Winter Freeze

Chapter 9

"So what? Are you just over here every day or something?"

Owen made a face at Lucas as he came into the living room. "No. Sometimes we're at my house. And sometimes I work."

"Ah, the life of a high school kid."

"What are you doing here anyways?"

"Kirsten's going to Skype with Mom today," Whitney sighed as she came in the room behind her boyfriend. "Discuss wedding things. She wanted me to be here."

"Oh."

"Where's Annabel?"

Owen looked back at the TV. He had once again brought some of his videogames over, this time sinking hours into the newest one Annabel had gotten him for Christmas.

"In the kitchen," he said. "She's making pizza rolls."

Whitney rolled her eyes at that for some reason. "I'm going to be here awhile, Luke. I don't think Dad's here, so just hangout, okay?"

"Cool." He went over to the couch and sat down on it, as Owen was sitting in the chair. "And then we get to go to the party, right?"

"If you really want to."

"It's New Years Eve, baby. That's what you do. You go out and party. Get drunk, fight, make up, pass out. Welcome in the fresh start."

"You're so stupid."

"New year, new me. Take a good look, babe. Might not even be the same person in the morning."

"I really don't think it works that way."

It was then that Annabel came back in the room, more than just pizza rolls with her. Following along behind her was Rolly, who Owen hadn't been able to get rid of that day. But boy if he didn't try.

Last year on New Years Eve, Annabel and Owen had hung out, so he figured they would be doing the same that year. The only problem was that Rolly had no plans and thought that they could all spend that time together. Yeah right.

"Hey, Whitney, Lucas," Annabel greeted as she came into the room.

Lucas looked up at that grinning big at Annabel. She didn't blush, but she did quickly change the subject.

"This is Rolly," Annabel said as she went over to Owen. In his lap she sat the plate off pizza rolls. "Rolly, this is Lucas."

Rolly glanced at the older man before frowning over at Owen. "Oh. Hey."

"What's up?" Lucas was more concerned with the pizza rolls. "Whitney, can you bring me food too?"

"No."

"Your sister is a way better girlfriend than you."

Whitney hardly glanced at her younger sister as she headed towards the kitchen. "She's still young. She'll learn."

"So," Rolly said then as Annabel headed of to follow her sister. Slowly, he sat down next Lucas on the couch. "You're, like, Whitney's friend or something?"

Owen rolled his eyes while Lucas just pulled out his cell phone and began texting.

"Or something."

"Like something serious or-"

"Knock it off, Rolly," Owen told him as he sat the plate of pizza rolls on the coffee table. "Seriously."

"What? I am getting to know him." Rolly sat up taller. "We're going to be pretty close, you know, me and him. I'm pretty close to this family after all."

"Are you?" Lucas glanced up at that. "Uh, what are you again? A cousin or something?"

"No. I'm Owen's friend and Annabel's, like, best friend."

"Her gay best friend or-"

"No."

"I totally think you are."

"I'm not."

"Seems like-"

"Could you both shut up?" Owen shook his head. "I'm trying to play-"

"Dude, is that all you do is play videogames?" Lucas made a face. "It's like every time I see you, that's all you're doing."

"Considering every time I see you, all you're doing is fighting with your girlfriend-"

"Oh no, they're fighting. And to think, I really wanted us all to be friends so we could hangout all the time." Whitney came back into the room then, her sarcasm lost on Rolly as he just stared openly at her. She was focused in on Lucas. "Can you stop bothering the high school kids for a minute and listen to me?"

"All ears."

"Put your phone down."

"No fair," he complained as he pocketed it. "Fine. All hands."

She just stood in front of him, looking far from amused. "Apparently, Kirsten has something to do, so we're stuck over here until she's free."

He groaned. "Do you really have to be here to talk with them? Can't they just fill you in later? Or something?"

"If you want to leave, you can."

He frowned as he looked down at his watch. "The party doesn't start for, like, another two hours. And even then, who goes when it first starts? So yeah, let's stay here. For life. Let's move in. It'll be great."

