Hot and Cold

Chapter 3

"You sure do sleep enough."

I hardly moved from my lounging spot on the couch. "I'm not sleeping."

"You're not doing anything else either, so you might as well be."

Yawning slightly, I lifted my head slightly to watch my uncle come into the room. "I want to sleep,, but I'm waiting for someone to come over."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No," I sighed as he sat down in my father's normal chair. "His best friend. He's bringing me something."

"What?"

"Something from Owen."

"What though?"

"I don't know. He bought me a gift or something and can't bring it over because he's with his sister. Rolly's going to give it to me though. It's candy or something, I'm sure."

"What'd he buy you it for?"

I glanced up at my uncle. "It's Valentine's Day and he didn't get me anything."

"What?"

I nodded slightly before laying my head back down. "Every girl at school got, like, flowers or whatever. A stuffed bear and all this junk, but Owen didn't go today, so I got nothing. Apparently, he feels bad."

"That's stupid."

"That's not stupid," I complained as he turned on the television. "This was my last Valentine's Day of high school. The last time I got to rub it in the other girls' faces that my boyfriend was better than theirs. And he screwed it up."

"You do hear how ridiculous you sound, right?"

I just groaned. "You just don't get it."

"Maybe not," he agreed. "But I think that's because it's too stupid to understand."

"Even if it's stupid, he knew that this meant a lot to me."

'You sound spoiled."

"I don't care."

"Figured you didn't."

"He should have told me from the start that he wasn't getting me anything."

"Where's your daddy today anyways? Shouldn't he be home by now?"

"I guess he's stuck at work," I said, unconcerned. "Did Mom tell you what was for dinner?"

"All your mother told me today was that she hated me and hoped that I went far, far away."

"She said that?"

"Well, not in those words," he told me. "She actually told me to die and rot in hell."

"Ouch."

"I don't plan on leaving any time soon though."

I frowned at that. "So you'll be here for more than, like, a month?"

"I would think so."

"More than two?"

"Well, there is no way that a person can plan that far ahead."

Actually, there was. I just didn't feel like pointing that out to him.

So I sat there for awhile, awaiting Rolly's arrival. It wasn't like I was expecting him to be on time or something. I mean, I know that he never is. But still. It was kind of hard to sleep when you're waiting for someone to show up.

He did show eventually though, about an hour after he said he would. He came bearing chocolate and flowers though from Owen, so I really couldn't be too mad at him for long.

"These are nice," I said, taking the flowers from him the second I opened the door. I only let him in after taking a good whiff of them. "Owen sends his regards then? The jerk."

"He said he was sorry."

"He didn't even get me a stuffed animal."

"He was busy, Annabel. With Mallory."

I rolled my eyes, though I did feel kind of like a bitch. But still. Had I been with any other guy in the world, I would have gotten a big stuff teddy or a dozen roses or a bunch of chocolate all in front of my classmates so that they could be extremely jealous. Wasn't that the point of this holiday?

"Well," I said as Rolly followed me into the house with my candy. "He's not getting his gift until he comes over here."

"He told me to tell you that he'd stop by after work." Rolly paused. "What'd you buy him anyhow?"

"I don't really see how that's any of your business."

"I did bring you this stuff."

"You were late. And you only did it because Owen and I are so nice to you."

"In what world are the two of you nice to me?"

"Uh, try this world." I took him into the living room, where I immediately introduced him to my uncle. "This is Rolly. Rolly, this is Uncle Dan."

"Howdy," Rolly greeted, no doubt taking in the fact that my uncle was wearing his cowboy hat that day. My uncle was not amused. "I'm Owen's best friend ever. And Annabel's."

My uncle just stared at him, not blinking for a moment before shaking his head. "Alrighty then."

Grinning, Rolly turned back to me. "So are you going to tell me what you got Owen then?"

"No," I said as I smelt my flowers once again.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll tell him about it," I said as I headed out off the living room then, in search of a vase my flowers.

"Is it that great?"

"It's that great."

"If it's that great-"

"Which it is."

"-then why did you get him something on this stupid holiday?"

"Because I love him and I want him to be happy. Why the heck would I not get him something great?"

"I don't know," Rolly said with a shrug. "It just seems like a, you know, girl holiday or whatever."

"I wouldn't have gotten him this if I knew that he was going to be such a jerk and not get me anything," I admitted to him then. "I mean, honestly."

"He told me that he's going to take you out to dinner on-"

"Yeah, not the same. At all."

"Annabel-"

"If I was with another guy, he'd have gotten me something great."

"Well, you're not with another guy. You're with Owen, whose sister is sort of dying right now. You suddenly forget that or something?" Rolly dropped my chocolates on the kitchen counter before shaking his head at me. "'cause right now, you sound like the real jerk."

"Rolly-"

"He was my friend before you, Annabel. You get that right? Not to mention, he loves the hell out of you. He gives up time with his dying sister to be with you. You get that right? So he didn't get you something on Valentine's Day. Cry me a river. You're acting like a spoiled, little brat."

I didn't even take a moment to get embarrassed by him treating me this way. Instead I just responded by getting angry right back to him.

"You could have been Owen's friend since the beginning off time. It doesn't matter. I'm his girlfriend. Therefore, I trump you. So screw off, Rolly. Coming in here acting all high and mighty when you piss him off way more than me. Not to mention, don't you have a girlfriend to fuck around on or something? So just get out of my face, alright? Douche."

"Whore."

