The month of love brought changes for everyone. Towerz started dating the cutest little niner, Liberty. Amy found new romance at a motocross race, leaving Sean fresh on the market. And Tracker had made it clear to June and Jay that time was ticking, and he wanted his living room back soon.

June was in the school media room after hours, alone, trying to find a solution to her problems.

How to get away from an abusive parent without involving the law

How to avoid foster care

How to kick a parent out of your home

How to live alone at 17

How to be independent at 17

Can I marry at 17 without a parent signature

Can I-

"Hon, you should really be home at this hour."

June closed her tab in a panic. "Paige? What are you doing here?"

"Spirit Squad practice runs until five." She shook a pom-pom for evidence. "I should be asking you the same question. And where's your little loser gang? You guys seem to be inseparable from what I've heard."

June started packing up her things. She didn't need this right now. "They're my friends, Paige. Don't call them losers."

"Aren't they though? I mean, they steal from the school, smoke in the parking lot, total burnouts." Paige's french-tip manicure caught the light as she flicked her wrist.

Juned leaned back in her chair as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Paige, if you went through half of what we've been through, you wouldn't judge so hard." She explained. She wanted to keep it civil, she didn't need a fight right now.

"We? Who's we? I know what your life is like, we grew up together." Paige made a slightly puzzled face. "You're better than those criminals."

June scowled as she flung her book bag over her shoulder. "I'm really not, Paige. And you don't know anything about me." June left the media room, shoulder checking Paige on her way out.

Paige scoffed as she put her hand on her hip. "Whatever you say, June. I was just trying to be nice."

June turned back to her. Walk away, June. Don't let your anger get the best of you. She ignored the warning sirens going off in her head. "I don't need your fucking kindness, okay? Stop talking to me!" She shouted. She could feel her face getting hot with anger. Paige stepped down, but whether it was out of fear or indifference June didn't know.

"Gladly," The blonde said, pulling out her cellphone. There was only one front door, it made sense that Paige probably didn't want to go the same direction as June. June took the opportunity to storm her way to the parking lot.

Once in her truck she pulled out a pack of Camel crush cigarettes and squashed the bead between her fingers before lighting it. Paige was a mild nuisance at worst, her real issue? Where the hell was she supposed to live?

That night, on the pull-out couch once again, June shared her concerns. "He wants us gone, Jay. I can see it on his face. Everytime Sean gets in trouble he blames us for it. It's like I can see him actively regretting his decision to let us stay."

Jay lazily patted her forehead. He had done this song and dance before. Leaving the house at 15 makes one experienced with those sorts of things. "So? Why try to read his mind? If he really wants us gone he'll kick us out and we go from there."

June scowled. "Stop being so prideful, Jay-"

He scoffed. "I'm not the one being prideful, Junebug. You're the one who can't take the ego blow of getting kicked out. In case you haven't noticed, we aren't exactly in a position to be saving face right now." He was right and he knew it. June grumbled into her pillow. Jay could feel her anxiety. She went from one environment of fear and uncertainty to another that was only slightly less so. He didn't know her entire life story, what it was like when her mom was around, but he knew that she hadn't felt at ease in a long time. And he knew that type of unease ate away at your soul. "I get it, okay?," He continued, "You know my home life wasn't exactly the definition of stable, either. But if-"

"When," June interrupted.

"If," Jay reiterated, "He kicks us out, it's gonna be okay." They were getting uncomfortably close to a level of vulnerability that Jay wasn't sure if he could handle. He had kept a guard up in most of his relationships up until then, even Lexi. Sure, she knew about his circumstances, but he always managed to keep that vulnerable part of himself, the mature part that cared about others and secretly wanted— well he kept that to himself. Deep down under layers of sarcasm and apathy.

"How do you know?" June rolled over to face him and Jay almost lost it right then and there. Her pouty lips and doe eyes looked up at him with so much trust that it made his heart ache. Sure she was a badass, and effortlessly cool and apathetic and all the things Jay respected in a person, but at the end of the day she was more like an angry child than anything else. He knew from subtle body language and tonal shifts that through her facade all she really wanted was to feel at peace. See, people didn't think Jay could pick up on that sort of stuff but he always did. Being emotionally intelligent and letting other people know you were emotionally intelligent were two different things.

"Because you got me, okay?" The words fell out of his mouth like a child being forced to apologize to their sibling. It was like a small hole opened up around his heart and real feelings gushed out before the paramedics could patch him up.

June smiled at him, big and genuine. There was a look in her eye like she knew how hard it was for him to say what he said, like she understood him. It made him melt even further. "Thank you, Jay."

He absolutely lost it.

Without hesitation Jay grabbed her face and crashed his lips into hers. She pursed her lips in surprise, but then quickly smiled against his lips as she put her hands over his own. She was quick to barge her tongue into his mouth. She was honestly a terrible kisser, but he didn't care. She could have had dentures and no bottom jaw and bad breath, and the kiss would still be top 10 moments in Jay Hogart's life. They made out for a few more seconds until June pulled away with a silent giggle and turned around to face away from him. She was such a tease in the cutest way possible. He pulled her body towards his own and held her tight. He never wanted to let go.

But of course morning had to come eventually. He woke up to the sunlight stinging his eyes and June wriggling out from his grasp. "I have to brush my teeth," she mumbled into his arm. Jay tilted her face towards him for an open mouth kiss. She happily obliged.

"Tastes fine to me," He joked as she pulled away. She smacked his arm.

