Winter Freeze

Chapter 5

"Who's the baby?"

Annabel didn't look up as Owen walked into the kitchen. "This is Ricky."

"Whose kid though?"

"He's the Biscoe's grandson."

"Who?"

"You don't know them, I'm sure," she told him, continuing to stand over the baby carrier and wave the toy in the baby's face. "They live in the Arbors though. Mom and Dad are friends with them. Sort of. They go to their parties a lot. Dad's built a few houses that Mrs. Biscoe's sold. She's a realtor."

"Oh." He went over to her fridge to get a coke. "So…what's the kid doing here?"

"I'm babysitting."

"Why?"

"Because, Owen, I was asked to. And it's rude, you know, to just go in other people's refrigerators like it's nothing."

"You're not just people. You're my girlfriend."

"Hmmm."

"Your mom let me in on her way out," he told her then. "She was heading to the store she said. Asked me what I wanted for dinner."

Annabel frowned. "She asked you?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head. "Asked if I was staying and when I said if I could I would, she asked me what I wanted. I told her whatever was fine, but then she asked me if I wanted fish or steak. She was real serious about it to. I just told her fish would be fine."

"Ew. You're so dumb."

"What?"

"Steak is way better than fish."

"To you."

"Bear-"

"I was trying to go with what was cheapest."

"Mom doesn't care about cheap. If you'd asked for steak-"

"I want fish."

The baby let out a loud yawn causing Annabel to coo at it. Rolling his eyes, Owen went to sit down at the table.

"How long are you keeping the baby?"

"Until seven."

"That long?" Frowning over at her, he asked, "Do you know his parents?"

"Of course. Everyone does."

"What do you mean?"

"Rogerson Biscoe's his father," Annabel told him.

"I don't know who that is."

"He sells pot to, like, everyone."

"I don't do that, so-"

"Then everyone knows about what happened a few years back."

"What happened?"

"Come on, Owen, even you should-"

"I don't."

"Rogerson beat the crap out of his girlfriend and her parents found out. Made a big deal of it and everything."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm. Whitney knows her." Annabel finally turned from the baby to look at her boyfriend. "They're back together now though."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm. That's whose baby this is."

"Damn."

"Don't curse in front of the baby."

He made a face at her. The whole reason he had come over was because it was one of his off days. About a week since Thanksgiving, things had gone pretty smoothly between the two of them so far. Then again, that was before the baby got added into the mix…

"This sucks," he complained then. "Both your parents are out. When I was invited over, I thought that we'd be…you know."

"I know what?"

"Like, messing around or whatever."

It was his turn to get a face made at him. "Owen."

"I did."

It had been over a week since their first time now. Coming up on two weeks in fact. And even less time since their second time. It wasn't like since she gave it to him twice in that one week that Owen thought that was going to be the norm or anything…but she's the one that started it. Now he'd just like her to continue it.

"I just don't…"

"Don't…?"

"Want to."

He blinked. "Oh."

"Not that I don't want you, Bear-"

"Of course not."

"I just don't want to have sex. Like real sex." She bit her lip, staring at him. "I don't…like it."

"Okay."

"I'm not-"

"You don't have to explain it to me." Owen was focused on his phone at that point, not able to meet her eyes either. "If you don't want to, you don't want to. I'm fine with, you know, just going back to what we did before."

"No, you're not."

"Bell, I'm not a liar." He smiled at her finally. "You should know that."

"I do."

"I love you," he told me. "I'm not going to force you or some shit."

"No cursing," she reminded.

"Oh, but we can talk about having sex?"

Again with the lip bite. That came to an abrupt end though as the baby began to whine softly.

"Uh-oh." She turned then back to the child, slowly lifting him from his carrier. "He doesn't smell."

"Maybe he's hungry."

"Well, here."

Owen frowned as she moved to go hand him the baby. "I don't-"

"You take care of your younger cousins. You've told me that before. You know more about babies than I do."

That was true. Still, Owen didn't really care for babies. Especially one he didn't know. "I don't-"

"Just for a minute," she reasoned. "While I make his bottle."

Owen frowned when the child was set in his lap. "How old is he?"

"A little over a year, I think."

"Can he talk?"

"He keeps asking for his mother. Or he keeps saying something that sounds like mama."

"Does he…live with her?"

"Mmmhmm." Annabel had gone over to the diaper bag then. "He was supposed to be with his grandmother today, but something came up with one of the houses she was selling."

"Are they nice? His grandparents?"

She hesitated and he noticed. "They're friendly to me. Kirsten knew Rogerson better than I do though. She told me once that his dad's a prick."