I wasn't really sure of the relevance of that suggestion, considering unlike him my first was my only, but I didn't get time to question it as he took off not a moment later. So I was left standing there, now questioning my own actions before deciding that Rolly was just a jerk and I was stupid for not seeing it before.

I mean, honestly.


"-and he's such a stupid dick and I hate him."

"I'm sorry."

"I mean, really, why do you even like him? He's a horrible person and I don't want to be friends with him anymore. You can or whatever, that's your call, but-"

"Bell, can I come in?" Owen was still standing outside, rubbing his arms slightly. I had answered the door and immediately unloaded on him. Because yeah, ultimately he's my only friend. So what? "It's cold. And Rolly already called and told me that-"

"He is not a better friend to you than I am."

"Did I say that?" He just stared at me. "Now can I come in? Please?"

"Of course, Bear," I mumbled, taking a step back then to allow him inside. "I'm just…upset. Your friend-"

"Bell, give me a minute, huh?"

I crossed my arms as he slowly took off his boots and jacket. "Well, how was work?"

"It was work," he told me. "And Rolly kept texting me about you and how you didn't appreciate me and that if I just broke up with you, him and I could go pick up way better chicks."

"I think he's gay for you."

"Annabel-"

I huffed slightly then. "He's a jerk and I hate him. I-"

"So are you not mad at me anymore then, huh? Because then I should thank him." Owen came closer to me once he was done with what he was doing, moving to cup my cheeks and kiss my nose. His hands were freezing though and I immediately moved to grasp them and cup them in my own.

"Why aren't you wearing gloves or something?" I asked, distracted for a moment. 'Bear, you're going to freeze. My God. You-"

"I lost them. My gloves."

"Then I'll buy you some new ones."

"Bella-"

"You can't go without them. It's too cold. Sheesh. You're like twelve or something, thinking you can just-"

He laughed then, slightly, causing me to look up at him. When I did, he kissed my lips that time.

"I drove the whole way here worrying that you were angry with me," he told me with a smile. "And I get here and you're concerned about how cold I am."

"I was upset with you," I told him softly as I looked back down, breathing into my cupped hands in a vain attempt to warm his. "Then I found someone else to be upset with."

"Rolly was just being a good friend."

"I'm your girlfriend."

"I know."

"He can't tell me what I can and can't say about you."

"You're right."

"So he needs to step off. I mean, God."

"Okay."

"Stop just agreeing with me, Owen." I stared up at him then. "The flowers were nice, but I don't-"

"I was gonna give you something else when we actually go out on Saturday."

"Yeah, but-"

"And Rolly mentioned, between his rants, that you bought me a gift?"

"I did," I agreed.

"Can I see it or-"

"Did you eat dinner?"

"No."

"Mom and Dad went out and Uncle Danny took off, so I made myself a frozen pizza." I interlaced one of her hands then, leading him further into the house. "I didn't finish it. You can come have some of it."

"I really want to see my gift."

"You will," I told him as we made it to the kitchen. "It's on table. You sit and eat. Get a drink if you'd like. And I'll go get your present, okay?"

"'kay." He kissed me then when we let one another go. "Love you."

"I love you too."

Then we did that giggly thing where we were both so happy and content and stuff that I knew we'd be fighting before he left. That's the way most our days went. If we were in a really, really good place with one another, we'd usually be right back out of it the next day.

"Okay, so the amp is in the closet and the-"

"You got me a guitar?" Owen was seated at the kitchen table when I came back, just popping the tab on his coke. "Annabel-"

"How are you going to become a rich rock star if you don't learn at least one instrument? And it was this or a bass and I didn't know if-"

"How much did you pay for it?"

"Does it matter?"

"Bella-"

"Now you just have to get lessons or whatever," I told him, grinning then as he stood to come take the electric guitar out of my hands. "I hope it's okay. I've never had to buy a guitar before, you know?"

"It's fine." He kissed me quickly before moving to take it from me. "I don't even have any idea how to, like, play it."

"That's how come you have to learn, Bear. And now you'll have something to do when you're stuck all alone at your house over there."

"That's going to be tough, you know? Spend time with you or learn guitar."

"I'm sure you'll manage."

"Hope so," he mumbled before grinning at me. "I don't think I've been this happy in a long time, Bell."

"I love you," I told him as I saw lights flash outside. Crap. Mom and Dad were back. "You know that. I'm just happy that I could make you happy."

That was as happy as either of us got though as not two minutes later, we were joined by my parents. My mother came bearing her leftover dessert, which she gave to Owen and I, while my father just headed on up to bed, as he had work in the morning. Not before warning Owen that he was to eat his dessert and then leave. Right. Because there's nothing I wanted to do more than fool around with Owen while they were around. Okay.

Needless to say, Owen was very happy when I sent him on his way. I wasn't though I said nothing. Something about what Rolly had said made me reflect a little on my attitude about the whole thing. I still think Owen should have at least gotten me a stuffed animal though. Something.


"I think you need a job."

"I think you need a job."

"Excuse me?"

I immediately moved closer to my father, who frowned down at me before looking over at his brother. I was in the living room, watching TV with my dad, finding that a good use of my time after school. Owen was with his sister and I hate Rolly now, so I really had no other options.

"Why does she need a job, Dan?" Dad was leaning pretty far down in the center of the couch, enough so that he could kick his feet up and rest them on the coffee table. I had been sitting next to him, listening to some boring documentary while explaining to him during the commercials about how much I hated Rolly. He was being a pretty good sport, though that might have been because he was sipping on a beer the whole time.

"Why the hell doesn't she?"

