I was supposed to meet Liam in like twenty minutes, and J.J was still not awake. I had tried to climb out of her bed as quietly as I could, but there was no point. She was deep asleep, and almost nothing could wake her.

After our little talk last night, we had spent almost the entire night with making out and talking more. And I loved it. It was so different from whatever I had with Olivia, and I loved that. I loved that new feeling I had with J.J.

I grabbed a quick breakfast, even though I should probably call it lunch, and then lingered in the kitchen.

"Mom, I need to talk to you about something. About J.J," I manned up after a moment. But I chickened out again. "She's still gonna live here, right?"

I knew the answer, but it was the only thing I could think about at the moment that was about J.J.

"Of course she is. If that's what she wants, she's not going anywhere."

"Good, good," I mumbled, chewing on a piece of bread. Mom seemed in a good mood right now, and I wouldn't be home until tonight. And I promised J.J I would talk to Mom today.

"I gotta go, but there's one more thing I need to tell you," I said and jumped down from the table.

"You looked serious," Mom turned to look at me from where she was standing, making lunch.

"It is, sort of. You're probably not going to like it very much, but don't yell." I took a deep breath. "J.J and I are more than friends."

C'mon, I could say it better than that! But at least now I had said it. And Mom looked shocked. Surprised. Not angry, but it might come.

"More than friends?"

"You know what I mean."

I knew what she wanted to ask. The question was written all over her face. And I wasn't going to talk about sex with my mom. Not a snowballs chance on that one. This was awkward enough as it was.

"Okay. I'm going to talk to her about this, and from now on both of your bedrooms door will be open. Not just at night, but all the time."

If it wasn't going to get worse than that, then this had worked out wonderful. But I might need to warn J.J about Mom wanting to talk to her.

"I'll see you tonight," I called as I walked out the door and headed out. I picked up my phone and texted J.J. I told her to avoid Mom the best she could, and that I'll see her later.

I met Liam at his place, and we were there for a few hours before we headed out to meet some other friends. We watched John's basketball game and then we decided to grab something to eat. So we headed toward the center of this town.

We wanted pizza, but as we walked past Subway we saw Jenna and J.J inside. We changed our plans, and ordered food there instead. Neither J.J nor Jenna saw us before we sat down beside them.

"Loose the grin," Jenna told Liam, who laughed. They might be twins, but I had seriously never seen them argue. And I had known them both for six years.

I looked at J.J, who still looked tired. Her hair was in a braid, and she hadn't put on any makeup today. She still looked amazing.

Her eyes were at my food.

"Mom was making lunch when I left; I guess you didn't eat any?"

"Shut up," she muttered and I laughed.

"Did you talk to Mom?" I teased, knowing she really didn't want to talk about it.

"I met her, and she might have talked to me," she said, almost glaring at me.

"What?" I heard Liam interfering us, and both J.J and I told him it was nothing.

We sat there for a while longer before the four of us walked to our place. Mom wasn't home, and neither was Keith. So we had the whole house to ourselves.

We decided to watch a movie, and we sat in the living room this time. The TV, and the couch, was bigger, and the chance of being so close to each other I might grab J.J and kiss her was smaller.

I had felt that urge since I saw her at Subway, and man, I wanted to hold her.

As Mom and Keith got home a few hours later, both Liam and Jenna left. The silence at the dinner table was almost awkward, and I was sure that Mom had told Keith about me and J.J. They were both glancing at us, and it felt like everyone was watching every single move I made.

As we walked upstairs again, J.J followed me into my room. I ignored Mom's words and closed my door. J.J took a seat in my window, and I sat down opposite to her so that we were facing each other.

"What did Mom talk to you about?" I asked after a few moments.

"She wants me to start with birth control. I understand her, because Mom would have been the same."

"What did you tell her?" I pressed my lips together, because I could all too well imagine that conversation.

"That this is all very new and that we would take it slow. That birth control isn't needed right now. Then she pretty much let out a breath of relief."

"So that pretty much covers what she so obviously wanted to ask me before," I said, knowing that was settled. And I was sort of glad that I had missed that part of the conversation.

"What did she say to you?"

"Not much, really. She didn't even give me a big reaction. She just told me to keep our bedroom doors open at all time."

"And we're already breaking that rule," she chuckled, and then sighed.

