❦ღ❦  

ღKALEღ

"Guess what I got?"

Looking up from my phone I was using to pass the time waiting for Lincoln's return to wherever he went off to.

We came into town because he said he had something to take care of. I suggested that I'd wait for him at my house but he insisted that I tag along. He bribed me with treating me to lunch. Which... I mean... I'm not gonna turn down food.

I noticed the twinkle in Lincoln's eyes. Something they do whenever he was secretly excited about something.

I looked at the way he was holding his hands behind his back while standing in a proud posture; his chest puffed out a bit and his shoulders squared back. He even lifted his chin a little with a slight grin.

Narrowing my eyes, I eyed him warily before raising a brow, "I give up."

Lincoln laughed that I didn't even try to guess.

I scrunched my nose, shaking my head that the only things that were popping into my head with the 'guess what I got?' question all associated with the number of bugs, mud pies, and tree saps that I'd experienced when playing that dangerous game with Little Maddox.

"And I don't think you are holding any of those," I pointed out.

Lincoln's eyes looked upward, pursing his lips, "Mudpies were pretty close."

I blinked, frowning at him before he grinned that he was just kidding. Then he pulled his arm from behind him and I stared at the brand new transparent fishbowl with a big blue gift bow on it.

When I peered up at him, I silently raised a brow.

"Sigh..." Lincoln reached behind his neck to rub it nervously as he coyly glanced at me. "I just felt really bad about breaking Bodhi's home."

He glanced around before giving me a pointed look with raised brows, "When we were... you know?"

I laughed then shut my eyes as I nodded, holding up my hand to stop him.

"Yeah... I know."

"Not that I'm complaining," Lincoln's hazel eyes widened while leaning his head forward. "I just think that it was a little uncalled for on my part. I should have made sure he was in a safer area."

Grinning, I sighed, "Linc." making him blink at me. I stepped closer, glancing at his lips before meeting his gaze. "I was the one who knocked down the bowl."

His hazels looked upward, pursing his lips and then slowly started to nod before looking at me.

"True."

I laughed, shaking my head before leaning towards him where he met me halfway for what was supposed to be a quick chaste kiss. His hand came up to pull me back to him; his mouth taking mine for his own. I felt him step closer to me, his hips purposely brushing against mine and I sucked in a breath while pulling back a bit.

With my eyes still shut, I panted that he needed to take it easy. Or he'd be buying a new bowl again.

Lincoln grinned, shaking his head as he started to lean towards me but then I looked down to take the fishbowl from him. He feigned a pout, brows furrowing and I smiled at him.

"Are you hungry?"

"Definitely."

I glanced away then frowned at him that I meant for actual food.

"Oh... then no."

Lincoln shrugged, "But if you're hungry we can grab a bite to eat. I'll just have a water or something."

"That's lame," I scrunched my nose.

His brows shot up, blinking a few times before chuckling why it was lame. He said that he wasn't very hungry but would still be happy to accompany me.

"I guess..." I shrugged, turning around to where I had placed the transparent plastic container with Bodhi swimming around.

When I bent to peer at him, Bodhi swam in a circle and let his right eye stare me down. I narrowed my eyes, attempting another unsuccessful war of staredowns with my fish. I still couldn't win though.

I held up the bowl, beaming, "Look, Bodhi! A new fishbowl!"

My fish swam around in a circle, his fins flapping happily---almost like he really was pleased.

I glanced at Lincoln when he bent to stare into the container too. My fish, however, started swimming in circles away from the side Lincoln was on and more to where I was standing.

Frowning, I muttered how weird that was.

"I keep telling you, Kale... He doesn't like me. It's like he totally blames me for breaking his previous fishbowl."

Lincoln sounded so disheartened that my pet didn't take a liking to him.

In all fairness though, Bodhi's old fishbowl wasn't as sturdy as this new fishbowl. I could attest to the not-so-sturdiness based on last night when I was really the one who knocked Bodhi off the desk when Lincoln and I were in my room.

I had gotten a little more excited than I should have during our makeout when Lincoln sat me on the edge of the desk. While we were too busy tongue-tied, I had slipped my hands under the hem of his t-shirt to tease his skin with my fingers. Lincoln pulled back just a bit between each kiss to mutter that I could take his shirt completely off if I wanted.

And that's the key to my over-excitement.

I had grabbed the bottom of his shirt, yanking it up and over his head and in the middle of tossing it to the side, I remembered about Bohdi's bowl filled with water. I tried to catch the shirt from falling into the bowl, but my clumsy-ass stumbled forward too much and ended up swatting at the bowl instead.

Bodhi went overboard and I had a fucking heart-attack!

"Bodhi!" I panicked, shoving Lincoln back a bit to get off the desk and hurried over to where my fish was flapping around in his own panic.

"Linc! Quick, grab the bowl!" I shouted, running to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to start the running water to get the right temperature to fill the bowl with. I reached over to grab a container I had washed when using it last week with little Maddox for finger painting.

Lincoln hurried to bend down and grab the bowl as instructed but then tripped over the shirt that I'd batted out of the way of my fish earlier. He stumbled, eyes wide before he crashed to the floor with a long groan.

"Are you alright!?" I asked from the bathroom where I filled up the container enough to slip Bodhi into it.

He immediately began swimming frantically, his way of easing from his panic.

I let out a long breath, closing my eyes and placed a hand on my chest.

"Oh thank God... He's okay."

Bending down to look into the bowl, I winced, "Sorry, Bodhi... I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just... got a little carried away."

My fish stared back at me with one eye. Judging me.

Stupid fish. Sigh... but I loved that stupid fish.

Lincoln appeared beside me, wearing a scrunched face as he held out the bowl and pointed out the large crack going through the middle of it.

"I think he'll die if you put him back in this death trap."

"Yeah..." I frowned, staring at the useless bowl. "I guess he'll have to stay in this less-than-fancy motel for the time being."

So though it technically was my fault... Bodhi wasn't having it.

I glanced at my boyfriend frowning in disappointment at the fish trying to swim away from him.

"He doesn't know you, Linc. Even if he is a fish... he just needs time to get to know you."

"It's been a month and a half, Kale. Don't you think he's seen me enough?"

I laughed, knowing this was a serious thing for him, but I couldn't help grin that I definitely didn't see enough the month and a half he's been in my room. Lincoln blinked at my fish then grinned while glancing at me.

"If you're trying to make me feel better... It's totally working."

Linc straightened, taking hold of my sleeve to pull me close enough so he could bend his head and kiss me. I muffled a laugh against his lips when reminding him that we were in public still. He mumbled a curse, wishing we had taken a little longer back in my room than we had.

I pulled back, smirking and nudged him away.

"Too fucking bad... Now let's go eat!"

"You mean... let's go watch you eat?"

I frowned, asking if he was really going to let me eat all by myself.

"I'll look like I'm starving you, Linc," I deadpanned.

Lincoln laughed, shaking his head that he didn't look even a smidge like he was starving.

"I think you're good, Kale."

Shrugging a shoulder, I mumbled, "Your loss then." and began walking towards the diner down the street.

I lifted the container with my fish in it and smiled at him. I was trying not to move the container too much for him, but I just really liked looking at him swim around.

"Red?"

I froze, looking through the transparent container at the watery figure on the other side. Aside from the nickname, I recognized the blond locks and blue eyes.

Slowly, I lifted my head just enough to peer over the edge of the container to confirm that it really was Easton.

