Julia

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well why were gone again?"

"Jesus, Julia..are you that concerned for me?"

"Yes.."

I admitted it with gritted teeth.

"Well?"

"It was my father," he told me, gathering our dinner bowls and other items to take them back to the sink, "Be ready for a party tomorrow."

"Night," I reminded him, "We're going to the hippie-dippy gal tomorrow."

"Saturday?"

"You're not getting out of it, Jagger," I said, "Do you want to talk about your parents?"

"Nah," he said, "I'd much rather talk about my sisters."

Jagger

"So, I have two little sisters," I began, "Both are pretty young—12 and 13. They're getting into boys now and that just doesn't resonate with me."

"Oh, I remember that age.." she said, "I was getting into my fantasy boys."

"Fantasy? Oh, like your novels and stuff?"

"Yeah, I didn't really care much for sexy stuff until I was well into my teens. Late bloomer, I guess."

"You've definitely bloomed now.."

"Jagger, I think you're just a horn dog," she said, her eyes looking tired again, "So, war crimes.."

"Nope.."I shook my head and waved my hand at her, "Not today. We'll resume school shit on Monday."

"So, what are your sisters names?"

"Joanna and Jasmine."

"Lots of J's..."

"I like the name Jubilee for a girl."

"Excuse me?"

"Jubilee," I said, "If I ever have kids."

"Do you want kids?"

"I don't know. Maybe—not now, of course."

Julia

"It's a nice name," I said, "Another J."

"You're a J."

I smiled, "That I am. Look, I don't mean to,-"

I jumped as the thunder clapped outside, practically tossing myself at him.

"You good?"

"Sorry.." I said, my heart racing as his arms wrapped around me.

"Don't be," he said, "Come on. Let's get you tucked in again."

"Wanna put on a movie?"

"A nerd movie?"

"Yes.."

"OK," he smiled, "But I get to choose."

I watched him pop in a DVD and then settle beside me.

"Wow," I nodded watching the opening credits for Lord of the Rings roll across the screen, "Fantastic choice. Long, though.."

"Maybe you can be my Arwen..."

"And you can be my Aragorn?"

"I'll die way before you then."

"That's fucking disturbing and I'm not an elf."

He chuckled and crawled back into bed with me, the naturalness of it all made me sad.

I was hoping this was a passing phase for me, but I had to be honest.

I had watched Jagger for two years and it wasn't going to stop now.

I wondered if he'd watched me, too.

Jagger

I sat there and watched her more than I watched the movie.

She was always intriguing to me and considering she never took my advances seriously I was even more taken with her,

That kiss sealed the deal for me, but my heart wasn't interested—not yet.

I'd no idea what was going to happen to us and when I saw the shadows in the corner again, I wrapped my arms around her even tighter.

Nothing would hurt her now.

Not even me.