"Did I ever tell you that you did great yesterday? It must have been hard, but you looked… graceful. Amazing. I felt proud of you. If it would have been Mom, I don't think I could have handled it that good."

Every word was true. I seriously couldn't imagine my life without Mom. I didn't want to. She was pretty much all I had for five years of my life before she met Keith, and then he entered it. But Mom was still one of the most important people in my life.

She had raised me alone for a long time. She never exactly told me why she left my Dad, but she knew who he was. She would tell me if I ever wanted to know. I wasn't sure I wanted. I had done fine without him for seventeen years, and I honestly didn't need him in my life. Besides, he didn't even know that Mom was pregnant when she left.

'Hi, my name is Dean Campbell. My mother left you seventeen years ago, and I'm your son. Surprise.' Yeah, that could never work out in a good way.

"I always knew that we someday would get the call of Dad's death. I think somewhere, deep inside, I've always been ready, if you can say that, for his death. I've always known I would live without him at some point in my life. And I lived without him for a year, without knowing if he would ever wake up. That was harder. Now I know, at least. He won't come back. This is hard too, of course it is, but… I don't know how to explain it."

—-

I wasn't concentrated on the handball game in front of me. None of us were. We had already played, and now it was only ten minutes left of the school day. And gym. And then there was only three days left before our October break.

I glanced toward the floor from time to time to see how J.J was doing, but she always seemed to do fine so I returned to the conversation.

It had been almost two weeks since her father's funeral, and since we had that talk. We still hadn't gone much further than kissing, but that felt great. It felt good to take it slow with her.

We still hadn't gone to the public eye yet, but Jenna had noticed a few of the hickey's I had given her. She had asked J.J about it, but all she said was that she had met someone. She wouldn't tell her who it was, though. So Jenna had talked to Liam, who had talked to me. I told him the same thing. J.J had met someone, but she hadn't told me who it was because she wanted to take it slow and not ruin the pace of the relationship.

I heard some shouting, and then there was screaming. It wasn't for long, but it sounded painful. So my head, and the heads of all the other guys, turned towards the floor.

J.J was on it.

I almost flew off the bleachers where I had been sitting, and hurried toward her. She was still on the floor as I reached her, and I quickly saw why. Her right leg was… dislocated. Like, a lot.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jenna and Emily roared at Olivia, and I had a feeling that she was the reason behind all of this.

Liam reached us as the teacher did, and J.J winced as the teacher touched the leg.

"It's dislocated," he stated, and I almost snorted. Liam did.

I watched J.J closely as the teacher asked her if she was alright.

"It hurts, but I've been through worse," she said through clenched teeth. I believed her. She hadn't been injured many times, but when she was, it was bad.

She might have walked out of the car accident without a scratch if you compare to her family, but it was still bad. She had broken ribs, a broken wrist; her left leg was sprained…

Before I even had the time to think about it, someone had called an ambulance. I could have taken her to the hospital, and it probably wouldn't take long. But the ambulance was already on it's way…

And it didn't take long before it arrived. I followed outside when the paramedics carried her to the ambulance, and I tried my best to get into the ambulance with her.

"I'm her boyfriend," finally worked. I don't know if anyone was close enough to hear, but I really didn't care.

"What the hell happened?" I asked as soon as I got inside.

"Your ex-girlfriend tripped me," she said sourly and I cursed. Olivia had actually stopped following me, so I thought it was over. Apparently, it wasn't. Now she was after J.J. But why? What the hell was her problem? Why couldn't she just leave me the hell alone? Because this was obviously a way for her to try to get to me. And man, it was working.

"We have to reduce it," one of the paramedics said, and I grabbed her hand. They wouldn't have time to give her painkillers, so it would hurt. But pulling the ankle back into place would take away some of the pain she felt now. Believe me, I know. I had to live through it a few years ago.

She winced as the paramedic put his hands on her foot, and I tried to get her attention. In any way. The first thing I could think about was her guitar.

"You're working on a new song, right?" I asked and she nodded. In the corner of my eyes I could see the paramedic nod at me. I had to calm her down.

"What's it about?"

"You know you won't see it until it's done," she answered me, and I heard the pain in her voice.

