Eddie held the door handle and just stared at it, she slowly let it go and turn to face Jamie who was already watching her. "Jamie, I just-" All of Eddie's emotions flooded her mind again and she just began sobbing.
"Eddie don't cry." Jamie brought her into a hug, being in his arms was a relief. He kissed her forehead, releasing the hug lifting up her chin looking her in the eyes. "Please don't cry babe," he wiped her tears away. She nodded her head, A few minutes passed and they were finally ready to go inside. When the two entered the home they overheard Mary and Frank in the kitchen casually talking Jamie turned to her.
"You can go to my room, I'll talk to them." Eddie went up the stairs and Jamie then entered the kitchen.
"Hey, honey." Mary smiled setting down her wine glass.
"Oh hey guys," Jamie gulped. "Is it okay if Eddie stays over?" Mary suddenly turned into a worried mommy bear.
"Of course! Is everything okay?" Clueless Mary wondered. Frank took another sip of his wine.
"Listen, she's still upset about everything but her dad was arrested today," Mary jaw dropped. Frank's eyes widened, not because of the arrest but because of the timing of it. " Apparently he's been running a Ponzi scheme."
"That poor baby." Mary wept.
"Where is Eddie?" Frank asked.
"I told her to go to my room, she is confused and upset but I just wanted to run it past you guys."
"Of course she can stay!" Mary stood up. Frank nodded his head agreeing.
"Is her mother okay?" Frank wondered.
"She was taken in for questioning."
"Oh my." Mary covered her mouth. "Let Eddie know she is welcomed to stay here as long as she'd like." Jamie smiled.
"Thanks, mom." He turned away ran up the stairs.
"I just can't believe that." Mary pouted.
"Yeah." Frank was stuck in deep thought.
"You didn't seem to surprise." Frank's thoughts stopped immediately.
"Believe me, I was definitely surprised to hear it."
Jamie sat at his desk periodically peeking over at Eddie who was laying in his bed, the movie Jamie had put on was Pocahontas but Eddie knew he only did it to make her feel better but she was grateful for it.
"Stop watching me, Jamie." Jamie looked away. Eddie sat up to face him. "I really am okay."
"It's okay if you want to talk about anything." Jamie offered. Eddie shook her head no.
"I'm okay," Eddie smiled. "I really do appreciate you. I'm sorry, for being mean earlier."
"Don't worry about it, as long as you're doing okay then everything is okay." A soft knock was heard at the door, they both turned their heads to find Mary at the door.
"Eddie, your mother's on the phone." Mary smiled slightly. Eddie followed Mary down the stairs, Jamie was not lagging far behind. Mary laid a hand of comfort on Eddie's shoulder, she left the kitchen to give her privacy. Jamie was about to follow his mother then:
"You don't have to go." Jamie nodded at her words, he took a seat at the table. Eddie took a deep breath and finally answered picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Edit sweetheart- how are you."
"I'm fine, I'm at Jamie's," Eddie answered blandly. "What's up with you are you-"
"I'm fine I'm going back home in an hour or so, so I will explain everything at home-"
"I'm not going back there." Eddie interrupted. There was an awkward pause on the line.
"What do you mean you're not coming home?" Lena's voice was stern.
"That's not a home mom!" Eddie snapped over the phone. "Dad-" Eddie choked. "Dad is a crook, everything... that house, our lifestyle... it's all a big lie!"
"So where will you be staying!" Lena asked her voice raised as well.
"Jamie's mother said I can stay here as long as I like and I start school in two weeks, and ill move into my dorm, thankfully on scholarship or I'd lose that too."
"If that's the way you want it to be Edit," Lena replied. "Just be safe okay? I'll give you a call later when I find out more." the two ended the call.
"Are you okay?" Jamie carefully gauged her.
"I am." Eddie seemed to reply truthfully. "Its good knowing she's not staying there but I can't stay in that house." Jamie nodded.
"Well since you're staying here do you at least want to go home to get a few things?" Jamie offered.
"If you don't mind."
"Of course not."
After Eddie returned to her home, she grabbed all the clothes she will be needing for the next week or so, her plan was to come back once again to grab everything and take it back to her dorm when school was ready to start, when they returned to Jamie house Eddie had taken a shower and after her It was Jamie's turn, when he had emerged from the bathroom he went into his room not finding Eddie, he dried his hair and went downstairs to find her on the couch in her pajamas looking through a photo album.
"There you are." he smiled, she looked up at him.
"Hey." she smiled back continuing to look through the photos.