"And this Rogerson guy…he's…"

"I just told you he beat his girlfriend. Or he used to. I don't know if he still does. I guess he must be pretty nice if she got back with him and had a baby with him. I've only met him a few times, at his parents parties and things. I think Kirsten hooked up with him once or twice."

"It's not like that's an exclusive list."

"Owen."

"Honesty."

"Rudeness."

He just looked down at the baby in his lap who was still whining. Sighing, Owen shifted to bounce the kid slightly, hoping to calm him down.

"Do you know his mother than?"

Annabel shrugged. "I told you, Whitney knew her better. Caitlin. I've met her, of course. She's nice. Ricky lives with her parents, I think Mom said. I want to say she goes to the community college two town over."

"Bleh."

"What?" Annabel asked with a frown.

"Dad wants me to go there."

"You should. Until you figure out what you want to do."

"I don't want to do anything, Annabel."

"That's my point, Bear."

He just kept staring down at the little boy in his arms who was now sucking on his thumb. "He's not an ugly baby. A lot of babies are ugly."

"Owen."

"They are." He shook his head. "People are always say how cute babies are, but they normally aren't. Ugly would be a good word for them."

"Would you tell me then, if I had an ugly baby?"

"Would it be my baby?"

"Would it matter?"

He didn't much like the thought recently, of having a baby. It was kinda scary, really. "I suppose not. Honesty is honesty."

"Then you would tell me?"

"I've told you before, Annabel, that I'm not mean with my honesty. If you asked me if the baby was cute and it wasn't, I would say no. If it was mine, I would still care about it. It'd be mine. But if it's an ugly kid, hey, it's an ugly kid."

"When it's our kid though, you'll automatically think it's cute. You'll be blinded by love."

The thought made his head hurt. It really did. "I doubt that."

She just shook her head as she came over to him, a bottle now prepared for the baby. Ricky was old enough to take the bottle from her and hold it himself, which both teens were glad for.

"So what do we do with him now?" Owen asked. "Other than, you know, pray he doesn't pee or poop on our watch."

"Just make sure he's happy, I guess. I don't do much babysitting."

Owen looked down at the little boy who was fully focused on drinking from his bottle. "Does he have any toys in that bag?"

"Yeah. I figured I'd put him down on the living room floor so he could play with them. Then we can watch TV."

"I don't wanna watch TV."

"Then what do you want to do, Owen?"

"I told you what I wanted to do."

"Well, that's out now, so pick something else."

"Can we at least make out?"

"God, you're like a dog now."

He just stared at her. "Can I play videogames?"

"You don't have any over here."

"Your laptop."

Shrugging, she said, "I guess. If you want."

"Cool. Take the kid."

She made a face as he handed the baby off before jumping up. "Again, rude."

"Can I go get your laptop?"

"Bring it down here with the charger," she sighed as he headed off up the stairs. "Dinky."

He ignored that, not feeling like getting into it over something so silly. While in her bedroom though, he did take a moment or two to look for a specific jacket she had borrowed, as it was one of his heavier ones and there was supposed to be snow in the coming days. By the time he got down the stairs, he found Annabel had settled the baby on the living room floor, some of his toys splayed out in front of him.

"Took you long enough," Annabel said as he took his place next to her on the couch, careful not to step on the baby or his toys.

"I was looking for one of my jackets."

"Which one?"

"That red one that's kinda heavy, but not a coat. It's gonna be cold the next few-"

"It's in my car, which Whitney has." She shook her head at him. "She'll be here tomorrow. I'll get it then. Is that okay?"

"That's perfect." He smiled at her. "You're perfect."

She shifted up to him, leaning heavily against his arm. "Do you think I'm getting too fat?"

"What?"

"I don't work out at all anymore it feels like. And recently-"

"Bella, if you wanted me to compliment you, all you had to do was ask."

"I don't want you to."

"You're clearly fishing for compliments."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I'm not, Owen."

"I hate when chicks do that."

"I'm not just some chick."

"When they say that their fat or something when they know their not," he went on, not listening to her. "Like God, ooh, you gained, what, a pound? If that?"

"Quit being a dick."

"I thought we couldn't talk that way in front of the baby?"

"Shut up."

He just sighed as she sat up, moving away from him. Whatever though. She offended so easily. She was the one acting that way. Not him. Everything wasn't his fault. It wasn't.

Still, after ten minutes, Owen got bored of just playing games. Not bored as much as missing the feeling of Annabel leaning against him. Though he knew he had done nothing wrong, he knew it would take Annabel at least an hour before she started to come around to him again. She could hold a grudge over the silliest of things.

Scooting over closer to his girlfriend, he pushed her foot with his own. She just scooted even further away, shooting him a look. Owen just stared at her though.

