Chapter Three

(Jake's POV)

"Yeah so I'm sure we can paint over this" Mark told me a few days back with a small smile on his face.

I had bitten my bottom lip to keep from smiling and play it all cool and straight like.

We were standing in his ex-girlfriend's bedroom. He said her name was Maureen, and strongly implied that he was over her. I got the feeling that he gets teased about her a lot. This Maureen girl was clearly no interior designer, what with her strange obsession with cows. Her room was outrageously tacky, painted a pukey yellow color with strategically placed cows on the wall. That was the room I was going to be staying in for a while until I can got myself situated, find a job and all that, but I refused to sleep a night in there until we painted. Assured that the cows on the wall, if not the disgusting yellow walls would give me night terrors.

I deeply regretted that now.

"Ah fuck…"

I groan quietly and rub at the crook in my neck. This couch was definitely not for sleeping. No matter how broken in it might've looked. I think I would have faired better if I had slept on the floor, I doubt I would have been much warmer. I was freezing my ass off in this loft. How Mark and Roger managed to stay here for as long as they have is beyond me

. I get up with a stretch and rub the middle of my back. My body ached more than that one time I booty-called that Asian dominatrix and told him I was ready for all his little games. My mistake. Who the hell puts a dildo on a power tool anyway…uh furthermore where the hell did he get those contraptions from? They definitely had to be illegal in at least twenty countries.

"You slept on the couch?" I'm startled at the sound of Mark's voice. "How'd that turn out?" he laughed softly and walked into the kitchen area and started rummaging through the refridgerator.

"Yeah" I laugh in bitterness "I think I'm fucking crippled" I groaned and collapsed dramatically down on the busted arm chair. "…fuck" I whisper to myself. I think a spring in this crap piece of furniture just punctured my already aching spine. I groan loudly and decide to just roll over on the hardwood floor. I can hear Mark laughing at my expense from across the room. I can't help but smile. "Just laugh at your poor friend in pain why don't cha" I call out.

"Morning" comes a scruffy groan on the other side of the room and I can hear you call out a soft 'good morning' back. I know its Roger. I roll my eyes with a smile. He's so in denial it's hilarious to watch, to watch him pretend that he has no interest in Mark whatsoever. Its ridiculous really. Though if Roger doesn't come to his sense quickly, I'll gladly be happy to fill the position. I laugh mentally at my dirty mind, but stay laid out of the floor.

"Why are you the floor?" Roger asked me with slight confusion.

"Because some fucker let me fall asleep on the couch" I groan and I can feel someone kneeling down beside me. It's Mark. He's holding a bottle full of water out to me. I take it from him and the warmth burns my finger tips, or maybe that was his hand moving across my mine. I smile at him as a way of saying thank you and ignore my nervousness and speeding heart.

"This should help you- at least until the water grows cold" He smiled and attempts to pull me up; I gladly abide and let him pull me up. Of course it was little exaggerated but hey, he isn't complaining. Don't know about Roger though, he seems to be glaring at me a little too much, especially when the only thing I know of that could possibly earn me a look like that is me calling him a 'fucker' and that was about five minutes ago. I know his reflexes aren't that slow.

"I'll catch up later" Mark says, wrapping a scarf around his neck. "Breakfast is on the table" he smiles and Roger nods his head. Roger makes sure to make eye contact with him and theres something unspoken in the air "Thanks"

"You made him cereal?" My eyebrows knit together a little out of confusion and I smile "Why aren't you the son of Betty Crocker" I tease and he blushes. I love making him do that.

"I try" he called out as he was walking out the door and sliding it closed behind him. My beating heart can rest for a while now. Me and Roger fall into a serene silence and we both move towards the metal table, there's two cups of coffee and one glass of orange juice. I choose the juice seeing as coffee makes me all jittery and gives me the giggles. I slide onto the table with juice in hand as Roger begins to work at his cereal made by chef Markie.

