Chapter Thirteen

"So she was a prostitute?" I heard Jenny's voice say with recognition through the closed door.

"Yeah. And there was drug problems as well," admitted Daddy.

"That's crazy. How am I not more messed up than I already am?"

"Because Nikki isn't your mother, sweetie. Peyton is. Luckily, a month of Nikki influence has left you no worse for wear," he said.

"Ten months," she reminded him.

"I've never been sorry for a second that you were born," said Daddy.

"Thank you," I heard her whisper.

"So are you going to freeze them out forever?" he asked gently.

"No. But that's for their benefit as well, seeing as they're right outside the door," said Jenny with emphasis. I looked sideways at my mother and blushed. An instant later, I'd reached out to hug her. Would Jenny actually forgive her? The two of us hadn't spoken since my confrontation and her accusation three days previously.

Mom slowly turned the doorknob to enter the room but I ran off-I didn't want to reconcile with my sister in front of my parents. Instead I found Lauren, who demanded to know all the details of my relationship with John, and then guiltily admitted to making out with Tess' boyfriend Jason.

The next morning was mirrored in all the others. However, this time I expected Jenny had been plotting, since she and Lauren left in the car a half hour earlier than we usually all left together.

But their plans went awry. As I stepped outside that morning, stuffing a textbook into my bag, there were two cars waiting for me. One was the familiar miniature SUV. The other pulled up precisely as I stepped out of the house. It was a car rapidly becoming more familiar-a black sports car, with the roof down. I smiled flirtatiously at the boy inside of it.

John climbed out to greet me as Sawyer leaned against his car, staring between the two of us.

Jenny, I thought. She'd called Sawyer to arrange him to come. She hadn't planned on my boyfriend (type thing) on showing up.

John's glance at Sawyer was friendly as he reached me and lightly kissed my lips. He took my book bag, and put his hand on my back to lead me to the car.

"Callie!" cried out Sawyer as we walked past him. I turned to face him, flicking my hair away from my face.

"What?" I asked. John went to manly hug him as our eyes bored into one another.

"Do you want a ride?" he asked desperately. John raised his eyebrows at him.

"Don't worry, I've got my girl covered," he responded. Sawyer's glance flicked over to him.

"Your girl?" asked Sawyer. I winced in anticipation.

"Sure as hell not yours," I quipped. John laughed.

"What have you guys been going out for, three days?" he asked.

"Like a week," responded John in ignorance of Sawyer's scorn.

"Well then! Who am I to judge?"

"You got a problem?" asked John, dropping my bag into his car. I crossed my arms in annoyance.

"Not with you in particular. Callie, come on. I've known you since I was a week old. My sister's middle name is your mother's, I'm named after her in full. Who's closer than us?" he asked.

"Hmm, people who don't make out with their friend's sisters and betray them for said sister?" I suggested innocently. I swung an arm around John's neck and kissed him deeply.

"I know what you're doing," he said calmly. I flushed: I knew that I was doing as well.

"And what's that?" asked John suspiciously, pulling his lips away from mine.

"You know it drives me crazy not to be in your life, so you're torturing me with him. Well, congratulations, it's working. Just don't get in too deep," he advised John. I sent him a furious glare, annoyed that he could read me.

John lunged at him. Sawyer dodged his fist, and retaliated with a punch of his own, right to his face. John ignored the injury and pushed Sawyer against the car. They fought for another few seconds while I suddenly shrieked and ran toward them, pulling John away as well as I could. It was more my touch than my force that made him pull away from Sawyer. I looked up at him-his eye was already beginning to swell, and he had a noticeable tear in his shirt. I sent Sawyer another dirty look.

"I didn't plan for that," he promised. My hand betrayed me for a second, reaching out to him in desire of our old, easy ways. My mind took control, and I pulled back.

"Like hell."

"Please just take a ride. Don't you want things the way they were?"

Author's note: Okay, time is almost up for the contest so review to enter and I'll put your name in the hat. Thanks again for the reviews, someone asked if Sawyer was named after Peyton and this answers it, I hope.