Solitude

Twelve

The house looks different and somewhere deep inside, the feeling that I've been here before nags me.

Cece jumps on a hammock and starts swinging around as she continues her story about how amazing her new girlfriend is. Mason is so over her and he's blocked his ears, refusing to join in. Jonathan who's more polite is listening and offering smiles and nods here and there. Jason on the other hand looks like someone drove a stake right into his heart.

I look around the house. Last time we were here because of the party, all the furniture had been relocated, but now... Jonathan sure is a minimalist.

The hammocks hanging around look like something Jason had fixed. The soft cream walls are devoid of picture frames that give live to a place, but there's a giant piano smack in the middle of the room with cream coloured couches surrounding it.

There's a huge library to the side and my eyes widen at all the books they hold. I walk up to it and I recognize some names; James Patterson, Steven King and Dan Brown.

A piece of paper catches my attention and I pull it out and much to my surprise, it's a drawing I remember making. Jonathan's face is on the paper, he's staring out a window and into oblivion as he usually does. I frown as I stare at the picture.

"Imogen," Jonathan explains and I nod as I put the drawing back. I point to the piano and he smiles widely, looking really proud of himself. I make a mental note to make him play before the end of today.

Me and Jonathan head over to a couch and we sit, watching as Cece continues talking excitedly, oblivious to the fact that we've since lost interest.

"Oh! She said we look like a fun group and she doesn't have a lot of friends so I was wondering if she could –"

"And this is where I'll have to interject. No!" Mason takes out his earbuds. She sounds lovely, but no. I don't like people and I'm only just getting used to hanging with you and Koala every day, I'm not adding your little lady to the mix."

Cece pouts and crosses her arms in defiance.

"Enough about all of that. Martha talked yesterday," Jonathan pulls the attention to me and everyone turns their excited stare on me, causing me to grin with pride. Granted, I haven't said a word all of today, but I did speak yesterday so that's something.

"Oh my!" Cece squeals as she throws herself off the hammock, over the couch and into my arms. "OMG! I'm so happy! Why didn't you say anything all day?"

"Nobody did. You kept yapping about what's-her-face," Jason answers, his voice lacking the usual enthusiasm.

"Yeah! You can be more self-absorbed than me and that says a lot!" Mason gestures widely with his hands as he speaks and Cece's face falls as she mumbles under her breath as she pulls away from me and sits on the other side of me.

"Ce n'est pas vrai."

"C'est très vrai," Jonathan speaks up from beside me and I let out a soft groan.