"What's the story behind this?" Jamie walked over and sat down to see what she was talking about. The photo was Jamie and Mason looking sad. Jamie did his adorable little laugh. sitting up to tell the story.
"So this was freshman year in high school but that night Mason's girlfriend at the time invited everyone over for a little party among close friends so we snuck out."
3 ½ years ago.
"So will you be there?" Lindsey held Mason's hand.
"I don't know. asking my dad… plus Reagan can never go anywhere…"
"Okay." she seemed disappointed, "I hope to see you tonight, if not I guess I'll see you Monday." After school was let out Mason stood leaning on the wall waiting for Jamie to come outside and his father arrives, Mason was stuck in deep thought he had no idea how he could sneak out, for him personally he wasn't too worried but he had to bring along Jamie.
"You alive?" Jamie stood there confused Mason looked like he was mentally on a different planet.
"Reagan." Mason looked at him. Jamie's eyes widened he knew Mason was up to something.
"No… mhmm." Jamie protested he began walking back the other way.
"Wait a second!" Mason ran up to him. "You jerk you didn't even know what I was going to say." Mason pouted.
"I didn't need to Mason, I know that look." Jamie slapped Mason's hand off his shoulder. "That look every time gets me grounded in the near future and this is my first year of high school and I really don't want to be grounded." The golden boy preached.
"Yes, exactly it's our first year of high school!" Mason said enthusiastically. "But tonight can be our first high school party." Mason smiled, raising his eyebrows.
"I'll pass." Jamie shot him down. Mason's jaw dropped. 'Plan b' Mason thought.
"Please Reagan!" Mason begged.
"Lindsey is throwing a big party, and I can't go without you." Mason pleaded.
"You think my parents are going to let me go to a party?" Jamie laughed at the thought of the idea.
"No. But you can sleep at my house and we can go." Jamie thought about it, Mason knew he was reeling Jamie in. 'Now time for the final piece' Mason decided
"Lauren Prescott will be there." Mason saw the different look in his eyes.
"Maybe." Mason got excited, Jamie was in even though he hadn't said it. Mason grabbed Jamie into a headlock
"This is going to be a lot of fun Reagan."
"Let me go." Jamie tried to fight his way out of it. Mason's dad finally arrived in the pickup zone.
"Don't say a word to my dad." they both hopped into the pickup truck.
"Hey, what was that about?" David laughed at the scuffle.
"Oh just betting Jamie on who's going to win next week's football game the Jets or the Giants." Jamie nodded his head agreeing to Mason's white lie.
David laughed again. "How was your first week of high school?"
"Good! baseball tryouts are in spring so we're really excited about that."
"You two freshman on varsity, I'm calling it now."
"Come on dad! don't jinx us!" Mason complained. "Oh, and I was going to ask can Jamie sleepover?"
"You know I don't mind." David reminded. After getting home Jamie went upstairs and paced his bedroom, 'It would be a great idea, Lauren will be there.' Jamie thought. Jamie finally decided he was going to go. Jamie grabbed a few clothes throwing them in a backpack and he headed downstairs only to run into Danny.
"Get out of the way." Jamie couldn't understand why he was still standing there after bumping into him.
"When you say sorry, I will." Danny flicked his forehead, walking away.
"Ugh." Jamie grabbed his bag from the floor.
"Where are you going," Frank asked sitting in the living room.
"I'm sleeping over Mason's," Jamie replied.
"You're not going to tell us about your first week of high school?" Mary asked.
"It was okay mom, me and Mason met a lot of people, the teachers are cool too." Jamie kept it short and simple.
"You're always hanging out with Mas, don't get me wrong I love the kid, he's my third brother but you literally have no other friends." Danny negatively mentioned.
"Duh, that my brother," Jamie replied. "Besides Joe and Malcolm hung out way more than Mason and I when they were our age." Mary and Frank agreed. "Okay well, I'm off." Jamie rushed out the house he ran five houses down to Mason's when he arrived he unlocked the door, kicked off his shoes and headed upstairs to Mason's room.
"So what's the plan?" Jamie dropped his bag on the floor.
"Shhh!" Mason couldn't believe how loud he said that.
"My Mom won't be home until tomorrow night and my dad is leaving to work around 9 pm tonight."
"And are you sure he's going to work," Jamie asked
"Yeah he's has a 16-hour shift," Mason answered.
"Sheesh, the life of a firefighter." Jamie countered.
"But he's taking my mom's car, its better on gas." Mason was building up to something Jamie definitely won't like. "We're going to take his car,"
"What! no way!" Mason put his hand over Jamie's mouth"
"Shut up." Mason shushed. Jamie slapped his hand away.