I swallowed hard, straightening up while taking a step back and gripping the container a little tighter.

Glancing at Lincoln who was curiously watching me, I cleared my throat and shook my head before looking back to the tall blond who I hadn't seen in a few months.

"Uhhhh..." I struggled with what to say but then looked at Easton with what I felt was between lost and surprised at the same time. "H--Hi... Easton. Hey..."

The blond Were raised a brow, pursing his mouth to the side and swallowed a bit then suddenly let his gaze fall to the container I was holding. There was an immediate change in his face when he laughed with the brightest smile I'd ever seen.

"Bodhi!"

Easton bent forward, smiling, as he lightly touched the container and I was a bit surprised to see my fish react so excitedly. His fins fluttered as his tiny body remained in the same spot while looking back at the blue eyes in front of him.

There were even bubbles, that little shit.

Frowning a bit at this, I remained quiet for the moment; just watching how Easton was talking to Bodhi.

The blond tapped the container again, grinning, "I missed you, Bud. You're a lot bigger than the last time I saw you. But at least you're still swimming."

I felt the corner of my mouth tug upward in a twitch, especially noticing how Bodhi was swimming so enthusiastically. He was now swimming around in circles, speeding from one side of the bowl to the other and back. He was showing off.

Seeing that Easton was completely enthralled with my fish, I cleared my throat to get his attention. Those blue eyes of his flicked upward to me and I hesitated before asking Easton how he was doing.

The Werewolf's expression went blank and he started to straighten. Once he was at his full height, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his favorite jean jacket. He took in a long breath through his nose, glancing at Lincoln standing silently beside me. Easton looked at him for a good five seconds before nodding slowly and looked back at me.

"I'm good," he nodded again. Shrugging his shoulders. His gaze looked everywhere else but at us as his brows furrowed, "Yeah... Uh... I'm just..."

He paused, shrugging a shoulder again while he kept trying to look around, almost like trying to find a way to get out of looking at me. Or talking to me.

"Just heading home," Easton finished with another nod.

He glanced at Lincoln before deciding to pull his hand out of his jean jacket and extend it towards Lincoln to introduce himself.

"Hey," he nodded. "I'm Easton."

Lincoln was a bit hesitant for a few seconds before finally shaking Easton's hand. Nodding, Lincoln said his own name with a small smile. Once he pulled back, Lincoln looked at me for a second before facing Easton again.

"So... how do you know Kale?"

I frowned, scrunching my nose and I knew Lincoln could see me looking at him like this but he kept facing forward. Not giving me a chance to make eye contact.

"Oh, uh..."

Looking back to Easton, he raked his fingers into the front of his hair and reeled in his lips. He was doing that thing again where he didn't want to make eye contact. At least with me. He was able to look at Lincoln just fine.

Easton shrugged a shoulder, stuffing his hand back into his jacket pocket.

"I don't really."

My brows shot up for a moment and I blinked a few times because I could have sworn I just heard wrong.

"I just know Thorton," Easton nodded, shrugging again as he told Lincoln that Thorton was friends with me but Easton and I didn't really hang out together.

Lincoln's brows furrowed, tilting his head slightly as he questioned, "Oh... I just was wondering because you know Bodhi so well."

He raised his brows, forcing a grin as he gestured to the container I was holding with the still overly excited fish.

"And he clearly knows you. I've never seen him that excited before."

Easton looked down at the fish, his brows disappearing under his blond fringe as he thought over this point.

Narrowing my eyes a bit, I waited to see what the Moody Asshat was going to say to get out of that one.

Still staring at my fish, Easton started tilting his head to the side while reeling in his lips. His eyes widened while he was clearly trying to think of something to say. Then he looked at Lincoln again.

"I might have..." he frowned, the corners of his mouth pulled down a little, "Baby..." Easton's eyes looked upward, "Sat... Once... or twice."

I felt my head tilt a little, raising a brow.

Babysat? Really? That's what he comes up with?

"Oh..." Lincoln frowned, confused with the response. He then asked, "So then you do know Kale?"

Easton squinted his eyes, turning his chin slightly and raised his shoulders. Pursing his lips, he looked upward and slowly shook his head.

"Not... Really. No."

What... the fuck?

Easton shut an eye, looking upward awkwardly and then winced, "Thorton usually would ask me to babysit. He was kind of the... the liason for us."

His brows furrowed, nodding confidently as Lincoln looked like his brain melted and I was a bit irritated.

Easton swallowed, looking around again uncomfortably.

Just because I was irritated with his responses, and then I was even more irritated because he was pretending I wasn't standing there all of a sudden, I raised a brow and leaned forward a bit.

"Looking for someone?"

Easton glanced at me before looking at Lincoln with a hella forced grin. He pointed in the direction behind us, nodding, "I should... go."

The blond raised his brows, extending his hand again to smile, "But it was nice meeting you."

Lincoln still looked utterly confused with the exchange but still slowly shook Easton's hand. He nodded silently and Easton started to back up but then ran into Thorton who was turning the corner in a rush. He looked like he had been running.

My friend smiled at the blond who frowned at him. He hadn't seen Lincoln or I yet.

"There you are, Easey-Peasy! I'd been looking all over for you!"

"Why?" Easton asked, widening his eyes at Thorton like he was trying to tell him something.

Thorton huffed, "Okay! Look... I know you were needing some air and shit, but you need to stay away from the street near the diner."

With his lips reeled in, Easton raised his brows like he was silently telling Thorton something who just happened to glance in our direction then did a double-take and his eyes widened while that smile disappeared.

I narrowed my eyes, lip curling and I knew Thorton understood my silent gesture because he swallowed, squeaking out, "Hey... Kale! I didn't know you were in this part of town!"

He nervously looked at Easton who was in the middle of an eye roll and looked upward. Thorton chuckled, playfully smacking Easton on the arm who made a face at where he was hit.

"E--Easton... Look... Look who I just ran into!"

Frowning with my jaw slanting to the side, I didn't miss the way Thorton swallowed and looked at me. His brows furrowed, eyes wide as he shrugged, "What... What a surprise to see you here!"

I decided to play stupid too. Sort of.

"Oh really?" I raised my brows, shaking my head, "You didn't text me ten minutes ago to ask me where I was so that this---" I used a hand to motion an invisible circle in front of me, "Wouldn't happen?"

While Easton lowered a brow, raising the other as he calmly stared at the side of a panicked Thorton's face, Thorton's eyes widened and then blinked hard. He shook his head, sticking his bottom lip out.

"That... sort of crossed my mind."

I tilted my head, giving Thorton a look and he suddenly acknowledged the person standing beside me.

"Linc!" he sighed in relief, "What's up?"

And I thought Thea was bad at trying to play it cool...

Lincoln raised a brow, glancing at Easton then looked back to my friend who was obviously waiting for a reply. He told Thorton that he and I were on our way to the Diner because I was hungry but then we ran into Easton who Lincoln just met.

"Though..." he frowned, eyeing Easton a bit. "I'm sure there are some holes that need to be filled."

Now that there was utter awkwardness, I could see that Easton was doing that thing again where he was looking around. I knew it was because he was uncomfortable. And looking for a way out. Not that I really blamed him...

I kept watching him, narrowing my eyes at the way his brows furrowed when he looked down at his sneakers.

