The next few days drag along mostly in awkward silence. Jack and Sonja see each other in school, for the most part. Although Jack sleeps in her aunt's house, she doesn't really see that much of him there: he comes and goes in the most unusual hours, he doesn't say where he's going and what he's doing, and she doesn't ask. If it weren't for the rumpled bed sheets in his bed she straightens every morning, and the occasional sounds of the shower being used, she wouldn't really know he is staying there, at all.

It is a bit of a let-down for Sonja, but she also feels some relief. At least she doesn't need to go all house-wifey for him; she actually keeps on living as if she were alone in the house. Still, sharing a household is making her feel a bit more comfortable around him, so she has no problem with pretending to be his girlfriend in school. They share a table (the table) for lunch, they often stroll down the hallways together, him holding her close, she often smiles at him with easy confidence. Sometimes they talk a bit, actually, she talks and he pretends to be listening. She avoids talking about topics that really interest her, like, where he got his scars from, and why he was full of bloody cuts the other night, and why he can't stay at his own place; she knows he would not answer. Instead, she talks about little snippets of her life: the cat she used to have in Croatia, her favourite movie, a book she started to read but is struggling with (Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose). He doesn't contribute much to these conversations, a nod here, a grunt there, but for all intents and purposes, they do look like they are having a conversation. He notices that their peers don't stare at them as much and slowly are starting to accept them as a couple.

…

On Thursday, Rachel asked me to join her and some friends this Saturday for shopping. I was so happy, I agreed immediately, and only afterwards I remembered that moneywise, I'm really not in a good position. That reminded me to call about the translating job, and I was in luck, because the very next day I got called in for an interview. The agency looks for rare languages like Croatian, and after a few pretty simple tests, I became a part of their free-lance database. They'll call me as soon as something comes up. I hope that won't take too long, but still, that doesn't solve the fact that I need some cash right now, and I will not spend the cash that is meant for food and bills.

The same evening, I go over the bills one more time to check if maybe I miscalculated, and maybe I can spare at least 20 bucks. 10 for the cinema, at least, and then I need a few dollars for popcorn, and what if the girls want coffee afterwards? Not to mention that shopping is out of the question-I'll have to pretend that I don't like any of the clothes. I guess I'll have to lie a lot.

Jack finds me sighing, sitting at the kitchen table.

"There's some pasta in the fridge, I can warm it up for you", I say, my voice dripping in depression.

"I just..", he doesn't bother finishing the sentence as he opens the fridge and grabs the milk. He drinks he right out the container. I frown at him.

"What?", he asks me as if genuinely surprised.

"Nothing.", I am not his mother and it is not my duty to teach him basic manners. Pig.

"What's wrong with you?", he asks me as if I am a car that needs a part to be replaced and then it will run just fine.

"I'm broke, that's what's wrong with me", I say as I cross my arms over my chest defiantly, "My aunt left me with minimal cash, only for bills and the cheapest food."

"Find yourself a job", he murmurs as he sits down at the table, milk still in hand.

"I did. I had a job interview today, for translations, remember? They'll call me as soon as Croatian is in demand.", I try not to feel offended as he half snorted, half laughed at the mention of my native language and the demand for it, "Rachel asked me to go to the movies and shopping tomorrow. I will have to cancel, I can't go without some money-it would be so embarrassing!"

He drinks some more milk and then looks at me.

"What is it with women and shopping", he grumbles, "I've seen your wardrobe, you have plenty of clothes."

"That's not the point..", I am about to start explaining the importance of female bonding caused by shopping and hanging out, but then I realize what I just heard, "Wait, what? You've seen my closet? When? ..and why?"

"Few days ago.", he shrugs his shoulders, "I was curious."

"That's really creepy", I blush and feel extra stupid since I mostly feel embarrassed because my closet i messy – I should feel outraged because of the violation of my intimacy, right?, "Keep out of my room if I'm not in it, in the future!"

"But you were in there", he smiles gleefully at my confused expression, "You were sleeping."

"Ewww, Jack!", my face is probably tomato-red, I usually sleep only in panties and chemise, "Come on! What the fuck, you can't do that!"

"Oh, I can", he smiles with all the self-satisfaction in the world.

I really feel embarrassed, and I don't know where to look, so he decides to show me some mercy and gets up to leave. However, before he does so, he takes something out of his pocket and shoves it on the table in front of me.

"This should be enough for a girls' night out", he says.

"What?", I realize he's giving me cash. A lot of it.

"I mean, I've been crashing here for a while now, eating your food and stuff..it's only fair I contribute something.", I see he's trying not to make a big deal about this.

