althea

fading too fast

jackhallis -
luv u

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althlove the smileeeee
{reply} jackhallis you live for it tho

user 1 ahhh

user 2 sorry i was blinded by your gorgeous self

user 3 stop. no
{reply} user 4 we didn't ask for your commentary

user 5 uhhhh WHO

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Althea was driving home from Grace's house when she stopped to get Dairy Queen. She walked through the glass door into the icy cold building. "Althea?" She turned. "Hey, Reid! What's up?" He smiled at her softly. "I'm just grabbing a Blizzard before I go to work. And you?" he responded. "I was stopping by after I was at a friend's house." He nodded at her. "You should come over. Jackson misses you." Althea smiled softly at him. "Maybe I will."
Reid opened the door to the house. "Sixth door on the right. Second floor," he told Althea where Jackson's room was. "Thank you." Reid ran up the steps to his room on the third floor. He dropped his keys on his bedside table and flopped onto his mattress. He sighed dramatically and turned over onto his back. Reid picked up his phone, glanced at it for a few seconds, then threw it across the room. A single tear made its way down his cheek.
Jackson opened the door to his room. "Oh, hey! I missed you," Jackson said. Althea pushed her way into his room. She hadn't seen it before. The walls were a bluish gray and covering them were hundreds of posters. There were lights strung from the ceiling to the floor, casting a faint glow on Jackson's face. Jackson came up behind Althea and hugged her tightly. She leaned into him and sighed. "I missed you too," she whispered. He leaned over her shoulder and kissed her. A dull crash startled the both of them. "What was that?" Althea asked quietly. "I have no idea. All of the boys are out," Jackson responded. "No, Reid's here." Jackson froze. He quickly unwrapped himself from her and opened his door. Jackson bolted down the hallway and up the flight of stairs to the third floor. "Jackson!" Althea whisper-shouted after him, "Really?" She started after him, climbing the stairs two at a time to get to the top faster. She could hear Jackson's feet on the floor as he ran toward the end of the hallway and the faint sound of cursing. "Reid! Where are you?" Jackson yelled for his blonde brother, but there was no response. Althea opened multiple doors, and on the seventh door to the right, she found him. Reid was cradling his right arm in his lap, and there were tears pouring down his face. "A-Althea?" he stuttered out. Reid never was nervous like this, and Althea knew it. "Reid, are you okay? Do you need to talk? Do you need a doctor?" the words came pouring out of her. Althea barely knew Reid, but she felt an intense care toward him for some odd reason. "No, I'm fine." Althea looked at him skeptically; she knew what was going on, even if he didn't want to admit to anything. "Reid, you can tell me what's going on. I won't tell Jackson if it makes you feel better," she compromised. "No, Althea, nothing is going on. Everything is just fine," he gritted out through his teeth. Althea felt like Reid was trying to tell her something, despite having denied all of her accusations. "Reid! Are you okay?" Jackson sounded out of breath as he appeared in the doorway suddenly. "Yeah, I'm fine, big bro. I don't know what you two are on about," Reid said to them. Althea and Jackson looked at each other knowingly. "We heard a crash. You know, the type of crash that happened last summer?" Althea didn't know what topic Jackson was touching upon, but she knew it probably wasn't all that good. "No, it's definitely not that. I'm fine. I swear," Reid convinced Jackson pretty easily. Jackson said an, "Alright then" and started to head downstairs again. "Althea, are you coming?" Jackson asked. "Yeah, just a sec!" she called back. His footsteps were loud going down the steps. "Tell me what's really going on. Right now." Reid sighed and took a deep breath. "I'm not so sure you really want to know, Althea. It's not the kindest story," Reid suggested. "Tell me everything, or I will bring Jackson back up here. Or worse, call Shawn." Reid sighed again. "It all started last summer..."
"Hey, Grace!" a deep voice shook her out of her thoughts. "Oh, hi! How are you, Clay?" she smiled faintly up at him. "I'm great now that I've seen you. How are you?" Grace laughed at his remark. "I'm stressed out. I have to find everything for Olivia's party tomorrow night. We're throwing her a birthday party, and I'm in charge of all the decorations and outfits," Grace also told Clay about her design/fashion school, and how strict it was with assignments. "I'm supposed to be turning in a project tonight, but I haven't even been able to model it because of Olivia! She's dragging me around everywhere, and I can't deal with it anymore." Clay laughed lightly, "It sounds like you need a break. And a model." Grace swatted at his forearm and said, "I've already found one, actually." Clay arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh?" Grace hummed and poked her index finger at his chest. "You." Clay gave her a side-eye. "I don't model." Grace looked at him like she was in charge. "You will tonight." He put a palm to his forehead and sighed. "Are you really making me do this?" he asked. "Yes, Clay. I'm getting that A whether you like modeling for me or not." He mumbled to himself, and Grace was pleased.