"We can't go joyriding!? what if we get caught?"
"We won't! she only lives 3 miles away! and I know how to drive."
"We're 15 years old! and you driving a little bit because your grandpa lives on a farm in Kansas in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean you can drive in the city!"
"Just do it we won't get caught. Do it for Lauren."
"Shut up dude," Mason smirked at him evilly. Jamie just laughed and shook his head he could believe they were about to do this. Hours later just as planned Mason's father left and took Mason's mother's car with him. Mason and Jamie grabbed the keys and turned off all the lights in the house.
"Do you even know how to start it?" Jamie watched him.
"Of course I do!" Mason started the truck, he backed out of the driveway and began their journey on the road, Jamie watched him and the road like a hawk but surprisingly he didn't do a bad job, When they arrived at Lindsey's house the blocked was packed with other vehicles, after finding somewhere to park the truck they made their way into the party.
After all the nights fun Mason looked at the clock and seen the time, it was 1 am. His eyes widened and he jumped up, gaining the attention of Jamie he was talking to Lauren.
"I gotta go," Jamie said to her.
"It was nice talking to you, we have to talk more." She smiled.
"I have to go, babe." Mason kissed her. Jamie and Mason ran to the truck which thankfully was still parked in the same place, he started it up and they both drove back to Mason's, Mason mimicked his father's parking to the best of his ability.
"The lights are still off." Mason sighed relieved "No one has been home."
"Dude Lauren and I talked, it was crazy! we've never held a conversation that long man!" Jamie said excitedly. Mason began took unlock his front door.
"That's good Jamie aren't you glad you-" Mason's and Jamie's Jaw hit the floor after turning on the light.
"Have a good night?" Frank sat there in a robe and house shoes. Jamie backed into the wall the furthest he could from his father sitting right there with a camera.
"Nice drive?" David stared at the keys in Mason's hands. Mason stuck in the same nervous stance.
"This picture is definitely going into the family photo album." Frank snapped a picture of their faces.
"What are you guys doing here." Mason thought to ask the obvious.
"No, the question is why you both weren't here, along with my truck?" David rose his voice.
"We took it." Jamie looked over at Mason,
"Where did you two go?" Frank asked in the same pissed-off demeanor as David.
"we went to a party," Jamie answered quietly.
"I can't hear you, Jameson." Frank rarely uses Jamie's real name so he knew his dad was pissed off.
"We went to a party," Jamie replied.
"A party? in my truck?" David needed a verbal agreement.
"I'm sorry Dad." Mason pleaded he was obviously scared.
"I don't wanna hear it." David snapped. "Come here." Mason hesitantly looked over at Jamie before he walked slowly over to his dad, Mason arrived terrified of what was to happen next. David held out his hand.
"Give me my keys." Mason really thought he was going to spank him. Jamie sighed relieved.
"You aren't off the hook." Frank scold.
"It's not Jamie's fault... I wanted-"
"We both wanted to go. We're sorry it won't happen again." Jamie took the blame and split it half and half.
"I know it won't happen again," Frank stood up and approached Jamie. Jamie back further into the corner afraid.
"You're grounded for 8 months." Frank declared. Jamie's skin crawled, but he refused to argue. "Let's go." Frank grabbed him by the arm and led him out of the house.
"Bye Mas." The door closed shut.
"Go to your room Mason." David was so disappointed. Mason began walking up the stairs when he turned around and said:
"How did you know? I thought you had work." David sat his cup on the table looking Mason in the eye.
"You asked if Jamie could sleepover…" Mason stood there confused. "In the last 15 years when have you ever asked if Jamie could sleepover?" Mason's skin crawled to his father's words, he was right, Jamie just usually slept over without permission.
"So you called off work?" Mason needed his facts straight. David nodded his head yes.
"I knew you both were up to something, but this? I had no idea. You're grounded for a year Mason, Joyriding at 15? In this big of a city do you know how dangerous that is? just go to your room I'll be up there to collect your PlayStation and TV."
"A year!? you got grounded for 8 months?" Jamie nodded his head to her words.
"That smirk he does always ended with us getting grounded." Eddie laughed "I only seen Mason at school and practice we weren't allowed to hang out in the time we were grounded."
"All that so Mason could see his girlfriend?" Jamie nodded his head yes. "Wow. You have to tell me more stories like this of you and Mas." Jamie could tell she was cheering up, so he decided to go on telling the stories.
TBC!
Next chapter:
Jamie finds out Joe and Danny knew?
Jamie finds something Mason left for him.
AND MORE! stay tuned! the more reviews the faster I will update!