Lincoln was in the middle of asking Thorton why Easton didn't hang around him often if they were such great friends. He mentioned how Thorton and I were usually glued to the hip when Lincoln wasn't over my house.

Again. I caught Easton react oddly. His face barely winced but I had caught it.

"What are you talking about?" Thorton frowned.

"Well yeah," Lincoln glanced at Easton then directed to Thorton, "Why did you have to ask Easton so much to watch Kale's fish if Kale barely knew him?"

My friend looked completely lost. His eyes squinted, one more than the other then whispered, "...what?"

Lincoln frowned, turning to look at me but I was too irritated to clear up the confusion. Besides that... I was a little irritated with him as well since Lincoln knew exactly who Easton was. That wasn't something I had kept from him. I had been honest about that and didn't leave anything out.

Seeing as he couldn't handle the awkwardness anymore, Easton let out a long sigh and patted Thorton on the back and told him that he was going home. He faced Lincoln, jaw clenched from what I could see of the muscle contraction.

"Good to meet you, Lincoln."

Lincoln stared back at him. Nodding, "You too..."

Easton started walking past us; making sure to not get close to me and raised his brows while tilting his head and grinned, teasingly pointing at the guy standing beside me.

"Don't feel too bad about Bodhi not liking you, Mr. President. Can't win 'em all, ya know?"

He winked at Lincoln before he spun away and turned the corner.

And there he was. The glimpse of who I was so used to seeing than the oddly, awkward nervous guy standing here a few minutes ago.

I found myself still glaring at the open space that Moody Asshat was standing only seconds ago when Thorton and Lincoln were in conversation. I wasn't even entirely sure what the hell they were talking about.

Like I said, I was fucking irritated. More than I should have been.

And I knew exactly why.

"Kale?"

I blinked, frowning at Lincoln when he raised a brow and asked if I was okay.

Was I?

Glancing at Thorton who looked a little worried, I faced Lincoln again.

Shrugging, I sighed, "I mean... I guess? But what the hell was that?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean 'what do I mean'?" I squinted my eyes. "Why did you act like you didn't know who that was?"

I was gesturing in the direction Easton disappeared.

"I've told you about him, Linc. He's my ex-boyfriend. You know that."

Lincoln's jaw locked though he raised a brow and nodded, "I know..."

"Then why did you act like you didn't know that?"

Instead of answering me like I wanted, he shrugged, "Why did he?"

I frowned, blinking a few times at that question. Such a simple question... but with a powered punch.

My gaze fell to looking into my temporary fishbowl. Bodhi was swimming calmly now, but he was still swimming every so often to the corner where he'd last seen the blond-haired Werewolf he liked so much.

Without looking up, I could hear Lincoln ask Thorton if he'd like to join us for a bite to eat. I could hear Thorton hesitate before muttering that he'd be happy to. Then Lincoln asked him if he could wait for us in the diner.

"Can you grab us a table then?" Lincoln smiled. "Preferably a booth?"

Thorton glanced at me for some silent indication on my part and I looked up long enough to silently nod. Then I stared at Bodhi again.

"Uh... Sure, Linc. I'll just... see you guys in a bit."

He backed up, warily watching us both then turned away even though he still looked over his shoulder once or twice.

Now in silence, I looked up at Lincoln watching me. He looked like he was thinking about something and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. His mouth pursed to the side, taking the moment to look around us.

His dark hair lifted a little with the slight breeze and he kept looking in one direction for a moment before finally speaking.

"It's been three months... right?"

I frowned, shaking my head, "Since what?"

"Since you've seen that guy. Easton, I mean."

"Oh..." I sighed, nodding, "Yeah. Three months."

Lincoln nodded, pursing his mouth to the side. He squinted upward, taking a hard swallow.

"I like you, Kale. A lot. And that doesn't happen a lot for me."

Lowering a brow, I was trying to read into what he was trying to say to me. I couldn't really tell though from how calm his expression was.

He smiled again, nodding, "The past month and a half has been great! They really have with you and I spending time together with Thorton... and then those times you and I would spend time alone."

Lincoln started to frown, biting his lip. Again he looked like he was thinking something. His hazel gaze lifted to mine.

"You like spending time with me... don't you?"

I stared at him, suddenly realizing why he was talking the way he was. 

He was being insecure all of a sudden. From the moment I met Lincoln, he was anything but insecure. It just wasn't how he walked around. He was always so confident about everything and when we were alone together he was just as confident.

But then Easton made an appearance. 

Seeing who I was with before suddenly brought Lincoln down a few notches, apparently. Forget that he was told about Easton, no, now my boyfriend was trying to hold up his confidence after putting a face to what I had spoken of him. 

My brows furrowed as I nodded, "You do... realize that I'm dating you... right?"

Lincoln looked upward, sighing heavily. He agreed that he knew that but that didn't necessarily mean that I was just going to not suddenly have a rush of feelings return when seeing my ex-boyfriend. Who---as he reminded me---I haven't seen in a few months.

"So what!?" I scoffed, shrugging that this was a pointless conversation.

"No, it isn't, Kale." 

"Oh my fucking God!" I sighed out in frustration, raking my fingers through the front of my hair but then let them drop in front of me. I gave Lincoln this stern look that I was with him. That I was happy. And that I moved on.

Lincoln stared at me, his brows furrowed slightly. He then closed his eyes, shaking his head that I wasn't getting his point.

"Then make it," I challenged.

"I've known you for a short amount of time... and in that short amount of time... I have seen how amazing you are. I see how much you care about your family and your friends. Especially Thorton."

I nodded silently in acknowledgment.

"But... But then you told me about Easton." I frowned hearing that name. "You told me about everything. From the very moment he met you... to where we are now."

I definitely didn't understand where this was going. What was he trying to get at?

Lincoln looked down for a moment, pursing his mouth to the side. His left brow rose while shaking his head a bit. 

"I know he hurt you real bad, Kale. Physically..." His hand rose while I stared at him. I could feel the tips of his fingers tracing the barely-there scars along my neck. Those hazel eyes of his glanced at me. "And emotionally."

Sighing, he admitted that what Easton did to me was wrong. That everything could have been handled a hell of a lot better than it went down. But then Lincoln pointed out that sometimes people who are spiraling so much out of control need to hit the ground hard enough that it splits. Themselves included.

"And when that happens..." Lincoln gently nodded to the side, "People usually come out of that experience a little differently than before."

I looked away, scowling that I had done that. I had been the one to be there with and for Easton all the time. It only cost me to ride an emotional rollercoaster every damn day and then ended up getting me almost killed because the Werewolf in question couldn't control his temper.

"Why do I have to feel bad about that? I shouldn't have to!" 

"And it's okay if you do... or you don't. Kale... Kale, I'm just saying that despite what happened... the emotional turmoil that guy put you through... you have been there from Day One. You spent the most time with him. And that takes a lot from someone who wasn't gay, to begin with. You were just there to be a friend... even if you didn't think... you wanted to."

Giving him a narrowed-eyed stare, I grumbled, "I still don't understand..."

Lincoln grinned, lifting his hand to touch the side of my face. He looked my face over for a bit then met my gaze.

"You love him."

My eyes widened, frowning as I stepped back and shook my head that I didn't! That he just said all the shit that Easton had done to me and Lincoln sums that up by saying that I still love Easton!?

"What kind of shit-talk is that, Linc!? This isn't making me feel any better than when we first started it!"