"You're so gross." She finally escaped his wanting arms to pitter patter to the bathroom. He slammed his head against the pillow in frustration as he saw her butt jiggle in her pajama shorts.

Two weeks had passed since that night, and Jay was starting to question his gender identity. He found himself wondering girly thoughts like What are we and I wonder if June is gonna let me make out with her tonight. Absolutely pathetic. At least June seemed reassured by their pre-kiss conversation. Her mood had improved considerably and she had stopped fidgeting as much when Tracker was home. She had even let him get to second base a few times, which he was always happy to do. What Jay really wanted was to rip her clothes off in the back of his Civic and go to town, but he respected her too much to try and pressure her into anything. Hence all the girly questioning and wondering. How lame. He was a man, dammit! If he wanted something, he was supposed to reach out and take it. Hell, that's how they even started this whole situation to begin with, Jay being a man and just… kissing her.

Jay sighed and turned the tap to cold, his hormones were out of control. Cold showers at 17 years old? What was he, a junior high kid who just discovered the boob tube? He desperately needed to get laid. As he soaked himself under the cold water, he made a goal for maybe the first time in his loser life: He was going to make a move, and soon.

June really liked kissing Jay. She liked letting Jay touch her boobs. She liked when he slid his hands up her thighs and she liked when he grabbed her ass. What she didn't like was when he stopped before they got to any of the real fun. Sure second base was cute, for junior high maybe. But they were 17. She knew for a fact neither of them were virgins, and Jay's refusal to even get anywhere in the general vicinity of her waistband left her feeling on edge every time they made out. Sure it was only a couple of weeks since their first kiss, and maybe more mature individuals would find it smart to label things before they went all the way, but June didn't care about being mature and she didn't care if they were total strangers. She needed this man.

"I can't believe you're making me help you with this. He is my ex, you know? What happened to girl code?" Alex said in jest as they perused through the discount rack at LaSenza. June had come up with the perfect plan to seduce Jay, all she needed were the right supplies.

"Oh come on, Alex. Like you care about girl code." June rolled her eyes playfully. She was trying to keep her voice down so the sales associate didn't notice the two teens in their big jackets in the clearance section. Anyone with a brain would have realized they were attempting to shoplift, but luckily no one with a brain was looking.

"What about this one?" Asked Alex. She pulled a black and red leopard print bra with matching panties off the rack. June smiled.

"Oh my god it's perfect," She whispered. She quickly shoved it into her baggy jacket pockets and loudly complained. "Ugh, there's nothing good here. Let's try Trivium." She stormed out and Alex followed her. Once they were out of the store the girls did a victory high five.

"Alex, you would have stopped me before now if he was bad in bed, right?" June asked.

"Oh come on, June. You can't get cold feet now, you already committed a minor felony to sleep with him." Alex joked. "And he's terrible, by the way." She winked at June as June's mouth fell open.

"Alex, stop!" She squealed, playfully hitting her friend.

"Just the smallest micropenis you've ever seen, I don't even know how he goes to the bathroom with that thing!" Alex cackled as June chased her towards the food court.

"Hey, I left something in the car," June nudged at Jay, "Gimme your keys." They were in the ravine celebrating a Leafs win with the gang and some other randos that Jay knew.

"Okay fine," he handed her his keys, "Just make it quick." He was sitting in a lawn chair smoking a joint.

"Of course. If I'm not back in two minutes, come looking for me, okay?" She pecked him on the cheek and Jay saluted lazily.

"Will do, Junebug."

June tried to play it cool as she made a beeline for the black Civic. As soon as her ass hit the leather seats, she scrambled as quickly as she could to get out of her clothes. She didn't bother to untie her boots, she simply pulled them off and tossed them into the front seat. Her coat, jeans and sweater quickly followed as she checked her hair in the rearview and applied a coat of lip gloss. She tried to make a sexy pose in the backseat. Jay wouldn't know what hit him.

"June? Junebug!" Jay shouted as he made his way towards the line of cars parked outside the ravine. "Fuck, where did she go off to?" He said under his breath. He couldn't deal with the idea of one of the scumbags at the ravine messing with her, so he decided to smoke on it first. But as he went to light one of his cigarettes, he realized that he didn't have a lighter on him. Hopefully June left the car unlocked.

Jay didn't think he could have ever been ready for what he saw. June was sprawled out on the backseat in nothing but lingerie, with a condom between her teeth. If Jay was drunk he would have slapped himself to see if he was dreaming. Her now fully dirty blonde hair was down and pulled to the front, framing her chest. She wore a red and black cheetah print bra, which Jay was sure she put thought into picking out, but all he could imagine was what the lingerie looked like on the floor. "Fuck me, June." He sighed out.

She smiled seductively, sitting up on her knees and grabbing his collar. She let the condom fall out of her mouth and stuck out her tongue a little bit to tease him. "Well if you insist, Jay." She pulled him on top of her with a kiss. They made out for a little bit before Jay pulled away.

"I thought you didn't want me to go further than second base," He said in a rare moment of brutal and complete honesty. He thought he was too hard and too backed up to stop and ask such a useless question, but sometimes even he was surprised by his own actions.

"What? Why would you think that? I thought I was practically throwing myself at you. You kept ignoring my signals. I needed to do something." June said, referring to their current scenario. Well Jay was glad she did, and he pulled her down for another kiss. She unbuckled his jeans and he grabbed her hips before flipping both of them over. I'm so glad these seats are leather.