"Monte, I feel like a hoe." I said after we finished a short and unsatisfying session of love-making, I guess you could say. "Why do you say that?" He sighed. "Well, we just fucked for the second time, I kissed your brother, I almost fucked TJ twice, and I can't tell you how many times I kissed TJ. All in a fucking week." I said. "That doesn't make you a hoe." He said. "Yeah, it kinda does." I argued. "It only does if you think so." "And I do." "If you're a hoe, then get out of my bed." He said. I hesitated, then got up. I pulled my shirt back on, and walked out of the room. "Babe, I was kidding." He said. "No, you weren't." I said, walking up the stairs and sitting outside of Mike's room. It was almost 2 in the morning. I had no clue if Mike was awake "Mike," I said quietly as I knocked on the door. I heard the stairs make a sound. "Babe," Monte said from the bottom. "C'mon, Mike..." I mumbled as the door opened. "Caity," Mike said, quietly. "Can I stay in here?" I asked. "Yeah, sure." He mumbled. His hair was messed up, one side had pieces sticking out this way and that. "Why aren't you with my brother?" He asked, his voice tired. "I left because-" I was interupted by a knock on the door. "Mike, is she in there?" Monte asked. "Yeah, but she obviously doesn't want to see you right now." "This is kinda my fault. Can I just talk to her?" "Nah, I don't think that's a good idea." Mike said, lifting the blanket up a little and offering to let me sleep with him. I crawled into bed with him, and buried my face in his chest. The door opened. "C'mon." Monte said quietly. "Shh... She's asleep." Mike lied. I snuggled more into Mike. "Why is she even in here?" Mike asked. I wanted to see if Monte knew. "Because she seems to think she's a whore or some shit, and I told her to get out of my bed if she was one. I was just kidding, but she seems to think I wasn't." Monte said,leaning against the door frame. I only knew this because it made a cracking noise. "Dude..." Mike said, slinging an arm around my back. "I feel like I really fucked up." Monte said. I pressed my fingers to Mike's chest. "You might have, bro." Mike said. "I dunno. Can you make sure she's up before 11 tomorrow? I guess Craig is coming to get her at noon." Monte mumbled. "I can do that." Mike yawned. I smiled. Mike was cute when he yawned. "Alright. Thanks." Monte said before closing the door behind him as he left. "He's gone." Mike said. "Thanks," I said, popping my head up from under the blanket. "So I take it you're staying here tonight?" He asked. "If that's okay with you," I said. "Always is." He smiled. "Thanks, Mikey." I smiled back. "Well, I'm going to sleep. You kinda woke me up." He said. "Sorry," I said, smoothing the messy hair on the side of his head. "Thanks," He laughed. It came back up after I moved my hand. "Dammit." I grinned. "It'll be okay." He said. "Y'know, Mike. I kinda feel like this was supposed to happen. I mean, I haven't exactly been getting along with Monte lately. But I've been fine with you. Everything has been okay with you. I don't know why." I said, thinking out loud. "That's crazy. I was just thinking something very similar." He sighed. "Like what?" I asked. "I dunno... It just seems like the only time anything good ever happens in this house is when it's just you and me. No Monte, No dogs... Just us." He said. "Maybe that's a sign, Michael." I said. "Maybe..." He agreed. "Sorry I woke you up." I said. "It's no big deal. Now get some sleep. Monte wants you up by 11." He said. "Monte...." I said to myself. "It'll be fine, Caity. Everything will work out. Maybe not how you want it to, but how it needs to. Okay?" Mike reassured me. "Alright." I said, as he rolled onto his back. I cuddled up into his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around me. I put my hand on his chest and felt his heart beating steady. Something about this felt safe. Something about this felt like "home".