"I'm cold," he defended.

"The heats on."

"Not hot enough for me," he told her. That was truth too. It was far too cold for him up North.

"Well, tough luck."

"You're not a very caring girlfriend these days."

"You just insulted me."

"I did not. You were fishing for-"

"I wasn't!"

"Fine. You weren't. Okay. Sorry." He went back to the laptop. "Besides, you're freaking hot, beautiful, and alluring."

"Yeah, well- Alluring?"

He nodded. "It's a vocab word."

"For?"

"English class."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "You're telling me you had never heard the word alluring before that?"

"Don't question me."

Sighing as she shifted against him once more, Annabel said, "I think the baby's having fun."

Owen looked over at him too, finding the child banging some of his blocks together. "As long as he's not pooping himself, I'm good."

"I'm not too good at changing diap-"

"No. I'm not doing it for you. No, before you even ask."

She frowned at him. "You're no fun."

"Changing a diaper is not fun."

"You should do it for me because you love me."

"I do love you," he said. "Not that much though."

"How much then?"

"I dunno. Give me a scenario."

"Mmmm…would you throw yourself off a bridge for me?"

"Yes," he said readily.

"Would you…set yourself on fire for me?"

"Yes."

"Are you just saying yes to make me happy?"

"Yes."

"Bear-"

"I love you. I love you very much. And I would kill myself if that's what it took to make you happy."

"You-"

"But you love me. And you don't want to see me hurting. So you would never ask for that."

"I might."

"Would not."

"You don't know that."

"I know you," he pointed out. "There for, I know that."

"There for. Alluring. You are not the same dinky Bear you were at school today."

"I am," he assured her. "Just without the word dinky."

"You are dinky."

"Am not."

"Are too." She leaned up then, kissing his cheek. "Agree with me because you love me."

"Okay."

"See how easy that is?"

They were both silent for awhile after that, Owen getting back into his computer game, Annabel splitting her attention between her phone, the television, and the baby she was supposed to be babysitting.

"Whose car is that?" Owen asked sometime later. He had happened to look up and see it parked out the huge glass front of the house. "Bella?"

"Hmmm?" She looked up from her phone, frowning at the extra car in the driveway. "I dunno."

Owen kept watching, no recognition coming to him as the driver got out. When a guy got out of the backseat though, he groaned.

"Rolly," he complained as Annabel stood to get the door. "Don't let him in."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"The other guy is Rogerson. Ricky's father."

Owen just made a face, not really up for meeting anyone, much less dealing with the drama his best friend always brought with him. Still, they couldn't very much keep the child's father out…or could they? Hmmm…

Still, Owen was only left to sigh as Annabel let the two other guys into the house, Rolly immediately heading into the living room to greet his best friend. Owen wasn't too thrilled with his friend at the moment though, as they hadn't had a very good week with one another. This mainly stemmed from Rolly, once again, breaking up with a girl and then acting like a jerk to his best friend because of it.

"Ah, here he is," Owen heard another voice say. Looking towards the doorway, he found Annabel leading that guy, Rogerson, into the room. The man just headed slowly over to his son, reaching down to lift the baby into his arms. "Been waiting all day to see him."

Annabel smiled at that before looking at her boyfriend. "Rogerson, this is Owen."

The guy hardly gave him a second glance, though that was more to the fact his son was tugging on his dreadlocks at that point.

"Hi," Owen greeted evenly as he stood.

"Yeah, Rogerson and I were hanging out when he said he needed to swing by here," Rolly was saying then, smiling real big for some reason. Honestly, just hearing his voice was giving Owen a headache. "I had to come and see Annabel. How close we are and shit."

Rogerson looked at the teen then. "A big spender, your friend here is."

Owen still just stared, something off putting about the whole situation. Annabel just looked to Rogerson though.

"Your mother said she'd pick him up at-"

"I'll call her later and tell her never mind. That I have him now." The man bounced his son who giggled happily. Still, Owen just watched, not sure what else to do.

"I dunno," Annabel went on, her tone giving off her hesitance. "Your mother said not to let him go with you."

"Really now?"

"Yeah. She told me specifically to only let him go with her."

"You really think she has the right then," Rogerson asked, his tone coming off as more interested than anything else. Owen wasn't buying it though. "To decide when I can see him, you think? Huh, Annabel?"

"Well, I-"

"'cause Caitlin's out in the car. I'm sure his mother and his father should get to be with him if they want. Would that be okay with you, Annabel? Should you call my mommy to find out?" Still, his voice didn't not waver from his tone. Owen did from his stance though.

"Knock it off," the teen said as he glared at the man. "I'm serious."

