Rae rolled her eyes and shoved her phone in her pocket. She pulled up to the house. Finally, she thought. She was ready to lay down and relax, but when she opened the door, she saw Jackson sitting on the couch in the living room.

“Your still here?” Rae stated, staring at him with dead eyes.

“I wasn’t going to leave without talking to you, I made you some food, and it’s on the stove.” Rae threw her things down and headed into the kitchen.

Rae saw a pot on the stove and opened it to discover he had made her Mac and cheese. She grabbed some and sat herself on the couch. “Just because you made me food doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

Jackson nodded his head, “I want to know why you told me to get out this morning. I was just trying to comfort you.”

Rae rolled her eyes, “I didn’t need your pity. You don’t even like me and Koko gone so there no reason for you to stay.”

Jackson jumped off the couch, “Why would you say that, you know that I like you.”

Rae glared at Jackson, “I don't know if I believe that. Remember, all I do is yell and complain, right? How could Koko be friends with me? Don’t tell me you actually forgot about that.”

Jackson tried defending himself but then remembered that day at that park. He looked down at the ground and spoke in a low tone, “Sometimes I say things without thinking. I’m sorry. I really do like you Rae.”

"Save your words, I don’t believe them." She said, shoveling macaroni into .

Jackson sat back down on the couch frustrated. He studied her face as Rae finished her food and was taking a sip of her drink. He suddenly smirked. “I don’t get why you want me to leave so bad when last night you begged me to stay.”

Rae choked on her drink. “I...uh, I don’t remember that at all.” She said through broken coughs.

“Are you sure? Because I remember clearly you grabbing my arm and begging me to stay."

She grabbed a blanket and threw it over herself, as if she needed a shield. "Look. I was tired, and stressed out, and weak minded! So it doesn’t matter!"

“Oh look how cute you’re being acting like a child hiding when they know they’ve been caught.”

Rae threw the blanket back off her head, “I’m not a child and I can do what I want.” She yelled.

Jackson poked her cheek, “Oh, look how red your cheeks are.” 

Rae looked covering her cheeks with her hands.

Rae hated people seeing her so flustered. She tried to get off the couch but Jackson pulled her back down. “Don’t think you’re getting away.”

Rae pulled her arm back, “Just let me go to my room.”

Jackson shook his head and pulled her closer to him. “I really like seeing you like this. You’re so quiet and it’s oddly cute. I want to be able to make you blush more.”

Rae grunted and pulled the blanket back over her head. "Leave me alone. I hate you." She rolled into a fetal position and pushed her face into a pillow.

He leaned over, and started rubbing her back. She opened to snap at him, but was too tired to argue any further. She closed her eyes, trying to relax. She almost fell asleep a few times, but was woken every so often by Jacksons voice. He was mumbling and saying things that he liked about her. Her arm reached out of her blanket shell, her hand in a fist. She batted Jackson with it pitifully.

"Just stop. Please." Her voice was slightly broken, like she was about to cry.

Jackson stopped rubbing her back and pulled the blanket down to reveal her face. “Are you okay, did I say something to upset you?”

Rae shook her head. She wasn’t used to people complimenting her and hearing all of what Jackson was saying to her was scaring her.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“I don’t care, but can you not talk.” Jackson nodded and Rae once again closed her eyes, finally being able relax.

Jackson looked down at Rae’s face, quiet and calm with her eyes shut.  He wanted to kiss her, but the way they were position it would be difficult to do. He decided to try and get Rae to move.

“Rae you should just go lay down on your bed and relax.” Rae sighed and sat up, pulling the blanket off of her. Jackson grinned and jumped on top of Rae, his hands on her shoulders, pinning her against the couch. She was about to yell something when he pressed his lips against hers and she froze. She pressed her hands against him, thinking about pushing him off, but she hesitated and accidently pulled on his shirt instead.

Jackson pulled back and smirk. “Did you enjoy that?”

Rae let out a small, frustrated scream and pushed Jackson off of her, running into her room. She slammed her door, locked it, and sat against it. She covered her face with her hands. "No no no, that didn’t happen. It didn’t." She mumbled to herself.

Jackson kept smiling as he watched Rae run off. Seeing her like this made him happy. He knew he was getting closer to her and knew one day she would be his. He looked at his phone and decided to update Koko of what was going on and check up on how she was doing.