"Knock it off." She made a face at him. "If you want to leave, leave. Go find something to do for two hours. See a movie or something. I don't care. I really-"

"Sit down," he sighed, reaching out to grab both her hands in his own. "I'm kidding. You wanna stay here? Fine. I can't work today anyways."

"That does suck, doesn't it?" She sat down in between him and Rolly. "I'm sure the bar's going to be packed tonight. You could get a lot of tips."

"I don't think my boss likes me."

"Your bar is never that busy anyways," she said with a sigh. "Besides, now you get to be off and be with me."

"You wouldn't have sat up at the bar all day with me? Watched me work? Get turned on?"

Rolly made a face when Whitney smirked slightly, leaning into her boyfriend. Owen just shook his head, focusing back into his game. It was then that Annabel came back into the room, though she quickly went over to Rolly and shoved his shoulder.

"Up," was all she said, taking his spot when he vacated it.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" Rolly complained.

"Floor."

"I feel really underappreciated here."

Lucas pulled back out his phone. "So what do you guys do all day? This?"

"What do you do all day then?" Owen retorted. He didn't like the way Lucas keep demeaning them. He really didn't.

"You're real cute, kid," he said with a sneer. Whitney hit him in the chest though, as seemed to be her normal way of telling him to behave. "One day I'm going to backhand you for all this abuse. And no one will get mad at me, once they see how you treat me."

Whitney just looked at her younger sister. "It's New Years Eve. You guys aren't going out or something?"

"No."

"You guys mentioned a party," Rolly said as he sat down on the ground in front of the couch, quickly taking the plate of pizza rolls with him. "Can we go with you?"

"It ain't a party for you," Lucas told him simply, still texting on his phone. Whitney glanced at the screen then, to see who he was texting, before rolling her eyes.

"Meaning what? It's like an orgy thing?"

"Rolly, you're about to get kicked out," Annabel told him, making a face. "God, why did Owen even bring you?"

"I didn't," Owen told her. "He drove himself here when he found out I was here."

"I missed you guys. I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time. Like a long, long time. Don't you guys feel that way too?"

"I feel like it hasn't been long enough," Owen told him.

"I didn't go to the show the passed two Sundays," Rolly went on. "And I've been working a lot, so-"

"Where do you work?" Whitney asked him then.

"You know that guy that gets hit when you take those women defense classes? That's me."

She stifled a laugh then while Lucas smiled.

"Really?" Whitney asked him. "How did you get that job?"

"Just filled out the application."

"And you didn't think that maybe it wasn't the best job? I mean, you couldn't, like, work at a fast food place or something?"

"I meet lots of women."

Lucas laughed that time while Whitney just leaned against him, smiling.

"What do you do then?" Rolly asked Whitney.

"I'm just a receptionist for a law firm."

"See? You meet lots of boring people. I meet women."

"You meet lots of old women, I'm sure," Lucas said.

"Older," Rolly clarified. "So what? Did you just fill out an application, Whitney?"

"No," she told him with a sigh. "My father knew some people."

"Then see? My job is way more honorable than yours."

"You get kicked in the crotch by women that pretend you're going to rape them," Owen pointed out. "That's either bad porn or just a shitty job."

"Or really good porn, depending on who you are."

Whitney hit Lucas again. "Shut up."

"My bruises are, like, so big. Swear. I look battered."

"My heart, it breaks."

"Kiss it and make it better."

"No."

Annabel looked at Lucas then, who did that stupid eyebrow thing again, making her blush. Whitney, seeing this, elbowed her boyfriend, making a face at her sister. Annabel just looked at Owen, who was still staring at his videogame.

"Hey, Rolly, was it?" Lucas spoke to the teen then. "How do you get into one of those class? 'cause I've got a woman in my life that I need to defend myself from. Freaking God, Whitney. You do realize that when you hit someone, it hurts, right?"

"Stop messing with my sister."

"I'm not messing with her," he complained. "Am I, Annabel?"

"I don't-"

"Stop talking to her too."

"God, you're bossy."

"Stop flirting with my sister."

