The Baby Pact

Chapter Twelve

The night had slowly come to an end, and finally as it's nearing midnight, the last of the guests filter out of the front door.

Lauri closes it and leans against the door with a sigh of relief.

"Finally, I can change into my damn pajamas. I love my sister, but she's never allowed to have wine in this house again," Lauri says and John laughs while leading her upstairs to bed, all of them wishing us a goodnight.

Rose disappears upstairs to change and get ready for bed, allowing me to linger in the kitchen for some sweets that I begin to crave.

The twins had disappeared before all of the guests had even left, claiming they were tired and wanted extra sleep so they could wake up early tomorrow.

I scout through the pantry, looking for something extremely specific to my craving.

The lights are off, considering the moon gives me enough light to find my way around the kitchen and I don't want Lauri or John to find me down here digging in their pantry even though I know I'm allowed to.

"Looking for something?" I hear a deep voice and turn around to see Landon holding up what I had been looking for all along.

A Milky Way candy bar.

"How did you know?" I ask with a small smile.

"I just know these things. Maybe I'm just psychic?" He says with a shrug and a smirk, very sure of himself.

"Oh totally," I say with a light laugh as I go to sit at the island, Landon joining me. I can make out all of his features in the moonlight, and a small smile breaks out among his face.

I mirror his smile and lean in close to his face. His eyes widen at the thought of me trying to kiss him, and just when I'm close enough I raise my hand to my face and take a gigantic bite of my Milky Way in front of his face.

He groans and rolls his eyes as I laugh at his reaction, loving the fact that it was such a tease move. I don't even know why I did that.

"Did Jessica actually leave because she got sick?" Landon questions me and I can feel his gaze burning into the side of my head as I gulp down my candy.

"Yeah...of course. Why else would she leave?" I question with a tension filled laugh. I can see his eyebrows scrunch in the corner of my eye.

"You know I can tell when you're lying," Landon comments and I can feel blood rush to my cheeks as he calls me out.

"And you know I don't care," I counter back, finally turning to look him in the eye.

"Did she say something to you?" Landon questions, placing a reassuring hand on my arm that rests on the counter top.

"Does that even matter?" I question and roll my eyes, taking another bite out of the candy bar.

"Yes because if anyone hurts you, I never want to be around them, ever. Especially if it's someone I considered a friend," Landon says and I'm taken aback by the force in his words.

"I can take care of myself you know. Just because your friend isn't careful with her words doesn't mean anything," I say with a shrug and he leans towards me trying to catch my eyes.

"Christine," he says and I look up at him, not wanting him to see through my facade, not wanting him to see how much Jessica's words really hurt me.

"Let me take care of you...you deserve so much," Landon says and I can feel my heart fluttering around in my stomach, and instantly curse at myself in my head.

"I can fight my own fights, don't let me come in between you and your friends, or potential girlfriends," I mutter the last part, staring at his chin to avoid eye contact.