"Dinner was so good, babe. You know exactly how to cook a good meal."

Jade smirked as her cousin scowled at the flattering remark from her husband. "Andy," she nudged him. "We got take out. I didn't cook." April's hand fluttered over the abundance of delivery food. Chinese, pizza, Mexican, and the last remains of a steak covered the table. Various amounts of each were left in their respective containers. Half a pizza was in danger of narrowing down to a quarter of one as Andy reached for one more bacon slathered slice.

"That's right. Man, you know how to pick a good meal." Andy grinned adoringly at his wife, finishing the pizza slice in just a few quick bites. April rolled her eyes playfully, but she grinned right back.

Drake couldn't say he minded having the two over. As irritated as he was at Jade's abrupt family visit, he had ended up not entirely hating it. Josh had already been on his way back out of town, so he missed dinner, but April's husband Andy was pretty cool. Silver linings had to be found somewhere, right?

As dinner faded into conversation, Drake leaned back in his chair. He slipped a glance at April. He had caught her icy glare throughout the meal. Whatever grudge Jade held against him seemed to be shared across her family. Not for the first time, he had to wonder what he had done to make her hate him so.

Noel sat next to him, still picking at her salad. The only healthy thing on the table stuck out among the mass of fried fast food. She nudged Drake, setting down her fork. Her eyes darted to the kitchen. She picked up her plate, and he followed suit, clearing his own place as the others conversed.

"I need to ask you something." Noel dropped her plate into the sink, letting it fall with a clatter. She turned around, leaning on the edge. "What did you do to Jade?"

"You've noticed the tension, huh?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. "I wish I knew. But whatever it is, April certainly knows."

"Maybe you should ask her." Noel shrugged. "This whole thing is getting weird. I don't like how it stresses you out. I don't like how it stresses me out." she admitted with a sigh. "Whatever this vendetta is… it should end. Soon."

It wasn't the first time the pair had talked about Jade's hatred for Drake. He knew it wouldn't be the last. "I've tried. Believe me."

"Okay." She didn't want to pry. She just wanted peace for her boyfriend, and for it to come quickly. She left a quick peck on his lips. "I've got to head out. See you later?"

"Yeah." He nodded, following her to the door. She picked a fortune cookie off the table, opening it just before she left.

"There is a bold and dashing adventure in your future." She read.

"It's already here." Drake left a long kiss on her lips as she left with a smile. "Bye."

"Get a room. Elsewhere." Jade hissed.

He turned back, ignoring Jade's comment and caught Andy admiring his Les Paul. "You like that one?"

"Hell yeah!" Andy grinned. The guy seemed to have that expression permanently plastered to his face. Maybe he carried all the joy in the relationship, and April carried all of the serious, Drake reasoned. It wasn't impossible. The pair was like a dog and cat. One all play, and one considering the best way to murder you when you weren't looking.

"Go ahead." Drake nodded toward the black beauty, his guitar catching the light perfectly. "Give it a go."

"Really?" Andy's eyes widened. "Thanks, man!" He reached for the guitar, slipping the strap over his shoulder. He played a few chords, testing the sound. "This is nice!"

"It's my favorite. Gibson Les Paul Traditional Pro II. I've had it for ages." Drake folded his arms over his chest, enjoying Andy's excitement. "Play one of your tunes."

Without hesitation, Andy dove into one of his classics. "Spread you wings and fly!" His voice wasn't terrible, but his playing was at least better than his singing.

Suddenly, Andy ceased playing. "Oh my god, you know what, you should come play with my band sometime. You know, if you're ever in Pawnee. We're called Mouse Rat and we're awesome. Or we could come here. Play a new side of the world."

"That could happen." Drake mused. "Or, you know, it couldn't."

"Yeah!" There was that wide grin again. "Yeah, whatever happens happens."

X

Wine poured into a glass found its way to April's lips as she watched her husband and Drake chat by the guitars. Her bored brown eyes flitted back and forth. "Jade," she sighed. "I hate to tell you, but maybe you should let your thing go."

"My thing?" Jade's eyes heated up.

"Look. . . just, I don't know. Move on. I mean, Carly did. You really shouldn't be holding on to something she probably doesn't think about anymore."

Jade's face twisted into a scowl. "Look who marriage made mature."

"Ew. No." April's eyes rolled back to a level Jade could only dream of. "I guess we could kill him and bury his limbs in six different states."

Jade raised her glass to a toast. "I always knew we were family."

X

Drake felt a cold finger trace its way up his spine. He turned briefly to see Jade's chilling expression, and April's cold eyes above her wicked smirk. Unsettling.

"Hey, uh, Andy?" Drake asked. "Do me a favor, and don't let April stop by any graveyards on the way home?"

The ever present grin fell. "Aw man. She had tickets for a tour and everything."

Drake couldn't shake the feeling she was looking for his final destination.

X

"He's easy to scare, isn't he?" April's lips curled as she toasted her cousin. "You must have fun with him."

"He hates it." Jade was proud of her work. "And I truly, truly enjoy it."

"But, seriously," April met Jade's eyes. Her expression shifted from darkly serious to earnest. "I don't like seeing this eat you up. The guy's a jackass who did a bad thing. Have your revenge, and move on. Bury him in a lake, I don't care. Just save yourself. You're a truly evil person, and that makes you one of the last few good ones in this life. I don't want to see you stuck in a past that isn't even yours. Okay?"

Jade shrugged. She heard April's words, but she wasn't ready to accept them. She still remembered the hurt Carly experienced after Drake had cheated on her. All those years ago she had sworn to get her revenge. Now she finally had her chance.

X

As Drake watched the girls chat, only half listening to Andy jamming out to his song 'Sex Hair,' he found himself lost in a nearly forgotten memory. Three girls, partying at his parent's house, all his exes, all brought together by his sister Megan. Three exes, chatting it up about him. The consequences couldn't end well.

His thoughts lingered on the girls. Who had they been? Christine, the blond. Lucy, the girl he had fought to see if guys or girls were tougher. She had been amazing. It had ended up being a draw. He chuckled, remembering how much fun they had had while going out.

The third girl… she hadn't been an ex. She had been his girlfriend at the time.

A pang of regret crossed over him as he remembered who she was, and how it had ended.

He still felt such sorrow over his actions. She had never forgiven him, he was sure of it.

She had been such a terrific girl, and he had thrown everything they had away for someone who just was hot for the moment.

Carly.

She had been literally the perfect girl.

"What do you think?" Andy's voice broke through Drake's thoughts, shaking him back to the present in a rude awakening. "You in, dude?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"Awesome! It's going to be a hell of a show."

Carly.

He still missed her, in the times he dared to think about her.

Across the room, Jade laughed at something April said, catching Drake's attention. For the first time, he noticed just how similar she was in appearance to Carly.