Stonebrook High School

Chapter 17

Tell me, would it be easier to differentiate the twins by Jay and Jess or is everyone okay with Jesse and Jess? Keep in mind that different people call them different things.

~*Ω*~

Pitter, patter.

Pitter, patter.

Pitter, glup! Patter.

Jesse blinked. It was raining?

He pushed himself up with tired arms and stared at the porch window, waiting for his eyesight to focus. When it did, he could see the sky a vivid expanse of orange and red, meaning the sun was rising. The little droplets on the windows told of showering.

What time was it? He rubbed his eyes and grabbed his Cloud. 6:30 AM. It was still very early in the morning.

He turned his head, sneaking a glance at Jess. Wait a minute–

Where was Jess?

Jesse threw off his blanket and scrambled to stand up and walk over to his sister's bed. Grabbing her blanket, he pulled it off. No one was there.

"Oh my gosh," he whispered, the realization finally hitting him. His sister was gone. 

Where is she? The thought kept replaying in his head as he left their room, walking into every other room to find her. Maybe she was eating something in the kitchen or dining room? No. Was she watching TV in the living room? No again. Was she in the bathroom? No, the doors were all open.

Where the heck had she gone!?

He shook his head in disbelief, unable to think that she had left the house without telling anyone or leaving a note. Jesse returned to their room, going to her nightstand. 

Her phone wasn't there either. Was it on her?

He checked her drawers just in case her phone happened to be in one of them. No, there were books, tissues, sheet music, pads– oh crap, put those back. He closed her drawers warily. She definitely took her phone with her.

Jesse was going to call her and she was going to get the quietest lecture of all time.

He looked at his own phone, snatching it from the nightstand, and called Jess's phone. As he sat down on his bed, the rings went on for a few minutes before sounds of some sort of fighting game came up.

"Pause the game," he heard. Then sounds of shuffling and soft breathing. "Hello?"

"Jess." He glared at whatever was in front of him as if it were Jess herself. "Where are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry for not leaving a note or something. I- I thought you and Aunty wouldn't like it."

"Where. Are. You?"

A sigh from the speaker. "I'm at Lukas's place."

Jesse threw his arms in the air. "Why would you go to someone's place at a time like this? Not to mention a guy's place?!"

"I couldn't sleep, Jay, I'm sorry, but he happened to text me and we were talking and stuff and–"

"Jess, I don't care whose house you went to, you shouldn't be leaving home by yourself without telling anyone! Come home right now!" His voice was slowly rising and he forgot that there was someone else in the apartment.

"Okay, I'll come home, but please don't shout, I don't want Aunty to get mad!"

"Aunt Carrie can't hear me at this volume, but it shouldn't matter whether she wakes up or not. You're in trouble."

"Why are you treating me like this? I'm the same age as you, and we're both old enough to take care of ourselves! I know it was a mistake not to tell you where I was going, but you would've done the same thing in my position!"

"Jess, I freaked out when I found out you weren't in bed. I literally searched every room in the apartment hoping you were just eating some cereal or in the bathroom but I panicked when I realized you weren't even home at all. Do you know how much you scared me?!" At this point, he was hanging his head, hands gripping the edge of his mattress.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll come home right now. Just... let me get ready." A sigh, and then more sounds of shuffling. "Um, Lukas wants to talk to you. I'll leave you guys be." Through other sounds, he assumed she handed the phone to Lukas. In the background, Jesse could hear her say, "I'll be at the door."

"... Yo."

Jesse made a face. "Dude. Why would you sneak my sister out? Why is she at your house?"

Lukas sighed, making it the third sigh Jesse heard over the phone today. "We both couldn't sleep. I just happened to text her while she was awake. I actually texted a bunch of people but they didn't respond so I texted Jess and surprisingly, she replied. We called each other and talked for a bit and then I asked her if she wanted to come to my house to hang out for a bit."

"But why?"

"I'm getting there, hold on. Anyway, at first she declined but she decided to come if I dropped her off back at your place at 7:30. We've just been talking and playing Wii and Playstation games, nothing more. But I asked her if she wanted to come because... because..."

Jesse waited patiently but had to say something when nothing was spoken. "Because...?"

"I... I'm actually afraid of being alone."

Jesse tried to say something but his mouth just hung open and he was rendered unable to speak.

"Y-yeah, I know it's kind of weird, but it's been a thing I had since I was little, ever since I moved away from here. I'm not afraid of being in the house alone or anything like that, but sometimes I overthink when I don't want to and I just need someone to be with me. Jess doesn't know this stuff, please don't tell her."

"I... won't tell her. I promise."

"Thanks, Jesse. You're a good friend."

Shaking his head slowly, Jesse brought himself back from astonishment. "Well, bring Jess home safe and sound for me, will ya?"

"I'd never lay a finger on her even if my life depended on it."

"Thanks. I kind of needed that."

"See ya in a bit." The phone bleeped and the call ended.

Jesse lay down on his bed, arms and legs spread out. He hadn't realized how warm it was until now; he had been worried for Jess.

Wow. Who would've thought a cool guy like Lukas had a fear of being alone sometimes? It was proof that Lukas was just as human as Jesse himself was, and, for some reason, he now felt more relaxed and calm in his bed.

If only he hadn't been so rude to Jess, though. She didn't deserve it. It was true; had he been in her place, he would've done the same thing. An apology was in deserving.

He sighed himself. Now all he had to do was wait quietly for Jess to return...

Maybe he should let Lukas stay for a bit, too.

~*Ω*~

Super short, I know, but I felt another chapter was needed to make up for the long wait! (Although I'm supposed to be working on my essay draft oops)