"Kale. You haven't seen the guy in months. And then I saw how you were when he was here. I saw the way you were trying to read him. Trying to figure out what was going on in that head of his."

"Again. Your point?" 

Lincoln tilted his head, lowering a brow. "I don't have you completely, Kale. Easton still has a part of you. And that's why I need to know if you are ever going to get that part back so that I can have it."

If there was ever a time that I wanted to stand in the middle of the street and scream as loud as I could, it would be this moment. I had been fucking fine all this time. All these months I'd never had an issue with being open to meeting Lincoln and then as time went on, dating him. 

I moved on. I gave up trying to reach Easton and now that I was with someone else who was nice to me and treated me like a boyfriend was supposed to... Easton was hurting me again. He was hurting my chances of being happier with Lincoln. 

I wanted to be happy. 

Swallowing, I felt my eyes water and quietly asked, "Okay... I get it. I... I might still be attached and didn't realize it. But... But, Linc, I have you now. We're better together... aren't we?"

He lifted a finger to point at me playfully as he leaned closer.

"There. See? If you really felt that you moved on, Kale, then you wouldn't have to ask for reassurance. You'd just know. We'd be sitting at the diner right now with Thorton and then making out back in your room."

I let out a long sigh, unable to find his teasing a bit amusing.

"Do you know why I know that you're standing at a crossroad?" he suddenly asked, raising his brows.

I shrugged a shoulder, frowning. "No... Tell me."

Lincoln took another moment to remind me of all the times I'd spent with Easton. All the times that I'd been through those painful times with him and kept questioning myself on what I was even doing with Easton, to begin with.

He tilted his head and stated, "Because of how you look at Easton."

Startled, I blinked a few times and frowned that I wasn't looking at Easton...

"Yes, you were," Lincoln laughed lightly. "And it's okay. Really."

That's when he told me that even if Easton and I weren't together anymore and haven't seen one another in months... the way that I looked at him when he was being so awkward; trying to not make eye contact with me or talk to me or how he played it off like he didn't know me... there was still a lingering connection. 

One that I apparently was offended about not being acknowledged.

"You were so pissed, Kale! You were irritated with Thorton and I, sure... But I know you were pissed that Easton didn't acknowledge you in the way you thought he was. Which was someone with a bad temper and deep issues. But he didn't... because he doesn't know how to face you anymore."

Lincoln shook his head, shrugging, "I'm not saying you're not happy, Kale. With me or otherwise. I'm just saying that maybe our---" he motioned a hand back and forth between us. "Chance came at bad timing. Because, maybe, yours and Easton's isn't over yet."

It must be difficult for him to say all these things. Especially to the person who he likes so much yet he regained that self confidence he had since I first met Lincoln.

Lincoln took a step closer to me.

"So then I think we need to have an understanding of where you want this to go," Lincoln stated. His brows rose, gesturing with a hand between us. "I mean with us, Kale."

He explained that he knew what he wanted. That he really could see something great coming out of our relationship aside from us sleeping together. He added that he wanted to make sure that I felt the same way because Lincoln was afraid of investing in a relationship that was one-sided.

"I don't want for months from now for you to feel like you're trapped. I want this to be the moment that you decide that you want me as much as I want you. But if not... Then take this moment to save both of us that pain. Although..."

Lincoln sighed, looking so disheartened, "I hope that you want to move on to something happier... With me."

Silence fell between us again. We stood there staring at each other, the tension rising without a word being uttered. I swallowed hard, parting my lips to speak but nothing was coming out. My brain wasn't able to process my ability to speak.

"Linc... I..." I frowned, scrunching my nose a bit. I stared at the sidewalk, trying to find the right words for him to understand that I agreed that I needed to move to something happier. And that was what I wanted all this time.

Seeing me struggle though, Lincoln offered a grim smile and sighed, "Here... Let me help you decide."

Confused, I leaned my head back a bit before Lincoln stepped forward, raising his hands to hold the sides of my face and lock his mouth with mine. I breathed in deep, my eyes shut while Lincoln's lips poured what he was feeling and hoping for in that desperate kiss.

After a moment, we pulled back a bit; my face still held in his hands. I could feel his thumb caressing my cheekbone as those hazels of his searched mine.

Standing there... I could really understand what I wanted now. What I needed. 

Then I smiled.

❦ღ❦   

Thorton looked up when he heard the bell chime above me from the door to the diner. He had been staring over the menu with major concentration.

His eyes glanced behind me then frowned when I stepped aside to hold the door open for a mother and her little girl walking in after me.

The pair looked at me with smiles and I even got a tiny "thank you" from the little girl.

Nodding that they were welcome, I headed over to where Thorton was still looking a little confused. He lowered the menu a little as I was taking a seat across from him.

He did a few more back and forth glances between me and the door while I sat back against the cushioned seat. Gently placing Bodhi in the middle of the table but in a space where he'd not be in the way too much, I looked up at my friend.

Thorton cleared his throat before questioning, "Where's Lincoln?"

Reeling in my lips, I gently tapped my knuckles on the table and raised my brows. Without looking up I answered him that Lincoln went to catch up with his friends back at my aunt's house.

"I thought he was going to sit with us?"

I shook my head, "Mm-mm."

"So... what happened?"

Lifting my gaze to his, I admitted calmly, "We broke up."

Thorton's brows shot up, eyes wide. He stuttered a bit when asking again what happened and I sighed, grinning weakly while looking upward.

"Turns out that sometimes you can think you are so angry at a person that it isn't enough to move on with your life. Apparently, it makes your decisions afterwards a little cloudy."

Reiterating my conversation with Lincoln to Thorton, I couldn't look at him. I just kept feeling so mentally numb while my chest filled with a cluster of emotions that I wasn't sure how to process them.

"You know this is all your fault, right?" I questioned, raising a brow.

Thorton's eyes widened, brows raised when he leaned forward a bit and placed a hand on his chest.

"M---My fault!? How did you come to that conclusion!?"

Squinting my eyes, I reminded him that he gave me no warning that Easton was in the same area as I was.

"A little heads up would have been nice, Thorton. I could have prepped myself a little more knowing I'd be running into him."

Thorton narrowed his eyes, glancing to the side then hummed with a small nod.

"Point taken... but in all fairness, I didn't know where he was going! He just mentioned that he needed to clear his head and was going out for a while. He might have mentioned that he was going to the candy shop for Red Vines but then I noticed he left his wallet on the counter at his house."

I raised a brow, pulling my arms onto the table and leaned forward to ask Thorton why he was at Easton's house to begin with. And exactly how long that had been going on.

"Bout three months..." he muttered while avoiding eye contact.

Grinning, I blinked hard. "You're serious...?"

He nodded, sighing that with all the drama that went down and how the Six mentioned Easton was isolating himself from them, that Thorton took the initiative to help. He was approached by Langley who was worried about her brother because he would only sit with her to have company but refused to talk to her about anything.

"Which is where I came in because I'd go over to check up on him. I'd be the one sitting with him when his twin couldn't. We hardly said anything to each other because Easey-Peasy was always fucking drunk and hardly recognized me that often."

Typical Easton...

Thorton admitted that he didn't tell me because of what I was going through emotionally and that he noticed how different I was when I started hanging out with Lincoln. And then how Lincoln and I started liking each other a little more than friends to start hooking up with each other.

"You were happy, Kale. And I didn't think you'd want me to interrupt that," he shrugged a shoulder.

