I sat there a moment, unable to move. The house was eerily silent. Slowly, I slid off the counter, my  feet landing with a small thud. I forced myself to move away from the kitchen, heading to the den. My footsteps sliced through the silence.

                Something caught my eye.

                I glanced down, noticing the small stuffed dog lying on the couch next to the bear Jason had won me.  I picked it up, noticing a piece of paper.

                Keep it.

            I frowned, crumpling the note in my hand.

                ~*~

                Mom returned hours later. She walked through the door rather loudly, dragging in a man with her. I left my head, forcing my eyes open to see his arms around her.

                She giggled, closing the door loudly before her eyes landed on me.

                “J-Joanna! What are you doing here?” She asked, surprised

                “Its my house” I answered.

                “I thought you were with that boy” She sneered, referring to Jason.

                “The carnival’s been over for hours” I said, glancing at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning “Who’s he?”

                “Him?” She looked at the guy behind her. He kept kissing her neck, too drunk to feel the tension in the room “This is Danny—”

                “Ron” He corrected

                “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes “He’s my friend. Now if you’ll excuse us…”

                Mom grabbed his hand leading him off to her bedroom. I sighed, not wanting to hear what was going to happen next.

                I grabbed my phone from out of my pocket, calling the one person I knew would rescue me.

                It rang three times before he picked up.

                “Why the hell are you calling me at 2 in the morning?” Jason said, sounding as if he just woke up. He probably did.

                “I need you to pick me up. Now” I said

                He yawned “Be there in a few”

                “Jason, please hurry” I begged quietly.

                “Mhm, will do. Bye”

                I closed my phone, getting up from the couch. The bear and the dog were still in my hands. I stretched before grabbing my shoes and a jacket.

                I could hear my mother giggling from her bedroom along with a deep laugh. I didn’t want to hear anything past that.

                I sat on the porch, eyes barely open as I waited for Jason.

                He arrived shortly, looking extremely tired in his care. I gave him a grateful look, climbing into the passenger’s seat. He pulled out, heading to his house.

                We were careful not to wake his mother as we walked in. She wouldn’t be surprised I was here. This had happened before.

                We would simply make up some story, she would believe it and everything would work out.

                Once in Jason’s room, I shrugged out of my jacket, stepping out of my shoes. He yawned, collapsing back on his bed. If I had any energy, I would’ve laughed. But right now I was simply too tired to do anything.

                I pulled off my jeans, changing into Jason’s sweats.

                This had happened so many times before, he wouldn’t have been surprised. We were best friends anyways, it didn’t matter if we shared clothing. I pulled my shirt off, leaving me in my camisole.

                “Move over” I whined to Jason. He groaned, rolling onto his side, giving me little room in his twin size bed.

                I crawled on, body pressed against Jason’s. At times like these, my crush for him didn’t help at all. I may have been tired, but I was very aware of our bodies touching. My back was pressed against his chest. Jason wrapped an arm around me.

                “Thanks, Jase” I whispered.

                He squeezed me gently “Mhm”

                I closed my eyes, falling back asleep.

                ~*~

                The next morning, I awoke to an empty bed. I sat up, covers falling down. Jason sat across his room, messing around with a ball. I yawned, rubbing my eyes.

                “Why do you always take my good sweats when you come over?” He smirked, acknowledging me.

                I shrugged “Why aren’t you wearing them when I come over?”

                “Well, most of the time I’m not expecting you to come over”

                “I can’t help that.”

                He laughed “So what happened this time?”

                “The normal. She came home with some guy and pretty much ignored the fact that I was in the house”

                “At least you didn’t have Mason this time”

                I snorted, running a hand through my hair “Thank God. They were getting it on pretty quick. Might not have had time to grab him”

                He laughed.

                “Speaking of Mason, where is he?”

                “He’s in the kitchen with Mom and Cody”

                I nodded, sighing “Can I borrow some clothes?”

                Jason raised an eyebrow “Looks like you already have”

                “Shut up” I laughed, throwing his pillow at him. Jason caught it, grinning devilishly. He stood up, walking towards me. I watched his suspiciously.

                Jason threw the pillow at me, launching himself of top of me. I let out a scream, falling back on the bed. Jason grabbed the pillow, hitting me with it repeatedly.

                “Stop! Jason! You win!” I laughed, trying to protect myself. He straddled me, hitting me in the face with the pillow.

                “No. You have to say the magic word!”

                “Jason please stop!” I tried

                He dropped the pillow, grinning. “I was thinking more along the lines of ‘Jason you’re so amazingly hot’ or something but please works too”

                I rolled my eyes “How about ‘Jason you’re so amazingly conceited’”

                “You want me to bring out the pillow again, missy?” He asked me threateningly.

                I laughed “No! Please don’t!”
                “That’s what I thought” He grinned.

                I sighed, smiling up at him. The silence fell over us, neither of us having anything else to add to the conversation.

                “You should get off me so I can get dressed” I said after a few moments. Jason looked down, realizing he was still straddling me before climbing off the bed, giving me space.

                He grabbed a shirt for me to change into. I guess I was using my jeans for my pants. Jason walked over to the door, leaning against it.

                “You just going to watch me change?” I laughed

                He grinned “Damn, you caught me”

                I rolled my eyes “You’re hilarious. Now get lost. I’ll meet you downstairs”

                He stuck his tongue out at me before heading out, closing the door behind him. I grabbed the shirt, slipping it on. It was a black flannel button-down shirt, which was way too big for me. I rolled the sleeves up, leaving it unbuttoned.

                I slipped out of his sweats, flipping my jeans inside-out to change into when the door opened again.

