Living With Jared Padalecki

15/ if everyone cared

     The next morning consists of having a fancy breakfast, which makes me extremely uncomfortable, by the way, a meeting that I am left out of, which is fine by me, and the short car ride back home.

     Since the guys have been dragging me around with them everywhere, to do absolutely nothing but enjoy the scenery and free food, I've felt like a burden, even more so than usual. I mean, they probably don't even want me here, and to me, that's perfectly understandable. Who would want some (overly) shy, fidgety, weird teenage girl following them around everywhere for no reason except that she has to?

     I know these thoughts are completely irrational, because it's not like the guys ignore me all the time. They may not mind me tagging along everywhere, but then again, they might.

     I shake my head, as if trying to rid myself of these confusing thoughts, which are now jumbling together into a huge mess. It's literally making my head hurt.

     I sigh in relief as we pull up into the huge driveway that I've grown used to. I did not realize how much I love this house until I had to be away from it for three days. As soon as the car comes to a stop, I open the door and nearly sprint to the front door. As I step inside, I immediately hear little running footsteps and see Thomas and Shep running towards me with huge grins on their faces.

     My heart swells at the sight, and I suddenly realize how much they look like their parents. I crouch down so I'm at eye level with them, and to my surprise, they hug me, very tightly. I smile a little. It's a lot for me to take in, how much we have bonded since I've moved in. These little guys mean the world to me already.

     "Hey, guys!" I say, my voice sounding happier than I intended it to. "What've you been up to?"

     "We made you cookies," they say, about at the same time, which causes me to laugh a little. "Come on, they're almost ready." They each take one of my hands and basically pull me through the house and into the kitchen. Luckily, I have really good balance, or I would have tripped and most likely taken the boys down with me.

     "Hey, Gen," I say, greeting my...aunt as the boys and I reach our destination. She glances over at me as she takes a pan of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. She nods a little, which I take as a form of greeting. "So, you really made cookies, huh?" I question, as the Padalecki boys sit down at the counter and start poking each other or something.

     "Yeah, they insisted," she replies, gesturing to her sons. A huge smile spreads across my face at the thought of them wanting to do something nice for me. "They need to cool down for ten or fifteen minutes," she continues. From the kitchen, we can hear a door shut in the other room, letting us know that Jared is finally in the house.

     The sound makes the boys get up from their seats, mumbling something along the lines of 'daddy's home!' as they rush out of the room. Gen throws me a small smile as she leaves the room, trailing behind her sons.

     The smell of chocolate chip cookies fills the air, and it takes every ounce of my restraint to keep myself from grabbing one. Instead, I somehow slip by the Padalecki family and sneak upstairs to my room, pulling out my iPhone and dialing the number of Mason's house.

     "Hello?" I hear Teresa's voice on the other line as I shut my bedroom door.

     "Hey, Teresa," I say. "It's Charlie."

     "Oh, Mason's not here right now," she replies, immediately. "She had to go to the store with mom, but I'll tell her to call you back."

     "Uhh... I don't want to talk to Mason right now," I say, my voice seeming smaller than it normally is. "I want to talk to you." I hear her sigh deeply, almost in frustration. I keep the phone pressed against my ear with my shoulder as I tug off my flannel and toss it on the bed.