I awoke to the sounds of a laugh track downstairs. Groaning, I sat up and glanced over at the clock. The bright red lights made out 8:57. I rubbed my eyes, throwing on sweatpants and tank top. I made my way slowly out of my room, walking into Mason’s.

                He was sprawled out on his bed, his covers everywhere. A slight snore came from him, his fingers moving as if to grasp something. I bit my lip at the realization that he had been going to sleep without anyone having to lay next to him.

                He was growing up.

                I closed the door quietly before walking down the stairs. It was dark save for the blue light radiating from the television. I could see Caden sitting on the couch, his face impassive. I leaned against the doorway, watching him with crossed arms.

                I was sure he had noticed me after a few minutes but continued to ignore me. I rolled my eyes, walking over to him.

                Caden sat in the middle of the couch so that if I sat on either side I would be close to him. I hesitated to see if he was really mad at me before sitting down gently beside him.

                My leg brushed his as I leaned back against the couch.

                Caden continued to ignore me, his attention focused on the TV.

                “Hey” I said at the commercial break.

                He nodded, saying he heard me.

                I sighed, tilting my head back. Well this was fun.

                I stood up, walking towards the kitchen. Caden didn’t move to acknowledge me at all. With an internal groan, I grabbed a glass out of the sink. It clattered as I put it on the counter, the noise echoing in the kitchen.

                I chugged the cold water, frustrated. I didn’t understand why he was so upset with me. I hadn’t done anything. I was trying to be faithful to Jason.

                Making my way back, I noticed that Caden hadn’t moved at all. He sat motionless on the couch in the same spot as before.

                I sat down next to him, turning so that my body faced him. I stared at him intently, determined to get some response.

                Caden’s eyes flickered towards me a few times before he spoke, “Stop staring at me like a fucking creeper”

                I smiled slightly “Language, Caden”

                He rolled his eyes at me.

                “Why are you mad at me?” I asked boldly.

                “I’m not mad”

                I rolled my eyes. I grabbed his hand off his leg, setting it on my lap. I traced his fingers with mine, noticing how much thicker they were. His hand twitched has my fingers skimmed over his palm. So he was ticklish there.

                I traced the lines on his hand intently. “My mom took me to a palm reader once. I thought it was total bogus, but it turned out to be pretty cool”

                He didn’t give me a response, but let me continue to trace his hand.

                I ran my index finger across the line that circled his thumb, the life line. “All I remember is her talking about the life line.”

                I pulled my legs up so that I sat criss-crossed on the couch, facing Caden. “Yours has a good curve to it. That means you’re very energetic and strong. I guess I’d have to agree there.”

                I continued going on what I remembered from the palm reader. Even though Caden didn’t respond to it, I could tell he was listening. I was the loudest thing in the room, after all.

                “The line’s very deep; that means you’ll have good health throughout your life. I have that too on my hand. You have a couple lines going across, which if I remember correctly, means you’ll have worries and danger in your future. I have those too. I don’t remember what it means if you have a break though,”

                I ran my fingers down his hand from the edge of the palm up to the tips of his fingers. His hand was huge compared to mine.

                I pulled it up, pressing my palm against his. His finger tips extended farther than mine did, palm slightly wider.

                Caden pushed his fingers between mine, closing his hand around mine. Hesitantly, I let mine do the same, so that our hands were clasped together.

                He tugged on my hand, bringing it so that it sat on his lap. That pulled my body towards him more, my hair falling loosely off my shoulders. I stared at Caden curiously, noticing how he hadn’t moved his head at all.

                I started to tug my hand back when he tightened his grip, keeping me there.

                Caden turned towards me, a mischievous smirk across his lips. I raised an eyebrow hesitantly, trying to pull away.

                “Caden…”

                He gave another tug, forcing me closer to him. Caden moved his body so that he was angled towards me.

                “You know I don’t believe any of that palm reading shit, right?” He raised an eyebrow at me. I bit my lip, blushing slightly.

                “I uh…”

                Caden smirked, letting my hand go. He stood up, walking up the stairs. Curiosity got the best of me by the time his footsteps became muffled by the carpet upstairs. I scrambled up, following him.

                We only had three rooms upstairs, which made finding him all the more easier. I checked Mason’s room first, since it was closest to me.

                Mason slept on, oblivious to anything going on around him. I backed out quickly, shutting the door.