"I'm not flirting with your sister." Lucas scooted away from her when she tried to hit him again. "Annabel, am I flirting with you? No? Gee, really?"

Owen finally just got up to turn off his game after saving it. "Come on, Rolly."

"Come on and what?"

"Me, you, and Annabel are going to get lunch."

Annabel was still just staring at her sister. When Whitney glared at her though, she jumped up.

"Yes, okay, let me go get my shoes," she said as she ran off up the stairs.

"Don't leave me with her," Lucas complained as Whitney hit him again. "Babe, I was serious about stopping that. Hit me again, see I don't hit you back."

With more space on the couch, Whitney willingly scooted away from him, sending a look his way while she was at it.

"Where are we gonna eat lunch at?"

"Shut up, Rolly," Owen said as he headed to the front door to get his coat and shoes. His coat was a new one that, as mentioned to him before, Grace had bought him for Christmas. It was really nice too. And fit real good. "I mean, seriously."

"What? I think it's a very important question. I don't want to have to eat somewhere stupid."

"Why? You are stupid."

"You're really mean to me for me to be your best friend. I mean, sheesh."

"You're not my best friend."

"I am your best friend."

"Completely not."

"Totally am."

"N-"

"Where are you boys going?"

They both looked up as Grace came down the stairs, a slight frown on herself.

"Lucas and Whitney aren't bothering you, are they?" she asked softly, as not to be overheard from the living room.

Rolly saved Owen from having to lie.

"Oh, no ma'am," the teen said with a shake of his head. "We're just going out to lunch. Annabel's coming with us."

"It's snowing pretty hard," she said as she looked out the glass front of the house. "Are you sure you just don't want me to make you lunch?"

"That's okay," Owen said as Annabel came down the stairs as well. "We don't want to be any trouble."

"You wouldn't be," she insisted. "I have to make myself lunch."

"We're just gonna go out for awhile, Mom," Annabel said as she came to stand by Owen. "Alright?"

"If you're sure. Come back though, boys," she said then, turning to walk into the living room. "I'll make you dinner tonight. Unless you had plans."

"We don't," Rolly said readily, no doubt thinking about the meal in question. "Thank you."

It wasn't until they were out in Owen's Land Cruiser that he and his girlfriend spoke to one another.

"I can't believe you, Annabel."

"What?"

"You cannot…like him."

"I don't."

"Oh, bull."

"I don't. I just think that he's, you know, very nice."

"You blush when he-"

"He did a very suggestive eyebrow thing. I would blush if any hot guy did that."

"So you admit it. He's hot."

"Oh God, Owen, you tell the truth all the time. You know that he's hot."

He shook his head. "I don't think he is."

"There you go again. Lying."

"I am not lying! I just don't think that he-"

"You are too." Annabel glanced behind them then, at the backseat. "Is Lucas hot?"

"Yes," he agreed, though he was frowning also. "You know, Owen, you could have told me her boyfriend was hot. Getting my hopes up and shit."

"I didn't do-"

"Ew, you like my sister?" Annabel asked, frowning.

"Hell yeah. She's fucking sexy," Rolly said with no abandon. "Sorry, Annabel, but if she came on to me, I would totally do her."

"Dude."

"What, Owen? You would too."

"Shut up. Would not."

"Ew. Be quiet." Annabel frowned then, turning back around. "God, why do I ever talk to you?"

"Because you're secretly in love with my body."

"Dude, do you want to be kicked out of the car?" Owen frowned at his friend in the review mirror. "Seriously, knock it off."

"You guys are no fun. So what? Annabel thinks Lucas is hot. I want to fuck Whitney. Owen wants to fuck Whitney. Who cares? Who seriously cares? It's fucking funny, really, how seriously you two take life. Like your lives are that important. They're not. No one would care right now, other than your families, if Owen hit a car and you both died. No one. Seriously, no one. You're worthless. And yet you treat everything so seriously. And me, the one person that gives a damn about both of you, that loves the shit out of both of you, you treat like an idiot. Like a valueless idiot. Well guess what, guys? I actually have friends. Real friends. Friends that I can party with on the weekends and hookup with sometimes when I'm feeling horny. Guys that think I'm funny and girls that will sleep with me. I just hangout with the two of you out of pity. Out of honor. Fucking honor! So you know what? Fuck you. Fuck both of you. Especially you, Annabel. I'd fuck you very, very hard. Fucking hell."