"Knock what off?" Rogerson still seemed at ease, but there was just something about him that Owen didn't like. "I'm just talking to her. Owen. Who are you again?"

"That's Owen Armstrong," Rolly spoke up. "He and Annabel are, like, dating or whatever. And he's about to get told to shut up by her, I'm sure."

"Shut up, Rolly," Annabel told him.

"See? I knew she was going to tell one of us to."

"Armstrong. Right."

"What?" Owen's eyes never left Rogerson's.

"I just know you now. That name." He looked him over. "I know Ronnie. The little prick you knocked out. And Cash. Everyone knows Cash."

"Everyone knows Cash," Owen repeated, glancing at Annabel finally. She wouldn't look at him though. "And apparently everyone knows you."

"Owen," Annabel whispered, but she no longer had his attention.

"Everyone knows me." Rogerson's gaze was level with him. "Do they? For what?"

"He's talking about dealing," Rolly said, trying to divert the situation from the way it was going. "'cause everyone goes to you for pot and shit."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Owen said, not looking at his supposed best friend. "And if you ever talk to my girlfriend like that, I'll make you wish it was still girls that you were beating up on."

Rogerson snorted at him, which would have given the old Owen enough reason to go over there and whip that smirk off his face. This Owen though had been through anger management and also had a girlfriend that would kill him if he hit someone. Not to mention the guy was holding his son at the moment.

"He's cute, this one is, Annabel," Rogerson said as he bounced his son. "I'll call Mom and tell her I got Ricky, huh? You've got enough to worry about, keeping this one down. Threats. They're so cute when they're teenagers, boys are."

No one said anything as he gathered his sons toys and diaper bag before leaving. Rolly was glaring heavily at Owen though.

"What the heck was that? Huh? Who the hell am I supposed to buy pot from now, Owen? Jackson Davis?" Rolly shook his head at his friend before quickly heading out of the house in a lame attempt to catch Rogerson, no doubt to apologize.

Once it was just Owen and Annabel in the house again, she spoke.

"I don't know what the hell you thought-"

"He's not going to talk to you that way."

"What way, Owen?"

"Disrespectfully."

"You-"

"I don't like him. I can just tell that he-"

"Well, guess what, Owen? You don't get to make all my decisions in life for me. You don't. You're not my bodyguard. You're my boyfriend. And embarrassing me that way in front of Rogerson? Not a smart move."

"Why are you trying to impress that prick? He's not your friend. You don't buy from him."

"He's the son of my parents' friends, Owen."

He blinked before shaking his head. "I guess I just don't see that as some big deal."

"That's not the point anyways, Owen. You were rude to him for no reason."

"He was-"

"He didn't do anything! You can't fight my battles for me for the rest of my life."

He just crossed his arms, looking into her eyes. "He's an asshole. And you're not going to be around him anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"You're not. You're not going to be around some guy that-"

"You're freaking psycho if you think-"

"I don't care, Annabel. You're not going to be around him or babysit for him kid. Any of that." He shook his head. "Understood?"

She snorted, staring hard at him. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"I am."

"God, you're freaking crazy, Owen. You don't control me. I-"

"You're not going to be around Rogerson anymore. End of story." He walked away from her then, heading off to the kitchen to get a drink. "You can't make good decisions for yourself. You've proven that."

"Don't you-"

"You trust people way too much," he said over his shoulder. "You give them too much of a chance too hurt you. I won't give them the slimmest of chances to do any harm to you. Ever. And I don't care what you have to say about it."

"Well, I've never wished I had sons more than now," Grace said as Owen and Rolly went to work unloading her car, having come all the way out to the garage to do it. "Though I'm sure by the time I finish getting the two of you fed, I'll regret ever thinking that."

"It's the least we can do," Owen told her as he lifted the grocery bags out of the trunk.

"And Rolly, I'm shocked to see you here. Are you staying for dinner also?" Grace asked as he headed into the house, his hands full of bags as well.

"I wouldn't want to repose."

"I believe you mean impose. And no, you wouldn't be." She smiled at her daughter who was standing on the garage steps, arms crossed, looking less than thrilled. "We'd love to have you. And Annabel, come help get groceries."

"They have them," she assured her mother who sent her a look. "Trust me."

"Well, where's the baby dear?" her mother asked as she headed out of the garage and into the kitchen as well, her daughter following. Owen just headed back into the garage to finish unloading the car, though he could still hear them both talking.

"His mother and father came to pick him up," he heard Annabel tell her mother. "And Owen fought with Rogerson."

"What?"

"I did not," Owen defended as he came into the kitchen as well, more groceries with him. "He was being rude to Annabel. And she told me about how he beat up his girlfriend. He's into going to talk to mine that way."