He reached for the glass of iced water to sip for a moment and then sighed when setting it back down.

Looking up at me, Thorton reminded me that even if he was my best friend that Easton had been his first.

"I owe it to both of you to be there when I'm needed... even if Easton says he doesn't."

I sighed, agreeing with that point.

"I barely told him today about you and Lincoln."

I looked up and he winced, shaking his head that Easton just sat there once Thorton assured him that I was in a new relationship. He said how he saw the look of realization on Easton that this was real. That everything would be different now. Because I wasn't his anymore. And he wasn't mine.

Sitting there thinking about what I was told, I was wondering if maybe with what happened that day three months ago made it the breaking point for not only me to get past the turmoil but also for Easton.

The guy had so much bottled inside him and for years it was suppressed until I was trying to slowly bring out those feelings. But with Langley's return and Easton seeing her and finding out about what happened to her... I could understand how that would have made anyone lash out.

On purpose or not.

When I looked up at Thorton, he shook his head that regardless of Dennison telling me to keep the secret about Langley missing from her coffin, it was wrong. I was in the wrong, he said.

"You all were because you guys already knew how Easton was. He's had a drastic one-eighty in personality and with you guys knowing this... knowing that little things triggered him... you all went along with shutting him out."

I blinked, my eyes widening a little.

Thorton shrugged, a sad smile on his face.

"He might not have acted like it, Kale, but Easton whole-heartedly trusted you all. The remaining family he had left. And then with you, he was right that he was constantly belittled that he needed to learn to he open. To be honest with you... and what happens when he does?"

Closing my eyes, I sighed in disappointment, resting back in my seat.

"I made him feel like he wasn't worth trusting."

My friend nodded, staring at the menu again before telling me that I was just like Easton when it came to our feelings being vulnerable. My realization of my attraction to the same gender and then wanting to trust Easton to help me with my newfound feelings came at a bad time with Dennison's approach to keep something so vital from Easton.

"You were vulnerable then, Kale. It was easy to see that you kind of just let yourself do as told for most things. For one thing you could be assertive as fuck, like how defensive you would get when it came to looking out for Easton..."

Thorton shook his head.

"But now that you are more comfortable with who you are... You can stop letting people tell you what to do. To stop telling you how to justify what is right and wrong to you. Because if you really want to be happy---whether it is with Easton or not--- whether it is just happy with yourself...? Then make it happen." 

He sighed, leaning back in his seat.

"Kale, you need to remember that you're an Advanced Hunter. Aside from the changed perspective on Werewolves versus Hunters... you started acting like a total wussy. Act like a fucking Hunter! Be the badass I know is in there somewhere."

I chuckled, shaking my head which is what he intended because he laughed with me. He added in a teasing manner that I wouldn't compare to the level my cousin was as an Advanced Hunter, but that he felt that I was probably somewhere up there.

Because I was feeling much better with this conversation, I decided to tease Thorton back. With some aggression.

"Yeah... Maybe." I smiled, raising my brows when giving him a pointed look. "But you ever call me a wussy again and you'll find out just how close to Thea's caliber I am."

Thorton blinked a few times, grinning weakly then nodded, "Noted."

I'm glad I had Thorton around, to be honest. I didn't really get to call a lot of people my friends. With the Six... it was different because they were really Thea's friends whom I met through her. I got to know them through her the past couple of years. 

But Maddox and the other Advanced Hunters were as close to friends I would get. Growing up I didn't really see them as "friends" but more just people I worked with. Most of the time we'd try to out-do one another in the number of kills we sought out or pissed one another off enough to get into a fight.

Then, of course, after the Society was disbanded, Maddox and I became good friends because of my cousin. It took her a long while (months to be exact) for her to makes sure Maddox and I "played nice". It did take a long while for her to be successful with this but it actually really helped that she was pregnant during that time. 

Eli brought us closer together. 

Which brings me back to my point about friendships that I kind of just was wedged into. I felt like a third wheel most of the time when Thea interacted with the Six because they were good friends, sure, but they weren't technically my friends.  

Thorton was a different matter. 

We were able to bond over secrets buried inside us. He was able to lend a shoulder to cry on, a hand to keep me steady, and an ear to listen to when I needed to talk to someone. Now... He was like my voice of reason for a lot of things I was reluctant to acknowledge. 

In a funny way, Thorton was the Maddox to my Thea. If that makes sense. 

All of this time I don't think I would have been able to see clearly for some things if Thorton wasn't there to set me straight. Metaphorically speaking.

I felt a lot of weight lift of my shoulders at this moment and I looked down, brows furrowed before grinning to myself. There was this sudden excitement that built up inside me and I felt like Little Maddox when he couldn't sit still for a few seconds---not minutes, seconds. There was this... this spark is what I can best describe it as I guess, that I was having a hard time controlling. 

Flicking my attention across the way to Thorton who was back to studying the menu, muttering to me that he was thinking of getting four Turkey burgers and a mango smoothie. 

Nodding to myself, I started leaning to the side so I could shove my hand into my back pocket where my wallet was. I opened it up, pulling out two twenties and slapped them onto the table and slid them towards Thorton.

He looked startled at my reaction then frowned at me before I explained that he could order all those Turkey burgers he wanted and the smoothie. I told him how I was glad that he was my best friend and gave me a kick in the ass when I needed it. Then grinned that lunch was on me.

"You deserve it," I nodded, scooting out of the booth.

I heard him stammer, lowering the menu and his green eyes filled with confusion. 

"What? I don't get it... what's going on?"

He looked at our menus and the money then looked at me while asking if I was coming back. I sighed, grinning with a nod that I was. 

"I'll be back in twenty minutes... or something close to that."

"You're seriously going to leave me here?" 

I couldn't stop grinning as my brows furrowed and chuckled, "Yep."

Thorton whined that he didn't want to sit all by himself. And that he wanted to just go with me.

"Can't," I replied. "But I'm serious that I'll be coming back. So just wait here."

I was already heading to the exit as Thorton called after me what was so God damn important that I had to leave him behind while being secretive. My sneakers squeaked against the tile when I spun around, backing against the door to push it open and met my friend's bewildered look.

"I have something I have to do," was all I told him before letting the door close behind me.

❦ღ❦   

ღEASTONღ  

I never noticed how many mismatched socks I had.

Holding three or four socks in my hands of different colors all had been in the laundry basket from Langley. The issue wasn't that they were clean and plenty of socks. It was just that they didn't fucking match! Not one! Except for my socks that were white. Which weren't many because I found other colors more appealing.

I curled my lip, growling as I eyed the stupid socks. I hated mismatched socks. Even more, I hated white socks.

My mom used to scold me all the time for running around the house in my socks and underwear. She would point out how my socks were not slippers and that they would get dirty. When I pointed out that was why I would wear darker socks or ones with striped patterns so that when I slid across the wooden-floored hallways of our home, there was no evidence on the bottom of my socks. 

To make her point though so that I kept her from doing massive amounts of sock laundry every two days, my mom ended up buying me a whole bag of brand new white socks. I distinctly remember sneering at them sitting in the middle of my bed. 

On top of that... my mom had gone through my drawers and took all my other socks. 

And because she and I both knew that I'd have to end up wearing the stupid white socks, I'd have to stop spending my free time sliding sideways down the hall with some sunglasses on while Hailee Steinfield played in the background were now kaput. 