It was silent in the car for a moment before Owen just shook his head and moved to turn up his music. Annabel leaned against the car window and Rolly focused in on his phone.

They didn't really talk over lunch. And when that was over, they promptly took Rolly home.

"You guys are back soon. And where's the funny kid?"

Owen ignored Lucas as they walked into the living room. He was still on the couch, watching TV then, while Whitney had stretched out on the couch as well, her feet placed in his lap. From the looks of it, neither of them were having a very good time either.

"What's wrong with you two?" Whitney asked when her sister came into the room as well, taking in both their sullen faces. "And what happened to Rolly?"

"You off him?" Lucas asked, though he would look at either of them. It was pretty obvious to Owen that while they were gone, Whitney had made it clear that the teasing her sister was not cool and wouldn't be tolerated. Lucas always made faces at women when they entered. He was clearly restraining himself. Apparently, teasing Annabel and Whitney wasn't worth it anymore. "Or he just not like me as much as I liked him? He was cool. We'd have taken him to the party, had he really wanted to go."

Annabel only looked at her sister though. "Did Kirsten already-"

"No. She's being a bitch and it's getting on my nerves," Whitney said, shifting on the couch. "And Lucas is being a butt about wanting to leave."

"Am not. Just bored. I was promised a party and right now all I'm getting is your stinky feet in my lap." He finally looked at Annabel, but he quickly looked off. "I don't know Kirsten yet, but she's starting to look really high maintenance."

"Get used to it," Annabel said simply before looking at Owen. "Did you want to go up to my room?"

He glanced at Lucas, who was being glared at by Whitney for some reason, before nodding. "Yeah."

"'kay." She just turned and headed off, Owen quick to follow. Something had been off between them all day and it was only beginning to show more and more.

"You wanna watch a movie?" Annabel asked as they made it into her room. "On my laptop?"

He just went to sit down on her bed. "Are we really that bad to Rolly?"

Sighing, she went to sit next to him. "Maybe."

"I dunno though, 'cause he's really shitty to us sometimes too."

"Not really," Annabel said softly. "He mostly just gets on your nerves and then makes sly comments about how hot I am. He's actually pretty mild. He's just annoying is all. And he doesn't mean to be."

"He just gets under my skin. A lot. He's like a little kid."

"He's not mature," Annabel corrected. "But neither are you. You're both still growing up. We all are. You can be nicer to him at times."

"And you can't?"

"I can be a lot of things," she said slowly. "I don't have a lot of friends, Owen. And Rolly's always been really nice to me. Even when he's mad at me or is upset with something I've done, he's always treated me right. Because I'm your girlfriend. He's a good friend. To me and to you."

Cupping her cheek then, he pressed a lingering kiss to the side of her head, before nuzzling her neck gently. Annabel tensed at this, turning away from him slightly with a slight smile.

"Why don't you blush for me?" He kissed her neck. "Or are you not embarrassed by how you feel about me?"

"I don't feel anything for Lucas, Owen."

"You think he's hot."

"I do."

"Oh, Bella."

"You think Whitney's hot," she pointed out. "Don't you?"

He let out a long sigh. "She's very…nice looking, yeah."

"She's hot."

"I don't think about her though. I think about you."

"You think about other girls," she told him. "You watch porn, don't you?"

He kissed her neck again, holding her face when she tried to turn away. "You blush for me now."

"It's not like I want to talk about you watching porn."

"You've never looked at-"

"God, no."

"Don't lie. Everyone has once, right?"

"No."

"You've never-"

"No, Bear."

He let her go then, sighing. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

"I'm not, like, stupid," she told him. "You're eighteen. You're going to watch it. I just don't like to think about it."