"I thought you said you'd be just a minute. That was like ten!" Jackson whined at Althea. She lay down on his bed and hugged his pillows. They were softer than hers, and they smelled like Hollister SoCal. "I was just making sure Reid was okay," she whispered. Jackson rolled over to her and hugged her. "Let's go to bed, yeah?" he suggested. "It's nine thirty." Jackson snuggled up with Althea and mumbled a "so what" into her hair. She rolled her eyes and gave in. Jackson got up to switch the lights off, and then he went back into bed. Althea lay on her back with the covers off because she was already burning up. "Are you hot?" Jackson asked her with a  serene look on his face. Althea nodded and whined at him. "Come here," he pleaded. "No! You're going to make me too warm!" Jackson opened his arms for her, but she refused to hug him. He tried to pull her close, but she denied. "No, I'm tired and hot, Jackson," she said to him. "Oh, okay." Jackson stopped trying to pull her close and turned away. Althea watched as Jackson fell asleep on the other side of the mattress, his breathing slowing over a span of ten minutes. Once she was sure he was asleep, and only once she was absolutely sure, she crept out of the room. Althea lightly shut the door behind her and let out a gasp. Reid was standing in front of her, pale as a ghost. "You scared me," he started, "let's go upstairs."
"Turn again! I need the other side for the pictures!" Grace yelled softly at Clay. He wasn't cooperating, and he knew it. "No, I look bad! I told you I didn't want to model," he shot back at her. "Yeah, well, you're doing it whether you like it or not. And if you know what's right for you, you will like it, Clay." He put a palm to his eyes. "But, Grace, I don't. I really don't. Ugh, I feel like Harry Styles in this!" Clay admitted. Grace scoffed heartily. "No, Harry would look much better than you in this. Not that you don't look good, Clay. I mean, not that you do. Uh, I mean," Clay interrupted her, "Are you saying I'm hot?" Grace flushed, and her neck turned a bright red. "Oh, uh, no. I-I'm not saying that, it's just, well, I," Clay walked over to Grace. She looked up into his eyes as he softly laid his hand on her shoulder. Grace shuddered as he brought his other hand up to cup her cheek. Clay hummed quietly to himself, then kissed her. Grace gasped and stumbled backward, but Clay caught her and swept her up in his arms. "You okay?" he asked her. Her eyes were wide as she leaned up to meet his lips again. Clay laughed into the kiss ever so slightly to show he was interested. Grace was the one to pull away. "Now shut up and put on the next outfit."
"That's a lot, Reid." Althea knew she was supposed to be sleeping next to Jackson at the moment, but she couldn't allow herself to do it. She thought of going home, even if it was now eleven at night. "I know, Althea. Please don't think anything less of the situation. Do you feel okay?" he asked her.
"I don't think I can stay the rest of the night here."
"That's fine. I'll drive you home."
"Thank you, but my car's still going to be here."
"I'm not letting you go alone."
"Fine."
So, as he promised, Reid didn't let Althea go home alone. He didn't trust the streets of LA at night. She didn't either, but she thought of no other ways to get home. Reid sat down in the driver's seat, asked her where she lived, and ran his hands through his blonde hair. He hadn't told anyone about his experience last summer until now. And of course, like anyone else would, he stressed that Althea wouldn't talk to him because of it. Althea reached over and touched his right hand. "I'm not mad at you; I promise. Thank you for telling me, Reid," she whispered. Reid stopped the car at a red light and looked over at her. "Are you sure?" Althea smiled and whispered, "Yes." Reid moved closer and whispered, "Are you positive?" Althea looked at him nervously. "Y-yes." The light turned green, but Reid didn't move the car. Cars honked behind them. Reid groaned and stepped on the gas. The car jerked forward suddenly, and it made Althea slam back against the seat. Reid stretched out his right hand over her torso and asked, "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" Althea mumbled, "No, I'm fine." Reid pulled the car into her driveway. "I'll drive your car over when I get back." Althea sighed. "I don't want you to have to walk home by yourself," she told him. "It's fine. Don't worry about me," he attempted to reassure her, but Althea just wasn't having it. "Just stay. I'll get it tomorrow morning before Jackson wakes up."
"You're too pretty," Clay whispered as he stroked Grace's cheek. "Shut up! You're too pretty," she exclaimed, "Pretty boy." Clay blushed a little, and he only blushed harder when she said, "Stay the night. I don't want to be alone." Clay stuttered as he said, "I-I, yeah I will." Grace looked up at him thoughtfully and pulled his face down to meet hers. His hands were firm on her waist, but one of them was sliding upward toward her neck. He pulled away from her lips, but she didn't want to stop. Clay took hold of her chin, moved her face this way and that, and breathed the word, "Gorgeous." He quickly placed his lips back on hers. Grace gasped at the contact. It wasn't that she didn't like it; rather, she was surprised. Clay took the opportunity to pick her up and move her over to the couch. He set her down, and she said, "Clay, I can't." Clay giggled softly. "Don't worry, baby. I won't force you. We'll cuddle." So they did. And neither of them could ask for anything more.