"She's a baby," Dad said simply. "Babies don't work. And besides, I don't want her working. I like having her home when I need her to be."

"That's how you treated the other two and look how they turned out."

"Why do you suddenly care what my daughters do?" Dad took another sip of beer before shaking his head. "Not to mention, Dan, you're not so hot in the job department either."

"I worked when I was a boy."

"So did I. I worked my whole life so that my kids didn't have to." Dad elbowed me gently. "Working builds character, fine. Maybe Whitney and Kirsten needed that. Okay. But this one has enough character. Don't you, Annabel?"

I stared blankly at my uncle. "Why don you care if I have a job or not? I mean, you don't even have one."

He frowned at me. "You-"

"Now, now, Annabel. Your uncle is an adult," Dad reminded me. "Talk to him with respect."

"Dad-"

"Like telling him to get the fuck out and stop riding your back over stupid shit." Dad laughed then before downing more of his beer. I was pretty sure that he had had a few before I got home from school as well. "Leave my kid alone, Dan. You're just mad because Grace told you off."

"Last time I checked, she told you off too, boy."

I frowned, glancing up at my father then. "What happened?"

"Your mother," Dad said with disdain. "Before you got home, started yelling and whatever. At me! Last time I checked, I'm the only one that works in this damn house. I built this damn house! I can choose if I want my brother to stay in this damn house if I want him to stay in this damn house. This is my damn house, not hers. She-"

"Look at what you did now. Got your daddy all worked up."

I made a face at my uncle, but it was my father who spoke to him.

"You're the reason that she left, Dan, so don't tell my daughter what she's done and what she hasn't."

"All I said to Grace was that for someone who doesn't work and just sits around all day, she sure is ungrateful."

"The hell do you get off anyways? Talking to my wife?" Dad took another sip of beer. "Why are you suddenly so concerned with me anyhow? This is my life and you haven't been a part of it in years."

"You said that you didn't want me around as much, Andy. You said-"

"You've never liked Grace. Never." Dad drank some more. "You and Mom always thought that I would grow out of her, but I haven't. You guys-"

"Mom's dead, Andrew," his brother told him bluntly. "So why don't you stop talking about her?"

"Screw you." When Dad tried to take another sip of his beer, he was dismayed to find it empty. "Annabel, go get me another can, huh?

"I don't-"

"Please?" He looked at me then, giving me his best sad eyes. "Please? My little baby. My little angel. Annabel. You-"

"Hold on," I sighed, moving to stand. "Let me go get one, okay?"

"You shouldn't be enabling your daddy, girl."

"He's not my 'daddy'," I told my uncle. "He's my dad and he wants something."

I went to get my father his beer, though after I did I immediately headed up stairs, leaving my uncle and father behind. I really didn't want to be around the two of them at the moment. I went ahead and sent a text to my mother when I made it to my bedroom, wanting to know where she was at. Even though I hadn't cared that much before, now knowing that her and my father had gotten into some kind of big blowout before I got home from school concerned me.

While I was waiting for her to text me back, I went ahead and finished up what little homework I had. I was about done with my English work when I got a call, though it wasn't from my mother.

"Okay, Annabel," Kirsten answered not soon after I said hello. "Since no one else is going to answer their phone today, I'm just going to have to tell you."

"Tell me what?" I asked, frowning as I shifted on my bed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just coming down to see you guys."

"To see us?"

"Yes. Before I have the baby and everything."

"And everything," I repeated softly. "When are you coming? Because Uncle Dan is here and-"

"Ugh. I know. Mom called and told me." I could almost hear her shake her head. "He'll just have to get the hell out of my room."

"What are you going to be doing here anyways?" I asked her. "Other than just visiting? Was there a reason you-"

"I need to go over some wedding stuff with Mom and Dad," she told me. "Not to mention I need to come meet this boyfriend of Whitney's that I've heard so much about."

"Lucas is really great," I said then, not realizing for a moment that I was gushing. "He's really-"

"Yeah, she told me that you want to sleep with him."

That made me stop. I mean, seriously.

"I do not," I finally said, frowning deeply. "I just…he's nice. And we're friends."

"Right. Sure."

"We are!"

"She told me that you were all over him at-"

"He gave me his jacket. That's all. God. Whitney's such a-"

"Why were you with him anywyas?"

"I wasn't," I insisted. "I was just outside, alone, when he came out there to talk to me."

"Oh, so the two of you are talking now?"

"Not like that, Kirsten. God."

"God me? God you. You're the one messing with Whitney's boyfriend. Man, he must be hot though, to have you this bothered that you're messing around on Owen. Because when you were in New York, it didn't matter what the guy looked like. You were so centered in on your boyfriend. How hot must this Lucas be for you to-"

"I do not like Lucas!"

"Calm down. My God. I was just teasing. You're over here getting worked up. You don't really like him, do you?"

"No," I told her flatly. "I do not."

"It's alright if you do. Besides, by the time I get to town, Whitney won't care about what you want to do with him."

I paused. "What do you mean?"

"Whitney's been being a little bitch to me ever since she got with this guy and even more so since she told everyone about him. So you know what?"

"What?"

"I'm going down there to attract her boyfriend and make her upset."

I made a face. "Aren't you getting married? Or is that off? Because Owen and I still want to go to New York so-"

"I'm not going to cheat on Brian with her stupid boyfriend. I'm just going to prove a point. And besides, Brian isn't coming down with me. I'll just be there alone. And be honest? Who's hotter? Me or Whitney?"

"…Owen told me that I'm the hottest, so-"

"Oh, Annabel."