Owen moved to lay down on the bed then, shifting to lay up near the pillows on his side. Annabel moved to fall onto her back next to him, turning to look at him as he laid a hand over her stomach.

"You're comfortable," Owen whispered as she snuggled against him. "I love you."

"I know."

"I just…" He let out a long breath. "I'm not Lucas."

"Obviously."

"I mean, I'm not hot. At all. And he's all…muscular and your sister thinks that he's hot and you think that he's hot and it's not fair! I mean, yeah, okay, sometimes it's just genes and yeah, I'm sure he freaking works out all the time, but I do stuff too. Not workout or anything, but I-"

"Calm down." She laid a hand over the one he had placed on her stomach. "Just take a breath, Bear."

He let one out, slowly. "I'm just always afraid that you'll, like, realize what a loser I am and leave me."

"For my sister's boyfriend?"

"You know what I mean. Not him, but someone."

She only sighed. "What did they do to you in Arizona, Owen, that killed your self-esteem so much? Huh?"

"I just want to know that you'll always want to be with me."

"You don't get guarantees like that in life, Owen. You just don't." She sighed. "And you're going to have to get used to Lucas. I think Whitney plans on bringing him around a lot now."

"You think? I figured she wouldn't want to, that she would want him around your dad too much."

"Dad's going to have to grow the hell up."

Owen grinned at her then. "Why are you so defensive over him anyway?"

"Dad?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "Lucas. Why do you want your sister to be with him so badly?"

"Because, Owen, I've dated a lot. Kirsten's dated a lot. Whitney, like, never gets to be with a guy. Ever. It's not fair. If Lucas is willing to be with her and she wants to be wit him too, then why not? Whitney's not, like, sixteen or something. She's twenty."

"I see your dad's point though."

Annabel raised an eyebrow, as the two of them rarely ever agreed on anything. "Oh?"

He nodded. "He, like, funds all your two sisters lives. I can see how he'd think that he should have some say in it then."

"He offers them the money, Owen," Annabel told him with a frown. "Would you take down money if your mother was going to just give it to you?"

"Yeah, Annabel, if I was trying to live independently."

"You would not."

"I would too," he said. "If they want your father to take them seriously, then-"

"You don't get it."

"You don't get it," he argued. "People don't live with their parents forever."

"They're not-"

"They basically are."

"So if Whitney was in college and they were paying for her dorm room?"

"That's different."

"That is not different."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"You're stupid."

"Excuse me?"

Owen took a deep breath before shaking his head. "Let's just…watch a movie or something. You wanna do that?"

She sat up then. "Yeah. Whatever. Let me get my laptop."

As she got out of bed, Owen's phone vibrated. Pulling it out, he frowned when he found it was a text from Rolly.

"Rolly says that he's sorry and wants to come over for dinner," Owen said then as Annabel sat back down on the bed, her laptop in her hands.

"Are you going to let him?"

"No," he said, making a face. "Why should I?"

"Owen, I thought we just agreed that we need to be nicer to him."

"We do," he said, nodding his head. "But we don't need to act crazy or nothing. Rolly can spend some time reflecting on his mistakes."

"Bear-"

"It's our last New Years Eve of high school."

"And?"

"Every little memory counts."

Rolling her eyes, she settled back down ont eh bed before asking, "What movie do you want to watch?"

"There's a pretty good documentary on the formation of-"

"No band crap or concerts on DVD." She snuggled against him while logging onto her computer. "We're watching a love story."

"Bella-"

"Every little memory counts."

"Yeah, yeah."

As the night wore on, Andrew showed up, though he and Grace quickly departed for some party his business was having. Whitney and Lucas left too, though Kirsten never did get in contact with her mother and sister. Whitney and Grace both told Annabel that should Kirsten call, she needed to tell her off for them. Or, well, Grace told her to tell her how rude she had been and Lucas and Whitney had told her to tell her to go fuck herself. Owen laughed at that last one and assured them he would gladly do that.

In the end, Annabel and Owen ended up downstairs once more, snuggled up on the couch, while watching yet another movie. They still had a few hours to go before midnight though and eventually got distracted with one another, focusing more on making out than the movie.