"I'm glad you came, its been way too long" Roger tells me and I nod with a small smile on my face. I don't launch into a full discussion with him since I've learned that he has become a man of little words. I learned that the best way to talk to him is to just listen and throw in comments here and there. Kinda like talking to a chick. He gets uncomfortable and starts to fidget and wonder off when someone tries to start up a conversation with him. Other than Mark of course, most of the time anyway. Sometimes, I noticed the other day, he'll get random mood swings like a female on the rag and just ignore the cute blonde all together. The mood swings don't seem to faze him one bit though, he'll keep talking to him until he ultimately breaks down and starts humming words back.

"Yeah" I say behind my glass of orange juice and pull my coat up on my arms. "Thinking you guys could get some heat anytime soon?" I smirk but in all seriousness, its pretty fucking cold here. It isn't even that I'm not that use to the cold weather, hell, I lived in Detroit for most of my life, but there was always some source of heat in the house, even if it was by mommy's crack pipe. "For fuck's sake I'm turning into a damn sexy ass Popsicle over here" I laugh. "I don't see how you're so…not affected by it"

Roger wraps his arms around himself after he sets his coffee mug onto the metal table of which I'm sitting on cross-legged. "Layers, lots of them" he smiles and pulls at his thick sweatshirt. "And you can blame Benny for the lack of heat, he's been doing this crap since he became the landlord a few years back" he pauses to roll his eyes "Some nonsense about us not paying rent equaling no heat"

I give a slight frown and follow him with my eyes "Then why don't you just pay the fucking rent. You'd rather freeze your balls off then get a job" I laugh again "Oh or this some kind of rebellion thing you 'bohemians' do? Freezing and starving for your art"

I laugh again and he smirks. He knows I'm only joking. But really, is it worth it? I slide off the table and head towards the sink which is piled high with dirty dishes, which is a mystery since these boys have little to no food in the loft and over half the time order out. Which brings me to the question of where the hell they get enough money for take out but not groceries? I remember Collins telling me something about rewiring atms and seducing cops. I frown a little. I'll ask again later.

There's three knocks at the door and I'm hoping it's Mark. He's interesting to me for some reason, I don't know, I feel sorta drawn to him in a way. There's something so adorably off about him that intrigues me to learn more. I'm disappointed though when I see some anorexic babe strutting through the door and tossing herself on my brother. I forgot her name. I think it was KeKe or something like that…I'm pretty sure it was KeKe. She's Roger's girlfriend or some shit. I haven't given her much thought but I know that she doesn't like me from the last three times we've met. No rash on my ass though, I don't like her either. I've noticed that she sometimes gives Mark this look, its indescribable, but I know for sure it's a look of hatred. I find it weird how she can put up such a strong front in his face by glare pointy objects at him when she thinks he's not looking. Ugh, women, never met a good one.

But don't get me wrong. For a chick, KeKe is pretty cool. I'm sure we could become friends in the future if she would stop being so bitter towards me. I have nothing against the girl…honestly.

"Hi KeKe" I smile, a true genuine smile.

"Mimi" She responds.

"Yes you" I giggle and rub my hands down the front my pants, using them as a paper-towel for my damp hands.

"No" she says sternly and I wonder what her deal is, leave it to a chick to wanna start a catfight early in the morning "My name is Mimi- I've told you this like three times now"

I ignore her rudeness "What's it short for?" I ask

"Nothing di-"

I smirk and lay back, awaiting her smartass remark. Just knowing that she was gonna get all Brooklyn on my ass when I'm being as nice as possible and showing genuine interest to her existence; and she wants to throw insults. How unappreciative she is. I give up precious minutes of my life to address her and she wants to be rude. It is entertaining though.

"Mimi maybe you could meet me in the shower huh?" he gives a half smile to the girl and ushers her to the bathroom but not before giving her a small kiss that somehow calms her ass down. My eyebrows shoot up and I smirk.

"Feisty"