No really, I'm okay. I'm also a great liar.

j-babe and bean: the singing domestic couple everyone needs to be friends with

The ride home is entertaining, as far as car rides go.

I sleep, Annabelle drives. We both sing along to the songs on the CD she made for the trip. I call Jacob when we can't get the clues to the crossword puzzle. (He's a genius at them.)

She hits me awake with my neck pillow when I snore from my slightly-less-than-comfortable position. We stop for milkshakes.

Now I'm just on YouTube, catching up on the Dan and Phil videos I've missed. Annabelle let me plug my phone into the speakers, so we can both hear Dan scream.

When I open the door to the dormitory, Jenna's obviously taking a shower. It's warm and humid in the room (she never showers with the door closed), and she's singing loudly.

She must not have heard me come in — Jenna doesn't like to sing while I'm here (or anyone, for that matter), despite the fact that she can hit the low notes really well.

I throw my bag down at the foot of my bed and collapse on my mattress, not bothering to take off my shoes. My neck and back are sore from sleeping in the car.

I find myself humming along to what she's singing: Collar Full. It's one of my favorites.

Now it's around five, I think. I haven't had much to eat today, just some waffles and Oreos. (Healthy, I know.)

"Haze!" I hear Jenna and lift my head. She's in her yellow towel, with another wrapping up her hair. She's grinning at me, a few red curls escaping her towel.

"Hello, J-babe," I respond, my words strangled from my position.

"Jacob's cooking tonight. We'll meet him down at the kitchen?"

"Ours or his?"

"Ours."

"M'kay. You sounded good."

"What?"

"Just now."

Jenna turns red, a pretty rare feat. "Oh, um ... I didn't hear you come in."

"I like hearing you sing, Jenna. I'm not lying. We both know I'd politely ask you to shut up if I didn't."

"Very true, Hazie, very true indeed."

And we skip down the hallway, hand in hand, until we get to the commons room and the kitchen. There's already a delicious smell coming from the open room.

"Pasta?"

"Pasta," she confirms.

"Maybe pasta will be our always."

She snorts, jerking her other hand up to her mouth. "Yes, Hazel Ava."

"Ooh," I wince. "I didn't realize ... this is too much."

"Yeah. Next time, don't be named so similarly to a book character. Dammit Haze, can't you do anything right?"

Jacob's loudly serenading an empty room with House of Memories when we arrive.

He spins around with three bowls in hand, filled with pasta, and sets them gracefully on the table nearest to the window.

Jenna runs up and hugs him from behind, startling a squeak out of him. She's shorter than he is, meaning her chin barely brushes his shoulder, but she doesn't let that stop her.

"Hazel!" he cries, once he's turned around and spotted me. "You're back! How were the in-laws?"

I roll my eyes. "Y'know, Jenna asked the exact same question. I'm beginning to think you two have the same brain or something."

"Well," Jenna beams, "great minds think alike."

It's Jacob's turn to roll his eyes. "Jenna, yesterday you asked me what two times three was."

"Oh, like you've never asked a dumb question before!" she whines playfully, pushing him.

I use the time they're arguing to grab a bowl of pasta from the table and sit on the counter, shoving it into my mouth while I watch. (It's really tasty.)

Jenna stops when she sees me.

"Oh, no! Don't stop, I'm just getting started," I say. I hear Jenna say something like 'I'm done,' and walk to the corner of the table.

Jacob snickers, then pours himself a glass of water. He gestures in my direction like he's toasting me. "Stay hydrated."

I see Jenna kind of collapse out of the corner of my eye at that. It's fun winding her up, because deep down I know she's too sweet to actually get mad at either of us and her 'angry' face is red cheeks and a scrunched up nose.

I take the hoodie around my waist and slip it over my head. "Do either of you guys know a good way to stop my neck and back from hurting?"

"Ooh," Jacob twists his face. "Bad car ride?"

I shrug. "Uncomfortable. And long."

"Ask it nicely," he suggests.

"Thanks, Bean."

"I mean, I have something, but it's for when you go to sleep. Can you wait that long?" Jenna asks.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not that bad."

"M'kay. Jacob, this is really good." It's muffled through her mouthful. I nod in agreement.

He curtsies gracefully. "Thank you for the praise, m'ladies." He then swings into the chair beside Jenna and kisses her on the cheek.

Jenna's remedy is not what I expected, for when we get back to the room she steals all the blankets off my bed. Jacob, who is now leaning against our doorframe, makes a face of recognition. I want him to explain, but I daresay I'll find out soon enough.

And find out I do, for she comes stumbling back this way from the laundry room, barely able to see over the pile of comforter she's gathered.

She pats it down on all the edges of my bed, then holds a corner open.

"M'lady."

I slip past her, and am immediately met with the unmistakably comforting warmth of something just out of the dryer.

"Good?" Her concerned brown eyes meet mine, already closing from the sleepiness this warmth is generating. I nod, and she brushes my hair back with one hand, then tucks me in and kisses me on the forehead.

"Feel better, Haze," she orders as she walks out of the room. It's only seven P.M., but I'm falling asleep.