"Are you still mad at me?"

When Owen asked that, Annabel pulled back from him slightly, shifting on the couch to stare at him.

"What?"

"Are you?"

"No," she said slowly. "You were the one that was all mad because I said that Lucas is hot."

"I'm not mad at you."

"Then no, no one's mad at one another." She ran a hand across his cheek. "Do you think Whitney's hot?"

"Annabel-"

"Let's just be honest. I think Lucas is hot."

He let out a slow breath. "Rolly always calls her, like, the hottest sister."

"What do you think?"

"I think I love you."

"You know you love me," she corrected. "What do you think of Whitney?"

He paused for a moment, shifting to scratch the back of his neck. "Well, she is hot."

"She is."

"And, like, pretty."

"Beautiful."

Owen nodded slightly. "But she's not you."

"She's prettier than me."

"Is not."

"Owen."

He just sighed. "It's just…I want you. Not her. She's not-"

"You would get along a lot better with her."

"What? N-"

"You guys listen to the same music, you think the same, you-"

"So what?"

"So, music is, like, a big deal to you."

"A very big deal," he agreed, moving closer then to cup her cheek. "But she's still not-"

"What makes me better for you than her?"

"Annabel-"

"Tell me. It's just a question. My God."

He let out a long breath. "Your sister's, like, extremely high maintenance. In a way that I could not put up with. I mean, you need attention, but she's overkill for me. And Lucas only seems to like it because he uses it to tease her. I'm not like it. You pout sometimes or get upset, but that sulking crap? I don't do that shit. I don't care how hot you are."

Annabel relaxed some then, smiling at him. "She is kind of bratty."

"No, you're kind of bratty," he corrected. "She's just a pure brat. Spoiled brat."

"Bear-"

"She is," he told her. "And Kirsten's worse. I would definitely choose you. Every time."

"But what if you were just going to, like, hookup with one of us. It would be Whitney, right?"

"Why do you play these games?"

"Owen-"

"If I say no, you'll accuse me of lying. If I say yes, you'll get mad. So tell me how I'm supposed to win. Or is it impossible?"

"I'm just-"

"I know what you're doing. And yeah, Annabel, if I was that kind of guy or whatever, I would sleep with Whitney. She is hot. But I'm not and she's not interested in me, in the slightest."

"And Lucas isn't interested in me."

"That is totally different."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"It is not, Owen," she told him. "I think Lucas is, like, hot, okay, fine. But I'm not going to do anything with him. And he's not going to do anything with me."

"Right. 'cause he already got the hottest sister."

"Owen!"

"I was joking. God."

She just glared at him, now angry. "Well, it wasn't funny."

He sighed, glancing over at the movie before back at Annabel. "So…are we gonna do something tonight?"

"Like what?"

He just stared at her. "You know, like, mess around or something. We are alone."

"Owen-"

"We haven't done anything in over a week."

"I don't-"

He leaned forwards then, kissing her neck. "I have a condom."

She groaned. "Bear-"

"Or we could just touch." He ran a hand up her thigh then. "I like that too."

"You're really pushing it."

He kissed her neck again. "If you just want to watch the movie, that's cool."

"That's a lie," she said. "If you were cool with just watching the movie, you would have never brought this up."

"No. I-"

"Mr. Honesty, should we change your name now? After all the things you've admitted today?"

He let out a slow breath. "I just thought we'd have sex is all, everybody being out and everything."

"I thought we agreed we…wouldn't anymore?"

"No," he said slowly. "I said we could do other stuff. Sometimes. That would imply that we could have sex too. Sometimes."

"Owen-"

"It won't get any better if you don't give it a chance."

"You mean you won't."

He frowned at her then. "If you don't want me, Annabel, that's fine."

"Can't we just hangout anymore? Like, when we first got together, we'd just spend time together. Now you always want to, like, mess around or something. Either that or play videogames. We never just talk anymore."

"We talk."

"Not like we used to."

Groaning, Owen shifted away from her. "Then what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't want to talk about something specific, Owen. I just want to talk."