                I felt my body pulled against something, a hand clamping itself over my lips. My eyes widened in shock, a shot of fear racing through my veins.

                “Boo” Caden whispered in my ear, his cool breath tickling me slightly.

                I closed my eyes as my heart beat slowed. He pulled back after a moment, grabbing my hand. I followed him as he led me back to my room.

                I walked in a head of him, sitting on my bed. Caden shut the door behind him, turning on my light. I cringed slightly at the brightness, my eyes on him.

                “What?” I asked, curious as to why we were in my room. Caden shrugged, walking around my room. He picked up a few knick knacks, looking at them for a few moments.

                “Caden, why are we in my room?” I asked impatiently this time.

                “Just cause” He mumbled, walking over to me. I watched as he stood in front of me. I kept my head up, knowing how dangerously close I was to a certain region of his. Caden sat down next to me on the bed, leaning back on his elbows.

                “Not a very big bed you got here” He said quietly so not to wake Mason.

                I shrugged “It’s just me sleeping in it”

                “I’m not used to beds this small” Caden moved so that his head rested on my pillow. I made a face, not liking him touching a place so personal to me. His feet hung off the edge of the bed, nearly kicking me off.

                “Move your feet back” I whined, trying to give myself more room.

                Caden laughed at me. “Come here”

                “Where? You’re taking up my entire bed” I snapped.

                He pushed himself as far as he could against my wall, making enough room for me. Hesitantly, I moved over there, sitting so that my back faced him.

                “Oh please” He muttered under his breath. Caden grabbed at my sides, pulling me over him. He put a hand over my mouth to keep me quiet as he maneuvered me on the opposite side of where I started.

                It ended so that I was cramped against the wall with Caden pushing himself against me to stay on the bed. He kept one hand wrapped around me, the other underneath my pillow.

                “This bed wasn’t made for two people” I whispered

                “Then I think it’s doing pretty well staying up” He grinned.

                I rolled my eyes, looking away.

                “So what was up with that text message you sent me Tuesday?” He asked casually while pulling me closer to him, if that was even possible.

                “I think you know” I muttered

                “What I mean, is why you told Jerry”

                “Jason. His name is Jason.” I corrected “And because I didn’t want to have that kind of relationship. Jason and I… we’ve gotten more serious lately and I don’t want to screw something up by doing anything with you”

                I didn’t understand why Caden was having such a fuss about me kissing my boyfriend.

                “‘Serious’?” Caden questioned with a raised eyebrow.

                I nodded “Serious”

                “Like, fucking?” He smirked “Or are you too good for that?”

                “For crying out loud, Caden, I already told you I’m not a virgin” I grumbled, annoyed that I have to continually admit it “But no, we haven’t gone that far yet”

                “How long have you been dating now?” He asked

                “Uh….” Five days? “A month, I think”

                “Damn, I don’t know how he does it.”

                “Does what?”

                Caden just shook his head, looking at me. I looked away, feeling self conscious. Caden chuckled at me, causing me to blush.

                “Hey Caden?” I asked quietly.

                “Yes?”

                “I can’t feel my arm. Get out of my bed”

                He frowned “You’re not fun”

                Nonetheless, Caden stood up, giving me more space to spread out. I took advantage of the new room, stretching out. Caden rolled his eyes at me before walking over to my door.

                He glanced back at me with a hand on the door knob. I waved innocently at him. He rolled his eyes, turning off the lights.

                ~*~

                “Go-ey”

                “Mn”
                “Goo-ey”

                “Go to bed”

                “Go-ey, wake up!”

                “What Mason?” I asked, opening my eyes.

                “I’m scared”

                “Why?” I rolled over, leaning up on my elbow. A crack of thunder sounded followed by Mason’s squeal. I sighed, moving over in my bed. I patted the little space next to me. “Come on”

                He crawled on my bed, moving next to me. I wrapped an arm around his tiny waist, pulling him more on the bed. Mason turned around, curling next to me. I yawned, my eyes falling close again.

                “Go-ey”

                “Go to sleep, Mase”

                “But Go-ey…”

                “What”

                “I need my blankie”

                I groaned “Alright, let’s go”

                I waited until Mason was standing before I stood up myself. He grabbed my hand, leading me down to his room. I glanced down the stairs to the blue light from the TV still. How could he still be awake?