"He thinks that Whitney's hotter than you though if that helps the conversation along."

"Oh, bull. Your boyfriend is the antithesis of hotness and intelligence anyways. What does he know?"

"Uh, try a lot."

"What? How to ring a doorbell and handover a pizza?"

"Rude."

"How is telling the truth rude?"

"Why did you call me again, Kirsten?" I finally asked. 'Because right now, I don't-"

"Just tell Mom to pick me up at the airport Friday at four. Alright?"

"Alright," I said with a sigh. "How long are you staying?"

"Till Tuesday. Just make sure Mom knows, alright? And make sure Whitney's at the house with her boyfriend on Friday."

"Kirsten-"

"Gotta go. Bye."

After hanging up, I tossed my phone to the bed before groaning. If there was anything worse than my uncle and mother fighting, it was Whitney and Kirsten fighting. For it to be my senior year, everyone else's drama sure seems to be overshadowing mine.


"So it just, like, always hurts?"

"Not always," Owen told me. "I just have to build up calluses on my fingers first."

"That sounds like a lot of work, Bear."

"Yeah, well, learning guitar is a lot of work."

I smiled at him as he pulled his English novel from his locker. "I'm glad you're at school today."

"Me too. And you know that tonight after school we have that date."

"Ooh, I thought I told you? Kirsten's coming in and-"

"Bella," Owen complained, glancing at her then. "I was going to make you dinner. I planned it and everything. Since I couldn't give you a real Valentine's Day?"

"I know, Bear, but my sister-"

"So what then? You gave me all that shit about not doing anything so I planned-"

"Kirsten's coming in this afternoon," I told him. "After we pick her up, I'll go home, get ready for our date. Okay?"

"You're not going to have to, like, go eat dinner with your family or-"

"I'll tell them no. I've gone to enough stupid family dinner's recently." I shook my head at him. "Besides, Mom and Dad are fighting. Like, really fighting. Fighting more than they were before."

He glanced at me as he closed his locker. "I'm sorry."

I just shook my head. "I don't… My point was that we'll still have dinner tonight. Okay?"

"'kay," he agreed, holding out his hand and waiting for me to interlace our fingers. "I have a pretty good gift for you too."

"Really now?"

"Yep."

"And I'll for sure like it?"

"I would think so, yeah. You've asked for it."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm."

I quickly did a run through of all the jewelry or clothing that I had asked for in the past few months. I came up with nothing.

"Can you give me a hint?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Bear-"

"It's a surprise, Bella."

"Can you at least give me a hint?"

"Did you give me a hint about the guitar?"

"Oh? So your present is on par with the guitar?"

"I would like to think so, yeah," he said with a nod of his head. "And if you don't like it, then that'll be fine. I just really, really think you will."

"Now I'm going to spend the whole day thinking about it."

"Good. You should."

"It better be great, Owen."

"It will be. I promise you."

I didn't get to see Owen again until lunch, but before then, I did get some actual human contact that wasn't forced by a group assignment. Instead, it was forced by a teacher not showing up and a sub not being readily available.

When my teacher announced that the class across the hall would be joining our class, of course everyone was excited. As the class across the hall was a math class while we were in history, we knew that we wouldn't be doing any work that day. So I planned to just spend the next forty-five minutes texting Owen…until someone sat down next to me.

"Well, Annabel, guess this is our lucky day, huh?"

I frowned when I heard James' voice, turning almost immediately to glance at him.

"Hey," I said slowly, staring at him for a moment.

I had been blowing him off since, oh, November or so. I'd text him randomly if he initiated it, but I had avoided him intentionally and never responded when he wanted to hangout. This was due in part, of course, to Owen's insistence that I not have anything to do with him, but also because of the whole Kyle thing. Kyle was his best friend and I'm sure in his mind, I had used him to get Owen back that time we were fighting. In accordance to guy code, James should really have nothing to do with me. Then again, I was pretty sure from the beginning that James more or less was the one that really wanted me and didn't care one way or another about Kyle's feelings.

He grinned at me real big then. "It only took my teacher having a car accident for us to hangout again. Imagine that."

I gasped slightly. "Ms. Harold was in a car wreck?"

"Nah. I dunno. Maybe. Just wishful thinking, you know?"

Blinking, I looked back down at my desk for a moment. "So anyways…why is it our lucky day exactly?"

"Because I just so happen to need help with my math work and you just so happen to be the person to help me with it."

I gave him a look then. "The semester just started and you're already behind?"

"It's senior year, okay? I've been having some…difficulties in concentrating."

"Like spending too much time getting high?"

"Ha. You can never spend too much time getting high." He literally patted me on the head then. "So anyways, you gonna help me or what?"

I wasn't too sure when I saw Owen later at lunch what exactly I should tell him and what I shouldn't. This turned out to be a non-issue as when he showed up at our wall, he had his own problems going on.

"Again?"

"Yes," he answered me, hardly able to keep from shaking slightly. "And it's such bullshit. It's always the same bullshit. I'm tired of bullshit. I-"

"Owen," I said softly as he finally sat down next to me. "Take a breath."

"No, Annabel. I'm not going to. I'm tired of getting sent to the office for dumbasses-"

"Bear," I said then, staring into his eyes. "Take a breath. It's okay."

"It's not okay. It's never okay. Assholes always get coddled and told that they're right and that I'm just a freak and that means that I can just get sent down to the principal's office for nothing. They called my fucking mom, Bella. Fucking hell."

I finally sat my lunch down on the wall before shifting closer to him. Taking his face in my hands, I made him stare at me.