"I'm sorry, what are we doing right now?"

"You just don't get it."

"Fine. I don't get it. Whatever."

It wasn't lost on Owen that once again they were at odds with one another that day for, probably, the thousandth time. It was like they would make up, only to find something else to be angry with one another about. Some days you just couldn't get it right.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

Owen made a face at Rolly. "Look, if you're going to be like that then-"

"You were mean to me for no reason."

"You blew up at me for no reason."

"There was a reason I blew up at you."

"Oh yeah? What was it?"

"You were being mean to me!"

"There was a reason I was mean to you."

"Oh yeah?"

Owen nodded. "Because you're an idiot."

It was the next day and, after spending that horrible day with Annabel previously, Owen figured he should spend some time with his other friend. It was either that or stay home and clean with his mother, which was totally out. Ew, cleaning.

"I'll have you know that my mother is here and she totally agrees with me that you and Annabel are mean and that if you're going to continue this behavior, I should find other friends."

Owen made a face. "You told your mom on me?"

"Well…no. I-"

"You totally did."

"Did not," Rolly said, opening the door all the way before crossing his arms. "I spoke with my parents about why I was so upset. One adult to other adults. And if they happen to agree with me, which Mom did, then hey, that's your problem."

"You really think you're that much of a catch that I'm going to change the way I act to keep you? What are you, Annabel? I mean, God, dude, you're not giving me head or something. We just hangout. You think I can't find someone else to do that for me?"

Rolly looked off. "Well…yeah. And I'm not giving you head either, so-"

"I wasn't asking you to!"

"I feel you were. Sexual harassment much?"

"You cannot be serious."

"Well…y-"

"Knock it off with that well stuff, alright?" Owen just stared at him for a moment. "Do you wanna play videogames or not? 'cause if you don't, I can go home and play by myself. I don't need you."

"I don't need you either."

"Good. Then-"

"But…" Rolly let out a long sigh. "If you come in, I'm sure Mom'll order us some pizza. So…yeah. Come inside."

Owen glared hard at him for a moment. "Maybe I don't want pizza."

"Then what do you want?"

"Chinese."

Rolly shrugged. "That works too."

"Alright then."

"Fine."

So that was how they ended up in Rolly's living room, a bag of Doritos between them on the couch as Rolly hung upside down from it, Owen sitting on the other side intently staring at the TV screen.

"So she's pissed at you?"

"Not pissed," Owen said, not looking away from the screen. "Just…annoyed, I guess."

"Why won't she just have sex with you?"

"I don't know."

"Are you really that bad?"

"Rolly."

"Well, are you?"

"Shut up before I knock you off the couch."

"This is why I tell my mom on you."

"So you did rat on me. You little nark."

"Sometimes I need to vent, okay?" Rolly squinted at the screen. "Are you, like, small or something?"

"I was serious about shoving you off."

"Maybe she's just not attracted to you anymore."

"Really am serious."

"Maybe you guys just spend too much time together," Rolly suggested then. "I've told you that before. I really think you guys are. You see each other constantly. And when you're not together, you're texting one another. I mean, I like nachos. A lot. You know this. But I can't eat nachos everyday. I mean, I could, for awhile. Then I would hate them."

"You drink a coke everyday," Owen pointed out. "You still like it."

"Yeah, because I drink other sodas too."

"Are you saying-"

"I think you know what I'm saying."

"That I should see other people?"

"No, I was leaning towards we should kill Lucas and then I should screw Whitney. But hey, we all interpret the world differently."

Owen groaned. "We discussed Whitney too last night. Since you had that stupid little meltdown, she made me admit that I wanted to sleep with her."

"You do, right? So what's the issue? You're the one that says honesty will set you free."

"I told her the truth."

"And are you any freer?"

"No."

"Then maybe you've been wrong all along and I've been right. Not that I was expecting it." Rolly laughed then. "So, seriously, when can you hook me up with Whitney? Or Annabel? Really leaning towards either one right now."

And that's how Rolly ended up shoved off the couch. Yep.