"Owen," Annabel hissed at him while her mother shook her head.

"What? He's not." He looked at Grace, for some reason feeling the need to confirm that he was right. She wouldn't look at him though as she began to taking the groceries out of the bags. "He was acting like a punk."

"And you weren't?" Annabel was glaring heavily at him then. "You embarrassed me, Owen."

"Better embarrassed then black and blue, right?"

"How come you can change, Owen, but no one else can?"

"I never said he couldn't. But that doesn't mean he's going to-"

"Knock it off, you guys," Rolly said as he brought the rest of the groceries in. Setting them down on the counter, he said, "Rogerson doesn't care about either of you or what happened here today. He's probably already forgotten about it. So why can't the two of you?"

"Why are you here again?"

"Owen, stop it." Annabel hit his arm, none to lightly. "You-"

"Annabel, honestly." Her mother frowned at her before looking to Owen and his friend. "You boys can go watch TV in the living room. Annabel's going to help me put these groceries away."

Owen could almost feel the blades his girlfriend was shooting at his back as he and Rolly headed out of the room. The second they were alone, Rolly whistled.

"Someone's not getting any for a long time."

"Shut up, Rolly."

"I mean, God, you just dig yourself in deeper and deeper with her. You knew she was already upset with you. Why did you-"

"Just shut up."

Sighing, Rolly took a seat on the couch. "Whatever. Can we watch the football game?"

Owen handed him the remote. "Watch what you want."

They were both quiet for awhile as Rolly got into the football game, Owen focusing mostly on calming himself down. After a moment though, he spoke.

"Do you know Rogerson well?"

"Biscoe? Yeah, I do." Rolly glanced around before lowering his voice. "He's been dealing to me forever. We're cool. He's a little OCD about shit though. Like whatever you do, don't track mud in his place. Honestly."

"Yeah, but I was talking more about-"

"So he hit his girlfriend. So what? You hit guys. No one holds it against you. Besides, she apparently liked it if she's back with him."

Owen shook his head. "I still don't want Annabel-"

"Like what? He's going to hit some random chick? You worry too much, bro." Rolly let out a long sigh. "What's for dinner anyways?"

"Fish, I think."

"What kind of fish?"

"I dunno. Fish."

Rolly sighed. "I wish her sisters were still here. They're hot."

"Shut up."

"They are." He let out another whistle. "Whitney. Man. You gotta tell me when she breaks up with that black dude. I'm next in line. Swear I am."

"Just shut up and watch your stupid game."

"Gladly."

Ten minutes had passed when Annabel joined them. She sat down in the chair though, away from both boys. Rolly hardly noticed her, but Owen just kept staring at her, pleading almost.

"What?" Annabel finally snapped at her after not being able to avoid his eyes any longer.

"Why are you mad at me?"

"Why? Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"You embarrassed me, then you got me in trouble with my mom-"

"You hit me," he pointed out. "Not the other way around."

"You guys just aren't going to be happy with one another today, are you?" Rolly glanced at Annabel before back at his friends. "Just don't talk to each other if you can't stop fighting. Either that or you should leave, Owen. Don't worry. I'm sure Annabel will be fine here with me. Just force my way into the family. I think it's very obvious that her parents like me better."

"You're about to get kicked out," Owen told him.

"I highly doubt you have that power."

"Never doubt me, Rolly."

"You're the one that's about to get kicked out, Owen," Annabel intervened. "Stop it. Now."

Slumping back against the couch, Owen weighed his options. He could just leave and probably spending the rest of the day having a lot more fun than he was having with Annabel at the moment. Still, he knew that if he left, that Annabel would just become angrier and that wouldn't do. So he sat there, ignoring the both of them. Besides, he would get fed if he stayed. That was always good.

It wasn't until Andrew got home and they were all sitting down for dinner that Owen even spoke again. It wasn't to his girlfriend either. She was sitting on one side of him, his best friend on the other, but he was actively ignoring both of them.

"The fish's good," Owen told his girlfriend's mother who just smiled at him. Andrew rolled his eyes along with his daughter.

"Thank you, Owen. I'm glad someone still enjoys my cooking," Grace said. "It seems like everyone else thinks only Whitney can ever cook anymore."

"No one has ever said that, Grace," Andrew said from the head of the table.

"Where is she?" Rolly asked then. "Whitney? Is she not coming to dinner?"

"Why, I didn't realize the two of you were so close." Grace smiled at him. It was finally Owen's turn to roll his eyes while Rolly just sat up straighter, grinning. "She doesn't live here though, dear."

"That's too bad. On Thanksgiving, she and I were having a very good conversation."

Andrew narrowed his eyes at the teen. "Were you?"