I still remember her smirking at me from my bedroom entrance when I turned around to give her a pointed look with the new socks in my hand. 

But because I had such a great bond with my sister and always managed to use our twin connection to manipulate our parents, I talked Langley into lending me her socks for a few days.

Mind you, my sister was fucking girly. Still is. But her socks were those knee-high ones with the tip of the toe part and the ankle part of the socks a different color the rest of the sock. There were even polka dots, stripes, flowers, hearts, stars, happy faces... you name it, she got it. 

Soooooowah, I came home one afternoon from school and kicked off my jeans and sweater with my backpack. Then I reached for my sunglasses and looked over my shoulder after pulling off my t-shirt and flicked it off to the side. 

Langley grinned from the doorway, raising a brow with her mouth pursed, her arm crossed while the other was held out to the side lazily. A long-sleeved peach colored shirt was hanging from the tip of her finger by the collar.

Smirking, I took the shirt as I walked past her and asked where mom was.

"Downstairs," my sister chuckled. 

I wiggled my brows as I passed her towards the stairs. I could hear Langley mumbled with a sigh, "Mom's going to be pissed..." 

And pissed she was. 

My mother had been finishing up sweeping  the halls and carrying the broom back to the kitchen when she happened to look up at finding me at the very end of the opposite side of the hall she was standing. Her eyes were wide when giving me a once over in my long-sleeved, underwear attire. 

Of course, I also had my sister's pink socks on with red hearts on them. 

Then she happened to see the small blue bucket in front of me with it filled with the eighteen bottles of chocolate syrup I asked my sister to pick up on the way home from school with the thirty dollars I gave her.

My foot was gently propped on the edge of the bucket, waiting for my mom to meet my gaze before smirking from behind my sunglasses and then raised a brow.

"Easton. Sullivan. Quinn!" My mother's dark eyes narrowed, turning her chin slightly. She lifted a finger at me, warning me that if I so much as put a drop of whatever was in the bucket on her just-swept floor, I was going to make Langley an only child.

In response, my foot gently started tilting the bucket forward and my mom put her hands on her hips, teeth bared as she growled that I was asking for it. To prove her correct, I quickly kicked over the bucket, letting its chocolatey content spill out. 

"Easton!" my mom scolded, but I pushed off my feet, jumping onto the muddy chocolate pile and slide all the way down the hall until I was in front of my mom. I remember wrapping my arms around her, grinning up at her while letting her know that now there was a good excuse for the sock laundry she did for me.

My mom narrowed her eyes, lifting a hand and used two fingers to lift the sunglasses off my face. 

I beamed widely, weakly grinning, "I love you, Mommy."

"Mm..." my mom humphed, shaking her head before sighing that I was lucky she loved me too.

Okay. So I didn't hate socks that much. It actually was a favorite part of my childhood.

My ears perked when picking up on hearing something downstairs. I frowned, slightly turning my head to glance behind me. My eyes narrowed, honing my hearing but now there was nothing. 

I frowned, tossing the socks back in the basket as I kept my narrowed gaze on the entrance to my room and bent to pick up a t-shirt. I scratched at my bare chest as I walked out of my room, tilting my head to listen better for any sort of noise, the house was still. 

My feet carried me over to the banister, looking over the railing. I frowned when I thought I heard a squeak. My eyes narrowed, my fist tightening around my shirt. A small growl vibrated out of me before I tossed my shirt away aggressively and stomped down the stairs. 

Once at the bottom, I went around the stairs and stood in a cautious stance at the very start of the hall. I kept still while my eyes solely took a slow look around the room space. My hearing ability might be out of sorts with the binge drinking I'd been doing. The possibility of my head messing with me was more than a slim chance. 

My eyes narrowed further as I decided to take a look around. I know I heard something...

I walked the hall, getting to the kitchen area and peered inside before actually walking into the center of it. I was looking around, checking for anything out of sorts. My eyes landed on something bright green that caught my eye and tilted my head with a frown at the bottle of Sprite sitting on my counter. 

It took me a few seconds to continue staring at the soda bottle before actually walking over to pick it up. I stared at it. Wondering how the hell that was just sitting there this whole time.

Had Roman left this here during one of his "check ups" on me?

I couldn't fucking remember which made me scrunch my nose and shut my eyes while growling in frustration. The soda bottle slammed down hard on the counter top, my gaze snapping to the entrance of the kitchen when I heard a soft thud. 

With how clearly I could see everything, I knew it was because my wolf side was taking over. That part of me joined in on my alertness and I could feel my teeth elongating along with my claws. 

My lip curled on my way out of the kitchen and back to the front of the house. I laid my eyes on the front door and stopped short when I noticed that it was slightly left open. My head tilted, narrowing my eyes as I was thinking back to when I had gotten home and locked the front and back door to my house.  

There was no fucking way that door should be open.

The hair on the back of my neck rose at the sudden feeling of someone's presence. Tensing, I let myself growl to warn the intruder before actually twisting around, ready to take them on. But then I looked at the person sitting back so nonchalantly on my couch with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles on the coffee table in front of him.

My brain was running too fast for me to be able to process who I was looking at. 

With that red hair falling over his furrowed brows and those brown eyes I'd been so familiar with for the past years, I could see that I wasn't seeing things again and that there was an Advanced Hunter sitting on my couch.

He kept his arms crossed in front of him, chin lowered a bit and was just sitting there... watching me with a heated look that warned me that I was in trouble. 

I just wasn't sure why...

Lowering a brow, I blinked a few times while scratching the back of my neck. 

"Red? What... What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer me. He remained where he was, giving me that pointed look that was making my brain run through anything and everything that would give me some foundation to why I was in trouble.

My eyes slowly lowered from his face to the part under his jawline where a light, peach-tinted scarring ran down the side of his neck. The reminder to what I had done without thinking.

I felt myself swallow hard, frowning as I took a step backward. Looking back now... I wouldn't have done it. I wouldn't have intentionally hurt him like I did had I known he was right there.

My fists clenched at my sides, angry at myself all over again, and mumbled in a softer voice that I couldn't control the shakiness from.

"What are you doing here, Red?"

His eyes narrowed, jaw clenching before he shifted more comfortably in his seat and let out a long-breathed out, "Visiting."

I glanced away then eyed him carefully. "Did I do... something wrong... to get this visit?"

He remained silent. Again, just staring at me.

"Are you going to yell at me?" I wondered out loud, eyeing him again because maybe he was going to throw something at me. Like the remote or my sneakers that I'd kicked off when I got home. 

I raised a brow and mumbled, "You're going to yell at me."

Red's jaw clenched, lip curling while he pushed himself to his feet and then reached behind him before pulling his arm forward and tossing something at me. I fumbled to catch it when it was thrown at me but once I got a hold of it and it made a crunching noise, I stared down at it in surprise. 

Red Vines. 

My lips parted a little, shaking my head slowly before looking up at Red whose expression softened. Just a little though. He let his head tilt a bit and shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans. 

Red nodded with his chin in my direction and told me that he originally bought two packs of Red Vines but that he ate the other one on his way over here. 

His brown eyes looked down for a split moment then muttered when looking back up at me, "I eat when I'm nervous."

I stared back, lowering a brow since I was unsure how to reply to that. I honestly wouldn't understand why he would be nervous. Better yet, I'd actually like to understand why he was here to begin with. 

Wasn't he supposed to be in town?