"Calm down," I repeated, more as an order than suggestion at that point. "Take a breath. It's okay, Bear. You didn't get suspended. Just a detention. And you-"

"It's bullshit. I'm not going to detention. I'm fucking eighteen and you're going to tell me I have to stay after school for calling some asshole out on his bullshit? That's bullshit. This is all fucking-"

"Stop cursing." I let him go then when it was clear that even I wasn't going to calm him down. "Tell me exactly what happened, Bear."

"This asshole like fucking spilled his drink all over my paper in class. Which wouldn't have been a big deal, had he not done it because he was goofing off. And then he thought it was fucking funny or something. Giggling and laughing with his jerkoff friends. Well you know what? I actually tried to write my fucking essay. And then it's just ruin? Fucking ruined? No, Annabel. So I got angry. And I just…I just…"

"Shhhh, Bear," I sighed, looking off then. He was being rather loud, as he was completely upset by that point, and some people were looking over at us. "It's okay. I get it, alright? Just take a moment to breathe. It'll be okay. You're just wound up today."

"I'm not just wound up today, Annabel. It's bullshit the way they-"

"Alright. I get it."

"You don't get it. You never get it. You just always want me to shut up and just go along with whatever they say. Well guess what? They're assholes! They're all assholes! I'm tired of dealing with fucking assholes!"

There was no reaching him then. It had only happened the period before lunch and he was too far into his anger to be brought back. So I just went back to my lunch, letting him rant randomly until he realized that I wasn't interested in his theatrics. That only pissed him off more, or so he told me when I wouldn't respond to his anger.

"You always just blow everything I say off, Annabel," he accused, turning his anger around on me. He knew that would at least get me to pay him some attention. "You never care about anything that has to do with me. But the second your parents yell at each other or your sisters tell you that they don't like you, I have to hear about that for hours. I have to pretend to give a damn. Well fuck you then, Annabel. Your life isn't that interesting. You have a boring as shit life. You-"

"Owen," I sighed. "You-"

"Don't fucking cut me off, Annabel."

I looked back at him then, making eye contact as I said, "Do you really want to fight right now, Owen Armstrong? Because if you do, we can. If not, I'm going to go ahead and walk away and you can sort out life for yourself. And then when we meet up again later, you can pledge your undying love for me and begin for forgiveness. 'kay?"

I stood up with that, leaving him behind. And Owen didn't call after me or run to catch up with me. He was going to have it out with himself for awhile before that happened. I knew that his anger was fleeting though and that in a few hours, when he'd drive me home, he'd be good as new again and ready to make me that dinner and give me that gift.

Or at least I hoped.


"Hey, Bell, look, can we-"

"Whitney keeps posting these damn pictures of her and Lucas up online," I cut him off, staring down at my cell while waiting him to unlock the Land Cruiser. As he had dropped trig, I no longer had any classes with him after lunch. "I mean, I normally don't look at her stuff, but he tried to follow me on something and I don't know if I'm allowed to follow him back or if she's going to bitch me out again if I do."

Owen just stared at me for a moment, out in that school parking lot, before shaking his head and moving to get into the car. Slowly, he said, "I don't care if you follow him, if that helps any."

"It doesn't," I told him as I got into the Land Cruiser as well, "but it does save us from fighting about it later."

He was quiet again as he started up the car. Then, slowly, he asked, "Are they…nice photos or-"

"I guess. Whitney's been really into selfies recently. Like, really, really into them. More than me. And now that Mom and Dad know about Lucas, she posts photos of him a lot. Him with her, him without her, him sleeping, him posing, him cooking."

"Does he post any photos of her?"

"No more than you're supposed to when you're the boyfriend," I told him after I followed the other guy.

"I don't post photos of you."

"A normal boyfriend, Owen. You're not normal."

"Bella-"

"Don't you ever yell at me like that in front of people again," I said, looking up from my phone finally to stare at him. "You hear me?"

"I-"

"The only reason I let you get away with it is because I know that you're going through hell right now at home. But that not only embarrassed me, Owen, but that reflected poorly on you. People already think that I shouldn't be with you. You think raging at me helped your cause?"

"I don't care what people thinking about me or us or our relationship."

"Well, newsflash, Owen, I'm a teenage girl. I very much so care about what other think of me, you, and our relationship. And as it stands, you looked like an asshole at lunch. And I'm sure you didn't look any better in class."

That upset him slightly and he let it be known. "They were the asses, Annabel. Not me. I didn't do anything wrong."

"God, you really think that, don't you?"

"Yes!"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "We're not going to talk about this anymore, Owen. I let you vent and let you yell at me. Now that's over, you can find someone else to yell at about it. Because for all you don't care about my life apparently, I don't care about yours."

"I didn't say that I don't care about your life."

"You did too."

"I did not."

"You said that my life is boring and you don't like to hear about it."

"Annabel-"

"If you don't want to hear about me, Owen, then that's fine. I don't know why we're together, but that's fine."

"Bell."

"I mean, I listen about your music stuff and sometimes you talk a lot about pointless things and how much you hate them. Like reality TV. I love that. But I listen to you complain about how dumb it is. Why? Because I'm your girlfriend and I have to listen to you sometimes."

"I listen to you al the time, Annabel, without complaint. So one time I went off about-"

"One time? Seriously, Owen? You go off all the time. It's like a weekly affair now."

"So what are you saying, Annabel? Huh?"

"I don't know. I-"

"You know, I try to have a nice day for us and what do you do? Screw it up."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"You're the one that got upset today, Owen, not me."