"Dad," Annabel complained.

Owen pushed his friend's foot under the table, wanting him to be quiet. He had been on relatively good terms with the Andrew for the past few weeks and didn't feel like having Rolly messing it up.

"The boy's right though, Grace," her husband said after a minute or two of silence. "The fish is good."

"Thank you." She didn't look at him though. She hadn't seemed too receptive to her husband recently. Annabel had told Owen that her parents weren't arguing as much recently, but by the same token weren't speaking much at all. It was bothering her and though he didn't want to tell her, Owen was almost certain that their marriage was pretty much through.

"It sure beats the pizza rolls I would've had at home," Rolly assured the woman who did spare a smile for him. As much as Owen hated it, Grace did seem to have taken a liking to his friend. It annoyed him greatly, but this happened frequently. People always like Rolly more than him, thought that he was more entertaining. And maybe he was. Probably.

"Surely you're not still home alone, dear," Grace said then.

"Oh, no, Mom and Dad are home. Mom doesn't cook much though. Dad either."

"Well, you're always welcome here."

Annabel reached over then, grabbing Owen's hand closest to her. He had been involuntarily tapping his fingers against the table, annoyed. When he glanced at her, she gave him a look before letting his hand go.

The rest of dinner was about the same. Rolly would crack a joke and then Andrew would give him a look. Owen would get annoyed and then Annabel would glare at him. After dinner, Owen wanted nothing more to get away from the Greene household. Annabel didn't try to get him to stay either. He and Rolly were gone the second they could be. Rolly was in a good mood still, but Owen was stonily silent the whole ride.

"What's up with you?" Rolly finally asked as they neared his house. "You've been ignoring me since-"

"Annabel is my girlfriend."

"Believe me, I know."

"Stop coming around her house."

"What?"

"You heard me." Owen gave him a look. "I have a hard enough time trying to get her family to like me. I don't need you mucking it up."

"I'm not mucking anything up! They love me."

That was the problem. "No, they don't. Her mother tolerates you and her father-"

"Bah. He just hasn't gotten the chance to know me yet."

"Why can't you just get your own girlfriend, huh? And stop acting like mine is your friend. She's not. You're my friend and she's my girlfriend. The two of you need to get along, fine, but you don't have to be friends. So knock it off."

"Oh, what? Are you jealous?"

"No." Was he? "I'm not. I just don't like-"

"You were fine with me hanging around before today. What? You're mad because your girl is all upset with you? Or because you got shown up in front of that guy? Rogerson? Is that's what's up?"

"Shut up, Rolly."

"You're such a chick, dude. That's why no one else likes hanging out with you."

It was then that they pulled up. And even when they did, Owen wouldn't look at his friend, too pissed off to trust himself not to harm the other guy.

"So that's it then?" Rolly frowned at the other guy. "Fuck you then. Jerk."

Owen drove around for some time after he dropped the other teen boy off. He didn't feel much like going home, honestly. The rest of the day had sucked so much that he really didn't want to find what was awaiting him back at the house. His mother caused him so much trouble recently that he didn't even want to have another talk with her. At the moment he didn't want to talk about anything with anyone.

Eventually figuring that he shouldn't burn up all his gas just because he was upset, he headed home, knowing it was best to face the music as soon as possible. When he pulled up though, he found that everyone in the house was in bed. His mother had been going to bed early recently, probably overspent from the day's activities. His sister was in bed too and Owen was actually glad for that. It helped him with that not talking to anyone thing.

Once he was in his room, Owen was faced with the dilemma of calling Annabel or not. He typically did at night, regardless of the fact that they spent the day together or not. Still, she wasn't exactly happy with him at the moment. Not to mention, he wasn't too thrilled with her either…

Stripping down, Owen climbed into bed, quickly falling into a deep slumber. It didn't last long though. It had only been about eight when he went to bed, an hour passing quickly when his phone rang. Groggily, he groped around the ground to find his jeans and pull his cell out of the pocket.

"'ello?"

"I just want you to know that I don't need you to pick me up tomorrow."

"Mmmm."

"It's Friday after all, so I won't have a show to worry about. I'd rather walk to school than go with you."

"Mmmm."

"You're a jerk. I'm not sitting with you tomorrow either."

"Mmmm."

"So don't talk to me. Don't call me. Don't-"

"Bell?"

"What?"

"Not that this isn't interesting or whatever, but I was sleeping. So can we just go ahead and apologize with out the hysterics and call it a night? You know as well as I do that tomorrow morning, I'm going to pull up to your house and you're going to get in. Then, at lunch, you're going to sit on the wall with me and, though we might not talk, you're going to share your lunch with me. So stop the games for just one fucking minute and let me sleep. God. In the morning, after I've slept, you can play all the stupid little mind games you want. Just tell me that you love me right now and I can say I love you too so that we can go to bed."

