Kane hadn't spoken to Jasper ever since they had the encounter in the woods. Jasper continued to ignore him throughout the school, and whenever they accidentally met gaze, Jasper simply turned away as if he hadn't seen him. As much as Kane didn't want to let it bother him, there was a tiny part of it putting him an uneasiness. It's not as if he wanted to be friends with an asshole like him, nor did he want to hangout with him, but that night was one he needed to relive and only Jasper could bring that much throb inside his bones; he was a drug Kane had been craving ever since and that was difficult to hide.

They had a few classes together, and there were a few times when he had to put his binder over his lap because staring at Jasper made him remember how his face had contorted, his moans, the way his warm breath had lingered across his skin, how his disheveled hair had appeared in the moonlight seeping through the curtains. Even the way he had said Kane's name replayed in his mind as if a speaker had been placed on repeat, and before he knew it, he raised his hand to head to the bathroom.

Every time he even thought of Jasper, all these memories returned vividly, and it was worst when Jasper was in his presence. Even Jay had noticed it, and he waited until it was their lunch hour to ask Kane, "Why did Jasper have to talk to you that day?"

Kane raised an eyebrow, slowly chewing the bite from the sandwich Ally had made him, "What?"

"A few days ago," Jay munched on his mac-and-cheese, swallowing down his food before stabbing a few others for his next bite, "you guys went far in the woods."

"Oh," Kane hadn't thought of a lie about that. And on the spot, there was nothing coming up in his mind. "Nothing."

"Is it because of that prank you pulled?"

Kane almost choked on his food, "How did you know I did that?"

"It doesn't take a genius to put two-and-two together. You said you'd get them back," Jay shrugged his shoulders. "He found out, didn't he?"

As much as he didn't want to lie to his friend, his plan of action around Ava was working, and all he needed was a few more days until their hotel date on Friday. Hence why he nodded his head, faking a frightened stare, "Sadly."

"What did he say?"

"He said he'd leave me off the hook since I'm new," Kane sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But he said if I tried that again, he wouldn't be as nice next time."

"You had their game postponed. You're lucky you're even standing right now."

Kane nodded his head, "I know. But anyways, what's going on between you and Ava?"

Jay shrugged his shoulders, his eyebrows falling, "She's been distant with me lately."

"You don't say..."

"Yeah, I think she might be talking to someone else. Which is fine because we're both single but..." he met Kane's gaze, "I wish she didn't string me along like this." Kane stayed silent, glancing elsewhere and avoiding meeting Jay's gaze. Jay noticed the uneasiness suddenly wrinkling his features, and he sighed, "What do you know?"

"I know she's meeting someone at a hotel this weekend."

Jay's eyes instantly widened, and he seemed on the brims of tears, "Who?"

"I don't know, but I do think you should ambush them."

He shook his head, his appetite being lost, "That's not my place—"

"She's playing you Jay," Kane reached over to him and patted his shoulder. "You deserve to know with who at least..."

"I don't want to know. Look at me, I'm a scrawny guy, the other guy will probably beat me up."

"Stop acting like that. She told me all the details, they're supposed to meet there at nine, you should catch them in the act."

Jay paused for a moment before raising his eyebrows, "What time do you think I should go?"

"I would say ten," Kane smirked, "that's when they would most likely start getting freaky."

Jay lowered his forehead against the table, forcing his eyes not to release the tears that were forming; he did not want to seem weak in front of Kane any longer. He really had thought Ava was into him; she would always dress nicely when they were to meet up, and the way she peered deep inside his lonely gaze made his entire body warm with want. He had not been wanted by anyone for a such a long time, that he quickly fell entrapped into her love potions, never having imagined that she would betray him in this way.

He soon felt a palm on his hair, and he gulped when he felt Kane's nails slowly rubbing his scalp, his entire body relaxing in an instant. His fingers danced through each strand and Jay felt his cheeks begin to warm, his scalp tingling as if there was angelic ballerinas tapping his head.

"You'll be fine," Kane's tone had shifted into a deeper one, causing all of Jay's hormones to begin racing. Kane's voice was filled with such comfort but protection, as if he would do anything to make sure that Jay was alright. His fingers continued to glide through his hair, and Jay eventually pulled away, a smiling pulling his lips. He tried to hide the fact he was blushing, but Kane leaned forward and poked his cheek, "You don't have to blush, we're friends Jay."

"Yeah," Jay nodded, wanting to feel Kane's touch again, "thank you for help me."

***

"What's going on?" Tessa approached Kane while he was in his bedroom, Ally in her own bed, scrolling through her feed on her phone. "Why did you make me say yes to that hotel?"

"Jay's girlfriend—or the girl he's talking to—is cheating on him."

Tessa's eyes widened, "That's horrible!"

"He didn't tell you the full scoop," Ally snorted, glancing upwards to them.

When Tessa's eyes landed back on Kane, he sighed and said, "With me."

"Kane what the fuck—"

"I promise, it's for a good cause."

"You little—"

He saw his mother's fingers reach for his ear and he dodged it, "She kissed me at the party, so I want Jay to catch her in the act."

"You're manipulating her," Tessa again attempted to grasp his ear but he managed to sneak away, closer to Ally's bed.

Kane shook his head, "That's not what happened. She was flirting with me at the party so we made out, and I tried to push away but she's been insisting it. What better way to have Jay believe that she's not a good person?"

"He's also going to believe you're not a good person," Ally chuckled, not hiding the fact that she thought this plan to be the dumbest she had ever heard. "You're stupid."

"No he won't, he knows me."

"Kane, I've raised you better than that. And besides, who cares if Ava is playing Jay? He'll find out eventually and get rid of her—that's not your place to do anything."

Kane furrowed his brows, "What do you mean ma'? I'm not going to let him get played—"

"That is," she stepped forward, "not your place. Absolutely not your place."

"You could just tell him she kissed you at Jasper's party," Ally added.

Mike walked by, and when he noticed the rest of the family was in Kane's room, he peeked inside, "What's going on?"

"Kane's going to a hotel with Jay's girlfriend," Tessa spat.

Instantly, a smile spread on Mike's lips, "Oh damn, you're one sick guy."

"It's for a good cause. Jay will be happy I showed him Ava's true colours."

"He's going to see yours too," Mike said as he started walking away, "Bad idea!"

"I'm too deep into it anyways."

"You're not going to the hotel this weekend," Tessa firmly slammed her foot.

Ally inhaled her laugh, not wanting Kane to direct his anger onto her.

"Mom, you already said yes."

"You said it was a good reason."

"This is a good reason!"

"No," Tessa stormed away, "I'm not having you make your best friend's girlfriend cheat. That's cruel."

"Mom," he followed her out of the room and towards her own bedroom, "please. It's almost set and stone, I just need you to let me go."

"I said no—"

"You always have my back," Kane snapped, starting to feel his blood being to boil. "Why can't you have it now?"

Tessa's lip curled, "Because you're going to break your best friend's heart!"

"I'm not breaking his heart, I'm fixing it—!"

"Fine!" Kane never fought this hard for anything, and although she did not approve, she had enough of the back-and-forth. Children make mistakes, and she was letting him make this one. "But don't say I didn't warn you."