Road Tripping

06

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"LAILA? WAKE UP!" An interrupting voice disturbs my peaceful slumber,  shaking my shoulders. "Go away. Laila doesn't want to wake up." I sigh and curl up, away from the rude awakener.

"Does Laila speak in third person when she's sleepy?" The voice coos to me, and I distinguish it as no other than Jackson. "Yes Laila does. And Laila thinks that just because Jackson is her favourite doesn't mean he has to annoy her." I retort coldly.

"Jackson is Laila's favourite! Yay!" He shrieks childishly. "Not if Jackson isn't careful." I say threateningly. "Well that's too bad for Laila, because Laila is coming to live in Jackson's house."

"What?" I ask, as I sit up stiffly. "I said," Jacks repeats exasperatedly, "that between the four of us, there are two houses. Which puts you with me," he says matter-of-factly.

"Does Lucas and Nate really think that's a good idea? I mean I'm all for it but they think we'd burn that house to ashes." I responded. I got up, and Jacks's eyes raked down my bare legs. "Who's shirt is it this time?" He asks, tilting his head slightly in amusement.

"I'm like 87% sure that it's Lucas's," I answer, addressing the plain grey t-shirt that only reached my lower thighs. "I like Nate's shirts better I think." I admitted. Jacks frowned with a mock hurt, putting his hand to his heart and mouthing 'ow'.

"How could you even say that when you've never worn one of my shirts?" I explain to Jacks that since he doesn't live in Nate's house he doesn't have any shirts laying around. "No matter," Jacks mumbles before pulling off his shirt as if it were the most casual thing ever. He hands it to me expectantly, but I stand dumbfounded. "I'll turn around," Jacks smiles widely before swivelling around.

Speedily, I put on Jacks's shirt and tap his shoulder. He turns around and grins harder, scanning my body. "You look cute," he says suddenly directing me out of the room and into the living room. "Morning sunshine," Lucas greets, sarcasm dripping from each word. Without replying, I grab season 5 of supernatural from my stash and put it in the DVD player.

"Really?" Asks Nate, appearing from the kitchen. "You watch like a season every day, I swear." Nate says under his breath. "Hey! I do not!" I counter, furrowing my eyebrows in annoyance. I grab a blanket and curl up on the couch, before Jacks sits next to me and pulls the blanket over his own legs.

Halfway through the episode, I looked around and noticed that all three boys were completely engrossed with the television screen. "I'm corrupting you guys even more. I knew I shouldn't have—" I'm cut off by my own gasp. A warm hand had slipped under the blanket and rested on my leg, fingertips  tracing small circles against my skin.

"Shut up, Lai. You're ruining it," Jackson says cheekily, running up his fingers further up my leg. My posture becomes rigid and breathing ragged, but Jacks watches the screen as if nothing is happening. 

That hand never moved.

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By now, I had settled into my new room in Jackson's house. It was clean, for it had to meet Laila Andersen expectations. Just as I was straightening the quilt on my bed I notice Jackson at the door. "I'm so bored!" I cry, jumping back into my bed so that I had ruined everything I had strived to achieve.

"I just wanna do something fun! Like so swimming, or prank someone. Prank someone..." Jackson's gaze and mine hover slowly to meet each other's with wide eyes. No words need to be said. We both race into the kitchen, Jackson being so rushed that he slams into the wall. But, the cringe worthy slam of his body against a wall doesn't stop him from scrambling up quickly. I throw the keys across the house to Jacks, who is stationed at the door. I tuck Puffy under my arm and follow to the door.