"I'd prefer to hear it," I told her honestly. She was amazing. She had been singing since she could talk, I think, and she was one of the best out there. According to me. But she wasn't going to commit anymore to it than she already did. It was a hobby of hers. Because in both heart and soul she was a photographer. And she would reach far someday. If she didn't, there was something wrong with people.

Before she had the time to answer me, the paramedic pulled the way he had to, and J.J screamed again. I know she tried not to, she hated to show herself weak, but she failed. And I could literally feel her pain.

The paramedic nodded again, and I knew he had managed. He took out a splint, and just a minute later we were at the hospital.

She was taken into the x-ray immediately, and as I had to wait I saw both Liam and Jenna in the waiting room. They had our stuff. I had seriously forgotten about the fact that we were wearing shorts and t-shirts.

"Is she okay?" Jenna asked, and I shrugged.

"I don't know. They had to reduce the ankle in the ambulance…"

"Ouch," Liam cut me off and I nodded. He had been through the same thing.

We sat down in the chairs, and an hour later J.J came limping out of a room. Apparently, and thankfully, there wasn't a fracture. But the ankle was sprained after the dislocation. She didn't want a cast, so she had compression bandages on the foot and she was also given an ankle brace to use.

—-

I watched as J.J sat in the window with her guitar. She played some chords, and then wrote down some words. It was true what she said earlier today; she wouldn't let me hear the song.

As I watched her I heard my phone beep, and I took it up to look at my text. I stared at it for a long time before J.J asked me what it was about.

"It's not possible," I promised her as I tossed her my phone. It wasn't possible, and J.J knew that. Well, I explained why it was impossible. That's why she took it calmly. Sort of. She looked angry, but so was I. Olivia couldn't just lie about something like that. It was wrong, and she knew that. But she did it.

J.J couldn't focus on the song anymore, and she put her guitar down. She put the guitar in the window, and slumped into the couch that stood right under the window. She placed her legs over my lap. She gave me my phone back, and I placed it on the couch next to me.

She scooped closer, and looked thoughtful.

"Don't tell me you believe her," I murmured and she looked up into my eyes.

"No, I believe you. But still… why is she doing this? Why is she claiming that she's pregnant?"

Lying, was the correct word. The text said that she was eight weeks pregnant, and it was impossible. We always used protection, and she was on the pills. And eight weeks ago… She wasn't even in this country then. When she got back, six weeks ago… I never slept with her between she got back and I broke up with her. And I didn't sleep with her for over a week before she left either. So if she was pregnant, than I couldn't be the father like she said. And she should have brains enough to figure out a better lie if she really wanted me back.

"She's been trying to get me back ever since I broke up with her."

"Why haven't you told me?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Can't we just forget it? At least for tonight?"

I would take care of this tomorrow at school.

When she didn't answer me, I reached for the guitar and gave it to her.

"Play something," I murmured. I hadn't heard her sing in a while, and I missed it.

She straightened herself up and thought for a second before she found the right note and started playing. It wasn't one of her own songs, but it was one of her favorites. It was a good song, and I loved how she had slowed it down for her own version of it. I loved the raspy edge of her voice that she always had when she sang this song, and she didn't disappoint me this time either.

When she was done, I lifted her so that she was sitting in my lap. I wrapped both my arms around her as she put the guitar on the floor. She leaned her forehead against mine, and then our lips met for a few seconds.

"I was thinking about something," she murmured. "These two weeks we've had together… I'm starting to appreciate new things about you."

"Like what?" I asked her, meeting her eyes.

"Like how don't push me, and actually takes it slow with me. The way you touch me, the way you kiss me… Who would have thought you're such a good kisser?"

She smiled smugly, so I knew she was just teasing.

"And I'm really starting to appreciate the way you look in these jeans. Especially your ass."

I laughed at her comment, and pressed another kiss against her lips.

"Jeans or not, your ass always looks great," I promised and she chuckled softly. "I'm starting to appreciate new things about you as well."

"Like what?" she repeated my question.

"Like the way your lower lip sometimes trembles for a quarter of a second when we break a kiss, or the way they are slightly parted when you really wants to kiss me. Like right now."

She pressed her lips together, and I chuckled at her reaction. I raised my hand to her face to cup it gently, before I pulled her face to mine.

"You know what I appreciate more?" she asked when our lips lost touch. "How fast I was able to fall for you."