"Yeah, because you don't listen to me and don't take me seriously."

"You hit people when you get angry. Yes, I take you seriously."

I got a look for that.

"I would never hit you, Annabel, and you fucking know it."

"Oh, do I, Owen? Why do I know that?"

"Because I just wouldn't okay? How about all the times you've hit me. Or backhanded me. I've never even raised my fucking hand to you. So knock it off with the bullshit, get over whatever you're upset about, and shut the fuck up. I'm taking you home and then at seven, you're going to come over to my freaking house so I can feed you the freaking food I freaking made for you and give you your gift and, I don't know, maybe we can have sex. But none of that can happen if you don't-"

I looked at him then, cutting off his words. "You're seriously horny right now?"

He looked away from the road to glance at me. "Well, not this second, but I could very easily get horny. I haven't jerked off in, like, fifteen hours."

I quickly did the math. "You were up at midnight, jerking off?"

"Roughly, I guess. I don't… Would you stop changing the subject?"

"Well, sorry. I've just always, you know, wondered."

"Wondered what?"

"How often you masturbate."

He groaned, rather loudly. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"Do you, like, do it everyday or-"

"What are you doing?" He glanced at me again, taking in my blush. "You are so red right now that-"

"I'm just trying to change the subject, okay?"

"To me jacking off?"

"Well, what else would have distracted you?"

"Do you really want to know or-"

"No," I told him with a sigh. "Not at all, really."

"Okay then," he said slowly, still clearly confused. "That's actually for the better, I'd think."

"…Were you watching porn last night or-"

"Well, yeah, I actually was. So-"

"Was it…why didn't you…Never mind."

"No, no," he said, glancing at me. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Nothing, never mind."

And then there was no longer anger or hatred, instead only awkwardness and silence. Which, I suppose was better. Or at least I thought it was better.


"-going to have dinner tomorrow, since Annabel's going on a date tonight," Mom was saying as she went around the house, looking for her shoes. "Kirsten wants to eat out, which is great, because Whitney refuses to cook for her sister for some reason. Which, by the way, I do not want to get into any time soon."

"No, that's okay," I said from where I was on the couch, waiting on my mom to get ready so we could leave. "I don't need to go to dinner. You guys can all go out tonight. I really-"

"Lucas isn't off tonight or tomorrow night," my mother told me. "So we're really having lunch tomorrow, not dinner. At three. So be free. Is Owen?"

"I don't know. I-"

"Ask him tonight, okay? It'll be fun. We never all go out to lunch."

Dad, who was sitting on the couch next to me, said, "I'm working tomorrow."

"And you know your lunch hour starts at three. Not to mention, Drew, you know as well as I do you can take a long lunch if you want. And right now, you want. Trust me."

He turned the television up louder, grunting slightly.

"Drew, are you ready yet?"

"I'm waiting on you, Grace," he told her gruffly before elbowing me gently. "What are you and that boy doing tonight then?"

"Nothing, really," I told him. "He made me dinner."

"You make someone dinner, then it's something," he told me. "Not to mention, he has to give you…something. Right?"

I glanced at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," my father told me, looking back at the television. "I just assumed-"

"Why did you know that he was giving me something?"

"You told me the other day-"

"What do you know?"

"I don't know anything."

I stared hard at him. "Why would Owen tell you about something he was getting for me?"

"He didn't. I just-"

"Was he asking your permission?"

"Annabel-"

"Oh God, he's not going to ask me to marry him again, is he?"

"He's not…What?"

I looked forwards again. "Nothing. I just figured-"

"When did he ask you to-"

"Mom and Whitney never told-"

"No. Grace!" Dad wasn't playing around anymore. "He asked you that, Annabel? Grace! What the hell have you been keeping from me?"

"What?" Mom came back into the room, her shoes and coat finally on. "Drew?"

"That boy asked Annabel to marry him?"

"Dad, it was months ago," I said. "I really thought you knew. It was when I thought we broke up. That's one of the reasons we broke up. Kind of."

Dad stood then, glaring at Mom. "Why did you never tell me this, Grace?"

"I don't know, Drew. Why didn't you ever tell me about your after work activities?"

He bit his tongue then before grounding out, "I thought that we agreed that if we were going to work on this, that we would stop bringing up the past."

"You agreed, Drew," she told him flatly. Then, looking at me, she said, "Go get in the car, Annabel. It's time to go pick up your sister."

"Grace-"

"She didn't do it, Drew. She's not married to him and he came back to his senses. You don't want to know everything about their lives, do you?"

"Kirsten's? No. But Annabel? The one that lives in my house still? Is the baby still? Yeah, I do."

"Well, great. She starts her period next week and needs a new pack of pads.'

"Mom-"

"Grace-"

"You wanted to know," Mom said simply before turning to walk out of the room. I glanced at my father, but he looked too pissed for words.

"Come on," he finally said, patting me on the shoulder before heading out of the room. "It's time to go get Kirsten."

For some reason, he didn't sound too thrilled.

The car ride was nearly unbearable, but at least Mom and Dad didn't fight. They just both sat in a stony silence, not looking nor speaking to one another. I spent most my time send texts back and forth with Owen though and browsing Lucas' photos online. I had a bad feeling that adding him would only get me in trouble with Whitney, but I wasn't sure why it was so bad that I wanted to be friends with her boyfriend. I thought it was a rather normal thing, sisters at least being friends with their siblings significant others. Or at least that's how it works on the Kardashians…

Needless to say, Dad's mood did not improve when we met up with Kirsten, who immediately gave him the cold shoulder. I'm not even completely sure what the two of them are fighting over anymore. I mean, is it the cheating thing, the baby thing, or the wedding thing? Or is it just everything in general? I mean seriously, who really knows?

