For Better or For Worse (Book 2)

Too Awkward

So come on and sleepover, and everything will be just fine.
—The Sleepover Clun

I don't think I've ever been to such an awkward sleepover. It was supposed to be crazy and adventurous, the kind of things that describe the night of Halloween...instead it was uncomfortable and uneventful.

The seven of us sit in Nash's basement, sprawled on bean bag chairs, couches, or simply the floor all doing our own thing: playing on phones, X-Box, reading, texting, etc. Not two people are doing something together, or even the same thing for that matter.

Tyler and Shawn glare at each other from opposite sides of the room, confusing me to an unexplainable degree. They had just made up a couple of weeks ago, and seemed to be getting along great, and now they seem to hate each other. What is up with their bipolar relationship?

I don't want to delve into the inner workings of their disagreement or fight or whatever it was, so I try to ignore Shawn's furious stare and Tyler's hardened expression.

But it's impossible. How can I let my two best friends be totally fumed with each other? As Tyler's eyes fill with a fire I've never seen in them before, he jumps up, throws his remote across the room and storms upstairs, slamming the door behind him.

Groaning, Shawn slams his book shut and chases after him. "Ty, wait up!"

Tyler doesn't respond, but Shawn sprints upstairs anyway, trying to catch up with him.

Jack and Nash watch with wide eyes, bafflement playing in their faces. "What was that about?" Nash asks, turning to face me.

I don't know him too well, having only known him for a couple of hours, and I don't feel comfortable telling him everything.

But I don't know what is up with Shawn and Tyler...so how can I tell him anything? I can just start blabbing to him everything I said to...

Jack's soft eyes lock with mine, concern in their brown depths. And I can instantly tell that he reads the conflict in my expression. Looking around, I watch him note that the twins are fast asleep, laying together on the couch. So he says, "Nash, good ole buddy, can I have some chips? I'm starved."

Nash shrugs. "I'll get you one bag and a Coke. And I'm gonna check on my little sister too."

I didn't even know he had a sister.

The second the door closes gently behind him, Jack jumps up and plops on the floor beside me. "Talk." He says, getting right to the point.

And then I start crying. I don't know why, I don't know what sets me off. I just let tears slip down my cheeks, sobs lurching from my stomach.

"Oh!" Jack says, surprised at my sudden waterfall of sadness. "No, no, don't cry. I don't do girly stuff. I can't do tears!"

Amidst it all, I smile at how adorable he is, and turn to see him grinning back at me. "Good," he whispers, "now take it slow. Explain everything to me."

I don't know what makes him seem so trustworthy, but I find myself opening up to him again. I tell him how I don't have any clue what's going on with them and how they used to be best friends. He seems to understand immediately, shifting his body to face me.

"Hey," he says, noticing tears still spill down my face. "Hey, Skylar, look at me. Calm down, okay? Everything's gonna be okay."

He cups my face and gently wipes the tears away with his thumbs. He succeeds in ridding my face of dampness, but keeps his palms pressed to my cheeks. Grateful, I nuzzle my head closer to his hand, drinking in his warmth.