penny.

6; Without my knowledge

By the time I had gotten back into Ridgecrest the street lamps were burning bright into the dark sky. After I had made the bet with Eli we finally ended up ordering the pizza and playing video games the rest of the night with Jace and Owen.

I totally had beat all of them at Mario-Kart. More than once.

Eli hadn't mentioned anything about his sister or Owen living with him for the rest of the night, and if I'm being completely honest, I was too scared to ask. He acted like he didn't care about any of it, but I knew better, I practically invented the 'I'm okay don't ask any questions' face. And even if I didn't know that face, his eyes gave away everything he was feeling. He couldn't hide it from me.

I had forgotten how creepy it was here at night, Ridgecrest was pretty but the constant gang activity and deaths took a tole on the tourist rate. The streets were mostly clear besides a few stragglers on their way to a Midnight party or heading home for the night. It was quiet though, no gunshots or screaming in alleyways like people usually assumed. The silence was almost worse than that.

Owen was pulling onto Jay's street after I made him take a left at the compound. He had insisted he drove me since Eli got to drive everywhere else today and Eli didn't seem too happy about it. Owen liked it here, he said it made him feel 'zen'. Whatever that means.

"I'll see you Monday," I hopped out of the fancy car and grabbed the duffel I had brought from practice.

"Be careful, Shortcake." He gave me a small smile. Oh, Owen, always so worried. I only nodded and closed the passenger door behind me.

The house was quiet when I had finally turned the hidden spare key into the locked door. Jay's mom almost always worked the night-shift at the big grocery store in Northview so she wouldn't be home until at least three AM and it was only just hitting midnight. I made my way upstairs to Jay's room and opened the door.

He was laying on his back, his eyes closed and earbuds blasting music into his ears. I would've thought he was asleep if it wasn't for the tap of his fingers on his bare chest. The sheets were pulled right below his V-line, the waistband of gray sweatpants sticking out. He really was attractive, especially with so little clothing, and I couldn't help but shamelessly stare.

What? He didn't have to know a thing.

I took his relaxed position as an opportunity to wreak havoc. It totally worked. I dropped my duffel soundlessly on the floor and jumped on top of him, both my legs on either side of his lower torso. His eyes shot open in panic and reached to pull the headphones out of his ears, the face he made was funny enough for me to sell for a billion dollars to a famous art gallery.

"Jesus Christ, Isa, you scared the shit out of me!" He laughed once he had finally realized it was me and not a psychopath trying to murder him in the middle of the night.

"It was funny though," I pouted on top of him, sticking out my bottom lip for effect.

"Ha Ha Ha, you should do stand up, honestly, you would make millions," Now it was my turn to laugh at him.

"You got back late." He murmured into my hair once he had pulled me closer. His arms were wrapped around my waist, holding me to him.

"I know, we lost track of time," I pulled back a little so I could look at him when I talked. He nodded and pulled me closer again, this time locking his lips with mine.

It wasn't slow or tender even, but rough and needy. He placed a hand on the back of my neck and pulled me closer to deepen the kiss, his tongue running along my bottom lip. I opened immediately and ran a hand through his hair, the other resting on his moving jaw.