When Koko answered her phone, it sounded like she had been sleeping. “Yeah?” She mumbled.

“So, I kissed Rae.”

"And she didn’t push you away or yell at you?"

"No."

Koko started laughing and called to Mark, telling him as well. “Well try and keep her in a good mood so Friday goes well.”

Jackson gave a small chuckle, but then sighed. “I know this sounds weird, but I’m scared Koko. I’ve only loved one other person, and they didn’t love me back. I’m falling in love with her quicker than I have for anyone, including you. She brings me a smile to my face any time she walks into the room. I know I didn’t really show it in the beginning, but you know how I am. I’ve trusted too many people and have gotten hurt, but I really want to be with her.”

Rae listened through the door, a million thoughts running through her head. She wondered who he was talking too, but suddenly it was obvious. "Koko.." She sighed softly.

Koko listened to Jackson go on, but slowly started falling asleep. Mark pulled the phone away from her ear. “Hey dude, Koko fell asleep and I’ve been listening to your guy’s conversation. To be honest I think you need to be careful on what you say around her. She's used to pushing people away, but if you give her too much space she's going to be confused and not understand your feelings. I know she likes you but she doesn’t know how to show it. Surprise her, take her out to eat and just spoil her. Let her slip up and admit she likes you.”

Jackson continue to listen even though he really didn’t want to listen to him. “Rae to stubborn for me to wait, I’m going to have to be forceful to grab her attention. She's such a strong person but she doesn’t realize how….”

Rae didnt want to listen anymore. She was starting to feel sick to her stomach. She stood up and unlocked her door, walking out into the living room. She crossed her arms and refused to look Jackson in the eyes, but looked up long enough to see he was still on the phone. Good, she thought, she wanted them to hear this too.

"You...you know how you confessed or whatever and I needed to give you and answer? Well, I have one."

Jackson opened his mouth but she waved her hand.

"I don’t like you. End of story. You’re way too loud and stubborn and you get drunk and that’s super annoying. Lots of things about you are super annoying." She bit her lip, then raised her voice so she was sure everyone could hear her. "I want you, Koko, and Mark to all leave. None of you have any business here anymore. I want all your stuff packed up by the end of the week. That’s it."

Before Jackson could stop her, she darted back into her room, locking the door behind her. She jumped on her bed and stuffed herself under her covers.

Jackson felt his heart drop and he wanted to cry. He was completely shocked by her behavior but before he could react Marks voice came through the phone.

“Don’t get upset. She's just getting mad at you because of what I did. There is a key in the back of our closet that goes to her room, grab it and use it. Tell her to shut her trap and stop hating you for what I did. You might have to be a little forceful because shes going to be really upset, especially since she doesn’t even know I have a key to her room.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Yes you can.”

They argued for a few more minutes till Mark convince Jackson to grab the key. He hated invading her space but he wasn’t going to let her go. He unlocked the door as quietly as he could and looked inside. She was still hidden under her covers, a few muffled noises coming from her. He walked to the center of room and took a deep breath before speaking as quickly as he could. “Rae, I know you’re angry and upset at both Mark and Koko but please don’t take it out on me. I really like you and I want to be with you.” He started moving closer to her. “Please believe me I would do anything for you. I’ll even stop being friends with Koko if you want. I’d do anything for you.”

Rae threw her covers, surprised and angry to find Jackson in her room. She gritted her teeth. "Don’t LIE to me! You wouldn’t stop being friends with Koko for me. You’re just trying to say things to catch me off guard, well I’m DONE with that and I’m DONE WITH YOU!" She lifted her pillow and threw it at his face.

Jackson dodge the pillow and then looked down at the ground, “Actually I would and Koko knows it to. We always agreed that if we fell in love with someone and they didn’t like the other person that we would step aside for the person we love. She means a lot to me but you mean more. She knows how I feel about you and she do anything I ask just for me to be with you.”

"Well then you’re a piece of friend!" She screamed. "Who does that? Leave someone you’ve known for years for someone you’ve known for a few months? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!" She reached over her bed, grabbing various plush animals and tossing one at him. "Apparently both of you are not only really good at making me mad, you’re also really good at making awful decisions!"

