too cold? Why did he have to say that and get you all stirred up? You grinned at the fluttering feeling in your chest and squirmed in your seat in excitement. Feeling the familiar buzzing you grabbed at your phone.

J: woah now Y/N tone down the emotion. who knew you were such a sap… 😛

Your smile fell and you scoffed loudly before jabbing a few keys with just a bit of unnecessary force.

😑 Goodnight

The device buzzed again almost immediately.

J: I’m kidding!! 😂 I’m really glad you texted me. had us a little worried going all incommunicado like that. try not to do that again if you can. Michael is too young to have grey hairs.

Your mother stirred softly in the bed. Looking up to observe her you suddenly became aware of how heavy your eyes were. The lids dragging over your eyes dryly had you rubbing at them as you typed out your reply.

He’s such a worry wart. And he’s the oldest one in the house so it’s not fair to blame any grey

hairs on me. But I am actually really tired all of a sudden. I’ll text y'all tomorrow. Goodnight, Jae.

Sliding down into the cushion you wiggled around to get comfortable. The screen lit up again just as you had settled in.

J: goodnight Y/N! See you tomorrow?

Maybe. I hope so.

You slid the phone back into the bag and settled into the couch once more. The loveseat was still too small and the blanket still too scratchy but sleep came much easier now. As did the drowsy smile on your lips.

———-

You kicked your shoes off into the pile by the door and tossed your bag on the chest next to the front door. Walking into the living room you saw a head poke out of the kitchen hesitantly. The look of fear Michael had on his face confused you for a moment before he realized who he was looking at and quickly ran to envelop you in a crushing embrace. “I thought you were Krystal! I’m so happy you’re home! You can’t just disappear like that and not call.”

“Were you in her food again? Just buy your own food! And I did call; I called Krystal that night.”

Michael pulled away to hold you at arms distance and gave you a face.

“Maybe but you didn’t call me. I’m supposed to just take the word of the Ice Queen?”

“Where is said Ice Queen by the way?”

Michael turned back towards the kitchen to continue rummaging through the fridge. “I dunno. Somewhere.”

With a quiet smirk you watched him dig through food that more than likely was not his. “I bet I can find her.” Turning away from the kitchen you cupped your hands around your mouth and hollered, “Krystal, Michael is pillaging again!”

Michael spun around to stare at you in horror. The look of betrayal he was giving you was far too comical for you to feel badly at all. There was a moment of silence before you heard feet hit the ground and slap against the wood floorboards upstairs accompanied by a familiar groan from the room down the hall from the kitchen. Krystal’s voice was heard as she opened the door and sprinted towards the kitchen like a pissed off olympic athlete. “Greedy bastard!”

Michael scrambled away from the fridge with a bag of grapes and fled the scene just as Krystal slid into the room. Her eyes searched the room before she turned her gaze to you. You jerked a thumb in the direction he took off and grinned at her. “He’s got your grapes.”

Krystal let out a huff before walking past you. “I’ll be back to hug you. Don’t move.” You followed her out of the room to wait in the living room and saw Jae hopping down the stairs with a big smile on his face. Krystal, meeting him at the bottom, put a hand up to stop him. “Where did he go?”

Jae spoke loudly in a voice thick with feigned ignorance, “Oh I haven’t seen him…” Then silently pointed upstairs and mouthed the word ‘bathroom’. Krystal nodded to the tall man and crept up the stairs, careful to make little noise. Jae slipped passed the sneaking girl and strut towards you.

You shook your head at him. “You sir, have no honor.”

He gave you a look of fake indignation and huffed lightly, “How dare you.” Before he reached you he rushed out, “I’m going to hug you.” and wrapped his arms around your shoulders in a light hug. “You’re back!”

As the two of you separated Jae smiled at you, “How is your mom?”

Your head snapped towards the stairs as you heard a high pitched cry followed by Krystal’s reprimanding ‘mom voice’. The noise stopped and a door slammed before the two of you watched the scowling girl descend the stairs with a ripped open bag of grapes in hand. She walked over to you and gave Jae a light push. “Friend for months outranks boy she went on one date with. Move aside.” You snorted quietly and shrugged at him as she flung her arms around you and squeezed tightly.

“You have no idea close I was to choking them out.” she groaned into your shoulder.

Jae grumbled behind her, “Well pardon me for having feelings.”

Krystal took a step back and spoke with an eerie smile, “I’d be quiet if I were you. It’d be a real shame to last this long and then die the day she comes home.”

She patted your cheek lightly. “Alright. I’m going to bed. You can have these. I don’t even want them I just hate when he steals my food. I missed you.”

You reached out to grab the bag of fruit before she swivelled around towards her room.