                I turned around just in time to see Jason run at me, scooping me up. He tossed me over his shoulder, twirling me around.

                I screamed in surprise.

                “Jason! I’m not wearing any pants!” I screamed, squirming for him to put me down

                “Oh I’m well aware” He said, slapping my barely covered ass.

                I felt my face redden “Let me down!”

                “I don’t think so, love” He laughed, walking towards the door. I knew that because I could see the other side of the room move farther away. “Mom Cody and Mason are gone which means I have no one too cook me breakfast”

                I groaned “You’re so fucking lazy! I’ll cook you breakfast if you let me put some pants on”

                He walked down the stairs, me still over his shoulder “How about you cook me breakfast then put pants on”

                “Jason!” I whined.

                He set me down in front of the kitchen counter, leaving his hands on my hips. “I’m not kidding, Joey, make me breakfast”

                “Come on! I don’t want to do it in my underwear”

                “You’ve got a shirt on” He said, plucking at his flannel

                I narrowed my eyes “I’d like pants too”

                “No can do”

                I groaned “I hate you so much”

                “I want pancakes”

                I shoved him back, grabbing a pan from the cabinet and some pancake mix “I’m holding  you against this Jason”

                He grinned at me innocently “Love you too Joey”

                I rolled my eyes.

                Once the pancakes were done, I left Jason to eat them while I went and got pants. It was a good thing I was comfortable around Jason or all hell would’ve broken loose at that action. I made sure to lock the door behind me, pulling up my own pants.

                I grabbed one of his belts to use, just to make sure he didn’t try anything funny again today.

                I put a little bit of make-up on, using what I had left here before. I used Jason’s brush to brush through my rat’s nest I called hair, heading downstairs.

                Jason was sitting at the kitchen table, the plate of pancakes empty.

                I frowned, sitting across from him “Thanks for saving me some”

                “You snooze you lose”

                “You forced me down here to make you pancakes!” I whined

                “Well, you could’ve eaten some too before you back upstairs”

                “I’d like to have pants on when I’m around people”

                He grinned, reaching across and ruffling my hair “Its alright with me. I’m used to it.”

                I jerked away, trying to fix my hair. Jason laughed at my attempt before grabbing my wrist and pulling me with him to the couch. He sat down, forcing me to sit on his lap.

                Not that I would’ve minded.

                “What time do you want to go home?” He asked, turning on the TV.

                “Soon, I guess. Mason’s probably already there, and hopefully that guy his gone”

                Jason sighed “Alright, let’s go”

                “What? You don’t want me to stay?” I asked mocking hurt.

                “No” Jason said bluntly

                I punched his arm playfully, knowing he was kidding. He laughed, pushing me off to stand up. I patted my pocket, feeling my phone in there.

                Jason grabbed his keys off the table, heading to the door. I followed behind him as we went to the car.

                At the house, Jason walked me to the front door. As I was digging for my keys, he surprised me with a hug, pulling me tight to him. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back.

                “Bye Joey” he whispered into my ear

                “Bye Jase” I said back “Thanks for getting me again”

                “Anytime sweetie” he said, giving me a squeeze.

                I giggled, pulling away.

                Jason pecked my cheek before turning around and walking away.

                I walked inside, a smile on my face.

Indeed, Mason was at the house. I assumed Cody and Hannah had dropped him off when they left before. I guess they didn’t know I was at the house or they would’ve waited for me.

                “And where were you?” Mom snapped at me as I walked in.

                “At Hannah’s” I said, giving Mason a kiss on the head.

                “Isn’t that were that boy lives?” She sneered.

                I nodded “Yes, that’s where Jason lives, Mom”

                “I don’t want you sleeping over with some boy”

                “Why? You do it all the time” The words left my lips before I had time to think about it. I knew it was definitely the wrong thing to say. Mom flinched slightly. I knew I hit a chord.

                “That’s different” She said defensively

                “Oh right, I sleep over with the same boy. You sleep with different ones”

                “Joanna!” She snapped “You do not talk to your mother like that!”

                “I’m just saying the truth” I muttered just loud enough for me to hear.

                “You need to be more respectful to me, young lady” She continued. “I am your mother and as your mother you need to give me respect. I don’t appreciate the insults.”

                “I haven’t insulted you once. I’m simply pointing out the truth”

                “You know what? You’re grounded!”

                “What? You can’t do that!”

                “I just did” She said. With that, Mom got up, walking out of the room, muttering under her breath. I just stared after her in total shock.

                I knew it wouldn’t change life much. I didn’t have that big of a social life to begin with but the fact that she would ground me when I had told her what was on my mind astonished me.

                She was the one who subtly told me she didn’t want me in the house last night.

                She was the one who constantly had sex with dirty guys.

                She was the one who forgot about her family every weekend.

                She was the one to blame!

                Not I.

                I turned back to Mason who didn’t seem to be paying attention to anything. “Mom’s being mean today, Mase. Watch out”

                He ignored me, messing with his cereal. I sighed, pulling his hands out of his bowl “No, spoon”

                He took the spoon from my hands, hurling it across the room.

                I sighed and began the struggle of trying to get my brother to use silverware.

                Its amazing how one small thing can turn you from the happiest girl the an angry one.

                After a few moments of a failed attempt, I gave up, letting Mason go play. I went into the living room, noticing the bear and the dog still on the couch.

                I picked them up, carrying them to my room.

***Guys, it's not how I write to write in multiple POV's so sorry, but this is staying in Joey's. I think it's more fun when you don't know what the other one feels(: Thank you for all the comments! *****