                Mason ran as quickly as he could in his room, grabbing his green blanket from off his bed. It was one of those things that he couldn’t go to sleep without. I stood in the doorway with tired eyes, waiting for him to grab it.

                I pushed myself off the wall when I felt his tiny fingers find my own. We walked back to my room, Mason giving a whimper with every sound of thunder.

                I let Mason get on the bed first so that he was closer to the wall. Pulling the covers over us, I felt sleep tug at my body.

                “You all good now, Mase?” I yawned

                He nodded, moving closer to me

                “Now go to sleep”          

                He fidgeted a little more before getting in a comfortable position. I yawned again, bringing the pillow closer to me.

                There was another crash of thunder, and Mason whimpered slightly into my shoulder.

                I patted his back comfortingly, letting him know its ok. Lightning flashed, lighting up the entire room. I glanced down at Mason, noticing his eyes were wide with fear.

                It was going to be a long night.

                Suddenly, my door was thrown open. Mason jumped, sitting up in my bed. I groaned, rolling over to a beam of light. I squinted my eyes, raising a hand to block out some of the light.

                “Are you guys alright?” Caden asked, lowering his flashlight. He took a few steps in, shining it on the end of the bed.

                “Yes, we’re fine” I groaned, annoyed at the lack of sleep I was getting. “What are you doing?”

                “Power’s out”

                “Dammit” I muttered under my breath. I glanced worriedly at Mason clearly to see if he heard, but he was focused on Caden. Mason crawled over me, jumping off the bed. He ran over to Caden, grabbing his hand.

                “Caden!” Mason exclaimed “I’m scared!”

                “Of the thunderstorm?” Caden asked

                Mason nodded, his head tilted up to see Caden.

                “Why?”
                I watched as Mason opened his mouth, looking for a reason why “Because its scary”

                Caden laughed “You know it can’t hurt you right?”

                “But its scary!”

                Caden bent down to pick Mason up, holding him on his hip. Caden walked over to where I sat on my bed, standing in front of me.

                “I believe this is yours” He smirked, nodding to Mason

                I rolled my eyes, laying back down “You can keep him”

                Mason’s eyes widened at that comment “Can he stay, Go-ey? Please?”

                “What?” I asked confused, glancing to Caden. He caught my eye, holding back laughter “Mason, I don’t think Caden wants to sleep on the floor”

                Mason’s face fell.

                I bit my lip “If you wanted, you and Caden could sleep downstairs on the pull-out couch…”

                Mason grinned, bouncing up and down in Caden’s arms. Caden laughed, setting him down, turning the flashlight towards the door. Mason grabbed his hand, looking back at me.

                “Come on Go-ey!” Mason urged, sticking his hand out for me to grab.

                I yawned, “Nah, you go with Caden”

                “Please” He whispered.

                I sighed, “Fine Mase. But you’re going to sleep, alright? This isn’t a slumber party”

                Caden chuckled, leading the way out of the room. I forced myself up, hurrying to keep up with the light.

                The house was much darker without any power. Within the first five seconds of being outside my room I had run into something. I managed to not curse as I banged into it, but did hear the laughter from Caden.

                I took a deep breath before catching up with the two boys. I grabbed the back of Caden’s shirt gently¸ hoping he wouldn’t feel.

                It was a miracle that all three of us made it down the stairs alive. I was terrified that Mason would trip because it was so dark, but he held onto the railing and Caden’s hand, somehow managing to stay up.

                Mason and Caden went to work on getting the pull-out couch open while I hunted down some candles.

                Returning, I saw the flashlight angled towards the ceiling, two silhouettes on the pull-out. I spread out the candles around the room, lighting them up.

                Soon, we had a faint glow lighting up the room enough. I grabbed a couple blankets from the chair, using the couch’s pillows.

                I kept a blanket for myself, making myself comfortable on the chair.

                “You’re not sleeping on the bed too?” Caden teased with a sad face.

                “You’d like that.” I muttered “Just go to sleep”

                He laughed, pulling the covers over himself and Mason.

                “Night Mason” I said, hanging my legs off one of the arms on the chair.

                “Night Go-ey” He giggled back, thrilled that he was sleeping next to Caden. Caden laughed, tickling him a little.

                “Caden, he needs to go to sleep” I snapped, narrowing my eyes

                “Sorry, party-pooper” Caden smirked. His comment sent Mason into a round of giggles. I groaned.

                How was it he could be so annoying this late at night?