She was quiet for a minute and in that time, Owen shifted back onto his bed, snuggled under the covers, and shut his eyes. When she spoke, he was mostly asleep.

"I really don't like you most of the time."

"Yeah, well, tough." He let out a long breath. "I'm going to protect you, Annabel, from jerks like Biscoe. I always have and always will. You know that I'm protective."

"Possessive."

"Same difference in this case." He sighed. "Now can I go back to sleep or what?'

"It's not even ten yet."

"So? I'm tired. I have work tomorrow, you were really rude to me today, I-"

"I was rude to you."

"Yes!"

"Well, I see that situation totally different."

"And that's not surprising to me," he told her in full honest. "At all. It doesn't change the fact, though, that I'm tired and really just want to go to bed."

"Then why did you answer the phone?"

"Because I knew if I didn't, you would be mad at me."

"I would not have."

"Would too. You're always mad at me about something."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"It is totally the other way around."

"Is it? Totally is it?"

"Stop mocking me."

"Then stop calling me just to fight."

"I didn't call you just to fight. I called you to make up."

"By telling me how you didn't want to see me tomorrow? Oh, yeah, that was just you wanting to make up. Okay."

"Why are you so angry with me anyways?"

"Because you just called me and were acting like a-"

"And what about what you were acting like, Owen? Over at my house today?"

"I already told you, Annabel, you're not going to be around Rogerson. End of discussion."

"You're not my father."

"And I don't want to be."

"You're not going to control me, Owen."

"I'm telling you what you're not going to do. If you want to openly defy that, fine. Just don't expect my help when-"

"Oh, you think you call the shots now?"

"I don't think anything, Annabel." He was really tired then and just wanted her to hang up the phone. "And I'm going to bed now. I'm hanging up. You can continue yelling at me if you'd like, I really don't care. Just know that I won't be listening. Goodnight. I love you."

"You-"

Hanging up, he quickly turned off his cell before settling back into bed, where only an uncomfortable sleep awaited him.

He almost drove passed her, honestly. He had just glanced to the side to see someone walking down the street, rather quickly. Of course he immediately recognized her as he would recognize her anywhere. Groaning, he rolled down his window as he caught up to her.

"Get in the car, Annabel."

"No."

"Now."

"No."

He was hardly driving at that point, Annabel still walking at a pretty quick pace. "Get in the fucking car, Annabel. Goddamn, don't make me say it again!"

That got her. As he came to a stop, she hurried into the car, something in his tone causing her to do so. Even after she was in, they both just sat there for a moment, not speaking. Owen wasn't sure why he had suddenly gotten so fed up with her, but he had. Everything was a game with her. Everything. It got on his nerves.

Finally deciding neither had any words to say, Owen put the car back into drive, not even looking at his girlfriend. She was staring straight ahead, only putting her seatbelt on as an afterthought. Owen's music was playing softly in the background, some kind of poetry with hardly any beat at all. Neither moved to turn it up or turn it down though.

"I wasn't going to let you walk to school, Annabel," Owen said eventually, knowing the two of them couldn't honestly go the whole time without talking. Well, he couldn't. Annabel probably could. She was pretty good at ignoring others. That's how she dealt with most her problems after all.

"You didn't have to snap at me."

"I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry."

"And you're not?"

"Let's just go to school, Owen. And then we can spend the rest of the day avoiding each other. You'll go to work later and I'll spend the day with my sister, maybe. Then tomorrow I might call you or something. I don't-"

"Stop being dramatic."

"What's wrong with that plan, Owen? You work tonight."

"And? I'll still call you after. I always call you after. And we're going to see each other at lunch. And I'm going to text you all through the day when I get a free moment. And I'm not going to stop thinking about you once. I'm going to think about how much I wish that it was the weekend already so I could take you home with me and we could make out and snuggle and play videogames while eating fish sticks and fries. That's what I'm going to be thinking about all day. Because I'm in love with you. Completely and utterly."

"Shut up, Owen. Just not today, alright?"

He left it at that, figuring only time would make her forgive him at that point. Or at least soften up her anger. He knew better than anyone how his girlfriend could hold a grudge. She was great at it. He just wished she'd try it out on someone else sometime.

Neither spoke to each other when they got there. They didn't even look at each other. She went her way and he went his. Sure, through out the day he sent her a few texts as he said he would, but she wouldn't reply. And then at lunch, of course she sat with him. Annabel didn't have the balls to pull off a stunt of sitting with James and them. She just didn't.