We decided on it years ago and we did it so neither person would get hurt.” Jackson yelled as he got closer. “I love Koko to death and I would always protect her just like I would do anything for you.” Jackson was next to bed staring at Rae face. He could see she was also breaking and that she hated the words he was saying about Koko. “Please.” He begged. “Let me show you that I’ll be there for you.”

Rae turned around and sat on her bed, covering her ears. "Don't speak like that about Koko! You can’t possibly be that stupid!" She could feel her face getting hot with frustration, she turned slightly, pointing a shaking finger at him “AND NO! I don’t believe you! No one is ever there for me! I'm always there for everyone. Mark when he was young, Koko when she was alone, and now you!" She stood up on her bed, "YOU messed up and YOU had to come here because YOU had nowhere else to go. So don’t go acting like IM the person that needs someone to be there for me, because I’m not!" Rae reached out and pushed Jackson.

Jackson just smiled. It was odd but seeing Rae defended Koko like this made him believe their friendship was still intact. Once again he wanted to kiss all the anger out of her face. He reached up and grabbed her face a pulled them into a kiss, but he wasn’t as smooth as he was last time he was letting all his frustrating into this kiss. He finally pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “Please stop and let me love you. I’m not going anywhere even if you try and push me away.” 

It was odd seeing Rae defend Koko like this, and made him believe their friendship was still intact but he wasn’t happy about the other things she had said to him.

“Don’t say things that you don’t know anything about. You don’t know what was going on, you weren’t there so shut your trap. All I was trying to do is show you that I would be there for you and that I care. You barely know anything about me. I know I dont have to be here. If I wanted to, I would have already left.” Jackson felt his anger building. He felt like he needed to punch a wall. He turned to walk out of Rae's room.

"Wait...”

Jackson looked back over his should at her. She was sitting on the bed, hands in her lap, staring down at them.

"You're....right. You’re right, I don’t know what was going on in your life before you got here. But you’re also wrong, because I know a lot about you. I know you like to go drinking and dancing, and that’s annoying. I know you like the most expensive beef, and that’s annoying too. You like going outside, going on adventures, running around and being a complete fool, but you also like staying at home and playing games and making conversation about the first thing that comes to your mind. You get distracted and bored easily, you always want something to do and someone to do it with. All of that is super annoying." She crossed her arms. "You're like a kid, but I guess I am too since you called me that earlier. So I guess we do have something in common."

Jackson stood in the doorway wanting to leave her by herself but part of him couldn’t. Jackson spun back around and started yelling. “Do you know why I go out and drink? I bet not. You are right, I do like to do things and I easily get bored. But here’s the thing, since I've meet you all, all I’ve ever wanted to do is spend time with you guys. I go out to drink because no one wants to hang out with me. Kokos always with Mark and y-you…” Jackson was starting to stutter the anger inside of him was slowly turning into sadness. “And you, you’re always pushing me away and trying to hide from the world. I know you work hard for your company and everything, but even when you're home with nothing to do, you push everyone away by being on your computer. I want you to get out and do something though, I want to spend time with people I care about.”

Rae's hands balled into fists. She was frustrated by seeing him so upset, and she wasn’t sure she could handle an emotional breakdown. She bit her tongue, and mustered up the courage to say something she rarely said to anyone. "I'm sorry."

She heaved a heavy sigh and fidgeted with her fingers. "I didn't realize you felt that way. I just don’t get out a lot, I like the safety and security of my computer and digital world...but I can think of some things. I...I like amusement parks...rollercoasters and things like that. Ferry rides on the shoreline. Zoos and museums and shrines. Places where you can paint things. Even just window shopping, like trying on ridiculous things you’d never buy." She rubbed her hands on her head, trying to think of more things.

“Then let me the one to take you out to do things. I’ll take you wherever you want."

"Well duh, who did you think I meant I would go with?" She yelled, a soft blush covering her cheeks. She crossed her arms and looked away. "A-about earlier...what I said about not liking you. I didn’t mean it...I mean it’s not like I hate you or anything. You’re bearable at least."

Jackson couldn’t help but smile. He got up and headed for the door once again, “Get some sleep Rae, I’ll wake you when I get some food fixed.” He walked out hoping that things between him and Rae would be different.