Kirsten wouldn't shut up either. I don't know what I was expecting. She had a lot to tell Mom and Dad and I were just innocent casualties. Dad seemed miserable, driving the car, having to hear about pregnancy problems and wedding issues. I felt for him, really. But…Owen was texting me about how great dinner was going to be and I was mostly focused in on that and my gift, so much so that I blocked most of Kirsten's crap out.

"Can I be dropped at Owen's?" I asked when we got back into Lakeview. "Please?"

"If I drop you at that boy's house, I'm going to go in there and talk to him about-"

"Okay, never mind, Dad," I sighed.

"Ask my daughter to fucking marry him," Dad grumbled.

"Drew, watch your language."

"He what?" Kirsten, who was in the backseat with me, turned to stare at me, forgetting her own drama for a minute. "When did this happen?"

"A while ago," I said, blushing before turning to look out the window. "It's not even a big deal. Seriously."

"The hell its not." Dad glanced up at the review mirror to stare at me. "If he ever asks you something like that again-"

"Dad, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Annabel. I don't know what it is with you girls and these stupid guys, but it's getting on my nerves." He shook his head then. "I never wished I had sons more."

"Drew, knock it off." Mom reached forward to turn up the stereo, even though it was some stupid sports show. "No one talk anymore for the rest of the ride."

So we didn't. At all. Kirsten had this really annoyed look on her face though and I knew the second we got to the house, she'd find some way to go off on our father, like she really wanted. I just didn't want to be a part of it.

"I'm going to Owen's," I announced the second we pulled into the driveway. Heading over to my car, I was happy that Whitney didn't have it for once. "I'll be back tonight."

"The hell you are," Dad complained as he got out of the car as well. "You-"

"I'm sorry," I said as I opened my car door. "I can't hear you over the sound of you wishing you had a son. Besides, I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun yelling at Kirsten while I'm gone."

"Annabel-"

"Go, Annabel," Mom cut Dad off as she got out of the car as well. "Have fun. Be back by curfew."

"Okay."

"Grace-"

"Honestly, Drew, what more do you need to say tonight?"

That was the last thing I heard as I got in the car then and immediately took off, not wanting anything to do with their brewing fight.

When I got to Owen's house, there was no one else home. It's not like I was expecting there to be, but I was kind of hoping to see Mallory. I hadn't in a few weeks and felt for some reason like I was neglecting her.

"Hey, Bella," Owen answered the door, looking much happier than he had earlier in the day. "I'd have picked you up, you know, if you wanted."

"You're cooking, Bear."

"Guess so, huh?" He took a step back, letting me in. "It's not too cold today."

"No," I sighed as I slipped my coat off. "It's not."

"What's up?" He asked, taking in the look on my face. "Are you-"

"My dad was just being a dick again. Not that my mom was much better."

"I'm sorry. It sure has been a shitty day, huh?"

"Mmmm." I followed him into the kitchen. "Did you get in trouble with your mom, Bear?"

"Of course not. I'm a fucking man."

"Owen-"

"She hasn't returned my calls," he told me with a slight shrug. "But let's just forget about anything that happened before you walked through the door, huh? I spent all this time making you dinner."

"What did you make?"

"The only thing I can make."

I made a face. "Fish sticks?"

"No, Bella. Spaghetti."

"Oh," I sighed, relieved. No one could mess that up. "Is it ready yet?"

"Yeah."

"Well, can I get my present first or-"

"No."

"Owen-"

"No, you can't. Eat first or else you won't want to eat."

"That good?"

"That great."

"Well," I began as he pulled me out a chair at the kitchen table, as they had no dining room. "I already know that you asked my dad about it first."

He paused then. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Hmmm."

"Yeah. Hmmm."

"So what did he tell you?"

"Not much," I assured Owen before looking up at him. "Oh, and he kind of knows about the, you know, asking me to marry you think."

That got him to stop. "What?"

"I thought he already knew and I was joking and-"

"Well, great, Annabel," he grumbled as he turned away then, returning quickly with drinks. "I finally get on his good side-"

"He has no good side. Not to mention, he hasn't liked you since this summer and he won't ever again probably. He's just gotten used to you."

"Why are you so sour on your father all of a sudden?"

"Because," I began as Owen sat a plate in front of me, spaghetti and meatballs on it. "I'm tired of all the 'I wish I had had a son' crap. Guys sperm is the one that controls that, so it's more or less fault."

"Annabel." Owen gave me a look for that one. "Honestly."

"Well, it's true. Not to mention, if he's so miserable with me and my sisters then he can just leave us all alone. I'm gone at the end of this summer and Whitney and Kirsten want very little to do with him to begin with."

"I'm sure he didn't mean it the way you took it."

"And I'm sure that you don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Okay, well, never mind then." He came back with his own plate before sitting down. "Did you want to talk about how much you hated him or-"

"No," I told him before grinning at him. "I want to talk about my present."

"Do you?"

"Yes." I grinned at him once more. "Is it…jewelry?"

"No."

"Clothes."

"No."

"Then what, Bear?"

"Those are the only options?"

"Those are the only things you've ever given me except for CDs and that time that you gave me that little rocket ship of Legos. Or, ooh, those goggles. And that letter. Is it another letter?"

"It's not another letter."

"Is it…another stuffed animal? Remember when you gave me those teddy bears?"

"Very well."