I leaned away half an inch to look at her properly. To see how serious she was. Her eyes were intense, and I could see that she had meant what she had said.

Without realizing it, I held my breath as I waited for her next words. Because I could tell that there would be more.

"I love you." Her voice was just as intense as her eyes, but at the same time it was very small and almost whispered.

I had to think about her words for a second before I actually understood them. I had been waiting to hear them for over a year, and now when I finally did… I had never imagined them so sound so good in my ears. I had wanted to say those words so many times to her, especially since that first real kiss, but when I almost said the words, she told me not to. And after that time I had waited patiently for her to say them, wanting to say them to her.

And now I finally could.

"I love you, Freckles," I murmured back and smiled before I leaned down the short distance to meet her lips. I captured her lower lip between my lips and sucked on it gently. I pulled her closer to me, and I wanted to stay in that moment forever.

Who cared about Olivia and that she claimed that she was pregnant? Who cared about what she did to J.J earlier today? Who cared that we had an exam tomorrow? Life was great. Love was great.

Our lips lost touch when I needed the air, but I let my lips trace over her skin. Her jaw, her throat, the crook of her neck… My lips wandered up to her throat again, where I sucked on her skin gently. I knew it was going to leave a mark, but that's what I wanted.

J.J chuckled softly as soon as she realized what I was doing.

"This is like the fifth hickey in two weeks," she stated and I let go. I glanced at the fresh hickey on her throat, realizing it might be hard to hide it. But I didn't care.

J.J might, though.

"It's only fair if I'll give you one," she added, and I met her eyes. I thought about it, and to be honest; she was right. But man, it's weird if a guy has a hickey. Maybe not weird as much as ugly.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" I changed the subject.

"How can I forget?" she murmured back.

"You scared me to death, y'know that?"

She laughed at my reply, and asked me why.

"I was all new in town, and I'm expecting everyone to be mean to me. First day at school, and from a dozen differents seats in the classroom, you sit down next to me. Without hesitating. You scared me, and I'm still wondering why you choose to sit next to me."

"You looked so lonely. I knew everyone had someone to sit next to but you, so I sat down in the seat next to yours."

"Thank god I looked so lonely. Without you, I probably still wouldn't be knowing anyone," I chuckled and she placed a kiss on my lips. She was the one who had introduced me to Liam. And Jenna. She already knew them, and we were all invited to her seventh birthday.

"Yeah, thank god for that," she murmured back and smiled softly with a beautiful smile.

—-

J.J took my hand and together we walked to school. Mom had told her that she didn't need to go, but J.J wanted to. It was just two days left until a break for a week, and it wasn't like J.J to skip school. Even though she would have to limp to it.

As we reached school, she didn't drop my hand like she usually did. We hadn't mentioned it last night, but I figured she was ready to take us one step longer. To show us as an official couple. So I squeezed her hand harder.

We met Liam and Jenna outside, and it was easy to notice where their eyes went – to J.J's and my hands twister together. They glanced at us, and then at each other. But they didn't say a word.

Olivia walked past us without looking, and J.J muttered the word 'bitch' under her breath. But it wasn't low enough for us not to hear it. Both Liam and Jenna stared at J.J in shock. They weren't used to hearing the fierce tone in her voice. And neither was I.

It was hard to get J.J pissed off, but Olivia had succeded.

"Ignore her. I do," I whispered and squeezed her hand tighter. I felt J.J relax a little by my side, but it wasn't much.

I would take care of Olivia later, but right now all that was on my mind was J.J.

"It's not that easy. Especially not when she's tripping you in front of the entire class."

I heard Jenna and Liam laugh quietly, and then we moved inside. J.J took the usual seat in front of me, and Liam took the one next to me. He picked up his phone.

I knew it was coming, and just a second later I got a text from him.

'Dude, what's with the hand holding?'

I wrote a quick answer, telling him that we were together.

'The hickey's?'

So he hadn't seen the new one, because I knew what he meant with that.

'Put one and two together, and you'll get it' I wrote back and I almost laughed as I watched his shocked expression.

'Seriously, two weeks? Why the hell haven't you told me!'

'I'm tellin' you now.'

'Yeah, yeah… So what's with J.J calling Olivia a bitch?'

"I'll tell you later' I promised and put my phone down as the teacher walked inside. A little help from Liam could always be good. We had always had each others backs.