“Missed you too!”

Jae stepped up next to you just as soon as she closed her door and started picking at the grapes.

You watched him for a moment then snatched the bag your way when you realized how quickly he was eating the small fruit. “You mind sharing?!”

He smiled as he reached for the bag again. “I do not. Do you? Share!”

You turned away from him with a laugh and curled around the bag defensively. “You ate half the bag already!”

Jae’s long arms reached around you for the bag, one on either side flailing and grabbing at the plastic.

You reached a hand inside the bag and started tossing handfuls of grapes into your mouth while simultaneously trying to fight him off.

After a few seconds you turned back to him and handed him the bag with a grin.

Jae looked at the plastic bag in your hands and picked out the last bunch there. Two solitary grapes hanging weakly off of the stems. He raised his head to look at you in shock.

“What kind of monster are you?”

“The best kind.” you chuckled as you strut passed him. You grabbed your bag off the side table and climbed the stairs to your room.

—–

You’d just changed into your sweatpants when there was a knock on your bedroom door.

“Yes?” you called out from your bed.

“Can I come in?”

As soon as you recognized his voice you slid the laptop off of your lap. “Sure!”

The door swung open slowly before Jae walked in. You gestured toward the bed and he shuffled over and sat on the end of your mattress. He was carrying his laptop under one arm.

“I can’t sleep. Wanna watch a movie?” Jae grabbed his laptop and waved it lightly.

“I could watch a movie! I can’t sleep either.” You sat up and rearranged a few pillows behind you.

When Jae stood and took a few steps towards the hall you stared at him inquisitively. He turned back to you and waved. “Let’s go.”

Realizing he meant for you to go downstairs you groaned. “Let’s just watch it here. I’m all comfortable and warm and I’m feeling lazy. Asking me to leave my bed and walk all the way downstairs is cruel. It’s inhumane.” You slid to the side a little to make room and pulled the blankets back to let him in.

Jae looked at the bed like it was some kind of bear trap. “In your bed?”

You felt the heat grow along your cheeks and tucked the blanket back around you. “Well you don’t have to say it like that! I wasn’t going to jump you or anything!”

“Again.” he quipped at you with a grin.

“What do you mean ‘again’?”

Jae shrugged at you, the grin quickly shifting to an overly smug smirk. “I seem to recall a drunken incident involving you and my face.”

“You really wanna get into this because I remember quite clearly watching you play your guitar the day after this drunken incident and getting ambushed by that very face. So hush.”

“That was no ambush! All I did was approach your face with my face. You never saw Hitch? I came 90, you came 10. That’s fair play. Drunken you just came the whole 100.”

Your mind raced for a witty reply only to come up empty. The boy wasn’t wrong. You grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. “I don’t wanna watch a movie with you.”

Jae laughed and stared at the pillow on the ground for a second.

“Oh I have an idea! Wait there.” He walked over to set the laptop on your bed before turning towards the door. He came back moments later with the two blankets from his room and all his pillows. Jae tossed the various items on the floor next to your bed, folding the blankets in half, adjusting the pillows, and stood again triumphantly. “This way you don’t have to walk all the way downstairs!”

“Works for me.” You handed Jae his laptop and stepped off your bed as he got settled on the floor. Dragging your blanket and two pillows you sat down next to him and threw the blanket over both of your legs. He opened the laptop and selected a movie and soon enough the opening credits were rolling.

Jae shifted in his spot to get more comfortable, casually throwing an arm over your shoulder. You turned to look at him. “Get that from Hitch too?”

“Excuse me. I have plenty of moves of my own, thank you very much.”

You turned back to the screen, smiling as you readjusted and tucked yourself a little closer into his side.

“You know, I really did miss you while you were gone. Think I’ve grown a little fond of you since that day in the parking lot.” you could feel the vibrations in his chest as he spoke and you looked up to smile at him.

“Great first impression, right? That’s my move. Gets the guy every time.”

He looked at you fondly and lowered his head a bit. Your eyes fluttered closed just before his lips made contact with yours. The lack of hesitance in the kiss made your heart race. His head tilted to the side more as he adjusted his lips on yours. You could feel the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile when you pressed against his lips with a happy sigh. Jae raised a hand to cup your cheek. When he pulled away he was smiling. “Terrible first impression. The worst.”

“Maybe but look at all this friendly-ness happening now. Hitch has nothing on me.” You tucked yourself back into his side, this time wrapping an arm around his waist.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head before getting resettled on the makeshift mattress. The environment was comfortable and the smile was effortless.

One and a half dates down. You found yourself wondering how many dates you had left. However many there were you hoped they would all be like this. Easy, fun, and with lots of kisses.