"Is it another teddy?"

"It is not."

"Is it another stuffed animal? Like just in general?"

"Nope."

"Well, I'm out of options."

"Hmmm. Maybe I'm just that great at surprising you."

"Oh, please."

"I am," he insisted. "You have no idea what I'm getting- Oh, no."

I frowned as I heard a loud whine start up from somewhere in the house. And not a human one either.

"What is that?" I asked as I heard a sharp yap followed by more whining. "Owen-"

"I'll be right back," he said, jumping up from his chair. "Don't move."

"O-"

"Don't."

I really wanted to defy him and go look for myself, but I was already pretty sure I knew exactly what it was. No need to ruin his surprise even more.

"This," Owen started as he came back down the stairs and into the kitchen, "is your present. I've been calling him The Most Annoying Thing Ever, but you know, I don't expect you to keep that name."

"Owen," I squealed as he came closer, the puppy in his arms squirming to be put down. "Oh my God. You got me a dog?"

"You've wanted one since, like, I met you." He sat the dog in my lap, who immediately began to lick at my face…before trying to move onto my spaghetti. When Owen saw this, he frowned. "Bad dog."

"Don't yell at him." I moved to hug the puppy to me, who immediately started licking me again. "He's our baby now. You know this."

"I figured this."

"Look at him." I smiled down at my puppy before looking up at Owen. "It is a he, right?"

"Yep."

"What kind of-"

"He's a mutt," Owen told me before moving to go sit back down in his seat. "The guy at the pound told me though that's he's gonna be big, 'cause his paws are so big."

"He's so cute," I said, the tan and black spotted dog yapping slightly at me, his tail wagging. "He's not potty trained, is he?"

"No. I've been kinda busy, Bell, with my guitar and stuff."

"How did you convince your mom to let him stay in the house? I thought she was such a clean freak?"

"Mom's not home much," he told me simply. "And your dad was real cool about the idea. He said as long as it wasn't one of those small, annoying dogs, he was fine with it."

"I wonder how Mom will take it."

"I'm sure your father told her." Owen was watching me snuggle my new dog. "You know, I was really more excited by the food."

"Ooh, look at him." I kissed the top of the dog's head. "He's so happy to be with me. Then he's going to go home and sleep in my room and on my bed and I'm never going to be without him again. We'll go on long walks and, ooh, Bear, we can take him to the park and you can go to the groomers with us."

"You sound like you love him more than me already."

"Well, Owen, he's our baby. Of course I love him more. That's only common sense." I pulled my phone out with one hand and immediately started taking selfies with my puppy. "He's really photogenic."

"Oh, Bella."

"What should we name him, Bear?"

"He's yours. You have to decide."

"Well, are we doing a dog name? Like Fido or Buddy? Or are we doing a human name?"

"Bell, I really don't know. Pets aren't my thing these days."

"You're such a bad daddy. And so early in the game."

He just stared at me. "You do realize that dogs are more than just a cute little animal. They're lots of responsib-"

"Oh, shut up, Bear." I finally set my puppy down who barked once before running off. "Let's finish our dinner then."

"You're going to eat that? After the puppy ate off it?"

"I let him lick my face and mouth," I pointed out. "Not to mention I eat after you."

"Eh. Good point."

After dinner, Owen and I headed back to his room, him immediately going to set up some music while I crashed on his bed. My puppy had followed us into the room and was laying on a blanket Owen had put out for him, chewing on some old stuffed animals and chew toys.

"I love you," Owen told me when he finally came over to snuggle on the bed. I smiled at him, shifting to accommodate him. "Bella."

"I love my puppy," I told him as he kissed my neck. "Look at him. He- Oh, Owen, he wants up on the bed. Move."

He frowned as I shifted again, moving to pick my doggy up and lay him down on the bed with us.

"I didn't realize it would happen so soon."

"What would?" I asked as the dog licked my face.

"That he'd replace me. I figured it'd take a few weeks. Not less than an hour."

"He's just so cute," I told Owen who moved to get off the bed. This was no concern to me as I just moved to snuggle my puppy.

"Yeah," he grumbled as he headed over to his computer. "Ain't he?"

When I got home that night, it was with a water dish, food dish, leash, and a very cute red collar that looked amazing on my dog. He wasn't very good in the car, but it was understandable. I knew that we'd be in for a long night, given he was about to be introduced yet again to a new place.

"This is your home now," I told my puppy as I carried him into the house, leaving his stuff out in the car for a moment. I figured I should show him around some first. "Aren't you so happy?"

As it was almost midnight when I got there, no one was up. Dad and Uncle Dan, however, hadn't headed off to bed and were in the living room, both passed out, Uncle Dan in the chair, Dad on the couch. I immediately went over to my father and sat my puppy down on his chest.

Dad woke with a start as my dog began to sniff his face. It startled him for a second, but slowly, he began to blink and focused his eyes in on me.

"Annabel," he moaned as he moved to sit up, the dog still excitedly investigating him. "You-"

"Thank you so much for my dog," I told him, still extremely happy by what had occurred. "I love him and-"

"I am so sorry, Annabel, for making you upset before," my father cut me off, this no doubt having been bothering him. He didn't even seem concerned with the dog. "You know that I love you. I didn't mean to get so…whatever about-"

"Dad, I don't even care about that anymore. You let Owen get me a dog!" I couldn't help keeping my enthusiasm down. "Look at him."

My father just stared up at me. "So you're not upset with me?"

"Of course not," I told him as I moved to pick up my dog once more. "You let me get a dog. What more could I ever want?"