We stood in the quiet a bit longer before I swallowed, clearing my throat and mumbled a 'thank you' while slightly holding up the Red Vines.

"How'd you know I wanted these?"

"Thorton," he simply replied. 

"Oh..." I frowned, tilting my head as I squinted at him. "And how did you know that I didn't get them?"

Again, he said, "Thorton."

I rolled my eyes. That guy really needed to know when to shut his trap. He must want me to shove his head in the oven.

Gently tapping the pack of Red Vines against my palm, I looked around for something to say and then I remembered about my front door being left ajar. When I faced Red, I could see that he was squinting at me with this curious look on his face. 

I lowered my chin a bit, questioning how he managed to get inside the house. 

"I locked both doors," I pointed out. "How were you able to get through the locks?"

But Red deadpanned, "Practice."

Well that's new...

The silence ensued and I let out a long sigh.

"Does whatshisname know where you are?" I asked, frowning at the candy pack in my hands.

"You know what his name is, Easton..." 

My nose scrunched, shrugging a shoulder. "So...?"

"So... his name is not 'whatshisname'. It's Lincoln."

I rolled my eyes, muttering, "Okay. Sorry... Whatever." before Red's brown eyes became as fiery as his hair. He crossed his arms in front of him, narrowing his eyes that wasn't what he came to talk to me about anyway. 

Not really, anyway.

When I inquired what was to be talked about then, Red suddenly growled out, "You don't know me!?" 

Confused, I blinked a few times. What?

"What?" I voiced out loud. 

"Back there you made it out to be that we didn't spend the past months together, Easton. You made it out to be like you didn't fucking know me!" 

I knew I was in trouble for something.

"What did you want me to do, Red?" I raised my brows, holding out my hands to the side. "Act like I did know you? Act like I did experience everything we had together?"

Red's eyes blazed. His teeth grit tight as he snapped, "Yes." 

Frowning, I scoffed that was fucking unfair. That I couldn't acknowledge anything we had together. That it was better to not to do that because then I'd remind myself how shitty I was.

I told him that I just thought that was what he would have wanted. I tried to explain to Red that I didn't want to be angry anymore. That I didn't have that right after what I did to him.

His gaze softened a bit, his hand mindlessly raising to rub at his neck. 

I shut my eyes, unable to look at it. 

"I hurt you real bad, Kale..." 

He glanced away, nodding silently in acknowledgment. His hand dropped from his neck, looking upward and then closed his eyes. Red's nose scrunched, shaking his head that he didn't necessarily come here to yell at me. 

Red shrugged a shoulder and mumbled, "I actually came to apologize to you."

My brows furrowed over my wide eyes and uneasily asked, "Wh---why are you apologizing?"

He then told me that the last time we saw each other---the day I first saw my sister again---was not how things should have gone. With the weeks that led up to that point, Red made it a point to wince out that if no one told him about the empty graves then he should have. Regardless of Auric threatened him or not.

Red's brown eyes had a small moment of light in them when he mumbled, "I'm sure you wouldn't have let him do anything." 

I stared, mentally agreeing that he was spot on.

Red sighed that from the moment we'd started being around one another he had been pushing for my trust towards him. That every single day he'd urge me to be more open and to know that I could rely on him.

"But..." Red stared at the ground for a moment. Those brown eyes of his lifting to mine to shakily breathe out, "But then I didn't do that with you. I... I didn't give you that chance to trust me! I just... just totally disregarded my part in what happened that day."

He went on to point out that those of them that knew about the empty graves were partly responsible for my lashing out as I did. It was pointed out that had I known at the same time as the rest of them then perhaps my reaction to seeing Langley again would have been a lot more joyful.

Frowning, I shook my head, "Kale..."

His brows furrowed, a hand going up to silence me. I sighed in defeat.

"Easton... I need to say this. So, please... let me."

When I nodded, Red let out another breath.

"Thorton told me about when you found out about Lincoln and I."

There was that twinge in my chest again. Mental pictures of the two of them flashing in my head and I looked away, shaking my head to tell him that I know I didn't have any good reason to be upset. Or hurt so badly that there was this huge hole in the middle of my chest.

"But I get it," I nodded, grinning as best as I could. "I do. I really do."

He was giving me this look like he didn't believe me. Like he thought I was lying. Which I totally fucking was. 

Swallowing, I shrugged a shoulder that I will be happy for him, it was just going to take a long while before I got to that point. 

"Maybe it's just better this way, Kale..." I barely noticed how he frowned when I said his name. And then how he looked a little disappointed when I said, "Being together... we... have a hard time. But then apart... at least for me..." I raised my brows, concentrating on the floor between us. 

It was really difficult to swallow. This was really hard to do when you were standing in front of the one person who made you smile to yourself... made you pull your hair out practically because they were with someone else. 

"I couldn't sleep... or---or eat. My fucking table was collecting with bottles and bottles of beers I drank like fucking water!" I scoffed, motioning with a frown at mentioned table.

I faced him again. My shoulders slumped in those few seconds I let myself stare at him. I really missed him and it only made me realize how much with him standing right there.

I tapped the middle of my chest lightly.

"And I feel it right here... There's this---this painful twinge in this very spot. Every time I think about how much happier you are... but that it's not with me."

Red's brows quirked upward, blinking repeatedly.

I just really wanted to make sure he understood that even if we weren't together anymore, I would still be there. We had started off with a friendship, I reminded him, and that was something that would stay intact. Even if he was still mad at me.

My eyes glanced at the way his teeth bit the corner of his lip before those eyes of his met mine. 

Sighing and letting my shoulders sulk in defeat, I noticed my vision was blurring and I swallowed out, "I'm always gonna love you, Red. Whether you believe me or not, is okay. I just really didn't want you to think I didn't during the time we were together." 

It felt good... though painful at the same time... being so honest with him. I hadn't felt like this for years. But... I think that's why everything happens for a reason. To help those who are more stubborn to see things more clearly.

Like I do now.

"I just really needed you to know, Kale, that you were the best thing to happen to me. And I will be forever grateful to you for showing me that it was okay to be happy again."

I grinned, chuckling lightly with a shrug.

"Who knows...? Maybe one day I'll meet someone and be okay to feel for them as when I was with you. Kind of like you did with Lincoln."

I saw the way Red's face scrunched a bit, his jaw clenching.

Pursing my mouth to the side, I lifted the pack of candy again and smiled, "Thanks for this. I was a little bummed that I hadn't gotten them earlier."

Since he was really quiet, I hoped that he'd let me start over. To befriend him like he had with me.

I tilted my head, raising a brow as I asked if he would answer to what I said earlier; that if he'd let me be able to have a friendship with him again.

Kale sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and glanced up to give me this long hard look before nodding that he would love to be friends again.

It was good enough for me, making me grin as I gestured if he'd like to sit for a bit as I was walking past him to the couch. I shrugged, "Unless... you've got to go...?"

Kale shook his head, brows furrowed as he muttered that he didn't have to be anywhere for another twenty minutes. I nodded, taking a deep breath to settle the tiny cloud of jealousy starting to grow in my chest, then sat down.

My attention went immediately to the Red Vines in my hands and grinned while tearing the pack open. I admired them as their sweet scent made its way up to my nose.

I pulled a vine out, biting into it before looking up at Kale who was facing me, but with his arms crossed. He had that weird look on his face again until I asked if he was okay. He nodded, dropping his arms to his sides and then walked over to sit beside me.