Still, their lunch was silent. She just sat there next to him on the wall, hardly even glancing at him as she handed off some of her sandwich and chips. Owen thought about just talking to her anyways, but really didn't feel up to the challenge. Everything about Annabel was a freaking challenge. He liked being with her, of course, but all the drama that came along with that got on his nerves sometimes.

It wasn't until after school that Owen saw Annabel again. And even then she was just waiting in the Land Cruiser for him, like usual. Owen was silent when he got in, not sure if they were on good terms again. When it was clear that Annabel wouldn't speak to him, he just started the car and turned his music up. If she wasn't going to be kind to him, he wasn't going to be to her.

By the time they pulled up to her glass house, Owen had had about enough of the silence however. As Annabel was unbuckling her seatbelt, he turned in his own seat before moving to kiss her, lucking out that she was facing his way.

Annabel, shocked by this, pulled quickly away from him, frowning. "What are you doing?"

"I love you." He unbuckled his own seatbelt before moving to get closer to her. Reaching out, he tried to cup her cheek, but she turned away. "Bella, stop it."

"I'm going, Owen. You can call me-"

"No." He grabbed her arm when she tried to leave. "Bella-"

"Let me go, Owen."

He immediately did, though he still stared heavily at her. "I can go in with you. I don't have work for a few hours. Two hours, I mean. And I could-"

"How hard is it to get, Owen, that I'm upset with you?"

"I get it," he told her. "I just don't like it. You're my best friend, Bell. I don't function well when you're upset with me."

"I am not your best friend."

'You are." He reached out again, this time grabbing one of her hands. Laying that hand against his chest, he forced her to lay her fingers flat before saying, "I want to makeup. Tell me what I have to do to get you to makeup with me."

"Apologize."

"I'm sorry," he said on command. "I'm sorry that I made you upset. I am. I don't mean to, you know. I just do sometimes, 'cause I get so worked up. That's what I get. Worked up over you. 'cause I love you so much."

She clinched the hand on his chest, bunching up his t-shirt in the process. "You have got to stop trying to manage my life."

"Okay."

"I'm your girlfriend," she told him. "Not your child or pet. You can't control me."

"I know."

'I'm going to make my own decisions."

"I know."

She kissed him then, lingering only for a moment. Even when she pulled away, she kept her grip on his shirt.

"You can stay?" she mumbled to which he nodded. "Then let's go upstairs. It's cold out here."

"Very cold," he mumbled as she finally let him go. "I can't stay long though."

"Before you could."

"Before I would have been late to work just to make sure that you weren't still upset with me."

"You haven't made sure yet," she told him as she finally got out of the car. "Come on, let's go."

Owen was quick to get out of the car, trailing behind his girlfriend into the empty house and then up the stairs to her bedroom. He wasn't sure what she was planning on doing, but he sure knew what he wanted to do.

"Come lay down with me," Annabel ordered after collapsing on her bed. "Bear."

He immediately did as she said, moving to lay over her, his fingers immediately poking her sides. Annabel squealed predictably, trying to get away from him.

"I love you." Owen pressed an open mouth cheek against her cheek. "Mine."

"Yours." She stared up into his eyes. "Bear."

"Do you think we can…?"

"Owen-"

"I've just been doing some thinking."

"Dangerous territory for you."

"Just…maybe it's my fault."

"What's your fault?"

He shifted to his side on the bed, Annabel moving to do the same. "That you don't like it."

"Owen, we've had sex, like, two times."

"I know. And you didn't like either." He looked off. "Maybe I should, like, do more for you first."

"Do more for me?"

"Like mess with your boobs or something."

She just looked hard at him. "Has anyone ever told you how awkward you make things?"

"Well, would it help or not?"

"I don't know, Owen."

"In porn-"

"I swear to God if you start talking about porn again, we are so done."

He let out a long sigh. "I just want to make this good for you."

"We have the rest of forever to figure all that out." She pressed a hand against his chest again. "Unless you know something I don't?"

"I don't think I know anything at all."

"You know some things," Annabel argued. "I mean, you know how to catch fish with your paws straight from the water."

"What?"

"I was making a joke, Owen," she said, frowning at him, "Bears catch fish. You know, 'cause you're my bear."

"I'm your bear," he mumbled before moving to press his lips against forehead. "For the rest of forever."

She kissed under his chin. "For the rest of forever."

So yeah, it's pretty obvious I reread Dreamland this past week. It's only fair that I included Rogerson. I freaking love him. One of my favorite Dessen guys, but everyone hates on him. So yeah, hitting Caitlin was kind of bad and yeah, he was like a total pot head, but I mean everyone makes mistakes. Albeit not as of mistakes, but hey.