"This is..wait, 300 dollars? That's too much! I mean, any amount is too much - I wasn't asking you for money, I was just, you know, complaining...", I can't believe that he has so much money-where did he get it?

"I know. Just take the money and have a nice time.", he leaves the kitchen before I can ask any questions he doesn't want to answer.

…

And I do have a nice time and I spend just a fraction of the money. I found myself a nice shirt, we went to the movies, I got to know Rachel's friends Bettina and Pam (nice girls, but I still like Rachel best), we went to Starbucks and had some of those whacky American cappuccinos. I feel a bit guilty for accepting Jack's money, no matter how much I try to explain it away to myself as just rent money, still I feel like I shouldn't just throw this money around.

However, I spot a little something in a shop and can't resist buying it: it's not for me, it's for Jack. A little thank-you gift for my blackmailing fake boyfriend, it's a Zippo lighter, engraved with a little Joker figure. I don't know why, but somehow the little Joker reminds me of him. Cute and evil. Just like Jack. The girls giggle as I show them what I got him, and then I'm attacked by zillion questions about how we met and what he is like. Seems like he's more popular than he thinks, these girls want to know all there is to know about him. Mostly, I lie through my teeth, since the majority of the things I am being asked I simply don't know, and the rest of it is a mix of half-truths and my pathetic wishes. I guess Jack would be pretty furious if he knew that I've been telling the girls he was "actually very cuddly" and loves to "watch romantic movies". But the girls seemed so amused, and I so very much want to be a part of their clique, my mouth just kept on running..let's hope he won't find out.

…

The evening was long and tedious. First, I had to drop off a package containing God-knows-what to a guy. That got me a solid $200. Then I went to Mike 'cause he've been calling me for 3 days in row and I kept on ignoring him. I knew it had to do with the biker guys and didn't feel like listening to him. However, if I want to those jobs to keep coming, I couldn't avoid him any longer.

"Aww kid, what the fuck did you do", that's how Mike greets me when I enter his restaurant.

"What", I roll my eyes as I slump in the first free booth. I don't feel like being stared at by every single mobster in there.

"I mean, did you have to beat the guy into a pulp?", Mike sighs as he plumps down opposite to me.

"You wanted him warned", I shrug.

"Yeah, I thought, a broken leg, worst case scenario. Not an induced coma. Like, seriously, what the fuck.", Mike tried to come through to me, "And then with the sloppiness again. His biker buddies saw you leaving."

"Yeah, whatever", I was annoyed by my mistake, and now I was even more annoyed when the same mistake was pointed out to me repeatedly.

"What do you mean, whatever", Mike almost yells, "Do you know they burned your neighbours god-damned house down?"

"What, Razim's place?", my brows go up as I remember my drug dealing neighbour. Nice fella.

"They weren't sure which house was yours, and one of Razim's not-so-satisfied customers showed them his house instead of yours.", Mike chuckles, "So where are you staying then?"

"I found a place", I answer vaguely.

Mike, however, catches on something, a brief expression on my face, a weird look, something tips him off. "Oh, I bet you found a place.", he chuckles, "Between some gal's legs."

I just roll my eyes heavily and Mike takes that as a confirmation. "Tony, you hear that? Our Jackie found himself a nice young lady!"

"Yeah, as long as he invests that energy into pounding her ass and not beating our fucking customers within an inch of life..", Tony murmurs.

"Oh fuck off, Tony. The boy just had a bad day, right?", Mike smiles a bit at me, "Just take a bit more care next time. We had some trouble with the bikers afterwards, you know. Those guys figured out you are one of ours. Keep it low, ok?"

He then gives me jobs for the next week and also offers me to redeem myself this evening: I am supposed to collect some money from some guy, and if he hasn't got it, beat him up a little. I get $300 in advance for that. No problem.

So I drive straight out to that guy's place, and I'm a mighty bit irritated because Mike again has put an idea in my head, and this time it's me finding a place "between a gal's legs". That makes me remember how Sonja slept in her bed; the little clothing she wore hiding almost nothing. That makes me think of further things, and suddenly I decide I should beat up the guy (if necessary) really quickly, and then go back to her place instantly, and then, then, then what? Then I don't know, but hopefully something involving her legs. Spread open. For me.

Fucking Mike and his fucking planting of ideas in my had. It doesn't help to be so distracted when you're in trouble. And surely, I'm in trouble really soon. The guy, of course, doesn't have the money. But you know what he has? He has two pretty big friends who are eager to fight.

Well, let's do this.

A/N OK, we're 10 chapters in and nothing happened lemon-wise. That'll change in the next chapter :)

Thank you again for giving your time to this story! As always-comments are most welcome!