With us sitting in the quiet, staring forward while I chomped Red Vine after Red Vine, it was taken as a silent truce between us. It felt good to be sitting beside him again. Just being near him... it... it felt right.

I looked down at the pack of vines and saw there was only two left. Blinking at them, I picked one up and admired it before turning my head a little and held it towards Kale.

My brows rose a bit in silent question as his eyes looked from me to the candy and then back up to me. His hand hesitantly lifted to reach for it, raising a brow to ask if I was sure I wanted to spare one. That he remembered Valentine once telling him that Red Vines were the most important thing in my life.

Lowering a brow, I thought on this, not realizing that I was so hard up on keeping Red Vines all to myself.

I slowly shook my head, pushing the candy towards him again, and stared into those wonderful brown eyes.

"Not as much as you, Kale."

I waited for him to stop staring at me long enough to take the candy from me. He frowned as he stared at it in his hand then I decided to grab the last one in the pack. I bit into it, chewing slowly while sitting back in my comfortable silence.

My teeth stopped from biting down on another piece of the vine when I felt a weight on my shoulder. I still held the candy in my mouth and curiously turned to see that Kale had leaned to the side, resting his head on me.

He happened to have the Red Vine still and he was just staring at it, lightly twisting it around like it was the most delicate thing in the world.

"You okay, Kale?" I frowned, chewing the piece of candy in my mouth.

He was quiet until I heard him whisper, "Not yet."

I didn't understand. Pursing my mouth to the side, I raised a brow and eyed the Red Vine he had. Clearing my throat, I pointed at it after he turned his head to look up at me... but without lifting it off my shoulder.

"You going to want that?"

The corner of his lip curled up a bit, grimly sighing while shaking his head. He passed the vine to me, letting me know that my "caring-is-sharing" lasted about ten seconds longer than he expected.

I laughed, loving how good it felt to actual experience something like this again. Then I bit into the candy, raising a brow at him since he was still staring at me. When I asked him what was wrong, Kale said he missed me.

Frowning, I mumbled back, "I missed you too, Kale."

The redhead groaned, shutting his eyes as he shook his head and sat up. He twisted around to face me and irritably told me that it was weird hearing me call him that.

"Your name? It's weird hearing your name?"

"Yes, Ease! It's weird! I've been so used to you fucking calling me 'Red' so much that when you say my actual name it just makes me feel..."

His eyes grew a bit, brows quirked up worriedly.

"Empty," he finished, letting me have a moment to understand what he was trying to say.

"Kale... I don't---"

"I broke up with Lincoln."

Eyes locked on his, I slowly frowned, "You did?"

Kale sighed, sitting back it against the couch. He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. He mentioned how though he really did like Lincoln, he had a moment of clarification when Roman said something to him earlier.

"I want to be happy. I do. And... and I want to be happy with you. I'm tired of us feeling like this couldn't work because of the back and forth that's been going on. Our chance isn't over. It doesn't have to be."

My heart was drumming loudly in my ears. I didn't want to get carried away with what he was trying to tell me... though I was feeling the cluster of butterflies in my stomach at this moment.

Fuck. I'm turning into a girl.

Kale's brows furrowed as he stared back at me.

"I'm willing to work on us, Ease. I don't want to lose you again." I swallowed, my jaw tightening to keep it from trembling. "What about you?"

I was speechless. Thrilled, yes, but fucking speechless.

"You really want to try again?" I whispered. "You don't have to do that, Ka---"

Kale placed his hand on my face, startling me. I frowned between his fingers as this heated look in those brown eyes made me swallow. In a... very... good way.

"Ease. I'm only going to tell you this once more. And once more only," he raised his brows in warning. "Stop calling me 'Kale'."

With his hand still on my face, I muffled back, "Or what?"

The corner of his lip twitched before allowing himself to smirk at my response.

"I'll eat all your ice cream." He lowered his hand, narrowing his eyes. "And no... I won't let you lick my spoon, either."

I hadn't heard myself laugh as I had right then in a long time. It was so childlike and freeing that I couldn't help myself when my arms reached forward to pull him close. He reacted as I hoped, his arms wrapping around me as our embrace tightened.

I felt him rest his mouth and chin against my shoulder and he let out a soft sigh.

"Please don't ever let me forget how this feels."

Squeezing my eyes shut, I hugged him tighter, muttering against his shoulder, "I won't, Red."

His arms loosened a bit, sitting back slightly; keeping his forehead against mine. I suddenly saw something in that brown hue of his and I gulped, seeing the grin tugging at his mouth.

Red gave me no warning---not that I'm complaining---when his hands braced the sides of my face and pulled me towards his. His mouth embraced mine and this long overdue groan was muffled in between from me.

No one could kiss the way Red did. And I couldn't put into words how absolutely beautiful that was. It was something I wouldn't take for granted again.

My lips pulled back a second to pant, "Red..." but he'd pull me back in. "Aren't we---" He pulled me back in again. "Going too fast?"

What the fuck was I saying!?

Red didn't bother answering me. Not at first, anyway. He was too busy raking his fingers into my hair, tugging at it while throwing a leg over me to sit on my lap.

A winced grunt eascaped me from him grinding his hips against mine. I groaned out that we just became friends again. And then just got back together ten seconds ago.

Shaking his head with a grin from the short distance he pulled back to, Red raised a brow as his fingers teased the back of my neck.

He told me that friends don't make out with each other. But best friends do.

"However... we've seen each other naked before, Ease---" making my lip curl a bit as I growled, "---So that makes us Super Best Friends."

I smiled, sighing, "Fuck, I love you."

Red nodded, "Mm. Why don't you take off your pants and prove it?"

"Damn, Red..." I groaned, dipping to bury my face into his neck. My lips pressed a hard kiss to the beginning of his scar. "I don't think I can make it all the way upstairs."

A small moan came out of him, his head tilting back while I was leaving a trail of desperate kisses along what I left on him. I could feel his fingers digging into my bare shoulders, groaning that he figured we'd start here and work our way up.

My hips were already reacting to his hands grazing down my abdomen and slipping under my jeans once they were unbuttoned.

Red grinned during our lip lock, mumbling that he loved me back. I nodded, putting so much desperation into our makeout, and took hold of under his thighs to pull him closer.

Just as I was ready to take it a step further, the fucking door opened and slammed as someone shouted, "Hey Easy-Peasy! I got you three Turkey burgers since you haven't eaten a decent meal the past couple of weeks!"

Roman walked in while frowning into the bag he was holding and mumbled that he was waiting for Red to come back but he didn't.

He looked up and saw our compromising position. His brows shot up, glancing back and forth between us. My lip curled, eyes glowing as I growled at him.

Then Roman looked at Red.

"I guess when you said you had something to do... you weren't kidding."

Then his green eyes glanced at me while directing to the guy sitting on my lap, "And you actually meant someone."

I groaned, dropping my forehead against Red's chest that vibrated with a laugh when I asked if he'd be mad at me for sticking Roman into my oven.

Feigning offense, Roman placed a hand against his chest in a dramatic manner and gasped deeply.

"Easey-Peasy! I'm hurt! So. Hurt. That you would hate me so much to put me in an oven when I brought you food!"

I sneered at him, growling back, "Call me 'Easey-Peasy' one more time."

Roman blinked, glancing at a grinning Red then squinted at me, "Maybe I don't want to..."

Good call, Roman. Good call.